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20
Spyglass
Bellamy
“How could you do that?” I stomped furiously after Katrina as we made our way out the door of the club the same way we came. Katrina ignored me as she pushed through the sweaty bodies in the booming crowd. “Katrina! Talk to me!” I shouted.
She finally whipped around once we made it to the outside past the bouncers, her long dark locks nearly smacking me in the face. “I did what I had to do. He wasn’t going to let us go without that deal. You were the one who tried to kill him before we even knew where the Crown was!”
“But you completely ignored everything I said. Bastian is not someone to play around with.”
“Aren’t you the one who told me sometimes the gray is the only thing that can save us?” She spoke with such a strange calmness for someone who had just given up her voice to a dark pirate lord. “Just be glad he didn’t ask for more. Speaking of, what did you mean when you said his deal has always been with you?”
I sighed with frustration and pulled down the collar of my shirt, pointing to a small sea serpent tattoo on my collarbone. “This came from Bastian when he made the deal with my father. I was the deposit.” My thoughts glanced back to
“Bellamy, I’m so sorry.” Katrina started, but I didn’t let her finish.
“Don’t be. My father didn’t force me. I did it willingly. I was an idiot then, thinking Bastian would honor his deal. No one knew the dark magic he had then. But now I know. His power comes from Davy Jones himself, and that’s nothing to underestimate.”
“Why? Is this Davy Jones guy really so powerful?”
“Not a guy. Davy Jones is an entity, always looking for someone already dark-hearted enough to be under his control. The dark force of the seas that takes the souls of sailors to their eternal graves. And yes he really is that powerful and if Bastian’s channeling his power... then I fear Bastian’s got both of us at his mercy. He’s marked me and stolen your voice, which was pretty fucking handy in a lot of situations.”
“Well…yeah.” Suddenly her voice softened. “But, you know, maybe that’s what I’m scared of. I’m relying on it too much. Relying on my ability to control others…and I’m afraid if I keep doing it, one day I might not be able to rein it in.”
It all made sense. Of course she gave up her voice. She was still afraid of her power. Furious as I was, my heart eased up a bit. There was more to this than she let on.
“Besides,” she said. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t give up to get Milo back. I didn’t have to think about it.”
“Right.” I clicked my tongue. I certainly understood that. I’d give my voice up too, if it could bring back Serena. “But we still have to do the impossible first.”
“Don’t forget you still have a siren on your side,” Katrina’s eyes flashed deep blue, like flaming sapphires glinting in the light.
“Technically two sirens.” McKenzie’s voice made me look to see her approaching with Noah and Grace flanking her. “What’s this impossible mission you agreed to?” Her eyebrows pressed together tightly to spell worry clearly on her forehead.
Katrina and I explained to them in detail everything that happened with Bastian and his massive underground lair. I offered them the option to stay behind now, because once we found the Kraken, there would be no escape. And certainly no promise we’d live through it.
“We’ll fight this thing with you. There are flares and maybe more guns back on the yacht.” Noah straightened his shoulders, as if trying to prove his usefulness. Grace’s eyes were wrought with worry, but she didn’t say anything. I’d learned by now she wasn’t one to speak up while processing. I almost cared to wonder what McKenzie was thinking, given that she was unusually quiet too.
No. The agreement was between myself and the both of you. Not your friends. They stay behind.
I gripped my head in my hands. The voice grated against my consciousness like knives raking my skin. Bastian’s voice. It choked out my own thoughts like black smoke in a dark room. He was in my head. His mark had power over me after all.
Katrina and McKenzie rushed to steady me as my fingers dug into my hair. I was fine. I swear I was. But I was too livid to find the words to respond to them as they asked if I was okay. I tried my best to ignore the dreamlike command of Bastian, but it echoed within me until I admitted what I was hearing.
“He says you can’t come.” I fought to get the words out. “I think we reawakened this stupid tattoo. Bastian has a direct line to me. And he will until we do this. If we breach his terms of the deal, he’ll be in my head forever.”
“Bellamy.” Katrina touched my shoulder softly. “I didn’t know.”
“Because you didn’t listen to me. I told you he always takes more than he promises.”
“I’m sorry. What was I supposed to do? Don’t tell me you really would’ve walked out of there knowing you forfeited the only chance you have to help Milo. I know you. You wouldn’t have done it. He’s like a brother to you.”
“Hmmm,” I growled, turning away. I wasn’t sure what I would’ve done anymore. Milo was my brother at sea, no doubt. But would I trade Katrina’s life for his by pitting her against this beast? Either way I lose. I always lose. By the minute, I felt the pathetic scraps of faith I had left in everything and everyone around me slipping through my grasp. The never-ending battle of losing those closest to me was beginning to wear on me.
“You’ll be fine here in Puerto Rico.” I spoke firmly, leaving no room for argument to the trio watching me. If they tried, I’d shut them up quick and leave them stranded here without a choice. “We need someone to keep an eye on Bastian anyway. You can let us know if you see him trying to pull anything like relocating or running.”
Suddenly, it seemed as though Grace found her bravery. “Trina, I can’t just stay here and let you do this. I know you’re used to doing things on your own, I do. But this...it’s too dangerous.”
