Page 103 of Voice of the Ocean

“I hoped you wouldn’t come,” Raiden said.

Celeste lifted her chin. “Happy to disappoint.” He took a step closer, but she refused to yield. “I see you brought new friends. I wonder when you had time to find them, considering howbusyyou were. Did you hide them in the brig too?”

Raiden’s fist clenched at his side.

“Your captain here had plenty of time to call on his father’s men after Velluno.” The tallest of the strangers smirked. “And thanks to your wonderful navigation,Wayfinder, we knew exactly where to find your current.”

Anger flared in her chest.

Raiden turned and glared at the man who’d spoken out of turn.

“Even then?” Celeste whispered. “Even then you were betraying me?”So it was all a lie, wasn’t it?She blinked against the tears that threatened to fall. But Raiden still saw everything on her face. His hard expression faltered, but so quickly she couldn’t be sure it’d happened at all.

“We only want the Voice of the Ocean,” Raiden said, taking another step forward. “If you leave now, there will be no need for a fight.”

“I’d rather like to fight.” Celeste pressed down her grief to focus on the anger. “I’ve beenpracticing.” A wicked smile played on her lips.

Raiden cocked an eyebrow, surprise and amusement dancing across his face. “Come on, Celeste,” he said, his voice low. That same damn voice he used on her when they... when she had...

“Get used to disappointment,Your Highness,” she seethed.

Raiden unsheathed his sword. “Step aside.”

“No,” she said.

“Step aside,” he repeated, frustration mounting.

“No!” she spat, her resentment cracking through her calm. “I will not let you take my sister!”

Raiden’s eyes widened. “Yoursister?” He looked panicked as he glanced between Celeste and Nerissa, as if hoping for one of them to explain.

So he didn’t know.

The tallest of the king’s men had had enough of waiting. He unsheathed his sword, shouldering Raiden out of the way to run at Celeste. With a grunt, he lifted the blade high above his head, swinging it down in a deathly arc toward her. Heart pounding, Celeste spun out of the sword’s path.

The other men sprang into action, Bastian among them. Half ran for Nerissa, while the others surged toward Celeste. A powerful alto poured from Nerissa, bringing three men around her to their knees. The melody was unfamiliar to Celeste, dark and mournful as it wrapped around the men, turning one against the other. The Song pulsed as she attempted to enchant more, but her powers only extended so far. Celeste opened her mouth, unsure how to join.

Bastian lunged at her.

Celeste leaped back, dodging his strike at the last second. But he was not deterred. He kept the pressure on her as other men joined him. She could hardly think, let alone focus long enough to pull at her magic, her gift from the Goddess given for this very reason—to protect sirens from humans. Outnumbered and without proper weapons, it was all Celeste could do to avoid their blows. They backed her toward the steps until she was pressed against the doors. She screamed in frustration, hoping to somehow tap into the same magic she had used to knock the crew unconscious.

Bastian and the men stepped back and plugged their ears, clearly warned about what she could do. But even if they hadn’t, the magic didn’t feel the same. It was as if it was locked behind a door, the key to which she did not have. Still, the break in their onslaught gave her just enough time to focus her energy and attempt to join Nerissa’s song. The bodies of two king’s men already lay motionless at Nerissa’s feet.

A single note spilled from her lips before a knee collided with her stomach. She fell to the ground, gasping. When she looked up, Bastian towered over her, hatred burning in his eyes. This, too, knocked the air from her lungs. His chest heaved as he looked at her. He didn’t see her. He saw only his pain. His loss.

Behind him, a call rang out. Celeste looked up in time to see Kiyami, flinging a sheathed sword toward her. She didn’t know where it came from, given it wasn’t Kiyami’s, but could guess it hadn’t been given freely. Celeste snatched the sword and pulled it free, pointing the blade toward Bastian and pushing him back. Suddenly, Kiyami was beside her, fighting back two of the king’s men, who were trying to run into the temple. Nasir and Torben had joined the fight as well, both of them keeping Raiden busy.

They were helping?

Torben let out a battle cry as he charged, axe raised high. Bastian looked at his comrades, betrayal plain on his face. Celeste pushed herself to her feet and pointed the blade at his throat.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she said.

He wheeled on her then, sword flashing. Celeste took a step back, meeting each slash and jab with the clang of her own sword. His sword crashed against hers again and again, blow after blow, beating her away from the doors. Fury and pain fueled every strike. Celeste watched in horror as she made retreat after retreat. Her training from the Chorus and Kiyami were enough to keep her fighting, but his mastery of the sword was undeniable. He cut her across the arm. Shallow, but too close for comfort. She could not think. Could hardly breathe, let alone sing. And soon one mistake became many, and she’d given him an opening. It was only a moment, but it was enough. He raised his sword.

And then his eyes found hers. She watched him as he took in the blood, bright red and running down her arm.

And he hesitated.

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