“I’m looking for a clue, something big that I missed. When I leftThe Siren, it was in such a hurry. I don’t think I went through all of my father’s things thoroughly enough. Maybe whatever he was hiding holds the answers we need.”
“I’ll tell Jay to change course. We’ll be in Magda in a couple of days.”
The Leviathanis the fastest ship on the sea. What tookThe Sirenthree days to sail from Magda to Alek will only take us two. Which is what we need, since time is running short with Kai getting worse, even if he won’t admit the pain he’s in.
He kisses my forehead, gentle and fleeting, then rises and slips out to change our course.
I stand at the side of the ship, leaning against the railing as Magda finally appears on the horizon, the colorful buildings alive with the pirates that reside there. Relief floods through me, carried on the salt-heavy wind as I take a long, steadying breath. Kai stands at the helm, and I can feel his gaze even before I look. When I turn and smile, it’s to let him know thatI know he’s watching.He lets out a quiet laugh, his lips curving into that rare smile, eyes never leaving me.
We steer toward the far side of the island, the place where we leftThe Siren.The moment I see her, I swear I hear her groan in recognition. My chest tightens. Seeing her again makes my throat ache; the wave of emotion is almost too much to hold back.
We dockThe Leviathanbeside her. I don’t wait for Kai. My feet move on their own, carrying me towardThe Siren.Then I spot movement on the deck. Neressa steps out, just barely into my view.
I stop walking and stare up at her. Neressa looks like she belongs on the ship, though she’s as tied to the land as I am to the sea. SinceThe Sirenis docked on land, she’s able to be on board. She lifts a hand and waves at me to come closer, so I do.
Kai comes up behind me. “Do you want to go alone?” he asks, his voice gentle. I look up at him, my boots sinking into the wet sand.
“Yes. Come up in a little bit. I have a feeling Neressa wants to speak to me privately.”
He nods, respecting my wishes, though something in his eyes tells me he’s wary of her. And honestly, who wouldn’t be? She's terrifying.
I climb the ladder, the enchanted teak groaning under my weight. “Hello, love. I've missed you.” My hand lingers on the railing, long enough to letThe Sirenknow I’m here. When I finally step onto the deck, tears sting my eyes. I didn’t realize how much I missed her until now.
I glance toward the helm. Neressa sits in an old wooden chair, feet propped on the wheel likeshe’sthe captain now. I make my way toward her, each creak of wood and memory beneath my boots.
“I see you’ve made yourself at home,” I say as I walk up the last step.
“You did say I could move in.” She smiles. Her fog-colored eyes catch the dying light from the sun.
“Did you?” I glance around. Everything looks exactly the same.
“No,” she says, lips curving with amusement. “I saw you coming and decided to grace you with my presence.”
I let out a low laugh. When I reach her, she stands and wraps her arms around me. It’s longer than her usual quick embrace, tighter too.
“I’ve missed you, Mira.” She releases me and studies my face as though she’s trying to read me like a book to find out everything I've gone through. “I heard about Smith.” Her tone sharpens. The anger returns at the thought of him. What he did to me, to the crew. The words he spoke to me.
“What a fucking traitor. If I had known…” Her jaw tightens, eyes darkening to storm gray, the shade that comes right before she kills.
“He did have a painful death, trust me,” I say.
Her eyes snap up to mine. “Oh?”
“Sirens.” That’s all I have to say. She nods once and walks away from me, leaning on the railing beside the helm. “Why are you back? How’s Kai?” Her voice carries a rare hint of genuine concern.
I move to stand next to her, resting my hands on the same railing. “I need to do some more digging through my father’s things. I feel like I missed something last time.”
I pause, letting the silence settle, feelingThe Sirenhum beneath my palms, the ship’s old magic pulsing through the wood like a heartbeat.
“As for Kai,” I continue, “he’s… well, so much more than I ever thought he could be.”
She turns to look at me, and her expression softens. “You love him?”
“More than anything.”
She smiles faintly, looking down at her nails. “Good. He’s kept you alive this long, I’m sure he’ll take care of you.” I look away, trying to break her gaze. “What is it?” she asks. She never misses anything.
“He’s dying.” The words scrape out of me, barely more than a whisper. My throat tightens. I’ve been so strong in front of him that finally saying it out loud, especially to Neressa, shatters something inside me.
