Page 84 of Found at Sea
Redmond and Byron dashed over to the railing and began heaving the net from the water. We used it to catch fish and crabs for our meals, and a few times we’d caught odd creatures that we’d then tossed back overboard.
“Don’t!” Alek suddenly shouted, running toward the men pulling up the net.
“Stay back, lad!” Byron grumbled before batting Alek away. His large muscles flexed as he pulled the net, doing most of the work. “Blimey! Is that what I thinks it is?”
“It’s a bloody mermaid!” Sexton shouted.
The three of them heaved it the rest of the way up before tossing it on the deck. Something flung around inside the large net.
“A merman, ya daft rat,” Redmond corrected, slapping Sexton upside the head. “Mermaids are girls. Mermen are men.”
Within the net, I saw a large blue and green tail. I didn’t notice I was frozen in place until Fletcher was in front of me, pulling on my shirt.
“Stop them! Don’t let them hurt him. Please!” Fletcher tore his gaze from me to look back at the creature who still had his tail tangled in the net.
“We could fetch a pretty coin for a face like that,” Byron said, reaching down.
The merman hissed at Byron, stopping the larger man’s advance, and exposed his sharp teeth. His upper half—the one like a man’s—was finely muscled, lean, and covered by smooth creamy skin. Around his neck and along his arms was a faint shimmer of blue, and a small violet fin jutted from both his forearms. Silvery hair waved in his face, and his eyes were a vibrant green.
“Bind his arms,” I said to Bryon, finally finding my voice. The fins on his forearms were sharp. One swing of those to my throat and I’d be bleeding all over this deck.
Byron grabbed some rope and yanked the merman backward, tying his wrists.
Once the creature was bound, he struggled against the hold for a moment before stopping. His stare remained lethal, however, never wavering from mine.
I was sure it was the same merman who’d been following the ship a few months back. I’d never expected for him to still be lingering around. My first impulse was to demand to know what he wanted and why he was so bent on following us. And if he refused to answer, I had ways of making men talk. None of which he’d enjoy.
I almost wished he’d challenge me, just so I could do it anyway.
No,I reminded myself, tightening my jaw.I’m not that cruel man anymore.
My unease around their kind added to that compulsion. For years I’d hunted them, and there’d been several instances since receiving my curse when a few had tried to avenge their slain brothers and sisters. To say we were at war was an understatement.
“Step back,” I told the men.
They obeyed my command and stepped away from the net. The rest of the crew had gathered around and stared with opened mouths at the spectacle. Most had never seen mermaids before.
The only ones who shared my look of apprehension were Kris and Horace, who knew of my curse and knew a merman aboard theCrimson Nightwas a bad omen.
Less than a foot away, I bent down and stared into the creature’s eyes. That close to him, I was momentarily taken aback by his beauty: an ethereal, rich complexion and ears that were slightly pointed at the tips.
“Why are you following us?” I asked.
The merman bared his still sharpened teeth and glared.
“To kill me?” I tried again.
“Loosen these ropes and find out,” he said with a snarl in his tone. His voice was neither deep nor high, but a soothing tenor that held a velvety edge. Hypnotic. “Untie me.”
I reached for the ropes to unbind him.
Wait…
Before I set him free, sense was knocked into me and I jerked back, scowling at him. “I’ve heard of your kind, but never have I come across one of you.”
The merman smirked. “And what is it you’ve heard, demon of the sea? Or should I say… murderer.”
“You have the power of persuasion by using your voice,” I said, studying him closer. “Merfolk do not have that ability. Nymphs do.”
