Page 17 of The Pirate and His Siren

But I can handle myself against them.

Being in my nature to seduce men, I may have teased them by putting a sway in my hips while I stride across the deck, which I suppose drives them mad, knowing they can’t have me. It’s a heady, delicious feeling.

But what really makes the crew accept me is the gameShips and Bounty.

During one of the long stretches of sailing, where the sea was calm and there was barely a breeze, I came across crew members huddled around in a group where they’d marked out squares on the deck with chalk.

“What’s the object of this game?”

“You have to overtake your opponent,” Xandin, a tawny, brown-skinned man, his black hair twisted into long dreadlocks that fell past his shoulder, begins to explain. “But you have to place bets on how many squares you’ll move. If youlose, you give your opponent a coin, but if you win, you get to move forward the number of spaces on the dice.”

“Which way can you move?” There are squares marked in rows leading one way and then joined to another row leading in another direction in what first appears to be a complicated gridlock.

“Any which way you want, Miss Luarna,” says Nik, the cabin boy. He’s at an age I think is too young to be part of a pirate crew. A flop of honey-blond hair falls over his wide, innocent blue-gray eyes he constantly brushes aside. He is scrawny and looks underfed but eats as much as the rest of the crew. His physique is due to running around doing all the grunt jobs the crew delegates to him.

“Certain places like ’ere.” He points to a collection of bones and a tiny wooden chest on a pile of sand. “This is where you want to head. The treasure being the ultimate prize.”

“What are these other places?” I can see little gems scattered over different squares. On closer inspection, the jewels are made of glass.

“Aye, as we’re pirates, you wanna collect as much booty along the way before your opponent does.” Xandin grins. His left front tooth is replaced with a golden one, glinting in the sunlight. “That’s also how you pay your opponent.”

“Sounds complicated. I’m in.”

“There’s a buy-in, Miss Luarna.”

I raise a brow before tossing in a gold coin. “Will that do?”

He gives me a wide grin as other members crow their delight. “Aye, that’ll do.”

Nik hands me the dice.

The playing pieces are little carved pirate ships withdifferent colored sails. I inspect mine, the detailing intricate, all parts of the ship. “Who carved these?”

“Old man Bones.”

I lift my eyes to the pirate in question, who gives me a bashful, wide, toothy grin set in his sun-weathered face. His skin is lined with deep wrinkles. When it isn’t covered with a scarf, his head is peppered with gray.

“Your work is impeccable, good sir.”

“Bah, no one’s told me my work is impeccable.” He ducks his head.

I lift my little ship with red sails in his direction. “Well, they should.”

I soon pick up on the game’s rules, failing miserably the first few turns. It’s the betting on the dice that undoes me. But the more I play, the more the rest of the crew gathers around wanting to play against me.

Finally, I understand the game and secure my first win. I crow with delight before reining my voice in, lest any of my song spills out. I quickly glance around, but none of the crew are compelled, patting each other on the back for a game well played or jeering good-naturedly that they let me win.

My latest opponents turn to me and congratulate me on a well-won strategy.

“Since you won the last round, you have to be the first throw, Miss Luarna.” Nick holds his open hand out to me with the two wooden dice resting in his palm.

Apprehension fills me as I search their faces for any unease at me playing again, but there is nothing but joy on their faces.

Something settles in me then.

There has only been one other to accept me—Ikina. Not even my mother looks upon me with such warmth.

This is the day I knew I’d become one of the crew.

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