Page 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“I’m sure you’d like to settle in your quarters,” Raiden said.

Celeste nodded.

Together they walked from the navigation room, down the stairs onto the deck, and into the officers’ quarters. The hallway was short, with only five doors. She knew enough to know the captain’s quarters would be the door at the end of the hall, but she wondered which door was Kiyami’s. Celeste stiffened at the thought, surprised by it. Since when had she begun to care for the human? Raiden strode down the hallway, stopping abruptly in front of a door on the left.

“Your room .” He swung open the door with great bravado.

The space was small, only big enough for a single person to lie down in one direction. And it was filled with human clothes. Dresses, pants, skirts, blouses, and belts hung along a rod running through the center. Celeste stepped inside, the smell of musty cloth overwhelming her. Upon the floor sat one flat pillow and a thin blanket. Raiden grinned proudly.

“You wanted your own room, and here it is.” He looked at her frown and added, “I never promised it would be nice .”

Celeste felt as though hot steam would come pouring out of her ears. She didn’t expect a nice room per se, but this was downright fiendish. Especially after seeing the lavish navigation room. Surely the captain’s quarters were as nice, if not nicer. Even the roof of the room was short! It sloped sadly as if sagging under the weight of the deck above. Celeste couldn’t even walk fully into the room without ducking, and she was hardly what one would consider tall. The only benefit was a small circular window where she could look out and see the ocean and the sky. She turned her head to Raiden and fixed him with a glare.

This only made him laugh. “I’ll let you get settled in,” he said smugly, turning away and walking toward the door to his chambers. Which happened to be right beside her room . They even shared a wall! He reached the door before he turned back and added, “You could always sleep with the rest of the crew in the berth if this isn’t to your liking.”

Celeste narrowed her eyes at him, but Raiden merely continued into his quarters, whistling as if he hadn’t a care in the world.

As much as she hated to admit it, she wished she knew what his room looked like. Celeste had encountered so many sunken ships, and on each one the captain’s room was the most exciting. She heaved a sigh, and with the calm of a frenzied shark, she made herself at home. She kicked the pillow away from the door with a bit more aggression than needed and shut it firmly behind her. The room became significantly smaller with the door closed, but it was bright enough with the light from the window.

As she gazed upon the clothes above her, she wondered if perhaps she might borrow them. She hated wearing the clothes she had on. Not to mention she’d been wearing them for days, didn’t like how they felt, and they reminded her of the guard who’d given them to her. It would be preferable to wear no clothes at all, but that didn’t seem safe around humans. So, after shuffling through each item, she found a dress that looked rather pretty. It was a deep reddish purple with huge sleeves and black trim. Celeste happily shed her old clothing, but when she pulled the dress from its hanger, she realized she didn’t know how to put it on. She recalled seeing many women in the jail in various states of undress as she’d practiced her walking, so she knew that women often wore short white pants beneath their dresses. And sometimes even several layers of skirts. So she found things similar and put them on first, followed by a sort of white armor that reminded Celeste of her stingray bodice. It circled her chest and laced up, with rigid boning holding her in place. Her hands tested the sides. Were they whale bones? She could feel the familiar shape of them. How strange that humans used bones in their clothing.

Celeste considered the bodice, wondering if she had in fact put it on correctly. It felt familiar yet terribly constricting. At least the clothing she had found at the jail was flowing. How was she supposed to sit in this? How was she supposed to fight? She felt ridiculous. But she soldiered onward, shuffling the red dress over the top of her head as she’d seen the other women in jail do. If she had put the clothing on incorrectly, she’d find out one way or another. Celeste pulled at the satin ribbons at her front, cinching herself into the dress. A small piece of the white underdress peeked out the front, and Celeste wondered if this was how the women wore them. It looked close enough to what she recalled, and yet was entirely different from what Kiyami wore.

The ship lurched beneath her, and she scampered to the window in time to see them pull away from the harbor. They were leaving . This was it. There was no going back now. A little thrill went through her as she gazed wide-eyed upon the waves moving beneath them, the tightness in her shoulders softening as she watched Port Romsey grow smaller. If everything went according to plan, she’d never see another human town again. This thought, although soothing, bore an unexpected sadness as well. It wasn’t the adventure she’d have chosen for herself, yet it was more than likely this would be the one great adventure of her life. When she returned home to Staria, she doubted the council would let her do much of anything. And honestly, she could not blame them.

Smoothing down her skirts, Celeste opened the door to her room. In the hall, she saw Raiden and Bastian locked in what seemed to be a heated conversation, and she froze.

“We must act quickly if we have any chance of reaching the island before—” The sentence died in Raiden’s throat as he saw Celeste. The princess dipped her head, trying to hide her intrigue as she stepped into the hall with them. If only she’d thought to listen at the door first.

“You—look much improved,” Raiden said, staring.

Celeste flushed. What was that supposed to mean? Something in the way his dark eyes took her in made her feel uncomfortably warm, a feeling she disliked.

“Celeste, now that you’re settled, why don’t you join Kiyami at the helm?” Bastian said, looking between the two.

She nodded, thankful for any excuse to leave. Out on the deck, the ship was a flurry of activity. Everywhere she looked strange men scrambled around—releasing sails, adjusting rigging, and securing things on board. She thanked the Goddess for her good fortune that she had been assigned the role of navigator, for if she had been asked to do anything else, she would surely be found out. Kiyami stood behind the great wheel of the ship, her hair whipping behind her like a black flag. The ship was heading south, as Celeste had suggested. Pride swelled in her chest as she looked out over the roaring ocean. Despite her disdain for the prince and his obvious distrust of her, he hadn’t questioned her. Hadn’t ignored her advice or discounted her opinion. A smile formed on her lips. She was navigating a ship . She wanted to sing.

“A beautiful day to begin an adventure, wouldn’t you say?” Kiyami shouted down to her.

Celeste grinned and walked up the stairs, pulling fistfuls of her skirt up to avoid tripping. When she reached the top of the quarterdeck, Kiyami raised her eyebrows.

“That dress becomes you,” she said, then added with a cheeky grin, “I imagine our captain will be pleased.”

Celeste grimaced.

“ Only teasing! ” she said through her laughter. “But it’s hard not to notice how he can’t—stop—looking—at you.” Celeste continued to thwack her in between each word. Of course, she wouldn’t have said such a thing if Kiyami knew the truth of why Raiden insisted on keeping such a close watch on Celeste. But she wouldn’t correct her. She had no affection for the prince, though she was finding moments of excitement among these humans. Still, every day she spent here was another day her mother and father worried for her. And she couldn’t bear the thought that she was hurting them. Tonight you will work to find out more about this treasure , she told herself. The sooner I can get the information and kill him, the sooner I can go home . Home. Celeste’s heart ached in her chest. She was so close to it, and yet she couldn’t feel farther away.

* * *

The day passed slowly. For the most part, they were following along Ethoria’s coastline. But not too closely. Celeste watched with fascination as Port Romsey’s flat, broken town gave way to vast golden fields, then to hills, then to rocky cliffs so high they seemed unreal. Occasionally, Celeste would direct Kiyami to avoid shallow waters or rocky terrain. They worked in companionable silence under the watchful eye of their captain, who was never far from view. He milled around the ship, shouting orders and breaking up disputes. There were an oddly large number of fights, most involving Torben.

“I brought a present for our first day,” Nasir said, lumbering up the stairs.

Kiyami brightened. “Thank you, Nasir! What is it?”

The cook smiled and reached into his pocket, pulling out a folded cloth.

“They might be crumbled,” he admitted, opening the top of the bag and revealing a pile of pale golden disks, smaller than Celeste’s palm, with what looked to her like a little brown seed pushed into the center.

“Cookies?” Kiyami said, pulling one from the pile. “Oh, I love almonds. Nasir, you are too kind. Thank you.” She took a bite of the edge and hummed happily, making the cook beam with pride. He offered them to Celeste, and she was suddenly hit with guilt for comparing him to the guard. She didn’t know them well, but her gut told her Kiyami and Nasir were nice enough, at least compared to other humans. Stomach grumbling, Celeste brought a cookie to her nose and sniffed. The smell reminded her a little of the bread she had before, but much sweeter and softer. She tasted it. It was better than the bread.

“It’s a popular treat where I’m from,” Nasir said.

Celeste’s eyes slid closed as she enjoyed the new sensation. The cookie was a little hard, so it crunched when she bit down. But as she chewed, it softened. She couldn’t name the flavors, but it tasted like a warm memory. Sweet, and soft, and comforting. She chewed slowly, savoring every bite. What she thought was a seed in the center was hard, with a thin skin around the outside. An almond, Kiyami called it. When Celeste finished, she opened her eyes again and smiled at Nasir in thanks.

“I’m glad you like it,” he said, his eyes crinkling in the corners.

Kiyami took another cookie as Bastian strode up the steps to join them.

Nasir offered them to him as well.

“I never could say no to a biscuit.” The quartermaster laughed, helping himself. As Nasir left to continue handing out his cookies, Bastian and Kiyami fell into easy conversation. Although it seemed they hadn’t known each other for long, it was clear they were already familiar. Perhaps seafaring was similar to her life in the palace that way. It was a small community, and if you lived there your whole life, eventually you began to know everyone. If only tangentially. The two attempted to include Celeste in the conversation as best they could, which meant sticking to simple yes-or-no questions.

“Do you have any family, Celeste?” Kiyami asked.

The warm sugar of the cookie turned in Celeste’s stomach. Of course she had a family, a family who risked everything to save her life. But if she were being honest, it hadn’t felt like a true family in a while. Shye was hardly interested in her on the best days, and she hadn’t heard anything from Sephone in nearly a cycle. Tears threatened to form in her eyes, and she blinked them back, trying desperately to stop the emotion clawing its way up her throat. She couldn’t cry, not in front of these humans. And why was she crying? She was a warrior! And she was fine a mere moment ago. Heroes in stories didn’t cry.

A gentle touch landed on her shoulder, as warm as a ray of sun. Celeste looked up to see Kiyami’s kind gaze.

“I’m sorry,” Kiyami said. “I’ve lost family too. My mother died when I was ten, and my father”—she took in a breath—“he hasn’t been the same since she passed. All the money I make I send back to them, to keep my father and siblings alive. I haven’t seen them in years. But with a job like this, I can finally go home. Take care of them properly. One last job, and I’m free.”

Celeste’s eyes widened. She wasn’t used to her family opening up to her, let alone humans she hardly knew. And although Kiyami didn’t cry, Celeste could feel her sadness, like a river carving its way through stone. Deep and enduring.

Most sirens didn’t show much emotion. In the lifetime that Celeste had known Maeve, she couldn’t say she’d seen her friend cry once. Not even when Maeve was stung by that jellyfish when they were seven. Celeste had always admired how strong Maeve was. When bad things came her way, Maeve would carry on without skipping a beat, while Celeste found herself crying whenever she was overwhelmed, or angry, or sad. Her family had teased her for it growing up. Told her to calm down. Be less human . That no one would take her seriously if she cried. But no matter what they said, and no matter how hard she tried, she could never stop herself. For the thousandth time, Celeste wished she were normal. That she were strong and could control herself. Control her emotions. Even now, her feelings betrayed her and revealed too much.

“I lost my father too,” Bastian said. “Left my mother and me alone with my baby sister. Do you have any siblings, Celeste?”

Celeste nodded, feeling the tears fall despite her best efforts. The only person in her life who she had lost had been her grandmother. And she’d been so young then. She couldn’t imagine how she’d feel if she’d lost a parent, as Kiyami and Bastian had. Guilt washed over her. Here she was, making Bastian and Kiyami think she had lost her family, when in reality she had betrayed them. Her stomach squeezed. She felt sick. Suddenly, she wanted to run, to hide. But she was on a ship. There was nowhere to go save for her room .

“Is everything okay?” Raiden strode up the steps, his eyes firmly on her. It was perhaps the one time Celeste recalled being happy to see him. Thankful for the distraction, she wiped the tears from her cheek.

“Sorry, Captain, just getting to know one another,” Bastian said hastily.

Raiden nodded, still not taking his eyes off Celeste. “Glad you all are getting along. You would be the first. The rest of the crew has been having”—he paused, considering—“ issues .”

Bastian laughed. “Why don’t I check on them.” He made his way down the stairs, giving Celeste a soft smile as he went.

The rest of the day was spent in much the same way as the first half. All the while, Celeste could not shake her feelings. They rolled around inside her, thrashing like water in a storm. She was embarrassed for crying in front of Bastian and Kiyami; disgusted for daring to feel sorry for herself and the loss of her family, when she had been the traitor; and heartbroken for Kiyami’s and Bastian’s losses. Not to mention the loss of Raiden’s previous crew. How many of them had families who would never see them again? Celeste hated that she had saved the prince, but a part of her hated that she hadn’t saved more. Raiden may be selfish, but it was all too clear that not all humans were like that.

A large wave hit the side of the ship, sending Celeste stumbling over. She caught herself on the railing, relieved it was there to keep her from tumbling to the deck below.

“You okay?” Kiyami asked.

The siren nodded quickly, holding her hands up to show she was fine.

A crewman just below her said to another, “I heard the king was furious with Raiden after what happened the last time.” He chuckled to himself. “Did you ever work on one of his ships?”

The king . This was the sort of information she needed to bring back to her mother. She certainly hadn’t heard any of the other humans mentioning him like this before.

“I did,” the other grunted. “I have seen the king’s fury many times. It is not something one ordinarily walks away from.”

The first man turned as green as the churning water below.

“Well, I’m sure he’d forgive his own blood.” Something in the second man’s face gave him pause. “Wouldn’t he?”

“The king loves his son, but he is not a forgiving man. And with what happened to the Sun , not a man alive save Raiden and Bastian? Sounds like a curse to me. The way I see it, we’re fools to join this crew. If I had any other choice, I wouldn’t be here.”

The Sun ? Had that been the name of the prince’s ship? It certainly sounded right. But the word curse sent a chill down her spine. Perhaps they were cursed. She certainly felt so lately.

The first man swallowed. “So this mysterious treasure we’re hunting. It’s for the king?”

That might explain why Raiden would risk this journey a second time. Each bit of information created more questions. Why did Raiden never mention his father if they were doing this for him? Why risk more lives when Raiden knew better? Why did the king want this treasure? What was it?

With a grave shake of his head, the second man answered the first. “Whatever the king has asked, we will succeed, or we will die.”