Page 73 of Ocean of Sin and Starlight

Abe! I yell into his head. She’s a Syren. She was a Syren. Maren was a Syren!

How do you know that? he asks.

The gills. On her neck.

It’s then I notice Ramsay staring at me curiously, noticing where my attention is.

“Nill it is,” Ramsay says, breaking into a slow grin before he waves at the rest of his crew. “Come on, boys. Let’s make these two walk the bloody plank.”

“The plank?” Maren says with a dry laugh. “I thought that was beneath us.”

“Come on, luv. It’s a little more entertaining than just chucking them overboard.”

Several members of the crew come forward, untying the chains and manhandling us as they drag us toward the side of the ship.

This would be a fantastic time for you to let the beast out, Abe says in my head.

He’s right, but in my panicked state, I can’t seem to do anything except fight back, and that gets me a couple more whacks to the head and punches to the gut, along with the occasional bite from one Greek-looking fellow, who gives me a bloody grin. Normally, I can withstand a beating like it’s nothing at all, but ever since I’ve been on this ship, I feel positively human in the way everything hurts.

I think there must be some magic here, weakening us, I say to Abe.

Yes, that must be the reason why I can’t fight off ten men, he says mildly.

The crew jostles us over to the side of the ship, one of them removing the siding until there’s a lone plank jutting out over the black, endless sea.

And in that sea floats a shark fin, ominously circling below.

“Aren’t you supposed to discuss this with Nill?” I ask as several swords prick my back, urging me to move forward onto the board.

“You will be discussing it with Nill,” Ramsay says, leaping up on the railing and leaning on one of the ropes from the mast. He points at the water with his sword. “That’s him down there.”

“A shark?” I exclaim.

“He’ll be the judge,” Maren says. “Trust me, he’s good at it.”

I try to twist around to face the crew. They’re all enjoying this all too much.

“Bloody pirates,” I growl.

They bare their fangs and hiss at me in return.

Normally, I would think I could easily take on a shark. I took on Larimar, and she was much more cunning and vicious. But with my hands bound and this weakening spell, I’m not sure I’ll have much of a choice.

Perhaps we’ll be alright, Abe says from behind me where he’s being held on the deck, not bothering to put up a fight anymore. A shark can’t kill us.

I give him an incredulous look. It could bite off our heads.

His face is immediately crestfallen. Ah. Yes, I suppose it could.

“Enough!” Ramsay bellows. “Let the judgment begin for the Holy Man. Walk the plank!”

I try to stand my ground, but half a dozen swords spear into my back.

I cry out and stumble forward, losing my footing.

I pitch over the side and fall toward the dark waves, moonlight reflecting on the crests.

The water hits me like a hammer, and I immediately sink until I start kicking. It’s freezing cold, but to my relief, it doesn’t bother me, which means whatever weakening spell they had on us up there doesn’t work down here.

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