Page 28 of Voice of the Ocean

“She’s—” The prince paused and looked from Celeste’s feet to her face and back again. His eyes narrowed, his expression unreadable as he scrutinized her. Deep down, a part of her had wanted him to recognize her. To know it was her who had saved him. But this wasn’t at all how she had pictured their reunion. She thought she’d have time to prepare.

The prince’s face transformed into a cold smile. “She’s the girl who saved my life.”

All the blood drained from Celeste’s face.

“What?” Bastian looked from his friend to Celeste as though trying to piece together a fading dream. Not with recognition, but confusion.He doesn’t remember me. He had been seduced by the Song and knocked unconscious for the duration of their time together. The relief was short-lived, however, when her eyes glanced back toward the prince. Luckily, her legs would keep him from outing her as a siren. And sirens were a myth to humans anyway. She could just pretend she didn’t know him, and maybe he’d think sheremindedhim of that siren.

The prince ran a hand through his dark hair and pushed into the cell. It was the first time Celeste realized howtallhe was. He stood a head above her, at least. The left side of his mouth pulled into that now familiar smirk as he stalked toward her. Celeste couldn’t move even if she wanted to. Hair stood up on her arms, a strange sensation.

“This is the girl who rescued Baz and me when our ship went down,” he repeated. To Kiyami and Bastian, Celeste was certain he sounded friendly, perhaps even excited. But she could see in his eyes something else. Something that reminded her of a shark eyeing its prey. This was not the boy she rescued. The one who gave her space while she cried and would trade his life for his friend. This was the son of the king who killed sirens.

“Celeste, is this true?” Kiyami asked, a note of awe in her voice.

At the sound of her name, the prince cocked an eyebrow.

Celeste shook her head fervently.No. She wished she could scream it, but she didn’t want Kiyami to know she had lied about not being able to speak. The humans needed to trust her.

The prince grinned, teeth bared. “No need to be modest,” he said, ignoring Celeste’s denial.

“I don’t remember a girl,” Bastian said.

“You hit your head pretty hard, my friend,” Raiden admitted. “But I could never forget this face.” His eyes moved from hers to her lips and back again. “And that hair... like starlight.”

Celeste’s hand flew to her hair of its own volition. Her face heated.

The prince’s smile widened.

Anger boiled within her, white-hot. She had risked everything to save him, including her own life, her family’s honor... and he wastoying with her. The pompous human considered her nothing more than a fish caught in his net.Good, Celeste thought, bitterness on her tongue.Let him believe that. It’ll be that much easier to kill him when he underestimates me.

A familiar pink nose and large eyes caught her attention. The Admiral beat his golden tail back and forth as it ambled toward her, nails tapping against the stone floor. Without thinking, Celeste smiled, reaching her hand down for it to nuzzle its soft head against her.

The prince’s eyes lit in triumph. “See? Even my dog remembers her.”

Damn him. She’d been caught by the animal.

“And I was afraid I’d never see you again,” he went on. “How convenient that I came across you while trying to release my old friend Kiyami.”

“Speaking of, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Kiyami asked, folding her arms across her chest. “Not that I mind.”

The prince turned. “I’m putting together a crew, and?—”

“I’m not interested,” Kiyami interrupted, pushing past Raiden. “But thank you for the rescue.”

Raiden’s hand flew to her wrist. “Ito Kiyami has sworn off sailing?”

“Not sailing.” She pulled her arm away. “I’ve sworn off working for people likeyou andyour father.”

Raiden flinched as though she had slapped him. His cocky expression slipped.

Kiyami turned her back to him and strode for the exit. But Bastian moved to block her path, casting Raiden an unsure glance.

“If you join us, I’ll pay you so handsomely that you’ll never have to work again,” Raiden said.

She froze. “You can’t promise that.”

“Ican.”

She turned. “How much?”

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