Page 34

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Celeste blinked. It felt as though the air had left the room. But before she could say anything, Raiden continued.

“My mother and father met on the docks. He was a pirate captain of a fleet, and she was a young girl who lived by the sea. When my mother told him she was pregnant, my father left. He never wanted a family, let alone a child. When my mother’s family found out—they threw her out.” His voice hardened. “It’s not common practice in Hinarso, but there are still those who look down upon unmarried women having children. So when my mother had me, she was all alone. She named me Raiden. Her little thunderstorm.”

Celeste’s hand reached for his of its own accord. He laced his fingers within hers and squeezed in thanks.

“She struggled to keep a job. I was five when a fever broke out in our city. My mother, like many, took ill and died within two weeks.” He paused, and Celeste hadn’t noticed the tears in her eyes. “When my father was informed she’d died and left his son—well, I suppose he figured he’d bring me on and raise me to be his heir.

“I’ve never told anyone, but I’ve always believed if he’d only taken my mother with him, if he hadn’t cast her aside, she’d still be alive. He’s the reason she died alone and poor in the street.” Raiden finally met Celeste’s gaze. “So I’ll keep your secret if you keep mine.”

Celeste nodded but remained quiet. She wondered why he hadn’t told anyone this before. Bastian was his closest friend—practically his brother. Why would Raiden hide this? Was it because Bastian had worked for his father? And why did Raiden still wish to win his father’s approval after everything he’d done? But a different question slipped out instead.

“Why tell me?”

Raiden moved their entwined hands to his chest.

“Because it was easy,” he answered.

Celeste stiffened. A secret that was easy to tell wasn’t a good trade. But he continued. “Talking with you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done. We could talk for hours, days, years, and I would never tire of it. And now that I’ve heard your voice, I confess it’s my favorite sound.” There was such an earnestness in his face.

Her eyes widened, and her heart pounded in her chest.

“So, do we have a deal?” he asked.

Celeste pulled her hand free from his and offered it back to him, palm up. A human’s agreement. He smiled and took her hand, but before she could shake, he tugged her forward, meeting her lips with his.

She melted into the kiss. It was much better than a handshake.

“So this is why the drinks were taking so long.”

Celeste sprung away from Raiden as though she’d been burned. In the doorway stood Kiyami, grinning.

“Were they swapping spit?” Torben called from above.

“Yep,” Kiyami shouted back.

Cheers and groans erupted from above.

“You owe me five silver, Baz! I told you it’d happen after the festival!” Kiyami said, wiggling her eyebrows at Celeste. The siren wrapped her arms around herself and groaned. She wished she could turn into seafoam and dissolve into the floor.

“Took ’em long enough,” grumbled Torben. “If Valencia hadn’t interrupted, I would’ve won!”

Raiden stood before her grinning from ear to ear. His muscled arms were crossed across his wide chest, the picture of smug confidence. It made Celeste want to smack the expression from his face. Or kiss it away. But instead she took her wineglass from the table, downed it in one swig, then picked up the bottle and marched upstairs.

“If you break her heart, I will help her kill you,” Kiyami said smoothly to Raiden as she gathered up the remaining bottles and followed Celeste up the stairs.

“Two on one? Sounds thrilling!” Raiden called after them.

Thankfully, the appearance of more alcohol provided enough distraction to the crew for Celeste to avoid any awkward questions. After a time, Raiden joined the party too. She worried it would be uncomfortable. Not only between her and Raiden but between him and the rest of the crew. Noticing Celeste’s discomfort, Kiyami looped an arm around Celeste’s shoulders and squeezed. The gesture was so human it made her smile.

“Seeing you two together... it makes sense,” Kiyami said. “And the way he looks at you—I’ve never seen him look at anyone that way.”

The words made her nervous, her stomach feeling like fizzing bubbles. It wasn’t unpleasant. Celeste squeezed her friend back, glad she did not need to respond. When her gaze lifted, she saw Raiden staring at her from across the ship. He stood with Bastian, sharing a drink and a laugh. And suddenly, despite the crowded deck, it felt as though they were the only two. Bastian, noticing Raiden’s attention shifting, followed his friend’s gaze. But when his eyes met Celeste’s, the smile on his face vanished. Suddenly, she felt cold. Was he angry with her? Why?

“You missed it! There was a shower of stars earlier,” Nasir told Celeste, mercifully blocking Bastian from view.

“I think she saw sparks flying,” Kiyami blurted.

Celeste snorted, sending Kiyami into a fit of laughter. As the two descended into a fit of giggles, Nasir chuckled a little, watching them with amusement. The interaction was strangely familial. And suddenly Celeste was smiling for an entirely different reason. Blessedly, once they regained composure, Kiyami chose to change the subject.

“Did you and Torben fall in love at sea?” she asked.

“You know, this is our first voyage together,” Nasir said. “I’ve never sailed before this.”

Celeste and Kiyami exchanged a look of surprise.

“Torben was the pirate. But he ended up at Port Romsey for a time, looking for work, and he came into my pub. He told me stories of his adventures, of his family, of how he ended up marooned by the Pirate King, and more than once he would fight customers who tried to start something with me,” he said with a fond laugh.

“And you fell in love,” Kiyami said.

“And I fell in love,” Nasir repeated, eyes drifting toward his husband. The gruff Yenrian was now with Raiden and Bastian, gesturing wildly with his drink as he spoke.

“I didn’t realize this was your first time at sea,” Kiyami said.

“Didn’t tell any of ya,” Nasir said simply.

The conversation continued, but as they talked, guilt settled heavily on Celeste’s chest. Even now, they made an effort to include her in the conversation in spite of her silence. She hadn’t wanted to get close to these humans. But now she couldn’t imagine her life without them. I’ll tell them , she decided, when the time is right . Maybe her accent would betray her as a siren, and maybe it wouldn’t. Either way, she was tired of the charade. Still, what if they never forgave her for deceiving them? What if they found out she was a siren and cast her out? Then they wouldn’t be the people I believe they are.

“Do you think it’ll storm again, Celeste?” Kiyami asked, shaking her from her thoughts.

Celeste shook her head. No, I think the sun’s finally here to stay.

The party began to fade. With the strong drink and such little sleep, one by one each crew member staggered off for bed until it was only Torben, Celeste, and Raiden sitting around a flickering lantern.

“I want to... thank you, Raiden,” Torben said, rocking a little as he gripped his bottle. “After my—erm, incident —no one would offer me a job. Not anyone ! Till you came along. After this, I think I’ll finally be back in your dad’s good graces and can sail the seas once more...” He trailed off, tears pooling in his eyes. He hastily wiped them on his sleeve as Raiden reached out and clapped him upon his shoulder.

“You were the right man for the job.”

Celeste tried her best to keep her face neutral. She hadn’t forgotten how Raiden resisted Torben joining the crew. But there was some truth in the captain’s words. Torben, despite all his flaws, was the best man for the job. He had helped rescue her in Port Velluno, after all, even if it did feel like a thinly veiled excuse to use explosives.

“Are you heading to bed soon?” Nasir asked, appearing at the stairs.

“Yeah, comin’.” Torben stood and shook Raiden’s hand vigorously. “You’re a good man, Captain,” he said, before stumbling after his husband below deck, leaving Celeste and Raiden alone for the first time since their kiss.

A moment of quiet passed between them. Celeste tilted her head back to see the four daughters shining, just as they had the first night. The stars glittered above her like jewels in a crown. Memories of Raiden and how coldly he acted toward her played in her mind. She almost didn’t recognize the man before her as the same person.

“Do you have any siblings?” he asked, breaking the silence.

The question was so surprisingly normal that Celeste laughed.

“What? I’m curious.” He grinned.

“I have two siblings,” she said. “Shye, my eldest sister, and Sephone, our middle sister.”

“What’s Shye like?”

“Difficult.” Celeste sighed.

Raiden nodded, listening.

“Sephone is the favorite.” Although it stung to talk of her family, there was relief in it, as if the very act of being known was something she’d been craving for some time. “She’s gifted and kind. When we were young, and Shye and I would fight, Sephone would be the one to calm the waters. After Sephone went away, Shye and I never really stopped fighting.”

“Where did she go?”

“To another kingdom. I guess my parents convinced her she’d be more valuable as a bride to some prince.” Her eyes fell to the floor.

“Are you meant to marry some prince in another kingdom?” Raiden asked, tone serious as he stared at her with that familiar burning gaze.

She swallowed the wine in her mouth and set the glass down with a sigh.

“Probably,” Celeste admitted, “if I ever learn to control myself.” A second later, she realized what she’d let slip.

“So you’re a princess?” He smirked.

Celeste narrowed her eyes at him, her annoyance with his tone somehow outweighing her fear of where this conversation was leading.

“Yes,” she replied, lifting her chin.

“Somehow this doesn’t surprise me,” he drawled.

“And why is that?” she snapped.

Raiden’s eyes lit with mischief. “Well—for one, you’re clearly used to getting your way.” He leaned back against the ship’s railing.

Celeste let out a bitter laugh. “Hardly. My life was decided for me.”

Raiden’s snarky manner softened at this. He let his leg fall and press against hers, a steadying presence.

“What would you want to do if you could decide?” he asked.

Celeste paused, considering. “I—I’ve never thought about it.”

An anxious feeling rose in her stomach. She pushed to her feet, moving away, giving herself some space. They were wandering too close to the great unsaid thing. The truth she would never be able to take back. She’d already failed her people so many times. If she told him and anyone found out, she wouldn’t be the one who suffered. In some ways, the treaty between kingdoms had been broken the day she walked into the Broken Compass. Still, it was one thing for Raiden to guess who she was. It was quite another for her to admit it. To speak it aloud. But she trusted him. As foolish as that might be. She knew that if she told him, it would stay between them. Because Raiden knew already and hadn’t told a soul. And she knew she could never go back to her family, her people, after failing to kill him.

Worst of all, she loved him. She loved him so much it stole her breath and left her reeling. Loved him so much she hated him for it. And more than anything, she hoped he loved her back. But how could he possibly love her back if he didn’t know her? All of her?

Breathing in the warm night air, Celeste leaned against the railing of the ship and looked out over the water. A leap of faith stood before her.

And she jumped.

“It wasn’t until I”—she took a breath, steeling her nerves—“until I saw you dancing on your ship that I even dreamed of anything more than what I knew.” She thought she had finished speaking, until the next words slipped out, so quiet she wasn’t sure if he could hear it. “Sirens don’t dance like that.”

She did not turn. Did not dare to look at him. But behind her, she heard him stand. Felt his eyes on her back, as if his gaze could burn through her and see her beating heart. Her throat was dry. The secret was out. The moment she had feared had come at last. And she had chosen to do it.

Silence fell between them. A breeze brushed across her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. She felt naked, despite her layers.

And then?—

“I never thanked you. For saving Baz and I.”

“No,” she said softly, “you didn’t.”

She turned, unable to bear it a moment longer. And Raiden was there. Striding the few steps toward her. Slowly. Deliberately. The same warm expression he always wore on his face. Nothing had changed. And everything had. It was almost anticlimactic. Had she been worrying over nothing? Probably. It sounded very much like something she’d do. And yet the knots in her stomach loosened as she looked into his face and saw they had weathered this storm too.

“Thank you,” he said with a smile, stepping so close she could reach out and touch him. “May I ask—why you did?”

“Because—because you jumped overboard to save your friend. Because you weren’t the villain I was told you were.”

A pained look crossed his face.

“What if I am?” he asked, voice low. “What if I’m worse ?”

Celeste’s hand found his cheek, and he turned his face into her touch. In his eyes, she saw regret and sorrow, drowning him from the inside. How many of his drowned crew had families like Kiyami or Bastian? Or dreams like Torben? Things left unsaid or undone. She could see how it haunted him. How he tortured himself. Could see it in how protective he was of his crew. Such horrible things he’d done in the king’s name.

“You’re not your father,” she said.

Raiden took a step back, irritation flickering in his eyes. “You don’t know him.”

And suddenly Raiden was slipping away from her, replaced by Captain Raiden Sharp, son of the Pirate King. She let her hand fall limply to her side. Had she somehow misread his feelings?

“I didn’t think?—”

“No,” he said, “you didn’t.”

Frustration flared, cold and bright in her stomach. “You know, Raiden, I’m trying to see things from your point of view, but I can’t get my head that far up my arse!” she snapped.

He froze.

“Say that again.”

Celeste’s anger faltered. “I—I’m trying to see your point of view, but?—”

“No,” he said. “The part where you said my name .”

“Raiden,” she said, heart hammering. It was the first time she’d spoken his name in her voice. “ Raiden , I’m trying?—”

He crashed into her like gravity. Inevitable. And when his mouth met hers, she felt the stars fall from her skies. All her secrets were laid bare to him, and he’d accepted her as she was. His hands tangled in her silver hair and hers slid around his neck, pressing close. The kiss was passionate, hungry. There was no control. Kisses had never felt like this. This was passionate and wild and beautiful. This was human .

Above, stars streaked across the sky in great glittering arcs. It was as if the heavens themselves were timed with the sparks bursting within her chest as Raiden placed kisses along her jaw. He pinned her against the side of the ship, moved his arms around her. She knew he wouldn’t let her fall. And if she did, they would fall together.