Page 61

Still, I need to swim to land for now before I decide what to do next. I tilt my head up and back to look at the ship, its lantern lights growing fainter and fainter. Though we are both heading in the same direction, theNightwindis so much faster than me. I just have to make sure that I don’t end up where they’re going.

My heart pangs a little at the thought, a tightness in my chest.

What if I don’t see Ramsay again? With this plan, I probably won’t. After all, not seeing him againwasthe plan. I hate to admit it, but I think I’ve grown some sort of attachment to him. The man is a mystery. A monster perhaps, but that only makes him a better match for me. Never in my life had I had someone that showed such a degree of possession and protectiveness over me, like I was a treasure to be guarded.

He killed your sister. He would have killed Daphne. And for all you know he killed your mother, too, a voice reminds me.You promised vengeance and nothing else.

I swallow the lump in my throat and strengthen my resolve before I twist around and keep swimming. I’m popping up my head above water every so often to make sure I’m headed for land and now that dawn is breaking it is easier to see.

Finally I spot the hazy silhouette of an island lit behind a violet sunrise and relief floods over me. I dive back down under the waves, not going too deep, when I see what seems like faint twinkling lights coming from the dark depths beneath me.

What is that?I think, slowing down as the lights get brighter and brighter.

I realize what I’m looking at are two angler fish rising toward me, a lit ball hanging from the protrusion at the front of their heads. Though their eyes are ghostly white, and their teeth are formidable, I know they aren’t that fast and they’re certainly a lot smaller than me.

Then I notice they aren’t alone.

Behind them, emerging from the darkness of the deep are two skeletons.

No. That’s not quite right.

TwoSyrenskeletons.

I gasp, water flooding through my mouth.

The Syrens grin up at me with sharp teeth, their eyes empty sockets as transparent weedy hair flows from their skulls, their arms outstretched and reaching for me.

I flip around and start swimming as fast as I can. I don’t know if these Syrens are remnants of the curse or what, but I’m not waiting around to find out what they want from me.

But even though they’re just bone, they have tails and they move frighteningly fast. They let out a high-pitched screech and grab hold of my arms, one on either side of me.

I scream, trying to thrash, but I’m helpless in their grasp as they start swimming at top speed, pulling me through the water.

What are you?I ask.Where are you taking me?

They don’t answer but it doesn’t take long for me to figure it out.

They’re taking me back to the ship.

The question is, which ship?

CHAPTER19

Maren

I findout which ship quickly enough.

The dead Syrens drag me right back to theNightwind, the very ship I just tried to escape. We break the surface and I stare up at the boat to see a woman looking over the railing, her hair green kelp. I immediately know her aura—she’s a sea witch.

This must be the infamous Nerissa.

“Is this the princess you were talking about?” Nerissa asks, her voice low and hypnotic. Beside her Ramsay’s head appears, staring down at me.

I meet his eyes.Please let me go. Please don’t bring me back on board. Let me be free, I say inside, hoping he can somehow hear and understand.

His eyes soften at the corners and he gives me a blasé look as if to say,I’m sorry?

Then Nerissa gestures with her hands, raising them and the skeleton Syrens start to climb up the side of the ship, hauling me up with them. Their bone claws hook into the side of the wood and I watch as Ramsay winces at the damage they’re doing to the ship. Naturally, he doesn’t look all that concerned about me.