Page 10

Esmyra

F or what seemed like hours, Esmyra impatiently lay on the poor excuse of a cot, staring up at the ceiling as she plotted her next move.

She should have known her attempt at seduction wouldn’t work—Draevyn was a prince and a frustratingly handsome one at that. One who likely had several women waiting for his return home. He would never have to pay to be with a woman when they constantly threw themselves at his feet.

Esmyra huffed through her nostrils as her mind raced, desperately searching for answers she knew her father would never provide on the lost kingdom and its gods.

All she knew of Kaelypso and Naerysa was that they had been lost to men since before she was born, when their empire drowned in their own sea.

She had only ever heard whisperings of them while docked, and so rarely at that.

Whenever she questioned her father about the goddesses, his answer was always that they abandoned this world after forsaking their creatures… creatures that she stemmed from.

Esmyra knew Cyrus wasn’t her true sire, but he had raised her since she was a mere babe. And it left her with endless unknowns.

Sometimes, when her crew was asleep, she would sit perched atop the bow of The Night Wraith , imagining what the realm would be like if the twin goddesses were found.

Perhaps they would make no difference in a world of men on land.

But what of a woman connected to the sea in a way that defined her very existence?

A woman who shifted as one with the waves, forever wading through its currents.

She’d likely never know but had accepted the harsh truth of that long ago.

Siren shifters supposedly went extinct when they were hunted down by men following the loss of their true home.

And even then, the description of them in Rymelle’s legends weren’t identical to Esmyra herself—while they could still shift and walk on land, their song could only be used while in the sea, and all it did was lure men to them.

They couldn’t manipulate minds the way she could with a single glance.

They also hadn’t possessed the power to control the tides, nor would their skin camouflage when threatened.

Esmyra lifted her hand from where it rested on her stomach—the teal glow that cast from her eyes illuminated her skin as if it were an iridescent pearl.

Her fingers splayed out, and in the dimness of the room, delicate webs materialized between them, while her nails elongated into razor-sharp talons.

She wondered where she’d come from—if it was Maerinys or somewhere beyond their realm entirely. Who were her parents, and why did she have all these powers no texts held knowledge of?

Esmyra stood and tiptoed over to the small door. As it creaked open, she glanced through the crack and discovered the deck was empty, indicating that most of the crew had likely gone to bed.

Once deemed safe, she took her first step beyond the room and waltzed along the starboard side.

A quick glance up at the crow’s nest had her eyes directly on Jak as he sat perched on its rail in his owl form.

She could only imagine what was going through his head as they locked eyes—and she knew it was likely laughter at her expense.

The sound of waves crashing against the ship drowned out the noise of her footsteps as she turned to where the captain’s office lay in complete darkness. Her hand reached for the intricate doorknob and slowly pushed it open.

The room was dark, illuminated solely by the moonlight seeping through the windows. She silently closed the door behind herself before stalking towards the desk that lay in its center.

The space was fit for a traveling king. Shelves lined the walls, full of ancient books and rolled scrolls.

Draevyn’s desk was covered in numerous maps, that of each kingdom and the sea that separates them.

Wasting no time, she began rummaging through the drawers but found nothing of interest—only extra feathered quills and pots of ink.

She slammed the last drawer shut in frustration.

This couldn’t have all been for nothing.

Huffing out a breath, she twirled a lock of her hair as her eyes roamed over the desk a final time, her fingers tracing over the thick paper and flipping through the small pile.

Unexpectedly, her attention was drawn to one of the pages, showcasing an aged map of Rymelle.

Placing down the other pages, she brought the unfamiliar parchment toward her.

“What in the name of all gods is this?” she whispered to herself.

Her eyes roamed over every mark of ink. Lephyrin, Terrana, and Sumnae were marked where they had always been, displaying symbols of their royal house.

But in the south…lay Maerinys . The symbols surrounding the small kingdom were that of the sea—tentacles emerging from the waters and tails …

scale-covered tails that resembled her own.

Her finger traced over the name.

So this was where Maerinys was . If this was what once lay in the southern seas, why would her father refuse to sail them? He’d always told her the currents were deadly towards even the strongest of ships, forbidding her from going there and getting sucked into its riptides.

But she now heard it for what it was—an excuse.

A new suspicion that she wasn’t the only one keeping secrets plagued the back of her mind.

Her eyes drifted over the unfamiliar markings and area, where a cluster of rocky caves was circled over many times in ink, just east of the lost kingdom.

This must’ve been it, what King Rowe had found so far. Perhaps Draevyn was out searching for this cave, thinking it may lead to the kingdom in the depths. However, a human could never survive a swim so deep. She had to wonder why they would even bother, and all for just a bit of gold.

Footsteps sounded just outside of the office door, and Esmyra quickly rolled up the map and stuffed it into the folds of her dress before tiptoeing to the far corner of the room, hiding in the shadows.

The door swung open, and Draevyn strolled through the room with a loud sigh. Gaze set on the candles atop his desk, their flickering flames burst to life as he took his seat.

Her eyes flared, watching his fire-wielding in use for the first time. She was thankful their small flames only cast a subtle light, but she carefully pressed her back into the wall, willing her skin to shift and blend into the shadowy corner.

She was thankful for how dark her clothing was.

Esmyra watched him curiously as his eyes moved over the contents of the desk. Her heartbeat kicked up, knowing he was likely looking for the one item she had taken.

“Drae!” a voice called from the deck, and his attention moved to the doorway. Samwell stormed through a moment later. “She’s gone.”

Esmyra’s eyes narrowed, jaw ticking.

Draevyn cleared his throat. “What do you mean, she’s gone? She must be here somewhere.”

“I checked her room to make sure she stayed put, and of course, she didn’t.

I walked the entire deck, went below with the crew, even woke up Tommy to see if he’d heard or seen anything of her, but nothing.

She’s dangerous, Captain, and I don’t trust her.

You brought aboard a woman from the most well-known pirate and criminal haven, believing a sob story of her wanting a better life.

It was a lie. She’s up to something and we need to find her. ”

Esmyra’s lip curled back, anger burning in her throat as he spoke of scouring the ship for her.

The first mate was a problem, and it was becoming entirely clear that she would never get the captain alone with Samwell constantly lurking about.

She would have to make his death happen sooner than anticipated .

“Esmi’s around here somewhere. We’re in the middle of the sea, Sam. Where could she even go? You likely just missed her. I’m not entirely sure why you feel so strongly about her when you’ve known her for mere hours. She’s done nothing to you.”

Her eyes shot back to Samwell, who fixed his stare down at his feet. “It’s just a feeling, Drae. You don’t feel uneasy around her? You don’t sense it?”

The corners of her lips curled wickedly.

“Sense what exactly?”

The first mate blew out a breath. “I’m not sure I know how to even describe it.”

Draevyn laughed. “Seems to me that perhaps you’ve read too many folktales regarding women aboard ships.”

He scoffed. “I don’t believe that shit. Regardless, be careful. We don’t know what she’s capable of. Are you sure she isn’t elven? She could be playing a trick on your mind.”

“She’s an unarmed woman aboard a ship full of men she doesn’t know.

I spoke with Tommy, and he likes her. Quite a bit, actually.

” Her vicious smile turned into something much softer at the mention of Tommy’s approval.

She wasn’t entirely sure why it mattered to her.

“Perhaps she just didn’t feel like being cooped up in the closet we gave her for a room and wanted to take a stroll. She’ll turn up. Go to bed, Sam.”

“Whatever you say, Highness ,” Samwell taunted.

“Get the hell out of here with that,” Draevyn said with a barely amused chuckle.

Esmyra’s brows furrowed at their effortless banter after arguing only seconds before.

His friend went to turn but then threw over his shoulder, “Why are you up, anyway?”

“Just wanted to check something. I’ll head back shortly.”

With that, Samwell took his last few steps out of the room and closed the door behind him.

Esmyra’s gaze moved to Draevyn, who was already looking back down at his desk, seeming at ease. But then his voice broke the silence. “ Is there a particular reason you’re in my private office so late in the evening, Miss Esmi?”

Surprise bolted through her like a strike of lightning. Not once had he looked in her direction, and even now, his eyes remained on the contents covering his desk. She didn’t move—she even held her breath, hoping he would think he was mistaken.