by Frost Kay
Her serious little face searched his. “I’ll stay with you, but…you can’t find mama and papa.”
“Why?” Had the Scythians done something to her parents? Mer rarely spoke of them.
“You can’t live in the sea.”
His brows furrowed as he stared at her in confusion. Live in the sea? “What do you mean?”
She bit her lip, eyes darting around the deck. “It’s a secret.”
“What is, baby girl?”
“Mama and papa said to never tell anyone, because it would put me in danger.”
What in the bloody hell? Hayjen took a calming breath. “Have I ever hurt you, Mer?”
“No. You love me.”
“That’s right, and I will never let anyone hurt you. I need you to tell me the truth so I can find your family.”
“They live underwater.”
Hayjen blinked. “Underwater?”
Her face jerked up and down in his hands. “Yes.”
He barely kept the scowl from his face. Someone had been telling her old fish tales. “That’s an interesting story. Thank you for telling me.”
Mer beamed at him and pulled his hands from her face. “Are you hungry?”
“I’m always hungry.”
“Come on, then.”
She pulled him from the rail and to the galley, skipping along the deck, waving and calling out hellos to the rough-looking pirates who all returned her waves and greetings with large smiles. Out of habit, Hayjen had searched the men for anything untoward.
Nothing.
Just affection.
He’d been on that damn Scythian ship too long. He was paranoid.
Hayjen forced his shoulders to loosen as he followed the little girl to the galley filled with the decadent smell of freshly baked bread. His eyes widened at how many people were packed into the space. Laughter, jokes, and smiles filled the room. Something loosened in his chest at the sound. It had been a long time since he had experienced this kind of camaraderie. Right in the middle of all of it was Captain Femi. She sniggered at something and punched her first mate in the arm before catching Hayjen’s eye.
“Sleeping beauty awakes!” she hollered over the din.
Chuckles ripped through the group as her first mate stood and made his way towards Hayjen. “Pay no mind to her. They procured some type of tuna for dinner and she’s overly excited about it.” The man held out his arm. “We’ve not met officially. I’m Blair, first mate of the Sirenidae.”
He clasped Blair’s arm. “I’m Hayjen.”
“Guardian of Mer.”
“Yes.”
Blair’s severe face cracked into a soft smile. “She’s a lovely little girl.”
“She is indeed.”
The first mate slapped him on the back and gestured to the serving line. “Fill up and eat, then we’ll discuss whatever is plaguing you.”
He watched as Blair wound around the group and slipped in next to the captain. She moved without looking at him, putting bread on his plate. The first mate plucked the bread up and plopped his extra fish onto her plate. Each move was unconsciously coordinated, like they had done it a million times before. It was intimate in an understated way. If they weren’t together, he’d ride a Leviathan.
Hayjen thanked the cook as he dished up his plate. He spun and scanned the room for the girls. They were huddled in the corner eating and watching the display of pirates like it was a play. Carefully, he navigated the throng of people, managing not to spill his meal. Beth held her hands up for his plate so he could sit without pulling his back. “Thank you.”
She set his food on the low table and winked. “It was nothing.”
He blinked. Where had that come from? “How are you ladies this evening?”
A murmur of “good” sounded around him before they went back to watching the spectacle of pirates with curiosity. What he noticed though, was that each bowl that had been placed down on the table looked like it had been licked clean. They understood the value of food and what it was like to go without. He doubted any of them would leave leftovers anytime soon.
The pirates finished their food and eventually filed out of the galley, the girls slipping out a couple at a time. Soft music filtered in from outside, jovial in its tune.
“Music?” Hayjen asked the few remaining women without addressing any one of them in particular.
“They play every night,” Lera explained, unfolding from her pillow.
“Huh.” The crew weren’t what he expected when he thought of pirates. “Not all that pirate-like are they?”
Lera grinned at him. “Not what I imagined.”
“Indeed.” He smiled and glanced at Lilja. “Excuse me, I need to speak with the captain.”
Her eyes darted to the captain and first mate who hadn’t moved from their seats, and back to Mer pestering the cook. “I’ll take Mer so you can speak with the captain.”
“Thank you, Lera. I’d appreciate it.”
“Let’s listen to the music, Mer.” Lera offered her hand.
The little girl shoved the rest of her bread in her pocket and skipped over to grab Lera’s hand. “Let’s go.”
Hayjen watched with a bemused smile as Mer skipped out of the galley, dragging Lera behind her.
“She’s adventurous.”
“Yes, she is.” Hayjen commented before turning to the captain standing over him. His eyes roved up her long leather-clad legs and tapered waist, and paused when he met her eyes. The color was so different from anything he had ever seen. Exotic, and unearthly. Her brows raised in question at his stare. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “Your eyes still intrigue me.”
The deep chuckle that poured from her throat sounded way too sensual. “You and everyone else. My crew still stares at them sometimes and they’ve been with me for years.”
He cocked his head, scanning her face. She couldn’t be that old, maybe 24. “Years?”
“The sea has been my home all my life.”
Ah. She had been raised on a ship. That made sense. “Was this your family’s ship?”
“I inherited it, yes.”
Smiling, he hefted himself from the low pillows and stared down at her. Her answers were answers, but vague. What was she hiding? “So where shall we speak?”
“In the study.”
Hayjen blinked and looked over the captain’s shoulder at Blair. He’d forgotten the first mate was even there. He stepped aside to let the captain and first mate lead the way. His nose twitched as he stepped into her study, citrus permeating the room in a clean, pleasant way. He moved to the side and sat in one of the chairs Captain Femi gestured to. Her first mate closed the door and moved to her side.
“What would you like to discuss?” she asked.
“Our deal, but I wanted to thank you again for your kindness to my people.”
“It was nothing.”
He ignored how his back pulled as he leaned forward, drawn to her citrus scent. “It’s not nothing. We owe you our lives, but that being said, I wanted to make sure our original agreement was still in place.”
“Yes. Your people will be returned to Aermia.”
“Safely. To their families.”
“Yes.”
He sucked in a breath before asking a question that was plaguing him. “What do you expect in return?”
Captain Femi raised a brow. “Nothing.”
Hayjen scoffed and sat back. “No one wants nothing. You’ve freed us, housed us, fed us, and are transporting us home. You and your crew have gone above and beyond what was needed. I would prefer know what you expect from us sooner rather than later.”
“We expect you to treat our crew with respect and help with the chores. That’s it,” Blair explained. “Other than that, you’ve no obligation or debt to us.”
“Some pirates you are.”
Captain Femi smiled, a twinkle in her eye. “We are a special brand of pirate.”
“I can see that.” Hayjen eyed the couple. “I have a few questions I w
ould like answered.”
“We will answer you to the best of our knowledge.”
“What did you want with that Scythian ship?” The couple traded glances. Interesting. “I was on that ship for months and was forced to work on it. I’m certain there were no treasures or cargo of interest for people like you. You’re not so daft as to target just any random ship, and your take over was well thought out and executed carefully. What were you after?”
“The Scythians stole something of great value to its owners. We were paid handsomely to retrieve it,” Captain Femi readily replied.
“Did you find it?”
“No, we found you,” Blair interjected.
“Was that a surprise?”
“No.”
He froze, his mind spinning. “We’re not the first slaves you’ve come across?” Silence. Hayjen blew out a breath. “How many?”
“Ships or slaves?” Captain Femi asked softly.
His fists clenched. “That many?” How long had Scythia been playing dead but secretly stealing their people?
Emotion rippled across Blair’s face. “You’re not the first or the last, but maybe one of the luckiest.”
He stared at his clenched fists, working through his feelings. He and the girls weren’t the whim of a rogue Scythian ship. They were systematically abducting Aermian citizens, specifically women. His head snapped up. “Why hasn’t the king done something about it?”
“The Scythians are cautious. Nothing can be traced back to them. Also, there’s limited communication between the two kingdoms.”
He looked at the couple, flabbergasted. “But you have witnesses.” He stabbed a finger at the door. “An entire crew of them.”
A mocking chuckle rumbled out of Blair. “You really think the king is going to take the word of pirates?”
“The girls and I could go forward.”
Captain Femi steepled her fingers and watched him over them. “Some have stepped forward in the past, but without proof, nothing has come of it. Plus, Scythia has kept to their side of the wall for over two hundred years—to others, it seems impossible that they would steal people.”
“You’re telling me,” he growled, “that those girls won’t receive justice for what happened? That the Scythians will get away with what they’re doing? Even if we were the only ones abducted, it’s still wrong. How can the crown turn a blind eye?”
“That may be the case, but there’s no proof. Something of this magnitude needs tangible evidence. It could start a war.”
“It should,” he retorted hotly.
“Do you remember nothing of the Nagalian Purge? The Scythians wiped out an entire race of people, not to mention their dragons. Would you be so quick to put Aermia in Scythia’s sights?”
He swallowed hard. The Nagalian Purge was a blight no one would ever forget. In a matter of days, Scythia had coordinated an attack so brutal and swift that no one had survived. The Nagalian people were wiped from the world like they’d never existed. The other kingdoms had banded together and pushed Scythia behind their borders before building the Mort Wall to keep them exiled from the other kingdoms. He’d seen first-hand how dangerous they were. They were faster and stronger than they should have been. The image of Scythians flowing over the Mort Wall in waves gave him the chills. No one could survive that. “So what do we do?”
“You do nothing. You return to your home and help those girls settle back into their lives. You make a life for yourself.”
Hayjen stared at the captain and first mate, a bit numb. How could he go back to the life he lived before? Nothing could erase the suffering he had experienced for months, or the knowledge that the Scythians would continue their nefarious activities. His eyes narrowed as a thought occurred to him. They said you do nothing, not we do nothing. “And what do you plan on doing?”
Blair’s lips lifted into a sharp smile. “Pirating, of course.”
Pirating, my ass, thought Hayjen. “Does said pirating involve looting more Scythian ships?” he needled.
The captain leaned forward, a glint in her exotic eyes. “We’re pirates—nothing more. My crew and I risked our necks to help you when we had no obligation to—when most of our brethren would have left you to die or sold you to a new buyer. You and your girls are guests on my ship. What happens after we return you to Aermia is none of your concern.”
That was fair. “I understand.” He went to rise, but just as he did, the captain’s husky voice wrapped around him.
“We do have a few questions for you.”
He slowly lowered himself back into the chair and eyed the couple. “What can I help you with?”
“Did the Scythians ever speak of other shipments?”
“No.” He shook his head. “They didn’t speak much unless it was to torture someone.”
The captain’s face pinched at his words. “Was there a specific place where they were planning to drop you off?”
His brow wrinkled as he thought back to his time on the ship. “No. There’s nothing.” He paused, a spark of something coming forward. He vaguely remembered the warriors bringing up caves. Hayjen scrubbed a hand down his face and traced the grains of the captain’s desk with his finger. “After one of my beatings, the warriors took bets on if I would survive the journey to the caves of some sort.” He lifted his eyes as the first mate swore viciously. “Does that mean something to you?”
Captain Femi glanced at her first mate, then at him. “Just that you’re very fortunate we found you before you arrived at your destination.”
His lips thinned at her vague response. It was like the woman didn’t know how to give a straight answer.
“Thank you for your time. That’s all we needed.” Captain Femi stood and fluidly moved around her desk and held her hand out.
Hayjen stared at it for a beat before clasping it in his large hand. Her hands were so small and delicate in his, but they weren’t the hands of a lady. She had callouses along her palm and fingers that spoke of hard work. The captain tugged her hand from his, making him blush like a besotted idiot. He had held her hand for longer than was appropriate. Hayjen pushed himself from the chair and nodded to both of them. “Good evening. I have a little one to put to bed.” He shuffled to the door, pulled it open and slipped through, closing it behind him. He let out a little breath before moving forward. They hadn’t given him all the answers he wanted, but he knew more now than he had going in. At least he had assured the girls safety, and that’s what was most important. He would have plenty of time to analyze what he’d learned, but for tonight he was just going to enjoy the music with Mer.
Chapter Six
Lilja
She was relieved that the girls had settled in easily among her crew. Each day one of them showed progress. Sometimes, it was as simple as saying “thank you” during lunch. They all still had a haunted look in their eyes, but Lilja kept them busy enough that they couldn’t dwell on their time aboard the Scythian ship. She counted that as a success.
Hayjen, their burly leader was a much harder nut to crack. His face was perpetually serious unless he was playing with Mer, when the smile on his face was suddenly radiant. He was a handsome man when serious, but he was jaw-dropping to look at when he smiled. His back healed quicker than expected, much to do with her seaweed concoction. As soon as he was able to stretch without tearing open his back, he moved to the girls’ barracks.
That first night, she had crawled into bed thankful not to have to sleep on her window seat. Lilja had sighed when his musky, clean scent enveloped her before it dawned on her. She was sighing over a man. She practically leapt out of bed and yanked all the blankets off her bed. But even then, she could still smell him. With angry movements, she gathered up the blankets and stormed out of her room. Blair raised an eyebrow at her when she tossed the linens onto the deck with the demand that they be washed. Lilja gave him a rude gesture and stomped back to bed.
The next day she glared at the male interloper. How dare he smell so good! He ne
ver seemed to catch her glares or how she studiously avoided breathing too heavily around him, which was utterly ridiculous. She was a damn Sirenidae! One born to be alluring. Much to her delight, she found he didn’t understand teasing. Lilja made it her goal to shock him at least once a day. Her crass jokes and unusual clothing made him blush the most. The other girls caught on to what she was doing, and a few offered her suggestions—to her surprise. It was nice to have women on the ship. She missed female companionship every now and again.
The days sped by and screeched to a halt when they reached the coral beds. Colorful coral created a cage of sorts around some of the most breathtaking ocean life and sea beds. The only way to access it was to dive underwater and enter from a small archway the coral had created. Her people loved to visit, and each year they would make sure the arch was well-maintained so you could enter unharmed. The arch was also small enough that Leviathan could not wander in. It was a safe place to play.
They weighed anchor, and her crew practically vibrated with joy. Lilja always made sure they stopped to take a swim. It was a part of her home and past that she could still enjoy—but not this time.
Lilja blew out a breath as her crew excitedly got ready for their swim, longing to get into the water with them. But even with her scarf, she couldn’t take the chance of their guests seeing her gills. It wasn’t safe.
It would be a death sentence. The stories of old painted gruesome pictures of her kind. Generation after generation were taught to fear and hate Sirenidae. Lilja had friends who’d been slaughtered out of fear and prejudice. She couldn’t take the chance after knowing them for so little time.
Blair’s hand slipped over hers as he gazed at the coral beds. “You’ll be able to swim soon.”
“I ache.” Lilja touched her chest. “It physically pains me not to swim with them. The ocean is calling to me.”
“I know.”
She gritted her teeth at the longing rolling through her.
“I have an idea.”
Lilja tore her eyes from her sanctuary, meeting Blair’s gaze. “What?”
