“Steel’s cursed,” Gregor said.
Well, I wasn’t expecting that one.
“What do you mean by cursed?” I asked.
Gregor drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Has he told you the story of The Sea Nymph’s Revenge yet?”
I shook my head and he continued.
“Nobody likes to talk about it but his ship used to be named Poseidon’s Whore. The previous captain enjoyed the company of sea nymphs in his bed, but what others didn’t know was that he also enjoyed killing them. Once he had his way with them, he’d kill them and string them up on the mast. He liked to think of them as his fresh catch of the day and before you ask, no we didn’t eat them. When they started to smell, he would throw them into the water.”
“That’s terrible.”
“I know, but he was our captain and always got us out of sticky situations. That and he was good at pillaging and we were on our way to riches. But when Poseidon heard about how our captain treated the creatures of the sea, he avenged them by killing the captain and his crew. Everyone except Steel and me. He let us live to spread the story of what happened, but we didn’t get off that easily. He cursed both of us and we each have dark moments. I usually stay in my room when I feel them coming on, but Steel’s occur at random and he can never remember what happens during an episode. Sometimes, he even forgets he’s cursed. We both stuck together and found our own crew—a new one. Steel swore he wouldn’t harm any sea creatures, which is why you’re still breathing. Our previous captain used to be revered, but now, we don’t even want to say his name because we fear Poseidon will hear it and strike down our ship. Steel will never let something like that happen again.”
“That’s why Steel’s so superstitious.”
“Exactly.”
“So, tell me how the curse works.”
“For me, I start feeling really ill when it’s about to happen and I lock myself in my room. Then, the darkness comes. It feels as if something is taking over my body and making me think terrible thoughts of killing my crew mates. For Steel, he has no warning at all. He just goes dark and I try to keep him away from the crew when it happens. With guarding you, it’s been more difficult to watch him.”
“The crew doesn’t know you two are cursed?”
“No, and Steel wants to keep it that way—at least he does when he remembers. I felt the need to tell you because you’ve witnessed it firsthand and I’m not sure how long you’re going to be on this ship. If it’s for a while, then you’ll see that side of Steel more often unfortunately. There isn’t anything we can do about it either.”
We fell silent as I went through everything Gregor just said. I couldn’t believe they were cursed. The only good thing about it was that it saved my neck. I was lucky getting on this ship. What if I would’ve climbed on one who filleted the mermaids or killed the sea nymphs? I shivered at the thought. Their curse was a blessing for me.
“Gregor, Steel said that I need gold if I want to live among humans. Is that true?”
“Yes, without gold, you’ll be living on the streets begging for it just so you can buy yourself some food.”
“But I could go into the water and catch my own food.”
“And be discovered by the humans so quickly?”
“I didn’t think about that.”
“Let’s just say you did catch your own food, what about a place to live?”
I swallowed hard. “Steel said I should help on a pillage.”
Gregor looked thoughtful. “Do you want to?”
“Not really, but it would be a way to get gold.”
“Don’t change who you are because of gold. There’s always another way.”
“I need to do something though if I want to live in hiding safely. I don’t belong on this ship. That’s made clear every time Stan glances my way.”
“Ignore that idiot. Sure, we don’t like women on this ship, but you’re a siren. It’s different.”
“I’m scared the sirens are going to find me here and punish all of you because of it.”
“Meh. Sirens… Poseidon… we’re screwed either way.”
He smiled genuinely at me and I felt compelled to return it.
“I’d leave you to your thoughts, but someone might try to chuck you overboard,” Gregor said.
“You and Steel keep saying things like that, but they all seem nice to me.”
“Pirates aren’t nice.”
“You are.”
“Yeah, but that’s only because I’ve had a crappy beginning and learned from it. The others don’t see things from my point of view, especially Steel. Forgive him for earlier. It’s late though and you should get your rest.”
“I feel like all I’ve done is rest.”
“Well, I need to sleep, so I’ll escort you back to the room first since I don’t want to leave you here.”
I let him lead me to Steel’s room to appease his worry, but I had no intention of staying there.
Chapter Five
The night sky was beautiful as it came alive over the water. The stars danced across the sky every now and then and I wondered what it would be like to reach out and touch them. It was quiet and peaceful on a boat. More than I ever thought was possible. I never imagined I’d feel so content on floating pieces of wood, but under the dark sky, it was almost perfect.
The ship bobbed from oncoming waves and it was soothing rather than annoying like I’d figured it would be. I always assumed the humans went wherever the water took them, but I was amazed they steered this large vessel. It was massive and I didn't think I could do it. It had to be heavy to move.
I made a mental note that I should sneak out more often. It definitely smelled better out here. I had no idea how Steel could be used to the odor in his room. It made my nose scrunch up every time I walked in. He should at least have a window that opened. Maybe it wouldn’t feel so much like an evil lair then.
As I watched the stars above, a new hope swelled in my chest. I had the possibility at a future and the speckles of light in the sky gave me the feeling that Mom and Dad were cheering me on. Wherever they were, they were with me in spirit. The full moon that illuminated the water was proof of that.
A floorboard creaked behind me and drew my attention away from the enchanting scenery. Stan was sneering at me and he was missing a shirt. The pants he wore were loose and torn. He stood only a few feet away, but his hate wafted my way like a rough shove. It was intimidating and immediately set me on edge.
“Is there something I can help you with?” I asked, but my voice came out small.
It was too dark to see his eyes, but I could feel them on me, like daggers trying to pierce me.
“You can help me by getting off this ship,” he said. “You don’t belong here and Steel and Gregor don’t deserve to lose another crew to your kind. They fail to see that each day that passes with you still on our ship is a day closer to our deaths.”
“I’m looking for safety and wouldn’t jeopardize that.”
“Liar. You’re bringing the danger to us. Captain Steel may be too scared to do anything, but that’s where I come in.”
He took a step closer and it felt like my heart jumped into my throat. I was trapped and tried to draw from my siren bank of power, but nothing came. Just a small squeak. I closed my eyes and tensed as his hands grasped onto my arms. He was going to throw me overboard and I would have to find a new ship to take me to a safe island. Would their be another friendly person like Gregor, or instead, a captain who killed sirens?
Thunder clattered in the sky as he hoisted me over the side of the ship. The surface was rough as I broke through it. The water was colder than I remembered and I remained under. Lightning struck near the ship and me and it forced me to dive deeper.
The dress was extremely heavy under the water, but I didn’t have anything to exchange it for. I could’ve kicked myself for not changing back into my pink dress earlier. I made up my mind that I would strip to my undergarments once the s
hip was out of sight.
When I was out of harm’s way, I looked back up at The Sea Nymph’s Revenge. My plan was to put it in the past as I watched it drift away, but then, the ship rocked violently. It sent two bodies plummeting into the water. One swam back towards the surface, but the other was flailing. Instead of moving up, he was sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss.
There was no way this guy was drowning in front of me when I had the capability to save him. As I got closer to him, I recognized who he was—the dark-haired man who had spoke about his Uncle Willie. The fight had left him by the time I reached him, so it was easier to wrap my arm around his torso and swim towards the fresh air.
After breaking through the water, I heard the crew screaming and yelling, but the ship was being pushed away from us. It was too dark for them to notice where we were, so I pulled the guy towards them instead. Thank Poseidon the water made humans a little buoyant because this one weighed a ton. This dress was a nightmare though and it was hard to keep my grasp on the guy with all of the fabric in the way.
Even right next to the vessel the men couldn’t see us. The storm had picked up and was throwing waves at us—and the ship—with a vengeance. I was okay since I was able to breath in air or water, but the guy had remained unconscious. I feared for his life and that this all would be for naught. I screamed, yelled, beat on the ship, but it was no use. They couldn’t hear me over the thunder.
I had to sing to the crew. It was the guy’s only chance to return to the ship in time to be saved. Maybe, if I only focused on Gregor or Steel, then I wouldn’t choke. After another moment’s hesitation, I chose Steel and concentrated on him. Gregor might’ve been the easier target, but it was Steel whose soul called to me.
My voice was full of honey as I sang and pleaded for Steel. My eyes remained focused on the deck, but the crew still didn’t hear us—not even as I sang. When Steel’s head poked over the edge of the vessel and his eyes found mine, I cried out in joy and the singing stopped.
“Down there.” Steel’s finger pointed in our direction. “Quick, throw them a rope.”
A few ropes fell towards us and I latched onto the closest one to me. I tied it tightly around the guy—who was still unconscious. I waved my hand to signal that he was ready and the crew hoisted him up. Another rope dangled to the right of me, but I was hesitant to grab it. Stan’s bald head wasn’t in view, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t around.
“Grab the rope. I’ll pull you up,” Steel urged.
There were no islands within sight and I had no idea how far we traveled from my old home. Did we only go in a circle or were we miles away from it? The uncertainty of it all made my stomach feel like it was tied in knots. I knew the dangers of this ship more than I did on some random patch of land. If I would even be able to find one.
“What are you waiting for?” Steel asked and it was all the motivation I needed.
Steel wouldn’t be calling me back on the ship if I was unwanted. I grasped the rope with both hands as tight as I could and nodded my head to let him know I was ready. The rain pelted my skin and stung where they hit. My legs were no help and dangled as dead weight while they pulled me up.
My feet were unsteady at first on the wood deck and Steel’s arms came around me. They were warm and made me want to cuddle into him, especially when I noticed Stan stomping towards us. The small fear I had for Steel had been replaced fully with Stan.
“That witch created the storm.” Stan’s accusing finger was in my face and the boat jolted to the left to emphasize his words.
“I did not,” I argued.
“What makes you think that?” Steel asked.
“Because the skies were clear, but it was like the storm flared when I threw her overboard,” Stan said.
“Why did you throw her over?” Steel’s arm wrapped tighter around my waist.
“Because she doesn’t belong on this ship. Not only is she a woman, but she’s also a sea witch that will lead us all to a watery grave.”
“That’s not your call to make.” Steel ground his teeth together before turning to me. “I know I’ve asked it before, but can sirens control the weather?”
“Not that I know of,” I said truthfully.
“She created this storm. I can feel it in my gut.” Stan patted his belly.
“Your gut isn’t the best evidence. You’ve been wrong before and it cost us some men,” Steel said and I found myself wondering what else Stan had been incorrect about.
“I’m so sick of you bringing that up.” Stan bared his teeth with anger. “You aren’t thinking with the right head in this situation.”
“That’s enough,” Steel demanded. “I’m sick of you always trying to undermine me. I’m the captain, not you. You aren’t even the first mate, so back down before I make you regret it.”
“And what are you going to do if I don’t? We need to pillage ships and can’t do that if we’re too busy tending to a siren.”
Mutters of agreement broke out on the ship and Steel’s face turned redder. It was from being livid—not out of embarrassment—and the look on his face was terrifying. It would’ve made a shark hightail it out of there.
“Stranded,” Steel whispered and that one, quiet word managed to silence the entire ship, with the exception of Stan.
“This is mad. You can’t be proposing to kick me off this ship. You’ll be lost without me.”
“I’m willing to take that chance.” Steel looked away from Stan to give everyone else his attention, including me. “You all remember when Stan fell asleep on lookout and we were bombarded by an enemy pirate ship. We lost seven men that day.”
Mumbling broke out and Steel continued, “You all remember when Stan grabbed the wrong barrels from port and we were stuck with wine instead of rum?” More cheers erupted. “And I know you guys haven’t forgotten when Stan cut off Antony’s pointer and middle finger during sparring practice?”
“I definitely remember it,” yelled a man with almost all of his teeth missing. The few that were left were yellow and he had long, scraggly, grey hair. He held up his right hand that showed two fingers missing.
A few people around Antony clapped him on the back while Stan was starting to sweat. He wasn’t so intimidating when the tables were turned on him and I felt myself stand a little more confident while his was wavering.
“You know what we do to pirates who don’t live up to the code, right?” Steel asked. Everyone shouted in agreement and when Steel’s eyes found mine, he elaborated, “We leave them stranded on a small uninhabited island with one bullet.”
“Why only one?” I made the mistake of asking, allowing curiosity to get the better of me.
“So he can kill himself when the pain of starvation becomes unbearable.”
Steel’s unblinking stare told me that I was talking to Bloody Steel again. He had no sorrow for what they were going to do as the men surged to grab ahold of Stan. Stan fought them and almost managed to get his sword drawn before he was taken down.
Once he was stripped of all his the weapons, he was tied to the mast of the ship with people shouting accusations at him. It was a madhouse and everybody was feeding off of each other’s violent energy. I found myself shrinking back away from it all now that Steel’s arm wasn’t holding me in place any longer. Noting that my movement went unnoticed, I retreated back to Steel’s room and slammed the door shut behind me.
Tears stung at the corner of my eyes as my back slid down the door until my butt landed on the ground. I didn’t like Stan, but that didn’t mean he should be tortured for his mistakes. They should just drop him off at the next port instead of forcing him to suffer.
Nobody deserved to feel the desperation of hunger. I knew that sensation all too well because there were a few nights when it was too dangerous for Dad to catch us a meal, so I knew how terrible it felt.
The worst part of it all, I felt like it was my fault this was happening to Stan. He might’ve had it coming with his previous mistakes, but
I was the one who pushed the crew to their limit of Stan. I should’ve remained in the water. At least someone wouldn’t be looking death in the eye on my account.
The door opened roughly behind me and it sent me sprawling forward. I grunted in pain and grabbed the elbow I’d banged on the ground. Steel hovered over me for a second before pulling me to my feet.
“Everything okay?” he asked and I felt like he was going to give me a whiplash with how quickly his moods changed.
“Okay? You guys are about to send a man to the most torturous death. No, I’m not okay with it. Especially since it’s my fault.” I ducked my head so he couldn’t see my eyes.
“This isn’t your fault. Stan was in the wrong for throwing you off the ship.”
“What if he’s right though? What if I do lead you all to the bottom of the ocean?”
“I don’t see that happening, but I know a way you can help us get rid of you faster if you’re so worried about it.”
I nodded for him to continue.
“I came up with the idea that you should help us pillage ships. I think I had a dream about it or something, but your siren ability could be an advantage for us. That, and it could help you earn gold to live the rest of your days in hiding peacefully.”
I didn’t want to tell him that he’d already told me this plan, so, instead, I said, “Is there no other way I can earn gold from you? One that doesn’t involve killing?”
“Do you know how to sail?”
I shook my head.
“Can you man a cannon?”
I thought about it but then answered with, “No, never have, but that still involves killing either way.”
“Look, you can take the time to think about it, but this would be a win-win. If we hit a huge load, then you may only need to do it once.”
“I still don’t like it, but I’ll think about it.”
“That’s all I can ask of you for now.” Steel let out a big yawn. “It’s time to return to bed. I was having a weird dream but it beats being awake.”
Steel began to undress, but I stopped him. “Can you leave your shorts on?”
The Pirate's Siren Page 4
