Page 102 of Bind Me

Ouch!

Blood sprays as two fingers hit the deck, and the man screams in agony, clutching his mangled hand.

He reels, his face twisted in pain and rage, and he aims a vicious kick at Chowder. I throw myself between them, taking the brunt of the blow to my thigh. Pain explodes up my leg, sharp and burning, but I push through it, grabbing Chowder and tossing him toward the ship’s edge. I throw him overboard. He hits the water and bobs back up, staring at me with those huge, terrifying eyes.

And just as I fast, I’m scrambling up over the railing.

But the noose tightens around my neck again, dragging me back in a flash. I cry out, clawing at my neck for release.

I hit the deck with a bone-rattling thud, my vision swimming as tears burn my eyes from the pain stinging across my back. The shadow of Lilia looms over me again, her smile triumphant and bitterly cold.

“Forget the damn otter,” she snarls. “You had your chance, and now it’s too late.”

I struggle to focus, the fear in my veins turning to ice as I stare up at her.

“Kaden will find you. He’ll come for me.”

“That idiot?” Her laughter echoes in the open air. “I dealt with his kraken grandfather, and I will deal with Kaden, too, have no fear. Where you’re going, he won’t be able to reach you.”

Two of her men grab me under the arms, hauling me to my feet. I fight against their hold, my fingers brushing the blade hidden at my waist. With a swift motion, I whip it out, slicing at one of the men across the middle. He recoils, cursing and clasping his wound, but the other man retaliates with a punch that snaps my head back, sending stars dancing across my vision.

The world tilts, and I drop to the deck, the pain radiating through my skull like a lightning strike. I blink up at Lilia, trying to focus, trying to comprehend the chaos around me. Her presence feels like a storm sweeping over me with endless force.

I’m choking for more air, the tightness around my neck never giving up.

“Well, just like your mother, you’re a fighter,” Lilia murmurs. “Which is good. The more you fight, the better you’ll be.”

The mention of my mother sends a jolt of electricity through me. “My mother?” The words leave my lips in a gasp, my chest tightening as memories flood back—the day I watched her drown my father, her transformation into a siren, the day I was left alone.

“You asked me earlier what I was,” Lilia continues, her tone smug. “I’m part harpy, part fae, so powerful magic runs through my veins. I can control energy, but I can also force someone into a transformation. Do you know what happens when a mermaid finally takes on being a siren?”

Anger surges inside me, hot and consuming, mixing with despair that feels like it’s ripping me apart from the inside.

“You turned my mother into a siren?” I cry out in a raspy voice. “Who gave you the right? She killed my father!”

I push myself to my knees, ignoring the throbbing pain and the pain in my neck. That’s when I catch a glimpse of movement to my left. Chowder, hanging on to the side of the ship, dripping wet but still here. My heart aches with fear for him. Why did you return, little man? But my focus swings back to Lilia, the woman who turned my life into a nightmare.

“Yes, well, unfortunate consequences, but I needed her,” Lilia says carelessly with a shrug. “And now you’ll get to see her again. Isn’t that exciting?”

Fear knots in my stomach, icy and cruel, and as I try to back away, the invisible cord around my throat pulls me back. Chowder hisses, ready to pounce again, but I shake my head at him, a silent plea for him to stay safe.

“Chowder, go, leave now!” I gasp, my voice firm despite the panic coursing through me.

But Chowder doesn’t move, his eyes locked on me, determined to stay by my side.

“Why?” I demand, my voice breaking. “Why the fuck did you do that to my mom, to me?”

Lilia’s lips twist into a cold smile. “I have a business to run,” she admits in a matter-of-fact way. “I’ve never been more profitable since I took over the reins all those centuries ago.”

My mind reels with the knowledge of siren attacks, the stories of boats lost at sea, of sailors drowned or driven mad.

“Money,” I blurt out, the pieces falling into place. “That’s all this is for you?”

“Riches, gold, magical artifacts,” Lilia replies, her eyes glinting with greed. “You have no idea what it can buy in this world. How those things mean you live like a queen! And no one can ever hurt you again. Besides, everyone has a price. Everyone can be bought, you know that?”

“Fuck you!” I spit, rage burning in my veins. “Not everyone!”

Lilia steps forward, her hand reaching out to my throat once more. I shove it away, but she’s like steel and unmovable. Her touch is cold, a chill that seeps into my skin and makes me shudder.

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