Chapter 34 #2
As Nazario finished stacking cannon balls on deck from his ship, I watched him turn to Aeris, who’d been standing out of the way with Meridan near the railing.
We hadn’t discussed where they’d be staying, but imagining the little siren and her captain swinging in hammocks amongst the rest of my crew didn’t suit me and I doubted it would suit them.
“Nazario,” I said, strolling toward them.
He turned, removing his tricorn to sweep his hair back from his face.
“Captain.”
“I’d wager the two of you are used to private quarters on your ship.”
“Aye, but we are also used to more strenuous conditions, I assure you.”
“Even so, Gus’s cabin is unoccupied at present.”
He canted his head. “Gus. Your friend on the island.”
“Yes, well, he no longer has need of it.”
“Thank you, my friend.”
“Have you any personal belongings that still need retrieving?”
He chuckled, placing his hat back on his head. “I think you are like me in that regard.”
“Nothing then,” I smirked.
“The clothes on my back and the woman at my side. And weapons of course.”
“Of course. Speak to Addison about outfitting you.” I glanced at Aeris, looking over her small frame and wondering if she’d ever picked up a blade in her life. “And you as well. Everyone is to be armed, both with a weapon and a silentium. Lyla has proven that sirens are not immune to the voices.”
Aeris gave me a nod, her hand sliding down into Nazario’s. Not out of fear. Out of a need to keep him close.
As wild and unpredictable as Dahlia often was, I was finding my need to keep her close growing with each day, especially when the threat of losing her was now breathing down my neck like a hungry bear.
Behind Aeris, Meridan was staring out into the waters through which we were about to sail. When Nazario and Aeris left to tend to other things, I made my way to her, joining her in gaping into the open sea.
“Are you well?” I asked.
She took in a deep breath, bathing in the cool, ocean breeze that swept across the deck.
“I am…” She paused a moment. “Thinking.”
“About?”
“About why you’re here talking to me when plenty of other tasks require attention.”
I chuffed. “Fair point. But I am here because I need to know—”
“That I forgive you? For killing Dahlia?”
“No, I don’t care if you forgive me or not. I will continue to do the hard things if others cannot stomach it. I need to know that you will protect Dahlia with as much ferocity in the days to come. She will need it.”
Her brows pulled together as if the statement was too absurd to fathom.
“Of course.”
“I thought as much.” I took a moment to let the wind soothe my thoughts a little before I continued. “Did she speak with you? About any of it?”
“No, but that is not a new trait. She so rarely confesses her greatest wounds to anyone lest they be used against her. Much like you, I think. We cannot show the world we are bleeding when the world is populated by sharks.”
“Aye. Much like you as well.”
“Aye, captain. Much like all of us,” she said, mimicking my accent.
“We are, no doubt, sailing toward our deaths.” She stood up straight, taking her hands off the railing to face me.
“Thank you, Vidar Woelfson, for everything. I believe our time would have been up a long time ago were it not for the two of you finding each other again. And… finding whatever it is between you.”
Her eyes, though it was often hard to tell where they were going when she had no irises, shifted, peering past me.
Slowly, I turned to glance over my shoulder and find Mullins hopping up the steps from below deck, rolling the sleeves of his dark blue blouse up to his elbows as if getting ready to do some hard labor.
I quirked a brow at Meridan, leaning against the railing and crossing my ankles.
“You think I don’t see the way you look at him?”
Meridan quickly tore her gaze away. “What way?”
“Like you’d rather be next to him than standing here next to me. Or anywhere else for that matter.”
“I can’t stand next to him. He’s been moving about the ship too quickly for me to keep track of.”
“That’s not what I mean. I mean in a general sense, you want to be near him.”
“Well… yes.”
“Why?”
“He smiles more than anyone else here,” she began, tilting her head with thought. “He plays that instrument well, provided he isn’t full of rum. He tends to tease me, which often causes me to plot small bits of vengeance, but he never seems to care.”
“Vengeance? What do you mean?”
“One time, I took a bite of his apple, hoping he would notice and get angry. He didn’t. I take his sashes and bandanas often and hide them places for a time. I displaced his pillow for days.”
I laughed aloud at her list of benign acts, amused by how serious she was being. For such a vicious creature, she spoke of her quiet war with Mullins like it was a chore. When I started to chuckle at her comments, she tightened her brow, staring at me with utter confusion.
“You want to get revenge on Mullins for teasing you, you’re going to want to be more direct.”
“How so?”
“Just tell him to stop teasing you.”
Her gaze fell and by the way she chewed on her bottom lip, I could see that it wasn’t the solution she wanted.
I leaned a bit closer. “Unless you like him teasing you.”
“Why would I—”
“With the crew of the Amanacer joining us, there is very little room below deck. Mullins is the only other crewman with a room of his own. I’ll let him know to make space for you.”
“What?”
I shrugged as I backstepped away from her. “We have to make do. Small sacrifices.”
The look on Meridan’s face before I turned away from her was almost comical. I wasn’t sure if she was accustomed to sarcasm, but she wasn’t laughing. As I passed Mullins, I slapped my hand against the back of his shoulder.
“Clean up your quarters,” I said. “Meridan is sleeping with you.”
He straightened up like someone had kicked him in the ass and snapped his head toward me.
“What’s that?”
“You heard me.”
I headed up the steps to the helm, where one of Nazario’s men, Nikolai, was already acquainting himself with the wheel. According to Nazario, he was mute, but he could handle a ship like none other.
“Nikolai,” I greeted. “Getting a feel for her?”
He nodded, quietly praising the ship with his eyes.
“You’ll get a chance to take the wheel sooner than later.” He stepped aside with a subtle nod and I took the pegs of the wheel in hand, facing the deck. “Weigh anchor, men, and drop the sails!”