Page 49

“What about our friends?” Panic stabbed my chest as I thought of McKenzie and Noah. I was still working to process everything he’d just said about Mom.

“Oh, don’t worry, they’re fine. They were completely supportive of her decision. Your mother can be quite persuasive. Very gifted with her voice. They’ve no choice but to listen to her and stay behind while she came and found me.”

“Let her go. Tell me what you want from me,” I growled, my fists clenching so hard I thought I’d tear through my palms with my fingernails.

“Ah, it was a fair trade. She knew full well what she was agreeing to.” He strode over to where Bellamy and Serena stood, a smug look on his face. “But I’d certainly trade my mermaid for a powerless goddess.”

Bellamy lunged forward, still guarding Serena. “You won’t touch her!”

“Perhaps not.” Bastian stepped backwards as smoothly as if he were walking on a glass surface. “But now you and your little friends have a choice to make. Mommy Dearest.” He gestured to the floating image of my trapped mother, and then back to a wide-eyed Serena. “Or Atargatis.” He walked briskly back to the opening of the cave, the spyglass appearing in his hand in a cloud of smoke. “And I’ll be taking this back. You failed to fulfill your end of the deal. The Kraken still lives, so you don’t get to keep using this little trinket for your personal side quests. When you come to your senses and decide to trade the goddess for your mother, you know where to find me.” With that, a shadow consumed him and a wind whisked through the cavern.

Bellamy lunged forward in attempt to stop him, but he was too late. He grappled at the air with empty hands, bewildered at the sight of smoke where Bastian once stood seconds earlier. The silence between the four of us was thick enough to swim in. What was I to say? I couldn’t ask Serena to give herself up for my mom. But I didn’t know what else to do. My hands had never been so tied.

Milo placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, but it did little to ease the burning rage in me. “That piece of shit has my mom.”

“We’re not giving him Serena,” Bellamy’s voice came out like a deep, low growl. “I’ve lost her once. I’m not losing her again.”

“I know. But we need her if we’re going to stop him. You even said yourself you’d do anything to get her crown back. This isn’t just for my mom. This is for her. This is for all of us.”

Serena buried her face in her hands. “He can kill me without my crown. He knows how to kill me for good. I never should have come with you! I told you!”

“I won’t put you in danger. I made that mistake once. But I also can’t let you live in a prison at the bottom of the ocean.” Bellamy’s words came out rushed. I’d never heard him so desperate. “You won’t die again because of my stupidity.”

“It was never your fault, Bellamy. It was always destiny. Just like my crown being stolen was foretold on the altar of Atargatis. Our love and deaths have been written in the stars since the beginning of time. And whatever lies ahead is the same. You can’t tame the sea. And you can’t tame me. I’m going back.”

“No! Destiny or not, I won’t let you. I’ll fight for you, Serena.” Bellamy looked at me, holding Serena in his grasp. The look in his eyes reminded me of the time he pinned himself against me in a rage back in the brig of the Siren. “I’ll help try to save your mom, but not at the risk of losing her. It’s still about that crown for me, now.”

His words unsettled me, but I understood. Still, it didn’t tame my emotion in the moment. But something Serena said had stuck in my head.

“Serena, what did you say about the altar of Atargatis? What is that?”

“It’s ancient. I don’t know what has become of it. But centuries back it was a rock on the coastline where broken-hearted lovers often left tokens for their loved ones lost at sea, hoping I’d spare them as I was spared. Eventually it was carved into a round slab, painted to tell the story of my legend.”

“Whatever the case, we need to get moving. Bellamy, we have to work together. ’m going after my mom with or without you. Either way, looks like our only choice is taking down Bastian.”

I could tell Bellamy struggled to choose his path. But he spent a minute in thought and glancing between Milo and I and Serena. Finally, rubbing his head, he stepped forward. “I’ll sail back with you, lass, because ironically, the only way you’re getting your mom back is if we kill Bastian, and the only one here who can do that is Serena…when we get her crown back and her power is restored.”

I glanced over at Serena, who stayed oddly silent and looked as though she was about to cry. For a goddess bound and powerless, I found it strange how much she seemed to resist the idea of getting her crown back. But that wasn’t my concern. Whatever could be so bad about restoring her power couldn’t possibly be worse than losing my mom to a deranged immortal pirate lord.

“Fine.” I stuck out my chin. “Then we get the crown. Whatever it takes.”

Bellamy’s eyes narrowed. “Whatever it takes.”

34

Sea Shanties

Bellamy

We made our way out of that damn cavern, with Serena’s beautiful glow to guide us. I found I could still breathe beneath the water from her kiss, so while I swam, I had plenty of time to think.

I wouldn’t use Serena as a bartering piece. I wanted to see her power restored. I wanted her to be free once and for all. I knew she wanted that, too, despite how she pleaded against it. She had to be. So why the hell was she so set on staying in that cave with that disgusting squid? There had to be something more she wasn’t letting on. Maybe she was just scared after all that time alone. Maybe. Or maybe she was right. Maybe it was too dangerous for both of us. Had I not learned my lesson by now?

Maybe we didn’t have to go back. Maybe I could convince her to run. Somewhere Bastian could never find her. We could run together, and I’d protect her from whatever followed. It would mean turning my back on Katrina, though. I couldn’t just leave her to Bastian by herself. But then again…maybe it was the answer. Katrina was strong and far more clever than me. If anyone could figure out how to deal with him, it’d be her. She didn’t need me. Sure, I loved Katrina, but not the way I loved Serena, and I couldn’t risk losing Serena for anyone. But if I didn’t ensure Bastian was gone, he’d never stop looking for Serena. And I couldn’t risk that either.

When we surfaced, dark skies greeted us. The wind was picking up, and the water had grown choppy. Wild lightning split the sky as the smell of rain and salt stirred in my nostrils. “We can’t sail in this. Sorry Katrina but even you can’t make a way around this one.” I glanced over at Katrina, who watched the storm clouds with worried eyes.

“He’s right,” Milo interjected. “A storm like that would take a heavy toll on the sturdiest galleon, let alone that little sailboat.”