Page 26 of The Pirate and His Siren

“I believe it was.”

But when would I have fallen? I don’t think it was any pivotal significant moment. It was a series of little things that I hadn’t realized when he’d wormed his way into my heart.

Ikina’s right.

Jackur swims forward, and she winds her arm around the merman’s waist, her body turning in toward his, gazing at him with a soft expression on her face. His own reflects the same love back at her. Their tails complemented each other’s.

“We’ve been taught that their race is weak, but love isn’t weakness. Love is strength. It emboldens you to be the person you’re meant to be. Love is everything.”

I place my hand over my chest, rubbing the spot over my heart.

Kynan was constantly touching me like Jackur is doing to Ikina.

Is that why sirens are driven to fuck all the time? Are we starving for affection, for someone’s touch, but we misconstrue it as pleasure mating instead?

“Did this happen onVelade ia cietra?”

“Not this one, but the year before. But Jackur proved his love during the year leading up to the most recent merpeople’s day of love.”

Up until this point, the merman had been relativelyquiet, but when he spoke, it was with a wise and confident voice. “Velade ia cietraisn’t a magical day as you sirens are led to believe. It’s only a day when merpeople celebrate love.” He gazes at Ikina with a soft, loving expression. “It’s also a day we woo potential mates or celebrate matings that have already occurred. There are no spells cast upon this day.”

I continue to rub my hand over my heart, where it keeps hammering against my chest the longer we talk of love. “So, everything I feel is real?”

“I believe so,” says Ikina, her eyes shining. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Then I’m in love,” I scream joyfully. “I’m a siren, and I’m in love.”

“That’s nice. It’s a wonderful thing to be in,” a voice calls out, making heat creep up my cheeks.

Trust a merperson to be happy about it.

Ikina’s eyes light up. “Is your mate another merman too?”

“No, he’s a human.”

Her face drops.

“But he lives on the sea. So, we’ll still be able to see each other often.”

I hope. Before I left, there had been talk of him and his crew becoming land pirates sailing the river and traversing the lands to rob merchants.

“Oh, I can never tell my mother about this.” I press my hands to my cheeks.

“You don’t even like her much anyway.”

I tap my hand on my chin. “True, I haven’t even spoken to her since I’d gone on land.”

“Maybe then it’s best if you don’t tell her.”

“She’ll find outeventually…”

“And by then, it’ll be too late. You’ll be mated. The worst she can do is disown you, and would that be such a bad thing?”

“Honestly, it would be a boon not to have her toxicity in my life anymore. Besides, I have another family now… my mate and his crew.”

Ikina squeezes my hand. “You’ll always have me as family too.”

Jackur bows his head at me. “You have my friendship as well. Any friend of my mate is a friend of mine.”

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