Page 61 of Pirate Witch

The rest of us have tuned the two of them out, leaving them to argue—sorry,debate—it out.

The twins have me spread across their laps, and they keep touching me. Feeding me tiny slices of fruit and pressing kisses to whatever parts of me they can reach. As much as this place seems like an idyllic paradise, I think the two of them secretly can’t wait to leave. For them, Isablis will forever be where they were forced to hurt me. Cas’s eyes keep shifting away whenever he catches sight of the short chunk of my hair, and I hate the guilt that consumes his expression.

I hope that, when we leave, they’ll put it behind them.

Klaus is toasting marshmallows on the fire, grinning like a lunatic because he’s never done it before—apparently fire isn’t a big thing in thewoodencity of Marisang.

Reva has dragged Elsie and Amelia to their feet and is leading them in a laughing, giggling, dancing huddle. Turns out, it’s surprisingly easy to get a human drunk. Princess Amelia is staggering and smiling like a loon, leaning on Elsie as they move. Like this, she looks young. Too young for what she’s experienced. The wariness in her eyes is missing, and she’s finally lost her cuffs—courtesy of a reluctant Val. Even though she’s still wearing mourning black, she’s decided to let her hair down.

Even Sade, who attended briefly at the start, wasn’t as formal as she usually is.

Aside from Opal—who remained on the ship, grumbling that her fur would get sandy if she came with us—the only glaringly obvious absentee is Kier.

What is he up to?

I’m so caught up in my musings that I don’t see the lone female figure emerging from the water until it’s too late.

A shriek echoes across the peaceful beach. It’s so deafening that everyone has to cover their ears and it resonates so powerfully that it pushes everything out of its way. Sand, flames, and the smaller pieces of burning wood fly across the beach. Turning into projectiles which fly straight at me.

Only Cas’s quick thinking pulls me out of the way in time to stop a piece of burning driftwood from impaling me. Everyone else seems to avoid the chaos through sheer luck, but I can’t be sure because the angry siren striding up the beach captures my attention once more.

“Nilsa av Coveton! I demand the right of challenge!”

Her flaming red hair is dark and slicked back from her swim, her armour less grand than the last time I saw her, but there’s no questioning who this is.

“Adella?” I curse, confused, as I struggle to my feet. “What the fuck? Go home. Klaus is my mate. There’s nothing for you to challenge me over.”

How the hell did she track us here? It’s been ages since we left the siren city of Marisang.

The closer she comes, the more of her face I can make out, and what I see stops me in my tracks. Her eyes are red-rimmed and her cheeks are sallow, like someone has stripped the vitality from her. She looks exhausted, mentally and physically.

“Adella,” Klaus begins, stepping in.

The female siren rears back, eyes wide.

“You allow your male to speak to me?” she demands. “Instead of answering me yourself?”

Ugh, sirens. Time away from Marisang made me forget how odd their customs are.

“My men speak whenever they want,” I retort. “I obeyed your customs while in your home, out of respect for your people. We’re not in Marisang anymore; Klaus can speak to whoever he likes.”

“And Nilsa already defeated you in the mate challenge,” Klaus adds. “She doesn’t owe you a response to a second challenge.”

Adella points her trident at me. “I losteverythingbecause of you. My matriarch stripped me of my rank, my honour, my harem, and my home! Everything is gone becauseImade the sirenae people look weak in front of an outsider.”

A twang of pity stirs deep within me, and I grimace because damn it, I’m not going to feel sorry for her when she came here to steal my mate. I don’t doubt her story, and it’s a hell of a betrayal, but still…

Klaus steps between us again. “A second challenge won’t win them back.” He doesn’t say it unkindly, but there’s a finality in his tone that broaches no further argument. “You didn’t even really want to mate me. Admit it. I was a trophy and your pride has been hurt, nothing more.”

Adella is literally breaking in front of us as the others stand as silent witnesses to her breakdown. “I wish to die at the hands of a capable warrior,” she whispers. “At least then I can reclaim some of the honour I’ve lost.” Her eyes focus on me, piercing in their intensity. “You should’ve killed me in the arena. It would’ve been kinder.”

Goddess. This feels wrong. The siren who faced me in the arena was proud and strong. A warrior I could respect, even if I didn’t particularly like the fact she was trying to steal my mate.

Now, she’s a shell of her former self.

“It would’ve been a waste,” I spit. “It still would be. Get yourself together because I have no plans to kill you. You want to get your honour back? Get on one of those ships in the harbour and help us take out the Eagle. Help us kill the bitch who’s been grinding up your people’s scales for her own vanity.”

We need all the help we can get, and she’s a good fighter. It’s a better option than just killing her, and maybe she—like Klaus—will find a better life outside of the strict boundaries of siren society.