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“No.” I scrambled back, tucking into my father, hauling the shirt tighter to me, only feeling humiliation and shame. Everyone saw me naked. Saw me lose control of myself.
“Killian.” Master Yukimura pulled him back, trying to lead him away.
“I’m sorry.” Killian swallowed, his head bowing toward Yukimura.
“Put this on.” My dad whispered in my ear, and I quickly yanked the shirt back over my head. “Come on. I got you.” Dad helped me to my feet, my muscles feeling wobbly and weak. He held me tight as we went back to our cabin below.
My father was the first mate, second in charge if anything happened. That gave us a few more allowances than the rest of the crew, such as a private cabin with washrooms and my own bedchamber. Nothing fancy, but it had been my only home for as long as I could remember.
My mother died when I was one, trapped in a house fire. We lost all our crops, home, and property. My father barely escaped with me. With no other way to support us, he took to the high seas, something he had done before he met my mother. He worked hard, earning respect from one of the most feared and revered pirates.
TheSilver-Tongue Devilof the Sea. He was notorious for talkinganywoman out of her knickers, especially the wealthy married ones, seducing them while he robbed them blind before they even knew it. A gentleman in one room and a cutthroat bandit in another. I noticed he preferred not to kill anyone, but if challenged, he had no problem declaring his dominance.
He could be ruthless and cruel. But the women seemed to thank him more for it. I had seen too many wanting to leave their husbands and sail away with us. This used to baffle me… but something changed. I was beginning to understand.
“Kat.” My father’s rough hands cupped my face as I sat back on my bed. “Are you okay?”
I knew he meant physically, not emotionally.
“I’m fine.” I drew away from him, not wanting anyone to touch me, my skin still humming with energy.
Strained silence filled the room, another thing I had noticed lately. My father and I had always been close, but since I started going through fae puberty, it had become awkward.
“Kätzchen.”Kitten. My father called to me in his native German tongue. “I wish I knew what to do. How to help you.” His voice was thick. “Your mother would know. She would be so much better at this than me.”
My father, Fredrich Roth, was half-fae, which was rare because humans didn’t know fae existed. Not that his father had been aware his lover was fae—or that he had a son. But my father was very low on the magic spectrum, whereas I took after my mother. She had been a cat-shifter too.
“I don’t know if this life is the best for you anymore.”
“What?” My head bolted up. “What are you talking about? I love it here. This is my home.”
“Katze.” Cat.He stood to his full five feet, eleven inches. My father had light blue eyes, blond hair, and pale skin that belied how much time he spent in the sun. I took more after my mother, but you could see my father’s roots in me too. My unique heritage got me a lot of looks. “You are no longer a little girl. You should be at school. Getting a proper education. Learning how to control your abilities. I mean, cats don’t even like water.”
“That’s not always true.” I folded my arms. “Please, Father. I don’t want to go anywhere. I want to be with you. Master Yukimura is teaching me how to breathe, how to keep myself calm and focused. To control myself. Please don’t make me leave.”
My father’s head bowed, his head dipping in acceptance. I knew he didn’t want me to leave either. After my mother died, I became his entire world. And he was mine. My father was compassionate, quiet, and brilliant. He was the captain’s counterpart. He ran this ship day-to-day, keeping the books, handling the money, and dealing with all the business stuff. If my dad had magic, it was his mind. His brain worked so differently from others, able to solve any problem in seconds. Sometimes he would forget a world existed outside of his books and ledgers, getting stuck in his thoughts.
“Promise meyou won’t send me away?” I pressed my hands together.
“Katze.” He tilted his head, knowing what I was asking. To a fae a promise was binding. Not something you could break like humans did.
“Please,Vater.”Father, I pleaded in German.
He took in a deep breath. “Okay, I promise.” I don’t think my father ever said no to me.
Before I could respond, a knock hit our main door, my skin prickling like I could feel who was on the other side. His magic was palpable, his presence felt far before he entered a room.
My father strolled to the front door while I hovered outside my bedroom.
“Captain.” He dipped his head, opening the door wider, letting him enter.
“Rotty.” Captain stepped in. Everyone called my father Rotty, going off the last name Roth.
Captain’s dark eyes slid to me, tunneling through me, making my skin flush and the tadpoles in my stomach spin like crazy. I tugged at the end of my linen shirt, feeling practically naked, my cheeks burning.
His gaze snapped back to my father. “Can I speak to you in private?”
“Of course,” my father replied. “Kätzchen, go in your room.” My dad nodded for me to retreat. “Shut the door.”
