Page 7

Esmyra

T he first light of dawn painted the sky in hues of pink and gold, casting a soft glow over the beach where Esmyra sat alone. With her legs drawn up to her chest and arms wrapped around her knees, she gazed out at the endless expanse of the ocean, lost in thought.

Her thoughts plagued her every so often. Despite how much she enjoyed her life and the tales men spoke of her while out at sea, a sense of incompleteness clung to her. It was an aching void in her chest that nothing seemed to ease.

The daughter and weapon of the realm’s most notorious pirate, whose reputation spread far and wide across every sea. But in private, she was simply Esmyra—a slave to her father’s will. A monster that lingered beneath the tides, feared by all men and creatures alike.

The gentle rhythm of the waves lapping against the shore echoed in her ears. As the sun continued its ascent, her thoughts turned inward, reflecting on the life that had brought her to where she was. A life of thieving and deceit, of lies, bloodshed, and ruin.

What had driven her father to where he was today?

The most feared man that sailed the sea, damning anyone who stood in their way.

He wasn’t always so ruthless when it came to using her abilities.

His curse bound him to the salty coves, while she was condemned to remain a lonesome monster of the deep he sailed and ruled over.

Some days, she saw the sea as nothing but a cage for them both, no matter how much it felt like home.

She always felt that the monster was more so something inside of her.

Something she couldn’t necessarily control, just waiting to break free.

While the monster reveled in being a weapon, Esmyra occasionally felt remorseful for all she’d caused—that small bit of humanity she had left.

It was a constant inner battle within herself, never knowing which way to lean.

The siren within her felt like sharing her skin with a shadow, pacing just beneath the surface of her flesh. She could feel it there, forever awake, coiling tight around her spine.

The worst part was that, on most occasions, she didn’t mind it—when the fury sparked hot or the fear in someone’s eyes made her pulse quicken in anticipation. Some days, she yearned to lean into it, aching to see how it would feel to let go.

Because the truth was, she wasn’t sure where Esmyra ended and the siren began anymore. The lines had blurred over the last few centuries.

Footsteps sounded behind her, and she blew out a breath of premature annoyance, already knowing who and what was coming.

Jak sat beside her then, gazing out at the sea along with her. “I swear you just keep getting stupider.”

She cackled. “Personally, I think it’s genius.”

“So it would seem,” he let out on a breath.

“This ensures we can uncover everything occurring within Lephyrin. Just the fact that he has his son looking for the lost ki—” she cut herself off. “The treasure they spoke of.”

“Captain will want you to just sink the ship.”

“And that’s also my plan,” she admitted. “After I make sure I’ve learned all of his knowledge.”

He huffed before turning to face her. “You could’ve done that in the tavern.”

Esmyra’s jaw tightened in irritation—mainly because he was right, but something in her was screaming to do what she intended now.

“It would’ve been much more difficult. His entire crew was sprawled about, surrounding the two of us.

If it became known he was under a trance, all hell would’ve broken loose.

We were trying to be discreet. Also, imagine all the secrets on their boat.

All the things I would never think to ask. ”

“So what’s your plan, Esmi?”

She didn't want her father to realize the treasure they were after was in the very waters he vowed to never sail in—if he had trusted her with the reasoning of why, then maybe she would’ve hesitated. But the unknown of it all made her only want this more.

“I’ll get aboard the ship, and once I have Draevyn alone, I’ll pull whatever information from him I can and then dive even further if there is anything of value in his quarters or office.”

“I’m coming with you.”

Her neck snapped in his direction. “Absolutely fucking not, Jak.”

“Relax there, gorgeous,” he said as he pushed himself to his feet. “They’ll never know.” A second later, Jak took on his woodland form of an owl—his feathers several shades of shimmering silvers with piercing gold eyes.

Esmyra scoffed. She had always been jealous of the fact that the woodland shifters’ magic absorbed their clothing. Meanwhile, whenever she shifted, she was entirely nude.

He gently landed on her shoulder, and she gave him an incredulous look, trying to hide a laugh that was begging to come out of her. “The answer is still no.” A moment later, the bird took off, soaring through the sky and towards the harbor of Anchorage Cove.

“Bastard,” she whispered to herself.

Calls from the dock in the far-off distance caught her attention, and she shaded her eyes from the sun, watching as Draevyn’s crew walked along the wood that stretched out over the harbor and toward their awaiting ship, The Odyssey .

This hadn’t gone according to plan, but if Lephyrin’s men desired to harm her while aboard, the consequences she’d inflict upon them would make hell appear gentle.