Page 57 of Sea's Secret

Meria and Peter could not be correct. My mother did not want me. She hated me, cursed my existence, and gave me over to Veeto. If she was anything other than that, it would have crumbled everything I thought I knew–all I thought I was–and my mission.

But they were misinformed; my mother did not want me.

But I would make her see who I had become and make her regret forcing me to go with Veeto.

Chapter Twenty-One

Dominick

Iwalked across the deck, over to the wheel. Whenever I passed any of the men from Walden, they always looked down at their feet, silently completing whatever task they had been given. If they only knew that I did not enjoy the circumstances, either, but that it was my only option, maybe they would not have been so fearful.

A tall man with light brown hair stood, untangling nets near the helm. I would have thought nothing of it, but the man quickly became the next person I wanted to force to walk the plank. He was not alone. He was standing behind her, his arms around Meria as he showed her how to tie the nets, or, at least, I was certain that was what he was using as a ruse to get close to her. I watched in anger as he caressed her hand while moving the net. Meria, of course, was none-the-wiser, smiling and nodding. By the look in his eye, I knew he was up to something.

“Get away from her!” I shouted as I reached them. The man pulled away from Meria instantly and stood at attention, facing me.

“Captain,” he said with his hand held against his brow. He was very formal, and I appreciated that at the moment. He was obviously a trained navy man.

“What is your name?” I asked.

“George, Captain.”

“George, You must have better things to do than this. Last I knew, she was not a crew member.”

“Captain, I was teaching–”

“Did I ask? Go do something before I throw you over and let the fathoms take you!” I bellowed.

“She asked, Captain,”

“Or better yet–” I took off one of my gloves and held my hand out in front of his face. “I have never touched a man’s face before. I wonder what kind of pain that would create.”

“Please–please–” the man began to beg.

What a coward. I had seen all different kinds of reactions to my threats. That was one of the weaknesses I saw far too often. There were only a few men who looked pain in the face and took it on. Even though I did not know their names, those few had earned my respect.

“Dominick,” I heard a faint, melodic voice, but I was glaring at George, knowing he needed to pay. I did not take lightly to him trying to manipulate Meria. “Dominick, I am alright.” I turned from George to Meria. It was her voice, of course.

“Go on, now–” Meria said, looking behind me. I heard shuffling feet, but did not turn around to face the man.

“Meria–” I said.

She walked to me, took my glove, and carefully put it on my hand.

“Come–” she said.

In a sort of confused daze, I followed her, and when she closed the door of my cabin, that was when I realized I had let my anger cause me to overreact with George. She had seen me be The Cruel Hand almost fully.

“That was unnecessary.”

“I would not expect you to understand,” I grunted.

“Try me,” she said softly.

I turned around, and I focused on her face, trying not to let my heart take control. But her face was beautiful, and it was not any easier to look into those beautiful, blue eyes–bright as the sky on a clear day–a clear day after days and days of stormy weather.

I walked up to her. She wanted to know what it was like to be a human? Well, I would teach her, I decided.

“Not everyone has your best interests at heart,” I told her.

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