Page 77 of Voice of the Ocean

“That was close, Highness,” shouted Bastian.

Raiden grinned. “I like to keep things interesting.” He turned to Kiyami, clapping her on the back. “Excellent job.”

The latch at the center of the ship popped open, and Nasir emerged. “Everything below is secure, Captain,” he reported, his dry clothes soon soaking wet as he walked toward them.

For days, Celeste had dreaded this moment, but they’d survived the first test. She really had done it. They all had. A giggle slipped past her lips, tension releasing all at once. Raiden looked over at her, lifting a brow as she continued to laugh. But soon a smile broke out across his face. He looked so unlike the loathsome prince she had once believed him to be. If she didn’t know better, he could have been just another young siren in Staria. His body shook with laughter, arm still warm against her back. Neither of them noticed they were still holding each other.

With a firm pull, Raiden tugged Celeste into his chest, resting his chin on her sopping-wet hair. Then he thrust his free arm into the air and let out a whoop of victory. The crew cheered in response, the sound rising above the storm. Nasir began to sing, a boisterous song of victory. Bastian clapped his hands. Kiyami stomped her feet. And Torben’s head popped up from belowdecks just as theRed Revengewas slammed by a colossal wave.

The ship jerked sideways.

Celeste’s body sailed backward into the mizzenmast like a rag doll. Water poured across the deck. Thunder clapped. Then a horrible cry cut through the sound of the wind. Two words that no sailor ever wanted to hear.

“Man overboard!”

“Nasir!” Torben roared.

Celeste sputtered, coughing up salt water as her eyes blinked open.Nasir was overboard.The world shifted sideways, becoming a blur of sea and rain and the sound of Torben shouting. Screaming.No. It couldn’t be happening. Not Nasir. Hissing through her teeth, Celeste lifted her throbbing head from the deck. And that’s when she saw Raiden leap to his feet and run.

“Kiyami! Keep the ship steady.” He threw commands over his shoulder as he moved. Nothing of the laughing boy remained. He was her captain again. “Torben, don’t you dare leave this ship. You aren’t a strong enough swimmer. That’s an order from your captain.”

Torben roared with anger. “Try and stop me!”

But his men were on him in a moment, restraining him. The Yenrian bellowed, punching and kicking in an effort to get free. Still, the men held.

“I don’t see him!” Bastian cried as he and Raiden scanned the churning waters.

The wheel spun wildly out of control, the ship turning quickly left. Too quickly. And Kiyami hadn’t gotten up from her place on the ship’s deck.

Heart hammering, Celeste pushed herself to her feet. Pain shot down her back from where she had collided with the mast. She stumbled, surprised, but limped to the wheel. With inhuman strength, Celeste caught the spinning wheel in her hands. The ship jerked to a stop, the weight of it straining against her muscles. A grunt escaped her lips. Then slowly, laboriously, Celeste began to right the ship.

The wheel was more difficult to move than she expected. Celeste repositioned herself, using her legs to help push the wheel back and back and back. Raiden discarded his heavy belt to the deck, his sword and pistol with it. Next went his boots.

“Raiden! Wait!” cried Bastian, but it was too late.

Without a look back, Raiden dove. His arms reached above his head, pointed as a blade, before he disappeared into the black water.

And suddenly she was right back where she started. Except she couldn’t see if he reemerged. Because this time she wasonthe ship. This time she watched from the other side. Her throat went dry as paper. Try as she might, she couldn’t see what was happening below, not without leaving the wheel.They could be drowning. She knew she shouldn’t think such things. Raiden had swam well enough that night. But Nasir was so heavy, and the water was so rough.

A hand rested on her shoulder. Celeste turned to see Kiyami, expression solemn as she rubbed a bump forming on her head.

“I can take it from here.”

Celeste nodded numbly, backing away from the wheel as her friend took control. Then she was running down the stairs, stopping only when she reached the ship’s side.

“Nasir!” Torben cried, searching the waves as his body sagged beneath the weight of his men. His voice was hoarse from screaming the name again and again over the howling winds. Tears rolled down his cheeks. He looked so helpless and small. It was unnerving to see this hardened man fall to pieces before her. His normally red face, full of passion, shone pale and white as the rain dripped down from his braided hair into his eyes. Celeste peered down into the violent waters. She waited. One minute. Then two. But no one emerged.

“Celeste! Help me!”

It was Bastian. His free arm waved frantically from the main deck as he struggled to pull free the waterlogged rope ladder. Glad to be useful, Celeste ran to him. The ladder itself was curled tightly, secured by intricate knots to the side of the ship. While Bastian’s wet fingers worked on one of the knots, Celeste fumbled with the other. The knot did not yield.

Over and over, her fingers slid against the fibers of the rope. What little composure she had began to slip away. Bastian moved to the next knot, but she couldn’t get past her first. Tears gathered in her eyes. She felt her magic building in her stomach. Pulsing.No... please no... not now.Beside her, Bastian unraveled his third knot. But Raiden and Nasir were nowhere to be found.

Crying doesn’t help.

The voice was her mother’s.

I can’t talk to you when you’re like this.

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