“What about Steel? You were afraid of him just last night.”
“That’s different. He’s cursed and that’s something he can’t help. I only hope we can find a way to break it. For the both of you.”
“Me too.”
The dining room had a couple men in it and they both grinned at me when we entered. I smiled back and was grateful that they didn’t bombard me like the others. Once Gregor and I were seated, the chef brought us two large helpings of junk. Gregor was correct about it being hard to chew and I nearly choked on it.
“Do you have any fruit?” I asked.
“Of course. Anything for you.” The chef was missing a couple of teeth too. He was sweet and pudgy. His hair was greying and his eyes were the color of emeralds. There weren't many chunky pirates, but it looked good on him.
“Why am I getting so much special treatment?” I whispered so the chef wouldn’t hear me.
“You saved a guy’s life. A popular guy at that—one that everyone likes. That doesn’t happen on a pirate ship. Ever. It’s usually every man for himself.”
“That’s terrible.”
“Not all of us are great swimmers, so I don't see anyone else diving in after him, especially during a storm.”
“It wasn’t exactly like I was in the water by choice.”
“So you’re saying that if you weren’t in the water then you wouldn’t have saved him?”
“Well, no. Not exactly. Okay, I probably would’ve jumped in after him if I saw it happen. You’re telling me you wouldn’t have?”
The chef chose that moment to drop off some bananas and mangoes. I thanked him before tearing into a banana.
Gregor waited for the chef to leave before he answered. “No, I probably wouldn’t have. I would’ve drowned too.”
“I guess that’s one of the perks of being a siren.”
“Guess so. You know, you don’t have to find an island. You’re perfectly fine staying on this ship if you want.”
“I think that’s up to the captain to decide.”
“I’m sure he feels the same.”
Gregor nodded towards the entrance and I followed his eyes. Steel was smiling at us and quickly made his way over.
“Hello, mates. I’ve got to stop sleeping in.” Steel grinned even brighter.
“Are you feeling okay? You seem extra chipper this morning.” I narrowed my eyes at him.
“Just had a good night’s sleep. That’s all. So, what were you guys talking about?”
While I was stuttering over what to say, Gregor replied with, “I was just telling Sera that she can stay with us for as long as she wants.”
My muscles tensed as they waited for the freak out, but it never came. Instead, Steel said, “Islands are no fun by yourself anyway. Think of all the fun you’ll have pillaging ships with us.”
Thankfully, the cook saved me from answering by bringing Steel his plate. Steel immediately tore into his meat without saying anything to the chef.
“Thank you for providing us with the delicious food,” I told him.
He inclined his head to me with a blush. “You’re very welcome, my lady.”
“Steel, don’t you agree?” I looked at him pointedly.
Steel raised his eyebrows. “Yeah. It’s good. Like always.”
He went back to stuffing his face without even looking at the cook this time. It was incredible that he was able to chew the junk that quickly without gagging.
I grunted. “What’s your name?”
“F-Felix, miss,” the cook said.
“Well, Felix, thanks again.”
Felix looked like he was about to die from excitement as he all but danced away. Poor guy probably never got complimented even though he deserved it.
“That was very rude of you.” I glared at Steel.
“What the Hades is wrong with you? One moment you’re happy and now you’re scolding me? Makes me want to rescind my invitation for you to stay.” Steel returned my hard stare.
“When your men are doing a good job, you should tell them so.”
“Sera, I’m a pirate. I don’t do gratitude. Everyone has their job and everyone does it as expected. That’s part of being on this ship. If you’re so worried about it, then that can be your job.”
“Captain!” Bastian came running in out of breath. “We’re nearing a merchant ship and are waiting for your command on what to do next.”
Steel’s mouth formed into a wicked grin, revealing all of his teeth. “Looks like we have some looting to do. Tell the men to man their stations and prepare to hook onto them.”
“Aye, aye, captain.” Bastian ran off as quickly as he’d come.
“Gregor, will you help man the cannons like usual?”
“Yes, captain.” Gregor left his half-eaten plate on the table.
Steel turned to me. “You can watch how we do things. It may make you appreciate what we do and you’ll want to join in on the fun.”
I felt a little dizzy as Steel rushed away. It was really happening. These pirates were about to rob some innocent merchants. My stomach was doing somersaults and I realized how not okay I was about all of this. People were going to die. Would they leave behind a family like my parents?
My heart was screaming at me to stop Steel, but my mind was telling me it would be impossible. This was their lifestyle as pirates. They chose to do these types of things willingly because they took pleasure in it. There was no way I would ever be comfortable with that. Whether I saved one of them or not, I still didn’t have the words to change their whole way of life.
The ship started rocking and I heard men yelling from near and far. The ground beneath me vibrated and then, I was roughly thrown out of the chair I’d been in. The vessel felt like it was swaying and I saw why the chairs and tables weren’t moving with me. They were all nailed to the ground to prevent them from doing so. More proof that this wasn’t the first time The Sea Nymph’s Revenge entered a battle.
Metal could be heard clashing together and screams of agony followed them. I didn’t dare go out of the dining room. Instead, I curled into myself and hid under a table. It wasn’t because I was afraid of getting hurt. It was because I didn’t want to face what was really happening. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that Steel and his crew could be stealing the merchants away from their families. Sitting here made me feel guilty, even though I wasn’t one of the people swinging a sword.
I had no idea how much time had passed, but I remained under the table even when the shouts of panic transformed into cheers. I didn’t know who’d won, which was another reason I stayed where I was. My butt was numb from sitting still for so long, but my arms felt like they were the only thing holding me together. It felt as if my parents were dying all over again even though I had no idea what the merchants looked like.
There was a lot of shuffling and excited murmurs as I assumed the treasure was being moved from their ship to ours. It was the only thing that made sense but I couldn’t bring myself to go out there. I didn’t want to see another dead body for as long as I lived. At the rate I was going, it wouldn’t be much longer though. I was on a sinking ship because eventually, a pilly would go wrong. Nobody, not even pirates, could be lucky forever by winning every fight. The odds were stacked against them and death would claim them too if they weren’t more mindful of the lives of others.
“Sera?” Steel’s questioning voice flittered into the dining room.
I didn’t respond but it wasn’t long before a pair of boots stopped in front of the table I was under. Steel squatted down, but the teasing never came. His eyes were open and full of concern. There was no hint of a smile on his face.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“How many people were killed?” My voice was so low that I didn’t think he’d heard me.
“Only one of ours.”
“And theirs?”
“Do you really want to know?”
I shook my head as a shiver passed through me. No, I didn’
t want to know because the number would only make it more real and make me feel sicker.
“Why don't you come on out and see all the treasure? There’s even a pretty dress for you. It’s thin so isn’t as heavy as the other one you have.”
“I’d rather remain here.”
“You’re going to have to become numb to death if you truly want to stay on this ship.” His tone had grown harder.
“I don’t think I want to be around this much death. I’m not suited for it.”
He sighed. “We’re headed for Tortuga. It’s a port and we’ll leave you behind there if that’s what you want.”
Steel left me alone when I didn’t respond to him. I half expected Gregor to barge in and attempt to convince me to come out of my hiding place, but he never did. In fact, nobody came into the dining room. They were probably too busy admiring their gold. I could see why their species were disliked. Humans were petty if they truly valued wealth more than life.
When I thought about it, sirens were just as petty. The only difference was that they cared more about perfection over life. Why couldn’t these two races come together and learn something from one another? Humans were nowhere near perfect—these pirates were the prime example of that—and sirens didn’t seek monetary items.
When I could no longer take sitting there, I came out of my hiding place. It felt like needles were stabbing my legs and feet as I moved. My arms returned to trying to keep me in one piece. Nobody was roaming the halls and there wasn’t any candles lit in Steel’s room. I’d sat in the dining room all day. Why had no one come to the dining room for dinner and where was Steel?
Not even a minute later, Steel stumbled into the room. He smelled pungent with a scent I didn’t recognize. The only way I could even describe it was that it was strong and burned my nostrils.
Steel’s eyes lit up when they discovered me sitting in the chair. He stumbled over—nearly tripping on his own feet—and fell to his knees in front of me. He placed his head in my lap and his arms snaked around my waist. My body tensed, but his words stopped me from pulling away.
“You’re so pretty. Do you know that? I’ve never had a woman in my bed that forced me to restrain myself, but you seem to have me under a spell. You’re the only woman who’s made me want to wait until you’re ready, which you will be eventually.”
“What are you saying, exactly?” I breathed.
He lifted his head to look at me. “I’m saying I want to see you naked and in my arms, but I want you to want it first.”
The strong fumes emitted from his mouth as his spoke and I nearly gagged in response. “What is that smell?”
He sniffed the air. “I don’t smell anything.”
“It’s coming from you.”
“Oh, must be the rum.”
“What’s rum?”
“You’ve never had rum before? We’re going to have to change that. It makes you feel invincible and like nothing can ever go wrong. I’ll get you some.”
He rose, but his steps were so wobbly that he fell to the ground before he could reach the door. He didn’t get back up and I grew worried. I hurried to his side.
“Steel? Are you okay?” I shook his body, but he didn’t even crack an eyelid open.
He didn’t react at all as I continued to shake him and panic gnawed at the back of my mind. Did something happen to him during the fight earlier? I was about to go search for Gregor when a loud snore escaped Steel. It was much louder than his usual ones and that was when I realized he was breathing. I should’ve thought to look at that sooner, but the fear made my brain fuzzy.
Steel continued to snore while I debated about what to do next. He wouldn't wake up no matter what I tried. At that moment, I knew I never wanted to learn what this rum was.
7
About a week passed before we reached Tortuga. Steel and I hadn’t talked much since the night he’d had rum. I still had no idea what rum was, but I wasn’t too keen on finding out. The morning after his fainting episode, Steel avoided me like I had the plague and continued to except for at night while we slept. But even then, he only came in after I was already passed out. Because of these recent events, I was surprised when Steel came to the room—during daylight—to specifically talk to me.
Steel lingered at the door as he said, “We’re about to port in Tortuga. Have you given thought as to whether or not you want to stay there or come with us?”
“No, but I figured I should see this Tortuga place before I make up my mind. I’m afraid I still have no gold so might not have the means to stay there even if I wanted to.”
“We got a lot of gold from the merchants, so I can spare you quite a bit. I also brought this for you to change into since it’s more human-like than that piece of fabric and you’ll want to fit in here.” He finally stepped fully into the room and held up a beautiful white dress.
It was adorned with glittering white and blue jewels and had a low-cut neckline. It mesmerized me as I took the fabric into my hands. It was soft like my silky pink dress, but this one was longer in length and sleeves. The sleeves were also sheer and it made the whole thing even more stunning.
With a shaky breath, I said, “I can’t accept this.”
“I want you to have it.” He pressed the dress into my palms and let it go.
“No, I can’t wear this when it was stolen. Blood was shed for this.”
“No, blood was shed for the gold. This was just a little bonus.”
I placed the dress on Steel’s desk and sat in the chair. I couldn’t look at Steel so I kept my eyes on the dress. “How can you be so okay with killing people? You’ve probably taken them from their families.”
“I’ve already told you. I’m a pirate. It’s all part of the job.”
“So you don’t feel any remorse?”
“Not at all.”
“Are all humans like you?”
“Me? No, I’m one of a kind.”
I picked at a scratch in the wood and still couldn’t bring myself to look at him. “Do you remember what you told me a week ago? We haven’t talked about it, but I think we should.”
“You mean when I said I wanted you to want me? I remember.”
“Is that why you’re avoiding me?”
I heard Steel sit on the bed. “You’re the first woman I don’t want to throw away. I’m not okay with killing women, but it doesn’t mean I haven’t. You, however, make me want to impress you. It’s why I brought the dress aboard this ship.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“You’re correct, but if you leave then I’ll never get the chance to.”
“You guys don’t really act like pirates when you aren’t pillaging. Most of you seem more refined than I expected.”
“That’s because you don’t know us very well either. Some of us, like Bastian, come from wealthy, educated families.”
I recalled Bastian talking about missing his family. “Why’d he join piracy to steal gold if he had a family who was already rich?”
“Piracy is a choice for everyone, especially for those who don’t feel like they belong when they are home.”
“Oh,” was all I could manage. I truly didn’t know them either.
The sound of Steel standing finally drew my attention from the desk. He made to leave, but stopped at the door to say, “It’s up to you if you want to wear the dress. I’ll meet you on the deck when you’re ready.”
He didn’t look at me before he exited, but I was okay with that. I was baffled that this pirate—who was best known for killing—wanted to get to know me. The question now was did I want to learn about him? Sure, he was sexy, but he killed and stole for a living. Murder and thievery was unbecoming and I couldn’t expect him to change because of me.
Dad didn't change just because the other sirens told him he couldn’t be with Mom. Instead, he chose her and lived in seclusion for us. I wondered what they would say if they were here. Dad would probably tell me to look beyond what I can see—to what was inside
of Steel. I was a little nervous to find out. With his curse, Steel’s heart might never fully open up. I was worried he was dark on the inside and it would remain that way until the end of his days.
I shook my head. That wasn’t fair of me. It wasn’t Steel’s fault he was cursed. He shouldn’t be judged for what he couldn’t control. The answer I had to uncover was whether or not he killed for sport or if the curse was making him relish in it.
First things first, I needed to determine if I liked Tortuga. My eyes returned to the dress. Was it terrible of me that I wanted to try it on? It would go to waste if I didn’t. As I undressed and slipped the soft material over my head, I felt like the most horrible person in the world. What made it all worse was that it fit perfectly. It barely brushed against my bare feet, so I didn't have to fear tripping over it.
When I walked onto the deck, Steel stopped mid-conversation with Gregor to stare at me. I decided to keep the dress on rather than put it back in the hands of pirates. I would make better use of it anyway. I hoped this wouldn’t curse me to Hades after I died though.
“You look beautiful,” Steel said when I reached him.
“Thank you. It’s a lot more comfortable than the first dress you gave me.” I gave him a small, strained smile.
“I’m happy to hear that. When we first get in to Tortuga, stay near one of us. The men can be brash and coarse.”
We passed Stan and I grimaced. He was much thinner than before and was currently unconscious.
“Is he alive?” I asked.
“Yeah, we’re feeding him the minimum until we get to the island where we leave our enemies,” Steel said.
“We should leave him here rather than tied there only to leave him to die somewhere.”
“We?” Steel raised his eyebrows at me.
“I-I mean you. You should leave him here.”
“I’m sorry, but that’s not the pirate way.”
“And why not? Is this ‘pirate way’ set in stone?”
“Well, no but—”
“I’m the one he attacked. I think I should have a say.”
Steel looked to Gregor who was trying not to laugh at our exchange. Gregor’s smile dropped when he realized Steel really wanted his input.
Sirens and Scales Page 108
