Page 93 of Voice of the Ocean

“I would have,” she said.

And it was true.

Another piece of her heart broke at the realization. She would have done anything for him.And she had. She’d revealed herself as a siren to a human, breaking the treaty between siren kingdoms. She spared him and doomed herself to never return home to Staria.And last, she revealed siren secrets to lead him straight to a sacred island.

Raiden went silent. For a moment, the only sound in the room was the soft hiss of the ocean waves hitting the side of the ship. Her thoughts strayed once again to Maeve. If she survived, would she come back for her? Did she even know Celeste was on this ship?Did anyone even care?It wasn’t as if a siren would be able to board the ship and rescue her. If the Chorus returned to this ship, it would be to sink it. No, Celeste was trapped. And even if she were able to escape, where would she go? She had no one. Belonged nowhere. She wasn’t even a siren anymore. She had sold that part of herself to the Sea Witch.

Raiden looked as though he wished to say something else, but instead he turned and exited the cell, closing the door behind him with a clang. But just before he left the hall, he paused.

“We only need you a little longer,” he said. “Once we reach the island and get what we need, you will be free to go.”

* * *

Celeste awoke to the sound of soft voices.

After Raiden had gone, the day had passed sluggishly. No one else visited her. Pitiful sobbing gave way to white-hot anger, first at Raiden and then herself. Eventually, she fell asleep. But she slept horribly. Tossing and turning, despite how weary she was from the past week of little to no sleep. And the cycle would begin again, fresh tears. Fresh hatred. Like a scab that she’d pick off again and again as it healed. It wasn’t until night had fallen that she had finally settled into some semblance of rest.

But it hadn’t lasted long.

Raiden’s voice drifted to her, low and stern. “We will do no such thing.”

“Why not? She’s a siren, Rai. Would you rather go in there blind?” Bastian replied. “What if there are traps? Enchantments? It can’t hurt to question her. We don’t even know what it looks like.”

Raiden, as was his new habit, fell silent. She could picture him, his dark eyes hard and his full lips flattened into a line. “We can’t risk her knowing,” he said at last.

Bastian’s voice grew louder, more frustrated. “Why?” Then he paused, the sound of shifting feet. “You know we can’t let her go after this, Raiden. She’s too dangerous.”

“Fine,” Raiden said through his teeth. “You go right ahead. Ask her about the Voice of the Ocean. See what happens.”

Bastian fell silent. And Celeste’s world tilted on its axis.

The Voice of the Ocean.

The legendary power of the Goddess herself.

That was what they were searching for? All this time she thought it was treasure the Pirate King wanted. But no. Of course not.He wanted control over the ocean itself. But the Voice of the Ocean had been lost for centuries. It was practically legend.

Much like the island of Lunapesce.

Celeste racked her brain for any knowledge of the Voice of the Ocean, but she knew so little. It was said that the Voice was the final gift passed from the Goddess to one of her daughters. Any who possessed the Voice of the Ocean would have the power to control the sea. The Voice could sink cities.

She couldn’t let them find it.

The sound of two pairs of retreating footsteps sounded upon the stairs, signaling the departure of the two men.

Once she was certain they had gone, Celeste sat up and took stock of her surroundings. As Bastian had said, it wasn’t as if they were planning to let her go when things were finished, despite what Raiden said to the contrary. As if she’d believe a single word out of his mouth now. No, they’d surely kill her when she was no longer useful. They’d be fools not to.

A darkened, empty room greeted her. There was not even a chair or chamber pot. The only thing she found was a piece of bread, set just outside the bars where she could reach. She took it, suddenly hungry, and devoured it in seconds.

But she found no means of escape.

They still hadn’t reached the island. It was more than likely they’d need her at some point to help. She’d just have to bide her time until an opportunity presented itself.

Feeling a small semblance of herself returning, Celeste laid down upon the floor to try to let sleep take her once again.

It was still night when a clanging sound sent her bolt upright on the dirty floor. Her eyes, still more siren than human, saw what it was right away.

Or, more accurately,who.

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