Page 83 of Voice of the Ocean

“Oh, have you ever met such a fearless crew? Who fight the good fight on the ocean blue?” Nasir began to sing, a song Celeste had heard once before. And yet she felt as though she’d heard it a hundred times in her head. It was the song Raiden had sung on his birthday, the first time she’d seen him. That seemed like a lifetime ago now. After a verse, the captain joined:

Drink, drink ’fore we run dry!

We’ll dance till the sun falls from the sky.

Take what you can and never say die,

until our final bell tolls.

Next came Bastian and Kiyami, until the entire crew sang together. Their song was—notgood—but wonderfully imperfect. One voice would miss a note, and another, blending in a way that wasn’t necessarily dulcet. But it was loud and shouting and full. And Celeste wished so dearly she could join. With few exceptions, music was a weapon for sirens. But this was self-expression. It was community and passion, two things that Celeste was learning she held dearly.

Soon enough our tides will turn!

Treasure, glory, and fame we’ll earn.

We’ll tell our tale, and they will learn,

When we all return.

Celeste soaked it all in. Every sharp note and each pounding beat of their feet. The sound of the crew singing together off-key. The feeling of Raiden’s rough hand gripping hers. His other hand pressing against her back. How her captain’s eyes crinkled at the corners when he gazed at her. The fluttering feeling in her chest. And then that thought again.

I’m falling in love with him.

A thought that perhaps didn’t seem so dangerous anymore. It whispered itself to her as if it blew in on the light breeze. Although she had no experience with love, she knew it was true. The feeling felt inevitable. Like night yielding to the day.

Raiden leaned in close, bowing his head so his mouth was beside her ear. “Your smile outshines the stars tonight.”

Her heart stammered.

Drink, drink ’fore we run dry!

We’ll dance till the sun falls from the sky.

Take what you can and never say die,

until our final bell tolls.

The song ended with a rather long and shouty crescendo. Raiden spun Celeste away from him and gave her a little bow, a smirk on his lips. Celeste repeated the gesture back to him, and the action made Raiden burst into laughter. Although Celeste did not know the reason for it, she was pleased knowing she made him laugh.

Torben appeared beside them, pushing cups overflowing with strong-smelling liquid into everyone’s hands. He waved off questions as towhat exactly was in the cupsand instead thrust his tankard into the air.

“To the toughest bunch of idiots on the sea!”

“And to the gods who keep us,” Nasir added, thrusting his own cup into the air as well.

The crew gathered into a circle and one by one raised their cups, crashed them together, then drank heavily. The mystery drink was one of Torben’s own making.

“It’s not jus’ alcohol!” he insisted, but the taste was bitter and burned all the way down. After one sip, Celeste dumped it overboard when she believed no one was looking.

But with the rest of the crew, the drink went quickly. They passed around more bottles and raised glasses to all sorts of things. “To clear skies and fair seas.”

“To treasures untold.”

“To bonds that can never be broken.”

“To one hell of a story to tell.”

Celeste declined as Torben offered her more “libations.”

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