30
Swan Rock
T he moonlight casted a soft glow over The Rebecca, its calm waters belying the danger beneath the surface. I sat cross-legged on the deck with my thoughts, the weight of the last words Thalassa whispered to me in my mind, crushing me. It was obvious that the captain knew something I didn’t and needed to hear, but I was scared to ask. I felt as if since I immersed in the waters with that Veil and saw myself surrounded by the whole truth, my body was ready for any kind of battle. Deep inside, I knew that I always had been, that I had always longed for adventure, but I was afraid if what I needed to face would impact innocent lives, or even impact them, this crew.
Since I left the sea of Marble's Rest, I had known that I didn’t set foot on this ship by chance. I was meant to be here. And not in the way I felt at Isla Loro. Not as in finding peace with the terms that I was a pirate, that I deserved to have a family. But in the way that some strong force, some insane pull, put me here. Like I was just part of a plan. The piece of a puzzle.
“Coco!"
I smiled at the voice interrupting my thoughts. Every night I had made the habit of reading out loud to Coco. For her own good, of course, so she could learn new words… or because maybe I was trying to avoid finding myself alone with my inner struggle, what I inevitably did every night.
“Yes, sorry, I’m going to continue now.” I laughed. “Her silver light guides sailors home, a beacon of hope in endless waves,” I read out loud. “She is the queen of the night, the lover of oceans, and the guardian of dreams. The tides bow to her, and so do we—sailors of the night.”
“Coco!”
“Moon,” I said to her softly. “Can you say that? Moon?”
“Coco!”
“Look up. There it is.” I chuckled. “Moon. Don’t you want to fly up there and see what it tastes like? I would do exactly that if I were a pink parrot.”
“Kiss!”
I laughed as I watched her take flight and get into the cabin, surely looking for something to eat.
And suddenly, a voice echoed from the water below, clear and melodic, cutting through the still night.
“Help… please help me." I froze, the book slipped from my fingers. My gaze was fixed on the water beyond the ship, dark and still. The voice came again, this time louder, more urgent.
“Help me… daughter of the sea.”
My breath hitched at the voice. That familiar sound… It couldn’t be.
I stumbled to my feet, drawn to the voice like it was pulling me with invisible strings. I rushed to the railing, peering into the night, and that is when I saw him.
Perched atop a jagged rock, drenched in moonlight, was a figure—his long hair matted, his clothes torn and soaked in blood. But his face, bruised and gaunt, was unmistakable.
My heart lurched in my chest, and my breath caught in my throat.
“Father?”
Ezequiel Balboa sat on that rock. Bloody and broken, like the last time I saw him.
His eyes met mine, and though they were glazed with pain, his voice was so melodious, so hypnotic, I couldn’t tear myself away.
“Please,” he whispered again. “Help me, daughter of the sea.”
I was frozen, captivated by the sound of his voice. It was like nothing I had ever heard before—smooth, beckoning, as if it reached into the very depths of my soul. I felt all my senses dulled, my thoughts clouded. The only thing I wanted, the only thing I needed, was to help him.
“I’ll go get help!” I called, my voice shaking. “Wait for me father, I’ll save you! ”
“Yes… yes, you do that.” His voice was coaxing, almost too gentle. “Bring all the help you can. Bring all of the people aboard.”
I turned, my legs unsteady beneath me as I sprinted towards the aft cabin.
The ringing in my ears grew louder with every step, and the world around me began to blur. My pulse pounded, and I was nearly able to catch my breath when I threw the cabin door open.
“We need to help him!” I shouted, high and frantic. “Hurry! Please! All of you, help me save him!”
I could feel myself getting dizzier, the ringing now unbearable, and my vision began to darken at the edges. “My father!” I screamed. “I need to save him this time.” I swayed, nearly falling as the weight of the room seemed to press down on me.
And suddenly, I couldn’t breathe. It was as if my body was telling me to go into the night again.
Before I could collapse, I felt strong hands on my face, warm and grounding. Calico. His face was close to mine, his eyes wide with concern, but I could barely hear him over the deafening hum in my ears. His lips were moving, but the words were muffled.
I tried to shake my head, my lips moving to whisper, “Air… outside… we need to go outside.”
He tightened his grip on me, and above the noise in my head, I heard him shout, “We can’t go outside! Listen to me, Donna, we can’t! We have to stay inside until morning!”
I shook my head violently, struggling against his grip. The pull to my father’s voice was too strong .
It was like I was drowning in his words, and I couldn’t stop myself.
“I need to go!” I gasped, wrenching myself free from Calico’s arms.
I stumbled out onto the deck, my feet barely touching the ground as I ran to the railing. And there he was again, his voice drifting through the air like a lullaby. “Daughter of the sea… help me.”
I leaned over the railing, desperate to reach him. And just as I was about to jump, someone grabbed me from behind. It was the captain. I was sure of it. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me back against his chest. His breath was hot in my ear as he whispered calmly, “Wake up, love. You need to wake up. We have to go inside.”
“No!” I thrashed against him, my arms swinging wildly. “Let me go! I need to help him!”
I swung my elbow back with all my strength, feeling it connect with his mouth. He grunted, his grip loosening just enough for me to break free.
I stumbled forward, closer to the edge of the ship, closer to the man who beckoned me.
“Help me,” he called again, his voice dripping with sweetness. “Bring him too. Bring him with you.”
I reached out, my hand trembling, stretching towards him. And when my fingers were inches from his, I saw it.
He wasn’t my father .
The figure before me shifted in the moonlight. His eyes, a brilliant, unnatural yellow, gleamed with malice. His long hair draped down to his shoulders, and his bare chest was marred with intricate, beautiful tattoos. And instead of legs, he had a shimmering and dark scaled tail.
A merman.
I gasped, stumbling back as the creature’s mouth opened wide, too wide. His jaws stretched, revealing rows upon rows of sharp, needle-like teeth. A horrible, screeching voice erupted from him, nothing like the melodic tone that had drawn me in before. I screamed, my heart racing in terror.
The merman lunged, his body crashing against the side of the ship, his claws gripping the railing as he tried to pull himself aboard. His terrible, shrill scream filled the air, his eyes wild and furious.
I scrambled back, my body trembling as I fumbled for my bow, which was leaning against the mast. My fingers shook as I grabbed it, my breath coming in short, ragged gasps. I nocked an arrow, drawing the string back, the wood creaking under the pressure of my grip. I aimed without thinking, my body moving on instinct.
And then I let go.
The arrow flew through the air, piercing the merman’s head with a sickening thud. His eyes rolled back, turning white, and he fell into the water with a splash, disappearing beneath the waves.
I stood there, panting, my heart pounding in my chest. It was over.
Or so I thought .
The ringing in my ears returned, louder than ever, and I whirled around searching for the source.
My eyes landed on Calico, kneeling by the railing, his hand gripping it tightly as he leaned dangerously over the edge.
And then I saw the mermaid. Her eyes the same brilliant yellow as the merman’s, she was hovering just below the waterline. Her long, flowing hair cascaded down her back, pink and purple, shimmering like magic in the moonlight. Her tail, covered in iridescent scales, flicked through the water gracefully.
She had her hands on Calico’s face, whispering something to him, her lips almost brushing his.
She was going to take him with her.
“Wake up!” I screamed grabbing his arm. “Calico! She’s going to kill you! Wake up!”
“Just one kiss, love. Please… just one.”
And before I could do anything else, the mermaid pulled him into the water, dragging him down into the depths.
My scream tore through the night, a sound so full of despair, I felt my heart shatter.
Without thinking, I ran to the mast, tying a rope around my waist. I grabbed another arrow and sprinted toward the aft cabin, bursting through the door.
“The captain is in the water,” I gasped. “I need you to plug your ears. Don’t listen to the mermaids. But I need you to pull us out when I dive in.”
Ela looked at me, alarmed. “Are you mad? You can’t swim! ”
“I don’t care!” I shouted, already turning to leave. “Help your captain!”
Without waiting for a response, I bolted back outside, ready to jump into the water.
As I plunged into the sea, the icy grip enveloped me, sending shockwaves through my body.
The darkness wrapped around me like a suffocating blanket, making each breath a struggle. It felt as if the very depths of the sea were alive, swirling and pulling me down, tugging at my lips with a restless force. My heart raced, pounding against my ribcage like a frantic drum, yet I pushed on, propelled by a single thought. I needed to get to him.
Through the inky blackness, I spotted the mermaid, her vibrant pink and purple tail glistening with iridescent scales that caught the faint glimmers of light filtering down from above. She was descending deeper, holding Calico in her embrace, his body limp and unresponsive.
My breath hitched as I felt the urgency of the moment; I needed to reach them before it was too late.
So I begged. Thalassa, please. Please, grant me the strength to reach him.
With a sudden surge, the currents heaved me forward, propelling me towards them. The world around me blurred as I focused on the mermaid, her long hair billowing like a cloud of shadows. I could almost touch her, could almost grasp Calico’s hand. But as I drew nearer, panic surged within me, igniting my resolve. I couldn’t let her take him, I couldn’t let her end his life .
Without hesitation, I drew my arrow, the familiar weight steady in my grasp, and plunged it deep into the mermaid’s heart. The moment the tip pierced her flesh, a scream erupted from her, raw and chilling—a sound that echoed the fear and desperation I had felt moments before. Her vibrant blue blood unfurled in the water like a dark flower blooming in reverse, spreading a haunting beauty around us as she fell, lifeless, to the depths below.
Guilt washed over me. But I reminded myself that I had to do it, if not, she was going to kill him instead. With all the strength I could muster, I gripped Calico tightly, willing him to come back to me, willing the currents to aid us.
As if answering my unspoken plea, the water surged upward, pushing us towards the surface. The rope tugged at my waist, a lifeline guiding us back to safety.
I gasped for air as we broke through the surface, my lungs burning with the desperate need for breath. When we reached the deck, chaos erupted around us. I fought against the overwhelming tide of fear that threatened to consume me. “Inside!” I shouted, my voice rasping against the salt and brine, a plea to the night sky above, to them. “Take him inside.”
Hands gripped the captain’s arms, lifting him with urgency, while Ela rushed to me, her eyes wide with alarm.
“What happened? You—you jumped in!” She stammered, but I barely heard her. All I could see was the captain’s pale face glistening with water, his breathing shallow and erratic, and his split lip bloody from when I hit him with my elbow.
“Take him inside,” I repeated, my voice breaking. Ela nodded, pulling me along as they carried him to the cabin, the world around me spinning with disbelief and dread.
Inside the cabin, the air was thick with tension. “I’m sorry,” I cried, pushing past Ela as I knelt beside him, shaking his shoulders gently. “It’s all my fault, I’m sorry. Please, wake up.”
I could see the worry etched on the faces of the crew, each one of them caught in the web of uncertainty.
“Forgive me.”
And with that last whisper, a pink tear fell on his cheek. And suddenly, he was opening his eyes slowly, and then muttering with a smirk, “That was quite a punch, love.”