Page 47 of Sea's Secret

“I am curious about Pirate Dominick,” I said.

“First thing you should know, is that I do not go by Dominick. My name is The Cruel Hand.”

“The Cruel Hand? But you don't touch anyone.” I paused and looked to the sea. He told me that he was cursed to inflict pain on those he touched. Did that mean–?

“My hand is cruel and unpleasant when I touch someone. I have a reputation.”

“You torture people?” I asked, looking at the waves for a few heartbeats, then turning my head to look at him again. It was hard to believe that man, who was kind and helpful and had that bright light in his eyes, could willingly torture anyone.

“Yes, I told you–I am a pirate. I am not a prince, not anymore. Still wish to journey with me?”

As much as that news was not pleasant, I felt as if there was something else he was not telling me. I could not deny that going with him seemed to be the right choice, even if it was dangerous. I was already banished, so I had the freedom to do as I wished. I wished to stay with Dominick. It felt like the right choice, and I was trying to do what felt right to me, instead of what I was told was best for me.

Yes.

“Will you be my mermaid, Meria?”

I gulped.

“I will be your mermaid, and you will be my human.”

Chapter Eighteen

Dominick

Our life on the small island had been pleasant. Knowing that Meria was a mermaid explained so much. After that revelation, she wasn't as shy as she had been. She spoke often and explained more about her underwater kingdom. I couldn't help but stare at her tail whenever she went for her swims. Her tail was beautiful. The teal color suited her, and I was growing more and more comfortable with her, which worried me.

I was not looking forward to our rescue for many reasons, one of the main ones was that the little bubble of ours, where I did not have to act a specific way, would then be broken. I would most likely have to behave like a pirate again, and I was not sure how Meria would react to that persona.

Will she fear me?

When I first found out that she was a mermaid, the look of fear on her face gave me a sharp pain in my chest, which was not a place I usually felt pain, unless I was thinking about Walden and my family. I would never hurt Meria. I tried to explain to her what it meant that I was a pirate and that I did horrible things. I was not looking forward to her seeing me behave as The Cruel Hand, which reality caused me to curse my mother’s name under my breath more than once, along with Veeto’s, who I hoped had already met his watery end.

Being free from Veeto and his awful crew, it felt like a weight had been lifted from off my back. As much as I never wanted to be The Cruel Hand again, I knew that I had a reputation and that it would follow me as long as I remained a pirate.

I liked the way Meria looked at me so joyfully. Would that fade once she realized what I had to do to survive? I attempted to kick that train of thought away as often as it floated into my mind.

Three more days passed, and still no ship had arrived. I was sure mermaids were not aware of how fast or slow ships traveled.

Our sleeping arrangement changed over those few days. Since our talk on the beach, there were a few times when I had awakened to feel Meria right beside me, her hand on my shoulder. As I opened my eyes, I would see her eyes searching for mine in the dark, often as tears dripped down her cheeks.

“What is the matter?” Did I touch her? Did I use the curse in my sleep? My heart raced with that fear the first time I found her beside me, crying.

She shook her head, no, and dipped her head to hide her eyes.

“Meria, talk to me,” I said, sitting up in the dark cave, where a small flicker of the fire still burned.

“You–you are in pain, Dominick?”

“I was sleeping.”

“Dominick, there is no way–I mean, do you have nightmares?” she asked quietly. Her hand rubbed my shoulder.

“I do–but I am alright. Sorry I woke you up.”

“You always wake me up. I think you are in more pain than you say.”

I have been waking her up during my nightmares? As much as I did not want to admit how much pain I was constantly in, it was truly awful. But why make her worry needlessly for me and the horror that was my curse? She was dealing with enough. There was no need to burden her with that. I was strong, and I could handle the pain. She–while I had learned that her life was not easy and that she had her fair share of things she had endured, and was strong, herself–she deserved someone keeping her from more pain. Was it wrong to not want her tainted by me? She was kind, and I knew that if I told her everything, that she was the kind of person to make it her mission to save me.

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