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“I…” I searched for words, but they were as lost at sea as the scale. I knew in my heart what had happened when I woke up at the bottom of the sea months ago after jumping overboard. I knew what I saw. But that didn’t mean it was something I wanted. I had never told Milo how I survived. And he had never asked. Something unspoken within the bond between us assured me he knew. That’s why he’d offered to dive instead. He knew it was the only way to get me to confirm what he already suspected.

As we sat in silence on the boat’s edge, the faint sound of an engine trickled in somewhere from behind us. We both glanced out to the open water, where a mid-size yacht cut through the water like a knife, sending wakes our way and rocking my little fishing boat.

I scanned the deck to see some divers packing up their equipment, their wetsuits still shiny from the water. My blood ran cold as the boat neared enough that I could see the lone figure standing at the front of the stern, overlooking the water as though it was at her command. In a royal blue skirt and blazer, Cordelia stood, like a queen. Even the meters between us couldn’t keep me from catching her deathly stare. She fixated on Milo, narrowed her eyes, then looked back at me as her scowl turned into a mocking smile. She lifted a closed hand with a silver chain dangling from it.

No. Impossible.

As her yacht whisked past us at a dangerously close distance, she opened her hand to reveal the scale still secured in its pendant on that damned necklace I fought so hard to get rid of.

“She has it!” I belted out, nearly falling forward if not for grabbing the ladder rail at the last moment. The boat zoomed out into the distance, fading away as I caught the lettering on the back. “Belladonna” it read.

Milo reached out to steady me as the wake of the rolling water tossed me off balance. With anger welling up in me like a cresting wave, I let myself fall into his arms and let out a groan of defeat. “She hired a dive team. She got the scale.” I cried into the slick exterior of his windbreak jacket as he closed his arms around me.

“Shhh,” he said softly, “That doesn’t mean she’s won.”

“We shouldn’t have waited,” I said. “We should’ve come out here last night. Immediately. We would’ve been first.”

Milo pulled back gently and looked me in the face, stilling me as I focused on that lock of honey hair falling over his scarred left eyebrow like it always did. “We never would’ve been able to find it in the dark. Cordelia clearly has more resources than we can imagine, and you can’t put the blame on yourself that she doesn’t play the game fairly.”

I nodded, trying to reel in my swirling thoughts. “You’re right. But that doesn’t change the fact that if I can’t stop her, the consequences will be so much worse than just losing a game.”

“We.” I looked up at Milo’s sudden correction. “We can stop her. You’re not alone. You have to stop putting everything on your shoulders. I’m here, too.”

I rubbed my temples with my cold palms. “Then what do we do now?”

I didn’t expect a response, but Milo’s silence cut through me like a knife. I knew there was only one answer. The cool sea air filled my lungs as I pulled in a deep breath before answering my own question.

“We find the trident.”

7

Filthy Pirate

Milo

“If we’re going to sail to the Devil’s Triangle, we’d be in much better shape with a bigger boat.” I gestured to the small vessel on which we stood.

“Well, I’ve done greater feats with much less.” The way Katrina spoke felt like a foreign language. There was a coldness in her words that I didn’t recognize. She was so focused on her own thoughts that I felt she was a million leagues away. “And there’s no time.”

She started the boat with haste and set off back toward home. I watched her at the helm. Her eyes never wavered from the straight ahead gaze she held looking out at the stretch of sea before us. The last time I’d seen a determination so fierce on her face was right before she dove overboard from Valdez’ ship. And I secretly feared what we’d be diving headfirst into this time.

“Will you help me get supplies? I want to leave by tonight.” She turned to me as she stepped over the hull and onto the dock after we pulled the boat to port.

“Tonight?” Of course I knew time was of the essence, but the fact that we still lacked a suitable vessel made me hesitant.

“You’re the expert. How long do you think it’ll take us?”

“In this,” I sighed. “Six days at the least, I’d think. In something with a stronger engine, maybe half that.”

“Well unless we can find a bigger boat in a few hours, looks like we’ll just have to do with a couple of extra days.”

“Then part of my preparations will include praying for fair weather. If we hit any storms out that far, I doubt she’ll fare so well.” I patted the rope as I pulled the hitch knot tight.

Katrina paced across the dock, and then suddenly stopped. “I’m going to pack food and supplies. Can you get the fuel and anything else we’ll need?”

“I’m going to get fuel and some spare parts from the shop.”

“Okay,” She nodded and then stepped toward me to give me a peck on the cheek, but it felt cold.