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CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

The hours passed in a blur, and the storm raged on. But, praise the Goddess, things went smoothly. Or as smoothly as they could while sailing a dangerous current during a horrible storm. But no one complained. Not even Torben, who ordinarily enjoyed complaining often about a range of topics. Celeste kept her eyes trained on the churning waters, watching for any sign of a scout—the splash of a fin or the crown of a head. But she saw nothing. Which was good, given she wasn’t certain what she’d do if she did see one. Reason with them? She doubted anyone from the Chorus would trust her, even if she was technically on a mission from the queen. Would she tell the crew? Capture the siren temporarily until they were safe? She hoped she never had to figure it out.

When she wasn’t on the quarterdeck with Kiyami, Celeste was in the navigation room with Raiden, going over directions and giving him guidance. And although she felt the grueling stress weighing on her, she was invigorated. The work was hard but rewarding. She was useful for once. More than useful. Indispensable . And Raiden followed her instructions with ease. Every moment between them was easy. When they reached the first bend of the current, the crew was more than prepared. The turn was smooth compared to the horrors of the entrance. And after they completed the turn, Raiden took one look at Celeste and ordered her belowdecks.

“Get some rest,” he said.

Celeste ignored him. She didn’t feel tired, and it was only afternoon, despite the storm making it appear otherwise. But as she helped Nasir mop some of the water off the deck, she found herself nodding off.

“Go rest, Celeste,” Raiden repeated, snatching the mop from her hands and glaring at her. “I won’t tell you again. We need you well rested for the next leg of the journey.”

She gave him a look of annoyance but turned to head toward her room.

“I’m still your captain,” he called after her. “You seem to forget that on a regular basis.”

Celeste offered him a rude hand gesture she had learned from Torben, before ducking out of the rain and into the hallway to the officers’ quarters. But she did not stop at her closet. Instead, she strolled to the captain’s door. When she checked the handle, she found it unlocked. With a little smirk, she entered, allowing herself to drip all over the lovely rugs. A stir-crazy Admiral leaped upon her, tail wagging so furiously that his entire body shook.

“Hello there,” she whispered after closing the door behind her. With a smile, she crouched down to the dog’s height, scratching his head and back. Once the Admiral settled, Celeste peeled off her wet clothes and used a towel she found on the dresser to wring out her hair. She tossed the wet things into a heap on the floor. Payback for making her sleep in a closet for weeks. It wasn’t as though he was using the room anyway. And the plush bed was practically begging for someone to sleep in it.

She opened a drawer in his dresser to find one of Raiden’s many billowing black shirts. Thank you, Captain, for your generosity! the siren thought with a smirk as she pulled one over her head. She padded to the bed, sinking wearily into the silken sheets and fluffy pillows. It was heavenly. Like lying in a cloud. Celeste stretched her legs and arms, savoring how much space she had compared to her tiny closet. A part of her raged, knowing Raiden slept in such luxury while she slept in a cramped closet with a dog.

On cue, the Admiral leaped upon the bed, curling against her hip. The dog’s body was familiar and warm. In seconds, she was asleep.

* * *

Celeste awoke to the feeling of someone watching her.

She bolted upright, pushing her white hair from her face. But it was only the captain. He leaned against the door, arms crossed over his muscled chest. His brown eyes danced with amusement as he took in her unkempt appearance. The surprise on her face.

Night had fallen. The only light in the room came from a flickering oil lamp held beside the bed. Celeste looked around for the Admiral, but he had gone. Raiden must have let him out.

“Did I interrupt?”

Celeste made a show of yawning and stretching. Yes, you did , it seemed to say, as she threw him a sleepy grin.

“Please, don’t get up on my account,” Raiden said. His eyes snagged on what she was wearing. His shirt was only long enough to cover the tops of her thighs. She tugged at the hem, avoiding his gaze. When did I start worrying about nudity? Apparently, after several months of being around humans, she had somehow picked up some of their ridiculous modesty. Or perhaps it was the expression on Raiden’s face. The humor had disappeared from his eyes, and his lips parted slightly. They looked soft.

Her heart hammered. But she didn’t move to cover herself. Instead, she let him look. Watched him as his darkening eyes ran up her legs to his shirt. It hung off her shoulder, baring the column of her neck. When his eyes at last met hers, she suddenly felt wide-awake.

“If you wanted to stay in my bed, you only had to ask.” He smirked.

In response, Celeste leaned back into the pillows and made herself very comfortable. Oh, he’ll regret saying that.

Raiden watched her and laughed. “I’ll inform the Admiral he’s getting a roommate.”

A chuckle escaped Celeste at the joke, and Raiden’s face softened.

“Thank you,” he said, an almost pained expression crossing his face, “for helping us get to the island. Without you, we wouldn’t have made it.”

Celeste shrugged, unsure how else to respond. She didn’t regret telling him about the current, but it still sat like an uncomfortable weight upon her. Better you and this crew find Lunapesce than someone else the Pirate King sends , she reminded herself firmly.

The captain walked around the bed and sank down onto the foot of it. He leaned upon the tall wooden bedpost, running a hand through his hair. It was a tell of his she had become familiar with now. Something was on his mind. Silence stretched between them. Not uncomfortable, but expectant.

“I haven’t been entirely honest with you,” he said at last.

Celeste straightened.

“I—” He paused, thinking carefully about his next words. Something tightened in her chest. What are you not telling me? Heart hammering, Celeste tucked her legs beneath her. She hated the way his confession made her feel. As though she were bracing for something terrible.

“When I got my first ship a year ago, I got cocky and led my crew into a trap, and—well, you’ve met Valencia.” His voice grew taut, and his eyes hardened.

Pieces fell into place in Celeste’s mind one after the other. Why he would go out of his way to steal Valencia’s ship. Valencia’s mockery of him in Port Velluno. And what’s worse, Celeste realized with a pang, he hadn’t only failed one crew. He’d failed two .

“We managed to escape, but she sank the ship. That was when my father gave me one chance to make it up to him.” He did not meet her eyes; he gazed blankly at the oil lamp on the bedside table. The light flickered upon his haunted expression. “That’s the real reason we’re on this treasure hunt. Not for money. Or glory. Because I was overconfident and ignored my crew’s warnings. When my father found out, I honestly thought he was going to execute me.” At last he turned to look at her, his eyes searching her face. She could see how nervous this confession made him. How the muscles in his back were tense, as if ready for a blow. She knew that feeling. Knew how it felt to lay yourself bare and vulnerable to someone, hoping they would accept you anyway. Even if they saw the worst of yourself.

Leaning forward, she took his hand and gave it a squeeze. It’s okay. We all make mistakes , she tried to tell him. Raiden’s shoulders fell. His hand was so warm, unusually so for a human or siren. Did he have a fever from the storm? He opened his mouth to say more.

A knock sounded at the door. “Captain, you’re needed on deck.” Bastian stood in the doorway, his face stern. Raiden sighed heavily and released Celeste’s hand. The moment between them dissolved like seafoam.

“I’ll be up shortly,” the captain replied, his eyes remaining on hers. Ever so gently, he leaned forward and tucked a stray piece of her silvery hair behind her ear. “As you were,” he said with a teasing wink, before rising from the bed and leaving the room.

* * *

Celeste walked dutifully from barrel to barrel, tugging on the ropes that held them in place to check that they were secure. The winds were fairer today, so they had been able to lower the sails. As she finished with the final barrel, Raiden approached her. Shadows circled his eyes, betraying how much this past week weighed on him.

“You look terrible,” he said by way of greeting.

Celeste gave him a withering look.

“Cheer up, love. We’re almost out of the storm,” he said, grinning and pointing.

And sure enough, at the edge of the horizon, she saw a sliver of clear skies. A bit of the waxing moon alighting the sky early. She almost wept with joy.

“Captain, we’re approaching the final turn,” Kiyami called from the wheel, dark hair sticking to her neck from the rain. If Raiden looked worse for wear, Kiyami looked like a dead girl walking.

“Kiyami, you haven’t slept in over twenty-four hours. I’ll take over. Go get some sleep,” Raiden said.

She frowned. “Captain, this is the end of the current. Shouldn’t it be all hands on deck?”

“Not if the hands in question haven’t rested in days,” Raiden insisted. “It’s not a risk I’m willing to take. Besides, this used to be my job before I became a captain. The Red Revenge is in good hands. Go. That’s an order.”

Kiyami nodded. Her shoulders relaxed, as if a great weight had been lifted.

“Wake me if you need anything,” Kiyami called over her shoulder before she dragged her soaked body below deck. The rest of the crew remained, securing themselves to the masts of the ship with rope. No one would fall overboard this time.

Celeste and Raiden looped their ropes around the mizzenmast, each with enough length for them to walk a little around the upper deck, but no more.

Celeste cast one final glance around, searching for any sign of the Chorus. She saw nothing but churning ocean. We might just pull this off yet , she thought with a swell of pride. Then the current appeared in the sea before them, water bending abruptly. She placed a hand on Raiden’s shoulder to get his attention and pointed to the knot of waves.

“We’re approaching the bend!” he called. “Brace yourselves!”

The crew pulled the ropes tight around their waists. Some offered prayers. Others did nothing but stare blankly out to sea.

The ship jerked sideways as it hit the bend. Raiden’s hands flew over the wheel. It was a hairpin turn, almost impossible to do even with their reasonably sized ship. Barrels strained against their supports. The ship tilted. Bastian slipped, falling upon the deck. Hard. He slid for a horrible moment, before catching ahold of his rope.

She looked to Raiden, realizing her hand hadn’t left his shoulder. She loosened her white-knuckle grip on him. His eyes remained trained on the wheel. But his hands struggled to keep the ship steady. Waves hit against the bow, tossing the vessel up and down. The end of the current was just a few lengths ahead.

“Almost there!” Bastian cried.

But the ship was not righting itself. It tilted further left, its port side dipping lower with each passing moment. Raiden’s jaw clenched, and he grunted, using all his weight to turn the wheel. Still nothing. Waves slapped the side of the ship, washing over the side and onto the deck.

Celeste’s feet began to slip. The floor beneath them was tilting. Its angle grew with each second. Her free hand found Raiden’s arm as she attempted to steady herself. But he was sliding too.

His eyes went wide. “We’re capsizing!”

Another wave hit the side of the ship, knocking them both to the deck. They tried to find their feet again, but the ship was now slanted at a forty-five-degree angle. Crew members screamed. The cries of doomed men. Celeste and Raiden plunged down toward the roaring black ocean below. Raiden’s arms wrapped around her waist. They jerked to a stop, the ropes that bound them to the ship pulled taut.

“Celeste? Are you okay?” Raiden’s voice was in her ear.

She nodded. But it was a lie. With no one at the wheel, the ship had no chance to right itself. It tilted further. Sinking. Celeste looked around her for the crew and saw them clinging to the ship, fear in their eyes. Nasir gripped Torben’s arm in one hand, the other wrapped around the railing. Bastian was nowhere to be found.

“Baz!” Raiden cried out. “Where is Bastian?”

Torben pointed to a rope. The end of it sank into the waves below.

Raiden cursed. “And Kiyami? Kiyami’s below!” It was too late. No one could do anything to help her.

Setting his jaw, Raiden looked toward the spinning wheel above them. “Hang on, love,” he whispered into her ear.

Celeste wrapped her arms around his neck tightly as his arms released her. Raiden gripped the rope holding them in place and hauled them upward, fist over fist. A wave crashed over them, leaving them gasping. Raiden’s arms shook. Beneath them, water poured over the deck and into the hold. Half the ship was already submerged. They inched toward the wheel, Raiden grunting with the effort.

“It’s too late, Captain!” Nasir cried. “We can’t right it! The ship’s going down!”

“I can fix it,” Raiden insisted, releasing one hand to reach for the rope above. They were only a body’s length from the wheel now. But his grip slipped. The two went sliding several feet. Raiden cried out as his hand burned against the rope, stopping them short and sending them swinging.

“No!” he grunted, but Celeste could see the fight leave his eyes as he gazed at what was left of his crew. They looked back to him, waiting for orders. For him to save them from what was surely a watery grave.

“Abandon ship!” Raiden called.

Celeste’s stomach twisted painfully at the words. Surely he couldn’t be serious. They would die. Be swept into the current and drowned.

Around them the crew began to move, to untie themselves. Celeste shook her head.

“Celeste, there is no other way,” Raiden said, his voice unnervingly gentle. “The ship is too far gone. If we stay any longer, we risk being dragged down with it.”

Still, she resisted. There had to be another way. This couldn’t be the end. He couldn’t just give up like this. They had almost made it to the wheel.

“Take your rope off,” Raiden ordered.

Fine . With one arm still wrapped around Raiden, Celeste reached for the rope at his hips.

“No,” he said, eyes hard. “I’m going down with my ship.”

All the air left her lungs. No...

“I won’t abandon my ship again,” he said. “I’ll hold you while you get the knot undone. You need to hurry. The next wave will?—”

Celeste cupped his cheek in her hand, and tears sprang to her eyes. Her captain, who lived with the knowledge of all the people he’d led to their deaths. Cursed with a doomed mission from his father. She pressed her forehead against his. Rain slid down their faces. The ship lurched. Would any of the others make it? Was Kiyami already lost? Raiden’s arms pulled her closer against his warm chest, fingers pressing into her skin. Holding her. Saying goodbye.

“Please, Celeste. You need to get away.”

His hands reached for her rope, and he began to pull apart the knot. Tears fell down her cheeks in streams. She wrapped both arms around his neck. I can’t let him go , she thought, anger weaving into her grief. Not after everything we’ve done. Everything we’ve sacrificed . But her power as a siren was useless here. She couldn’t sing the sea into submission. Only the Goddess could do that.

Could she sing to him? Convince him to remove his rope and let them both take their chances in the sea together? But even as she thought it, she knew Raiden would never forgive her. He wished to go down with his ship. He’d hate her for taking this final stand from him. And she couldn’t live in a world where he hated her.

She couldn’t live in a world without him either.

“You have to let me go,” he said in her ear, her rope falling from his hands.

The truth came unbidden, the thought appearing in her mind as she clung to him. A thought as delicate as coral, and just as sharp.

I’m falling in love with him.

And suddenly she was undone. Her hands twisted into the fabric of his shirt, and she turned her face to the sky. It cannot end this way . Raiden pulled at her arms, trying to release her into the water beneath them. The moon hung low, golden and growing larger. As if it, too, were caught in her pull. And that’s when she saw it. Something looming above them. Forming in the corner of her eye. A colossal wave. It appeared as if pulled from the sea by an unseen hand, gathering water into itself until it stood as tall as the Red Revenge . Celeste froze, her body bracing for the impact as it rushed toward them. With a crash, the great wave slammed against the side of the ship.

The port side.