Page 47 of Moist!

chapter two

SERAFINA

Although the men of the barroom last night made a lot of assumptions, one thing they were right about is that any man worth his salt in the sea wouldn’t dare let me aboard their ship.

Usually that wouldn’t matter, as I can typically swim anywhere I’d like.

But this map requires crossing the Carbinu Sea, and those waters are too strong, even for me.

And although I can travel through liquid in my human form, I can’t exactly water hop my way across that distance.

I’d burn all my magic before I even got half way.

That’s why I’m currently knitting my next pearl dress at the bottom of a cargo ship, my charmed chauffeurs unaware of my presence.

The rocking ship and constant shouts and stomps of movement above are calming as we journey across the sea, and I think I might travel like this more often in the future.

The pearls shine in the candlelight and I get a little giddy thinking about how lovely this will look against my brown skin and curvy features.

That is, until a lilting voice tickles my ear, drawing me out of my hyper-focus. A strong harmonized chorale joins in and my mood drops.

Sirens.

I huff in frustration, set my knitting aside, and begin searching through the books stacked along the wall to my right.

I know better than to try to get between a siren and her dinner, let alone a chorus of them, so it’s best to just accept the inevitable and try to find a solution.

I’m about to be left on this boat alone so it’d be good to figure out if it’s possible for me to drive this thing by myself.

Splashes sound off around the boat as I pull down a promising leatherbound book. I’m skimming through the sails section to see if I can delegate enough magic to have them run themselves when the siren’s voices begin to die down and the world quiets around me.

I’m about to pull another book off the shelf when a thud shakes the wooden floor above me. Footsteps stomp not a moment later and I freeze for a moment in shock. There’s no way a human could’ve survived, but I have to see for myself.

I take the stairs leading up to the sole two at a time and open the door at the landing.

Well, I try to, but it’s stuck. I shove my shoulder into it once, twice, and then back up and kick the door with the heel of my foot.

I jiggle the handle again and curse at the wood’s tendency to absorb water.

I give it another shove with my shoulder and the door finally pushes open. But it wasn’t me who moved it.

Hello.

Time seems to stand still as I take in the being in front of me.

A siren, in human form, with glowing white eyes and jet black hair, her webbed ears peeking out on the sides.

She’s tall and shapely, her belly forming two curves that wrap around her body above her wide thighs.

She’s absolutely stunning. I almost think I’ve been dragged under her spell until I hear her question me.

“What are you doing here?”

I shake my head and put all my attention into seeming like a well-mannered mammal.

“I’m sorry?”

“I said, I always check boats for women and children. I heard you trying to get out and thought you needed help but you’re a mermaid. What are you doing here?”

“Oh, um,” I contemplate whether I should lie about the map but quickly decide against it. I pull it from my boot and point to the X near the edge. “I’m trying to get here and couldn’t swim there the whole way. I thought I’d make the humans useful for once.”

“Oh.” The bravado and determination deflate from her instantly. “Okay, well, I’m Cantis. Why are you headed there?”

“I’m Serafina,” I say. “Are you familiar with the human concept of treasure?”