Trapped By Claws (Of Seas and Tides)

2. Of Eels and Gravity

The enormous eel tilted his head, his slanted, squared jaw opening. Instead of attacking, a laugh rippled out of him as he winked at me. "Didn't think that one through, did you, darling?"

I glared at him. Shifter fae, most likely. There were a few of them out this way, but why in all that was holy had he been chasing that otter?

Regardless, I didn't appreciate his tone. I stepped out from behind the spire and glared up at him, hands set on my waist with the wooden spoon still in hand. "I thought it through as much as anyone could. And at least I did something. Something is better than nothing."

Another laugh rolled from his jaws as he slid down in the water. He was now approximately at my eye level, his eyes dancing with mischief. He twisted a little more. The sunlight glistened on his sleek scales. "I don't know. That bit of wood is less than a toothpick." He looked me up and down. Even though he was an eel, it seemed he might be smirking. "But I like your spirit. You've got a lot of gumption for such a little human. Especially one with such dark, beautiful eyes."

"My eye color has precisely nothing to do with my ability to defend myself."

"True, but it does give me reason to comment on your beauty." He ducked his head down, the muscles through his body tightening. They pulsed and shuddered as he clenched his eyelids shut. His body collapsed downward, becoming a male mer whose lower half was an eel tail.

I sucked in a breath.

Oh. Wow.

How could he possibly claim I was attractive when he looked like that?

He maintained the same bold yellow and green striping, and—he was stunning. Somehow, even with such vivid colors, he was ethereally beautiful. Sharp cheekbones, defined lips, slanted but strong jaw, smooth brow, loose black curls, and bright-green eyes. So striking he made me ache. And yet there was something unsettling in his beauty.

Maybe it was his coloration. It certainly made his features and muscles appear all the more angular. And there was a sharp hunger in his eyes that had intensified now that he was no longer in the eel form. He sank into the water up to his waist, bobbing up and down into the waves as he studied me with that flirtatious smirk. He wore nothing but a claw bracelet that hugged his wrist so tight the claws pressed into his skin. "You really are remarkable," he said, as if entirely unaware of my reaction to him.

I snapped my mouth shut. What was I thinking? He was a fae. A shifter fae at that. And that meant he was dangerous. Of course he was gorgeous. Fae usually were. And shifter fae could adapt their appearances. If he hadn't had that bold striping and the strange color pattern, he'd have been impossible to resist. Even now, every inch of him radiated sensual beauty and grace.

"Enough with the flattery." I turned my face away.

He chuckled. His voice was smoother in this form. He folded his arms behind his head as he leaned back in the water. "There's never enough flattery when it comes to someone like you."

"I'm not fond of lies."

"I don't lie." He rolled forward and rested his folded arms on the stone. He cut his eyes up at me, smiling. The smile had an edge to it—like a predator sizing up its prey. "It certainly isn't a lie to say that you are very pleasant to look upon."

I stepped back, heart racing a little faster, my feet silent on the warm rock. A strange sensation buzzed through me, settling in my lower belly. "You are flattering me."

The waves lapped against him as he continued to smile and rake his gaze up and down my body. The sharpness in his eyes intensified.

A shiver tensed through me, almost too much for me to hide.

Damn him.

Those loose black curls of his begged me to run my fingers through them.

No, stop!

He murmured with amusement. "Flattery can be true. And in this case, it is. You're the prettiest creature I've seen in these parts."

A blushing heat crept up my throat and over my face. It wasn't hard to think of something to shut down this conversation. But I liked that he saw me. I liked the compliments too. Even if I shouldn't.

I shook my head. "Enough of that," I said, a little sharper than I intended.

It didn't affect him. "Ah, you're the practical sort. I embarrass you if I make too much of a fuss over you." He winked. As he looked me up and down again, he tapped his fingers on the stone. No—his claws. His fingernails were actually long, dark claws. "It would be so very hard for me to not make a fuss over you. Especially if you came back with me. Why don't you come to my home?"

Something flashed in his eyes as he asked this—a look almost of surprise as if he could not believe he had asked that. But then his smile and the sharpness in his eyes returned. He tilted his head. "It's cool and safe, and I promise not to scare you too terribly much. It would be great fun for both of us. You can call me Corvin."

"Corvin…like—" Oh. Wait. I'd wanted to ask him if Corvin meant "raven." But something in his eyes warned me to stop.

"Like just Corvin, or do you have a last name?"

"I am Corvin of the North Sea. That is all. It's all that's ever needed." A bitter note edged his voice. "And what of you? May I have your name?"

"You may call me Mena." I folded my arms, then shrugged. "To be clear, I'm not giving you my name. You can just call me that. I know you're a fae."

"Aren't you clever? Just as clever as you are pretty." He tilted his head, his voice softening. He swam along the edge of the white stone. Those eyes sliced through me, taking me in, examining me, and evaluating me.

My heart beat faster.

Oof.

I didn't need this. "Well…I need to be leaving. Oh. Salt's bane!" The ship had kept sailing—of course it had—and the rope I'd swung out on had almost slipped back into the water.

He straightened in the water, glancing from me and then back over his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

I scooped up the knotted rope before it could slide all the way off the rock. There were only a few hand lengths left and then a little more as I unknotted the lower portion to give myself more slack. This didn't have to be hard unless I got delayed. The one thing I didn't want was to swim and drag along in the water. There were sea monsters other than Corvin out there, and I'd be easy prey.

He followed the line of my gaze back to the ship. A rich chuckle followed. "I don't think this otter rescue of yours turned out according to plan."

I sniffed, narrowing my eyes at him. "Nothing in life goes to plan."

"It's why I never plan anything. What're you going to do now? Are you going to swim?" His smile turned more playful.

More of the white stone islands dotted the sea. The waters were so calm and the winds so still, meaning there were even more of the stone columns revealed today than usual. With the dwarves using their wheeled contraptions to propel the ship forward, I didn't have much time before the ship's steady pace took it beyond the rope's length and I'd have no choice but to swim.

"If you'd like, I could always carry you back," he offered with a sly smile.

Heat flared from my core straight to my face at the thought of being in his arms, all pressed up against his muscular chest and feeling his breath against my cheek. How dare he. "No," I said as flatly as I could.

He stifled a laugh as I fastened the wooden spoon back on the clip at my side. I ignored him pointedly. He obviously wasn't going to be helpful. I then climbed the stone spire at the center of my island and formed my new plan.

The next stone island was a bit farther of a jump, but it was doable. Gripping the rope, I leaped.

The cool, salty air whipped past my face. I landed with a solid thunk on the edge, the impact jarring me through. While it didn't hurt now, I'd probably be feeling this in the morning.

Squinting, I lifted my hand up and peered at the path ahead. This was the tricky bit, especially with the Seaforger's Pride steadily moving forward and ever tugging at the rope. I'd need to jump to the island to the right and then two forward before I could start moving directly ahead. Depending on the distance, I might have to move out to the right again.

I chewed the inside of my lip.

Corvin swam along beside me, watching my every move. His arms slid through the water with practiced grace, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Thinking, thinking. You know, I never really thought those dwarf ships could move all that fast in doldrum-afflicted waters. Those wooden wheels they run in below deck to power the propellers aren't all that fast. But it might prove a little too fast for you, darling."

Scoffing, I hurried to the edge, then hopped to the island on the right.

Oops!

My heel scraped the water. I swung my arms out and staggered forward. "Stop trying to distract me."

He swam alongside me and circled the tiny rock island. "I bet they'd send a boat out for you. I could swim back and tell them you're out here if you don't trust being in my arms."

"Just stop. I don't need your help." I glared at him as he circled the island again. His long strokes showed off his lean, muscled form, and somehow his hair remained fluffy and curly.

"I'm impressed you didn't just jump into the water. I scared most of the predators down deep, but that heavy thudding and thunking coming from your ship will draw them back up." He trailed his arms lazily through the water. One of the waves lapped against his back, brushing over his hair. After it receded though, his hair was still light and dry. Fae magic maybe.

The otter popped up beside him and nuzzled him, squeaking and chirping. He glanced down at it and grinned. "Tagger really does appreciate you being so eager to help him. Even if he did steal your crossbow."

I wrinkled my nose at him. "You're both horrid."

Tagger splashed in the water and then nuzzled up along Corvin's neck. The otter started grooming him behind the ears, chirping and trilling. No sign of the crossbow. That one smaller forepaw didn't seem to hold him back from his grooming either.

Did the poor fellow have a hard time—no!

No. I wasn't going to get distracted worrying about some little otter that stole my weapon.

Corvin snickered, his voice still melodic but much lower now. "You took that personally, didn't you? If it's any consolation, Tagger likes you. I can tell." Scratching the otter between the ears, he gave me a crooked smile. "He just didn't appreciate you trying to shoot me. He's very protective. Though I do understand why you misunderstood what was happening with Tagger and me. We were just playing."

Huffing, I leaped to the next stone island.

This time I landed neatly on the balls of my feet. The impact still rattled up through me. Ugh.

I adjusted my grip on the knotted rope and looped the strand around my arm to keep it from trailing as I gathered more slack. "Well, lucky you."

No one was protective of me. No one even noticed I was gone. No one would notice I was missing from the ship for at least a couple more hours. Maybe not even until dinnertime arrived and there was no stew and biscuits. And then it wouldn't even be Mama who noticed I was gone. It'd be a crewmember.

My insides twisted, and I tried to push those thoughts away. They weren't helpful.

With a soft grunt, I headed toward the edge and leaped onto the next island. This time I had to scurry around to avoid snagging the rope on the stone spire.

"Well, well," Corvin said, his bright-green eyes half shaded. "Look at you. Just as clever as you are beautiful. I'm half tempted to carry you off right now and let all the problems that may come sort themselves out."

"You stay away from me, shifter fae," I muttered, shooting him a glare. "You and your thieving otter."

"So salty." He tsked as he swam alongside me. Tagger gave a responding trill, managing to be adorable despite his reprehensible acts. "You know that glow in your cheeks from the rage is absolutely adorable. It'd be so easy for me to scoop you up."

"Try it, and I'll kill you with my spoon." I shot him another glare as I adjusted the rope and then leaped forward onto the island to the right.

"Really? With your spoon? How do you kill someone with a spoon?"

I cut my eyes back at him. "Don't push it, shifter."

He tipped his head back and laughed at this. "Oh, chilled waters preserve us, you're a feisty one, aren't you? Why aren't they sending a boat out to get you?" He swam to the other side of the stone island and peeked over the edge of the stone at me. He waggled his eyebrows. "If you were mine, I wouldn't let you out of my home. Or my sight."

Shaking my head, I crossed over the stone island. "Enough. I don't know what you're trying to charm me to do, but it isn't going to work. I'm never going to go with you to your lair. I'm not yours. And I don't think your otter is cute." I leaped onto the next stone circle.

He shot up out of the water as I sailed forward and brushed his clawed fingers over my ankle.

A sharp tingle spasmed up my leg.

I yelped as my feet struck the stone. Spinning around, I glared. "What did you do that for?"

"What did I do?" He gave me an innocent smile that did not reach his eyes. He lifted his arms in a playful shrug. Tagger splashed in the water around him, clapping his paws.

I shook my head at him and padded to the edge of the stone island. "You are—oh!" I jumped back as he zipped in front of me, his bright eyes sparking with mischief. His hand nearly caught my bare ankle again before I darted to the middle of the stone island. What was wrong with him? Was he trying to pull me in?

His voice dipped lower. "Why won't you let me carry you to safety, darling? You know, I make a far better friend than I do an enemy. And you'd fit in my arms so perfectly." He propped his chin up on his palm, his elbow braced against the stone.

I gave him a wide berth as I adjusted my grip.

"Just stay away, all right? I don't want you touching me."

His grin pulled in a crooked slash of white. "Really?"

I unhooked the spoon from the clip at my side and brandished it. "I'm not afraid to hit you in your human form."

He cut his eyes up at me, his grin broadening. "Oh, I'm terrified."

I moved as far as I could away from him, hooked the spoon back on, and prepared to jump. As I launched myself again, he swept forward and ran his hand underneath my feet.

I yelped, the tickling sensation enough to make me flail. "Stop that!" I shouted at him. My fingers clutched at the coarse stone spire, and I tugged on the rope instinctively. One foot brushed the cool waves.

He fluttered his fingers at me as he sank back in the waters, that big grin of his still there. "Aren't you having fun?"

"No." I adjusted my skirt and fixed the soft leggings underneath. As I reached the opposite side of the stone island, I peered out, searching for any threats. The cold waters below were so deep I couldn't even hope to see the bottom. But the relative stillness today meant I could see some of the depth both here and beneath the ship.

As if my thoughts had summoned it, a dark form swept beneath the ship, lithe and sinuous.

Another moved in the distance.

Salt's bane. My stomach churned. The longer I looked, the more I saw.

A side fin cut through the water as one of the sea monsters skimmed the surface and then dove down again. Waves rippled out from it.

"The creatures of the deep love that dwarven racket," Corvin said as he swam back in front of me. "If you had just jumped in, you'd have gotten snatched up like a baby sea turtle in a gull's path on hatching day. But now you've got me curious. How are you going to get from here to your ship?" He tilted his head, his expression sharp but playful. "You must be planning on tying that rope to one of the stone columns and then shimmying across. But you know…that means you're going to be suspended over open waters for a bit. If you fall in, you're dead. And if one of them gets curious about you, well—what's to keep them from snapping a little snack like you out of the air? I bet you'd taste delicious."

I glared at him. "Do you have a point?"

He grinned, eyes half shaded, his eyelashes thick and gorgeous. "I could help you. All you have to do is put your arms around my neck and let me carry you to safety. None of these monsters will cross me. They know exactly what I am."

The way he said that with the glint in his eyes reminded me without a doubt he was as much a predator as those creatures of the deep. Even if he was gorgeous and had an incredible smile. Any offer of help masked his true intentions.

"Come on." He leaned up on the stone. Tagger mimicked his pose, chirping. "I won't let you drown or fall. You have my word. Just trust me enough to whisk you over to your ship."

I narrowed my eyes at him as I adjusted my grip. "Fae like you always have something else in mind. There's no way I'm ever trusting you." Sweat rolled down the back of my neck and my arms, itching all the way. My bare feet ached a little as I finally reached one of the stone islands that was now ahead of the ship.

So close and yet so far. I halted next to the stone spire, the rope snug in my hands. The length swung between me and the Seaforger's Pride, the other end securely fastened on the post beyond the railing on the ship.

Corvin just laughed. "You won't make it halfway before you're begging me to help you, darling."

Setting my jaw, I strode over to the stone spire. "Don't bet on it, shifter fae."