Page 95 of Voice of the Ocean

“I told you,” she said, her heart breaking, “it has to be something in my power.”

And then she dove overboard.

Raiden’s face appeared at the banister, watching from above as she dove. With an inhuman grace, Celeste arched her back, bringing her hands up over her head into a perfect line. The waves grew closer and closer, as if rushing to welcome her. And then her body sliced through the water, as it had a thousand times before. And suddenly her time on the ship felt like a dream. A dream from which she was finally waking up.

But her lungs were human lungs. Her legs were human legs. When she surfaced, she couldn’t make out his expression. Couldn’t tell if his cries were in sorrow or rage. She held her breath as she put as much distance between her and the ship as possible.

Celeste swam quickly. Much quicker than any human, but not even a quarter of the speed of the siren she once was. To keep out of sight, she swam beneath the water as much as possible. Even so, she had to surface every few minutes for air, risking one gasping breath before diving back down beneath the safety of the waves. If they could capture Maeve, they could surely catch her.

But no nets were cast nor harpoons shot.

He let me go. The thought came unbidden, and at once she cast it aside.It doesn’t matter if he did. Soon she was far enough from the ship that she felt safe to surface. And so she did, white hair clinging to the sides of her face as she bobbed with the waves. Through the darkness, she could still make out the ship, sailing toward the horizon.

Now what?

It wasn’t as if she could go looking for Maeve. If her friend were alive, she’d be on her way to Staria right now, and if she wasn’t—well, there was nothing Celeste could do to help her. They were nearly a day’s journey from where Maeve went overboard.

There were too many wrongs Celeste wished she could make right. Too many mistakes. Too many failures. She had trusted a human and now paid the price. And soon, so would all sirens. The King of Pirates was planning something. She didn’t know what, but she knew if he had the power of the ocean at his fingertips... there was no telling what he could do. And she had guided him straight to it.

But there was still hope. They didn’t know how to get on the island. It was a legendary place of the gods. It wasn’t as though one could simply dock their ship on it. There would be magic protecting that island. Ancient magic.

Still, it was possible the king already knew a way in. She couldn’t assume the island was safe.I shouldn’t have jumped off the ship,Celeste thought bitterly.I should have just thrown Raiden overboard.

But she couldn’t change what she’d done. Now she had to focus on finding a way to stop the humans from getting the Voice of the Ocean. Trying to stop the ship itself was out of the question. Her voice was not strong enough alone to lure the entire crew into the water. And Raiden was somehow impervious.I should go back to Staria, she told herself, turning in the direction of home. But would they even listen to her? And Staria was so far. She’d never get there in time.

I am too human, she thought angrily, kicking her legs.I can’t do this. At her best, she wasn’t the best soldier. At her strongest, she wasn’t the strongest singer. She wasn’t wise and calm like Sephone or strong and decisive like Shye. Even in those few moments when her powers had been remarkable she couldn’tcontrolthem. She didn’t evenunderstandthem.

But shewasthe only one who knew what the humans had planned.

And right now that had to be enough.

If I could just beat them to the island... maybe I could grab the Voice and leave before they arrive. The thought energized her, even if it was only a half-baked plan. Celeste looked above her to the stars. The thin clouds that had been covering them slid by to reveal the four daughters watching over her. She oriented herself, turning to face the direction she knew the island to be. And then she dove into the water. She scanned the sea below, hoping to find some passing creature to help tow her, but saw nothing. Unfortunately, a siren couldn’t sing and have an animal come running. A Song was intended for a specific target, a bond between the singer and listener. It was not a net to be cast.

And so she began to swim.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN

I will make things right.

The words formed a rhythm in her head as she swam. One stroke, then the next.I will make things right. I will make things right. She cut through the water smoothly, her legs pounding behind her as one. For the first time in weeks, she missed her tail. Missed its shimmering ice-blue scales and delicate translucent fins. And, of course, she missed the speed. If only she had found a way to call the Sea Witch to her. How foolish she had been when striking that deal. How was she to ever to find the Sea Witch again? Swim back to the Wasting Waters? As a human? She’d never be able to swim that deep.

But she could only deal with one mistake at a time.

The sun rose over the water, washing the sky in gold as it made its way toward the full moon. She could still see the ship, a tiny speck just on the horizon.Come on... she told herself as the day slipped by.

You have to swim faster.

There is no one else.

But her human body was sluggish, and she began to slow. Her breath came in heaving gasps. She would never reach the island first. She probably wouldn’t reach the island at all.

The water no longer felt like home. Its salty waves did not feel safe or welcoming. They pushed against her, fighting her every stroke. She dove yet again, scanning to see if there were any animals she could sing to her side. All that she found was an endless expanse of clear turquoise water.

She pressed on, but her body was fading quickly. Each stroke was a battle now. If she kept pushing, she would drown.

Celeste was out of options.

Even if there was nothing to hear her, she had to try.

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