AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Bellamy turned away, leading Serena to the edge of the water. The tide was lowering, and the wet sand was cool with the promise of morning. Just before the dawn’s light reached us, Bellamy waved a hand over the water, summoning the dark brigantine ship that had carried Bastian earlier. It rose up, ghostly black sails high, and almost seemed to levitate above the water.
We stood behind, waiting to see them off, but Bellamy turned around one last time and addressed me. “Turns out dead men tell tales after all. And what a tale you have to tell, brother.” He went on with a half smile and a shake of his head. “I better not see you for a long while. Try to make it to the end of your life this time.”
I nodded his direction and placed my hand on the hilt of his sword. “Aye. Till then, brother.”
“Till then, indeed, mate.”
With one last nod, he and Serena stepped hand in hand onto the ship, where they vanished with the sunrise in a stunning display of a splash of golden light mixed in a wave of shadows.
57
Davy Jones
Bellamy
Istood on the rocks as I watched the souls I’d freed leave the objects imprisoning them, taking the magic with them. On they went, to meet their so-deserved end at the bottom of the sea where they could rest once and for all. And once the last soul had gone, I clapped my hands and watched Bastian’s collection shatter as two black waves crashed down on the once-enchanted items and ground them into dust. This was my show now.
What can I say? Becoming the next Davy Jones wasn’t exactly in my plans. But somehow things all made sense for once. My father, Cordelia, the curse, Katrina, meeting and losing Serena, all lead to this. As weird and wild as it seemed, being the dark lord of the seas wasn’t all that bad of a situation. I could be a captain of my own ship for eternity with my sea queen by my side…I just had to keep track of a few pathetic souls every now and then. How hard could it be?
Never mind that by the legend’s design, we were meant to be sworn enemies. But we were making our own rules. Bending the laws of destiny, I like to think. A siren goddess as untamable and unpredictable as the sea spending forever with the ocean’s grim reaper—what could go wrong?
Katrina and Milo might’ve chosen the mortal path, but I hoped they knew we’d always be there, on whatever shore they found themselves on.
“You know what we need?” Serena asked, placing her hand over mine on the helm.
“What’s that?” I propped my leg up on the base of the wheel and pulled her onto my knee. She wrinkled her nose and nuzzled it against my cheek. “A pet. And I think I have the perfect one in mind.”
I rolled my eyes with a shrug and a smile. “Your Kraken?”
She nodded with a grin and a giggle I once thought I’d never hear again.
I placed my hat on her head. “Captain’s orders. Let’s go get your beastie.”
So we headed into the great horizon, two eternal guardians of the waters on which we sailed.
58
Maybe Someday
Katrina
Puerto Rico shrunk beneath us as the plane lifted, the blue sea so far below. It was foreign to be so separated from the water and not feel the siren call to it. I might not be a mermaid anymore, but my heart would always be drawn to the sea in its own way. Serena was right about that.
As we headed back home, back to Constantine, I hoped the school would let me pick up where I left off. But it could wait until the start of the next semester. For now, I just wanted to rest. Just to sit on the beach like a normal 19-year-old and enjoy the sand and sun. Maybe I would stay at my home again in Arkansas to reset a bit, but I knew in my heart I would always end up back on the coast. I wondered if life could ever be normal again. And if it couldn’t, maybe that was okay. Milo placed a gentle hand on my thigh, reminding me that whatever came next, he was there with me. They all were—McKenzie, Noah and finally, Mom. I even had Russell to count on, in a way.
It was hell, but I’d do it all again to know it ends like this.
I jumped with a gasp, startled by Milo’s voice in my head. “I could hear you just now!”
His eyes grew wide with surprise as I replied with my thoughts as well. I guess Serena left one thing after all. I laid my head on his shoulder.
Milo leaned in and kissed my forehead. Or maybe she just couldn’t take away what’s written in the stars, fair lass.
My elbow met his ribs with a light nudge and a laugh. If only she took away your cheesiness.
He chuckled softly.
I reached over to my wrist, feeling for a siren scale bracelet that wasn’t there. I could still hardly wrap my head around all the fantastical things that had come as a result of moving to the little town of Constantine. Within the passing of only a few months, I felt as though I had lived a thousand lives. Just a girl from a small town, who liked to paint, discovering she was a mermaid and finding her soulmate in a time-defying pirate. It wasn’t exactly what I’d had in mind when I started college at ISA. But if anything had ever confirmed I was right where I was supposed to be, this was it. And I had every intention of returning and finishing what I began. I just hoped relinquishing my siren powers didn’t also mean my watercolor abilities had gone with it. But I guess I’d find out soon enough. I already had so many ideas for the next piece I wanted to paint—the missing image that should’ve been on that last section of the painted stone table—a mermaid queen surrounded by her true power—the ones who crowned her.
