Page 17 of The Song of the Void

The hardest part of this journey was easily going to be living so damn close to the sea, so close to freedom, yet being unable to touch it. I spent most of my time on the main deck staring wistfully into the waves, treasuring the sting of the salty wind and sea spray that tousled my ponytail.

Captain Larsel seemed content to let the three of us passengers do as we pleased, so long as we didn’t get in the crew’s way, but I decided to help Gatelo with his unfortunate punishment of swabbing the deck. It proved to be the perfect opportunity to test the waters of his interest in me. He didn’t seem very experienced with women, so that made him even more perfect, even more prone to fall prey to my wheedling words and false smile.

Just as I did when I lived at Nightwhisper, I wore a different mask depending on who I was interacting with. With Gatelo, I was flirtatious and inflated his feeble ego with an array of insincere compliments. While around the captain, I faltered back to a more serious facade, offering to help with things like cooking and cleaning. Lyneca beamed and put me to work washing dishes in the galley, chattering on and on about nothing like she was just excited to have someone who would listen to her. As thanks for my help, she let me boil some seawater with a small portion of lemons and herbs to make a fragrant bathing concoction.

I made tea laced with the nausea medication for Ashkade, and one cup brightened him up right away. He hadn’t left his room since our departure and just sat hunched over his workbench, thumbing through books and fiddling with jewelry. When I asked him what he was doing with the jewelry, he rambled about his experiments with time, showing me platinum rings with glyphs etched into the metal, declaring they were his newest project. I didn’t understand what he was talking about half of the time, but I pretended to be interested. I figured that would keep him on my side. The mask I wore around him was that of a harsh but caring older sibling…like how I used to treat my younger sister, Veleir. Remembering her hurt my soul, so I tried not to linger on those memories.

The only person I didn’t hide my true feelings around was Reiven. He didn’t bother to hide his loathing for me either, or how much he distrusted me. Luckily, the Druinnic bond gave us enough leeway to be on different levels of the ship, but Reiven rarely allowed that. He lazed around the top deck as we sailed, keeping a wary eye on me, especially when I’d get close to Gatelo.

My one consolation for having to deal with him shadowing me during the day was at night. I made it my mission to keep him awake by singing with the waves lapping against the hull in the darkness. Like all Sirens, my voice was ethereal, enchanting, but as I hoped, it ensured Reiven wouldn’t sleep. At first, he protested and threw his pillow at me like a child having a tantrum. Burying his head in his blankets didn’t block out my song either, so eventually he gave up and stormed out every night. The dark circles under his eyes grew more pronounced by the day, and if I could only score that minor victory against him, I would take it.

A few weeks into our journey there was nothing to see but the azure expanse of ocean surrounding our vessel, nearly blending with the cloudless sky. I rested my elbows on the weathered railing and stared down into the water. The glimmer of the sun reflected off the waves, as if precious gemstones sparkled just below the surface.

So close. And so far.

I reached for the ocean, letting the melodic shifting and crashing of the water against the Maiden lull me into a near hypnotic state. The waves rose and fell. Wind rushed into the sails above. I closed my eyes and sang along with the natural music the ocean created. No words, only vocalizations.

“That’s pretty,” Gatelo interrupted with a lopsided grin. He sat on the deck beside me, attempting to replace a worn plank before someone broke it completely.

I gave him a smile. “Thank you. I can’t resist the music of the water after such a long time away from it.”

“It’s not pretty. It’s annoying.” Reiven’s cutting tones made Gatelo and I grimace. Previously leaning back against the railing opposite me, arms crossed, he now approached us like an apex predator eyeing his prey. “That’s the same damn song you keep singing every night, isn’t it? You’d think at some point you’d switch it up a little.”

“It’s a Siren lullaby, meant to help you drift peacefully to sleep, Reiven,” I said pleasantly, hatred burning in my eyes. In truth, by singing the same song each night, I became as repetitive as a leaky roof, persistent and, as it turned out, maddening. It brought me all the more glee that he’d obviously picked up on my act of being his personal nuisance.

He turned his gaze from me to level a glare at Gatelo. “You.”

My “friend” the carpenter dropped his hammer and slowly stood. Not nearly as tall or imposing as Reiven, but I’d give him points for trying. “What?”

“Why does a bilge rat carpenter need a pistol and a saber?” Reiven nodded at the weapons hanging from Gatelo’s belt.

“None of your business.”

“With how much time you’ve been spending with her, I’m making it my business. You always carry them, even though we’re just on a friendly cruise.” The salty wind carried Captain Larsel’s booming orders and the thumping of the crew’s boots on the deck as Rei paused. His gaze scraped down Gatelo with contempt. “Afraid of pirates, are you, boy?”

Gatelo clenched his teeth and fired back, “Pirates do roam these waters. I’m just prepared.”

“Prepared, my ass. If we get attacked, I’m going to be the one protecting us while you both cower below deck.”

Well, I definitely saw what he was doing now; getting a rise out of Gatelo and trying to scare him away from me.

Reiven drew his cutlass with a scrape of metal as it came out of the sheath. He pointed it evenly at Gatelo, who silently seethed beside me. “Let’s see it.”

“Boys, there’s no need to measure dicks⁠—”

Gatelo had already whipped out his sword and matched Reiven’s stance with a glare that screamed his male pride had been insulted.

I inwardly groaned. Men had such fragile egos, and now I’d have to find some way to defuse this and keep Gatelo on my side. No way would I allow Reiven to take a perfect tool away from me.

I fake-gasped and giggled. “Oh wow, Gatelo, I’ve never seen a saber before. Can I hold it?”

“Absolutely not,” Reiven spat, which only encouraged Gatelo to hand it over to me with a smirk.

I let it droop in my hands, as if it weighed my weak, pathetic arms down, and fluttered my eyelashes at Gatelo. “It’s so heavy. You must be incredibly strong, but I guess that’s obvious just looking at you.”

He puffed up his chest. Lucky for me, he’s easy to flatter. Maybe I can convince him to let me keep this?

Reiven wasn’t letting this go so easily, though. “Well, how about a spar then, to see who’s the better swordsman?”