Page 72 of Voice of the Ocean

“Captain! Shall we set sail?” Bastian shouted across the gap between the two ships.

Celeste and Raiden turned to see Nasir pulling a soaked Torben onto the deck of the ship with Kiyami just behind him.

Raiden hopped up onto the banister of the ship, then offered a hand to Celeste. “All right, hero, that’s enough adventure for today.” He tugged on a piece of rope before wrapping it around his wrist. “What do you say we get out of here?”

With a smirk, Celeste placed a hand in his, and he pulled her onto the railing beside him. She could hear the clambering of Valencia’s crew against the ship as they began to climb the sides. Raiden wound his free arm around Celeste’s waist, pulling her into his chest. She looped her bound hands around his neck. Their eyes met. Celeste’s pulse jumped.

“Don’t let go,” he said.

And then they were in free fall, stomachs flipping before the rope pulled taut and the two jerked together. Raiden’s fingers dug into her back, and her arms wound tighter, their bodies flush against each other as they sailed through the air above the darkened ocean. They crashed onto the deck of theRed Revengein a tangle of limbs. The impact left Celeste gasping.

Beside her, Raiden coughed. “Get us the hell out of here, Baz!” he wheezed.

“Way ahead of you, Captain!” Bastian replied. “Release the sails!”

At his order, the crew sprang to life, lowering the sails until they filled with wind. The ship lurched.They did it. They actually did it. Celeste let her body fall limp, her heart still pounding in her chest.

“Nasir!” said Raiden.

“Aye, Captain?”

“Grab some men and shoot anyone who tries to board this ship, would you?” he said.

“Aye, Captain.”

Behind them, Valencia and her crew stood upon the other ship, glaring daggers as the space between the ships grew. Nasir and several others trained their pistols on them, firing warning shots at their feet, though none of them moved.

“You’ll pay for this, you bastard!” Valencia cried.

Raiden lifted his head, watching as the Pirate Queen’s crew began to retreat. TheRed Revengewas already picking up speed. They knew a lost cause when they saw one.

“A pleasure as always, Valencia!” Raiden called back, throwing her a rude hand gesture as they sailed into the night. A firework lit the sky above their heads with a celebratorybang. And as the golden sparks fell from the sky, Raiden appeared above Celeste, the light reflecting off his dark hair. His eyes were unreadable as he scanned her face.

“Are you okay?”

Celeste smiled weakly and nodded, sitting up. She could still feel the press of his fingers in her lower back, as if he had burned her. A knife appeared in his hands, and he set to work cutting the rope that bound her, taking care not to touch the raw skin along her wrists. Now freed, Celeste made to push to her feet, but Raiden stopped her with a hand at her neck.

“Didshedo this to you?” he asked, his voice tight. They may have just managed to get enough distance between them and Valencia’s crew to be safe, but the look in his eyes gave Celeste the impression that the looming eclipse was the only thing keeping him from turning the ship around to exact vengeance. The Admiral padded over to them, whining as if he, too, were worried about the siren’s well-being. Celeste tried to cover the cut at her neck with her hands and push him away, but the touch sent a sharp sting through her. She winced.

“Well, don’t go touching it!” Raiden huffed. “Let me see...”

He was achingly gentle as he leaned into her, taking her shoulders in his hands and turning her toward the lanterns above. The light press of his calloused fingers on her skin sent shivers down her spine. His dark eyes searched her neck for any sign of infection or further injury. Celeste was so close she could see the light lines between his brows where he had them furrowed. The salty breeze played with his dark hair, tossing it in pieces across his forehead. It was all she could do to not reach out and brush them with her fingers.

Eventually, his gaze rose to meet hers, and Celeste swallowed.

“We should have blown them all up,” he said, voice low and angry.

“That’s what I said!” Torben shouted.

Celeste couldn’t help but roll her eyes and gesture toward Raiden.You couldn’t have blown them up. You were too close to them.

“She’s right. You would have gottenyourselfblown up, Your Highness,” Kiyami called from her place at the wheel. “And then who would worry over poor Celeste’s cut?”

“I believe that is my job.” Nasir chuckled.

Raiden did not respond. He reached up, taking Celeste’s chin in his hand, and gently drew her closer to him. His thumb slid across her jawline as he tilted her head to the side to get another look at the cut, as if it would’ve magically become infected in the seconds since he last looked at it. It was amusing to see him this way. The infamous Captain Raiden Sharp, son of the Pirate King, huffing over acut. His jaw clenched and unclenched, and it looked...incredible. All sharp angles and tension. Celeste had to admit—she was enjoying every second of him fussing over her.

“It doesn’t look deep,” he said finally, letting his hand drop from her chin. “Nasir, clean this and get it covered. See to her wrists as well.”

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