Page 89 of Voice of the Ocean

Celeste’s anger faltered. “I—I’m trying to see your point of view, but?—”

“No,” he said. “The part where you saidmy name.”

“Raiden,” she said, heart hammering. It was the first time she’d spoken his name in her voice. “Raiden, I’m trying?—”

He crashed into her like gravity. Inevitable. And when his mouth met hers, she felt the stars fall from her skies. All her secrets were laid bare to him, and he’d accepted her as she was. His hands tangled in her silver hair and hers slid around his neck, pressing close. The kiss was passionate, hungry. There was no control. Kisses had never felt like this. This was passionate and wild and beautiful. This washuman.

Above, stars streaked across the sky in great glittering arcs. It was as if the heavens themselves were timed with the sparks bursting within her chest as Raiden placed kisses along her jaw. He pinned her against the side of the ship, moved his arms around her. She knew he wouldn’t let her fall. And if she did, they would fall together.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE

When Celeste woke, she was smiling. The night had passed in seemingly endless kisses and conversation until Celeste’s eyelids had drooped, and Raiden carried her to bed. Now she found herself in the captain’s quarters, tucked between creamy pillows and soft blankets. No captain or dog in sight. With a happy sigh, Celeste stretched her arms above her head, wiggling her toes and soaking in the pleasure of a good night’s rest. She felt lighter. As if her secrets had been weighing her down all this time. Across the room, she saw morning light, soft and pale, falling through the windows. How long had she been asleep? Sliding from the bed, she noticed her clothes were from the night before. She’d been so taken with sleep that her corset was still on. But it seemed Raiden had the kindness of removing her shoes. Those were placed neatly on a stool by the door. She padded over to them, shuffling them on before walking from the room to go look for her captain.

But he was not in the officers’ dining room with the others. Nor was he on the deck or the navigation room. And so she headed down into the belly of the ship, excited to simply tell him good morning. Words that, until now, she hadn’t been able to say. It was funny how such a simple thing sparked so much joy in her. And it was funnier how her heart fluttered at the memory of his lips against hers. His hands on her hips. His teeth on her neck.

A flush rose to her cheeks, and she picked up her pace.

Perhaps she would surprise him with a kiss.

Or a hundred.

Celeste took the stairs two at a time until she reached the cargo hold. She hadn’t been here since her first week, when she was given a tour. Spare sails and rigging lined the walls, perfectly organized by Bastian, but no Raiden. She continued through the rooms, searching until she reached the tall and heavy door to the brig. When Kiyami had given the tour, she hadn’t gone inside, but she figured she’d at least take a glance, as she was running out of places to look.

Memories of her time in the human prison filled her mind as she stepped inside, but for once they did not topple her. And the brig wasn’t as she expected. A long hallway with four small barred rooms, two on each side, reeked of stale, wet air. She knew without a doubt that Valencia, that witch of a woman, had probably kept loads of prisoners here. On the wall, a ring of thick keys hung, old and black, the metal matching the bars on the cells. She continued down the hall, each step echoing dully through the room.He wasn’t here either, she thought with a sigh as she reached the final cell.

And then Celeste screamed. The unearthly sound poured out of her, but it felt as if it came from someone else. When it stopped, she was left with nothing but emptiness.

“Maeve,” she gasped, falling to her knees before the motionless cecaelia with cerulean hair. Celeste reached through the bars for her friend. A net twisted across her body, wound too tight and pressing into her once beautiful magenta skin, which was now tinted green. It was as if Maeve had been left to writhe within it.

“No...” Celeste said. “Please, no.” This couldn’t be real.

On unsteady legs, she rushed to get the keys. When she returned, Maeve hadn’t moved.No...no, no, no. Fingers trembling, she tried each one in the lock. This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be real.

At last the lock opened with a click, and Celeste flung open the door, rushing to Maeve’s side. The siren’s body was ice-cold and unmoving. Little impressions from the net were left on her once firm and strong tentacles like bruises. And the gills along her throat lay still.

This was real.

And Raiden knew.He knew she was a siren. How long had Maeve been down here? Had she been sent as a Chorus scout? If so, where was her second? And when had this happened? Why hadn’t Celeste heard about it? The ship was so small. Someone would have mentioned it.

Unless their captain told them not to.

And with that thought, she was undone. She had begun to think of this crew asfamily.

Celeste pulled her knife from her belt and began cutting the net away one rope at a time. Her movements were wild, unhinged.

Heavy footsteps sounded on the floorboards in the hall.

“Celeste!” an achingly familiar voice called out. “Celeste, where are you?”

Raiden.

The way he said her name sounded like a song, as it always did. But now it filled her with rage. It was only then that Celeste noticed she was sobbing. And then he was there in the doorway, his tall frame casting a shadow over her. She watched him as his expression turned from one of concern to one of horror and then... fear.

He wasafraidof her.

And that hit her like a dagger to the heart.

“Why...” It was the only thing she could say.

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