Page 52 of Sea's Secret

My heart swelled.

She is mine.

“Okay, okay!” the captain said.

Once the rope was tied tight, Dominick dropped his sword and motioned for the captain to enter the boat. He walked over to Sands, and together, they helped get Prince Peter tied up and into the boat.

“The crew will never do as you say,” the captain spat.

“You think they will still follow you after you let their ship be taken over by pirates, one of them being The Cruel Hand?” Sands said with a laugh.

“You–you are The Cruel Hand?” Prince Peter gulped, looking from Sands to Dominick.

“Aye, a pleasure. Now, do sit down and shut up. I’d rather not touch anyone if I don’t have to; I have no gloves,” Dominick said and turned to me, and in a different tone, much kinder, asked, “You ready?”

Am I ready? I wondered.

“Domi–”

He looked at me; he did not want me to call him that.

“Nick, are you sure this is the best idea?”

“All will be well, Meria. As long as they do as I say, they will not be permanently damaged,” he shrugged.

“Only their minds,” Sands said with a laugh and climbed into the boat.

Dominick gave me a sweet smile and helped me into the rocking boat, not letting his skin touch mine. It was a small boat, but we all fit, and soon, we were heading to the large ship.

I had no idea what was going to happen aboard–no idea if we would be killed the moment we stepped onto the deck because we had captured their captain and prince.

“Do not worry, Meria. Nothing will happen to you, I promise,” Dominick said as I sat and shivered, but not at all from the cool sea breeze and salty spray.

“Thank you,” was all I could say because Dominick and I had a deal. I would help him cross those waters and find his sister; then he would help me travel to Walden and find my mother. I paused, looking at Dominick, then Prince Peter.

Peter was his brother. Dominick had to realize that. “Is he?”

He nodded.

Perhaps, if things don't work out with Dominick, I can help Prince Peter and have him help me find my mother in Walden.

While I did not wish to betray Dominick, I did not know fully what pirates did. That first act as a pirate was not promising.

I had two options there–two ways to go about it, and I was not sure what I would do. I wanted to be on Dominick’s side, but what if Dominick, the human I had come to care for, was on the wrong side?

May the Ancients help me.

I could not help but feel like who he was on the island was more who he was meant to be–and that pirate persona, The Cruel Hand, was not who he really was. He’d held my hand just that morning, and there was nothing cruel about it. Was it possible that his pirate side was what he was forced to be, not who he wanted to be?

I had been obedient in order to survive, living under my father’s rule. Had Dominick lived as a pirate to survive, too? Was it possible we were more alike than I ever would have believed? Dominick was good, I just knew it, even if he did questionable things. I needed to learn more.

Perhaps, I could inform Peter that Dominick was his brother if things got bad. What would he say to that?

I wished Finn was there. What would he do?

I would do nothing until I was sure.

Chapter Twenty

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