Now, they only needed to wait for Theo and Wyn. Lyra could do that.
She trusted him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Theo closed his eyes and forced himself to breathe slowly, attempting to ground himself in the serenity of the salty air. He knew somewhere above them, hidden in the clouds, Niamh was circling the boat. Wyn had returned to his usual self, looking almost entirely unbothered. He was resting now on a low stool, one foot propped up on the ship's wheel. He had found a multicolored scarf somewhere on board and tied it around his head, adding to his lackadaisical appearance.
Theo knew most of that was an act now, after spending some time with Wyn and seeing how affected he was by Niamh, but it still set him on edge. He knew Wyn didn't feel as urgent as he did—it wasn't his beloved at the bottom of the sea, even if she was a siren—but a sense of shared urgency would have gone a long way in easing Theo's stress.
“When is she going to show up?” Theo turned around, starting to pace back and forth on the deck. “You said there was no way Cliodhna didn't know we were on her trail and in her waters now. I'm waiting!” Theo slammed his hands on the railing, leaning out over the sea as he shouted to the waves.
“Easy, boy!” Wyn jumped to his feet, grabbing the back of Theo's shirt and pulling him backward. “If you taunt her likethat, then the goddess is just going to pluck you right out of this boat. She'll drown you, Lyra, and her sister.”
Theo grunted and adjusted his shirt. “What makes you think she won't do that anyway?” Theo snipped, feeling increasingly useless and tired of it.
Wyn shrugged. “Honestly? A hope and a bloody prayer, kid. We're dealing with a goddess. It's a miracle she didn't drown us all and be done with it. The fact that she likes to play with her food, if you will, is a blessing in disguise for us all.”
Theo said nothing in response, turning back towards the horizon as he kept up his ever-vigilant watch.
Theo didn't have to wait long this time. Barely an hour later, the sea started to grow agitated. The waves were sporadic and unpredictable, shifting from calm to rough in an instant. Theo knew the ocean could be unpredictable, but it was almost supernatural how the currents seemed to switch on and off.
Wyn let out a low whistle when a particularly large wave nearly knocked them both into the water.
“Oh, she's agitated, all right.” Wyn looked almost pleased at this development.
“I wouldn't look happy about that!” Theo was holding onto one of the masts for dear life, his knuckles white. His sea legs weren't as good as Wyn’s, and they wouldn't be for a few hundred years.
“Lesson one of negotiations,” Wyn shouted as the boat started to pitch back and forth, “always stay calm!”
Waves crested over the side of the boat, drenching the deck in sea foam.
The water started to recede, further and further, until Theo realized it was unnatural. The current was turning inward, and a whirlpool started to form rapidly off the starboard side. Wyn and Theo braced themselves, gripping onto the boat's railing. The whirlpool picked up speed, churning with a violent roar, as thestorm clouds above it grew darker and darker. Except this time, Theo couldn't be sure who exactly was the cause of the thunder. Before long, the top of a head was visible in the center of the whirlpool, and Cliodhna started to emerge from the depths.
It was a terrifying and equally dramatic reveal. Theo realized what Wyn had meant when he said it was a blessing that Cliodhna was a tad dramatic. All of it gave them time to strategize and keep her occupied.
Her sickly green skin stood out amongst the waves as her torso was revealed, her arms rising from the water. Cliodhna smiled that fanged tooth grin, her rotting teeth a wretched sight, holding one siren in each hand.
“Lyra!” Theo couldn't help himself, shouting her name as soon as he saw her.
Oh, thank the gods, she's alive.Theo managed to take his first deep breath since her disappearance, part of his anxieties waylaid when he managed to obtain proof of life. He spared a glance at her sister, assuring she was alive, too, and could feel the adrenaline rising in his chest. This was the part they had to sell.
The sea started to settle, the whirlpool disappearing, until Cliodhna was left floating in the water.
“Well,” her smile widened, “what do we have here? Have you come to rescue your little siren?” Cliodhna's voice was thick with sarcasm, obviously delighted with the perilous situation.
“Don't listen to a word she says!” Lyra screamed, beating her fists against Cliodhna's finger. “I’m serious, Theo—mmph!” Cliodhna made a clicking sound with her teeth, and a kelp gag, matching her sister's, appeared around Lyra's mouth.
“Leave her alone!” Theo climbed up onto the railing, holding one of the sail's ropes for support. “I’m the one you want, Cliodhna. You can let Lyra and her sister go.”
Theo's voice sounded more confident than he felt, but his declaration echoed across the wide-open horizon. He made for an imposing picture, a tall, strapping fae prince perched on the rail of the ship, one arm extended as he held the riggings for balance.
Theo could see Lyra struggle harder and hear her muffled shouts as she protested the idea.
“Now,” Cliodhna acted surprised, “that is quite the offer! But…” she glanced down at the two sirens in her grip, “what is keeping me from taking all of you to the bottom of the sea with me? Your little elf and his boat too.”
Theo tensed, reminding himself they expected her to play with them. This was all going to plan. The ace up their sleeve was hidden in the clouds above them. All he had to do now was keep up their charade.
“Plausible deniability,” Theo answered swiftly, forcing a bit more confidence in his voice.
