Chapter Six
Cordelia Marin
B asil moves on again, and I slip through the shadows, trailing him to the bow of the ship. The night air is cool, salty, and thick with an almost tangible tension.
He stops near the railing, staring out at the ocean, and I hold back, watching.
The captain steps out of the shadows. Basil seems surprised to see her. They talk briefly and she leaves Basil looking at the ocean.
The waves whisper against the hull, their song a haunting lullaby. Basil leans forward, his expression shifting, becoming entranced. His eyes glaze over as if he’s hearing words beyond human perception.
The whispers… I hear them now. Growing louder, swirling around us. “Come... join us... secrets in the deep...”
I shiver, but not from the cold air. A siren call. The language is ancient, familiar yet elusive. It tugs at my memories, fragments of stories told by my elders. This ocean’s voice is seductive and dangerous.
Basil’s lips part slightly as if he’s about to speak to the waves. His hand reaches out over the water, fingers trembling.
He hears the voices! But how? What do you see, Basil? What do you hear?
The ship groans and shifts underfoot, breaking the spell. Basil blinks rapidly, his trance shattered. He looks around, bewildered, like a man waking from a dream.
He clenches his jaw, angrily shaking off whatever had him captivated moments before. His customary mask of control slips back into place.
What are you hiding? What are you, Basil Jenks? More than human, perhaps?
The ocean whispers fade into the background noise of the night, leaving only questions in their wake. I retreat further into the shadows as Basil turns and heads back toward the main deck. His steps are purposeful again, but there’s a new tension in his posture.
He felt it too.
I wait until he’s out of sight before stepping out of my hiding place. The ocean still calls softly, but the pull isn’t as strong now. The night is muted, save for the rhythmic whisper of the waves against the hull.
I step carefully, watching his every move, thinking about his connection to the siren call and the strange happenings aboard, but making no sense of it.
He stops and leans against a wall while he answers his phone. Something serious by the looks of his face. And not news he is happy about.
It’s time to get answers. I close the space between us.
The ship lurches suddenly, catching me off guard. I lose my footing, stumbling into view. Basil spins around, eyes locking onto mine with a mix of surprise and suspicion.
Turning slowly to face him, I waver between defiance and fear. “Basil. What are you doing here?”
“What is happening on this ship, Cordelia?” He steps closer, irritation clear in his tone. “What are you hiding?”
“Nothing that concerns you.” My snappy response fails as my voice wavers.
He steps closer, eyes narrowing. “I don’t buy it. You’re always around when something strange happens. Why?”
His proximity makes my skin tingle. The air between us feels charged, electric. My breath catches as I struggle to keep my emotions in check.
Stay calm.
“You wouldn’t understand.” I turn away to hide my face.
“Try me.” He is insistent, too close now.
His intensity pulls at something deep within me, stirring emotions I thought long buried. My control slips for a moment—long enough for my skin to shimmer with my shifter nature. The soft luminescence is faint but unmistakable, like moonlight dancing on the waves.
My heart pounds, each beat a reminder of the secret I’ve kept for so long. The charge in the air between us is alive with an energy neither of us can deny.
His eyes, usually cold and calculating, soften for a split second, and I see curiosity, vulnerability, maybe even a hint of awe before widening in shock.
“What was that?”
I curse under my breath and step back quickly to mask the slip-up. “You’re seeing things.”
“No.” He grabs my arm. “I’m not letting this go.”
Fear surges within me. If he discovers the truth... yet there’s an irresistible connection between us that muddles my thoughts.
“I’m not your enemy.” My voice trembles with uncertainty.
“Then what are you?” he demands, his grip tightening enough to keep me from fleeing but not enough to hurt.
Tell him or keep lying?
“Cordelia.” His voice slices through the silence.
I look away, my shoulders tense. “You don’t understand. There are secrets, not mine to tell… you should not, cannot know.”
He presses forward, closing the distance between us. “The secrets you’re keeping are putting everyone at risk.”
My eyes snap back to his, anger flaring. “It’s you who puts us at risk. You’re not invincible. Secrets can destroy. You bulldoze through life, unaware of forces beyond your control.”
The tension between us crackles like electricity. His determination only fuels my resolve.
“Then enlighten me.” He issues a challenge, our faces only inches apart. “Or are you too scared?”
My breath catches. “Please. You don’t know what you’re asking for.”
“Try me.” His frustration boils over. “Your ship, or you, or I don’t know what, is giving me visions, Cordelia. I’ve always had a sixth sense. I’ve used it ruthlessly to get where I am. But ever since I set foot on this ship, my instinctive hunches have changed. Vivid visions with incredibly confusing hallucinations. And these… episodes… are increasing, happening more often and gaining in power.”
The tension builds between us, a crackling energy that sets my nerves on edge. He’s demanding answers, pushing me to reveal secrets I’ve sworn to protect. I’m not sure I fully understand what’s happening myself.
This ship and the waters we sail have a sentient magic I don’t fully understand. And now, it’s reaching out to him, drawing him in with visions. I see the desperation in his eyes, the need to make sense of what he’s experiencing.
The truth is, I AM scared. Scared of the forces at work here, scared of the consequences of revealing too much. Because the secrets I keep could destroy us in the wrong hands.
I can’t simply give in to his demands, no matter how persistent he may be. The stakes are too high, the risks too great. I have to guide him, to help him understand without exposing everything.
It’s a delicate balance. I have to tread carefully, to choose my words with precision. I will try, because the alternative is unthinkable.
Our eyes meet, and a charge runs through me. My skin prickles with awareness. Every nerve in my body is acutely attuned to his presence and the irresistible pull between us.
“Trust me with your secrets, Cordelia. I think your ship wants me to know.”
He closes the gap between us. My lips part slightly… I’m not sure if I am going to be kissed or if I’m about to speak…
Then a vision hits him. I see the physical impact as the vision possesses his consciousness. His body is rigid, eyes unseeing, lost in a place other than here, a view I do not share.
His eyes widen as the vision fades. He staggers back, away from me, his mind clearly reeling from what he’s seen.
I reach out to steady him, but he pulls away. “Basil…”
“What the hell are you?” The words spill out as he continues to back away from me. I see aversion in his eyes. And fear.
What kind of horror has his vision shown him?
I reach again for him, but he pushes me and stumbles away.
Before I can follow, my radio squawks with an urgent message.
Basil Jenks will have to wait. There’s a more immediate crisis to handle.