“Of course it’s your choice,” Shiare said. “We aren’t trying to force you—”
Dax said abruptly, “I’m going.”
Immediately, all his friends began arguing and pleading with him. Shiare’s mother joined in too, extolling the virtues of her soup and their island and an unspecified number of unmarried, attractivecousins. While they squawked at Dax, Marin untied the boat from one of the cleats. In the distance, the drumming continued, a smattering of rhythms that sounded like a conversation back and forth, and Marin wondered briefly if it was possible to have an argument using drums. It didn’t seem to be the time to ask.
As she moved to the second cleat, Reyer intercepted her and put his hand on the bow ofSilver. “You can’t take him. You don’t understand his importance—”
“You don’t touch my boat without permission,” she informed him.
“Oh? Because you’re friends with a sea serpent too?”
“Yes, exactly that.” She sang three sharp notes.
Perri arched out of the water, and Reyer recoiled.
As his friends grew louder and louder, Dax threw his hands up, palms out, as if to ward off a blow. “Try to understand,” he pleaded with him. “I need to do this. I’m sorry.”
They didn’t try to understand.
“It’s not you,” Dax said. “It’s me.”
To Reyer, Marin said, “It’s definitely you.” She then shoved off from the dock. “Ree, the sails! Perri, take us out to sea!” She strode across the deck as the drumming increased behind her.
In seconds, they were sailing away, with Dax safely on board.
CHAPTER TEN
As the island of Eventrid shrank to a speck behind them, Dax sighed heavily enough to be heard over the wind. Ree tugged on the cuff of Marin’s pants and whispered, “He’s sad. What do we say?”
She didn’t know if there were any words anyone could say that would make it better or easier. There were some choices that hurt even if they were the right ones. “Dax?”
He turned his head and looked mournfully at her.
Still couldn’t think of any words. Instead, she said, “You have to learn how to swim, if you want to stay on my boat. You’ve never sailed through a storm, and I don’t want to have to worry about whether you’ll drown before I can fish you out of the water.” She could tell from his expression that this was not what he’d expected her to say.If he wants eloquent comfort, he’ll have to find another boat.“Both of you need to learn.”
“All right,” Dax agreed.
“Yay!” Ree said.
She wasn’t sure why she’d expected them to object—maybe because it wasn’t what either of them had signed up for? Or maybe because she didn’t expect anyone to listen to her. Despite Ree calling her captain, she didn’t feel like one. She was just a supply runner. She’d never had a crew before. “Do you, um, want to talk about…”Marin waved theatrically behind them toward the island where they’d delivered his musician friends.
Dax looked out across the waves, where Perri was frolicking with a pod of dolphins. “I don’t think I ever realized how rarely I’ve ever made a choice just for me. It hurt more than I thought it would.”
“Um, sorry.”
He looked back at her. “Don’t be. Not for that. What you did… You fought for me.”
Marin felt herself blush. “Just made a few threats, actually. No actual violence.” She looked up at the sails, the clouds, the sun, the seabirds flying overhead, anywhere but at Dax. She wished she hadn’t started this conversation. It wasn’t all that remarkable what she’d done. It was what his friends should have done, if they hadn’t been assholes.
“Thank you,” he said, with so much unaffected sincerity in his voice that she blushed harder. He seemed to sense her discomfort because then he did the kindest thing he could have: he changed the subject. “Do all sea serpents sing, or is Perri unique?”
Marin exhaled gratefully. “Ask him.”
“Will he understand me?”
She rolled her eyes. “Ask him, and see. He might. He might not. You should know he’s just as intelligent as any person.”Probably more.She had no way to judge the depths of what Perri knew or understood. For all she knew, he was the genius of the sea. Or maybe she was just talking to a glorified snake. No way to know.
“Perri?” Dax called.
