Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
ANA THE DEATHLESS
“Let us pray that medallion of yours works.” Jack stood behind the helm, holding our course steady. He was the only one I trusted at the wheel of my ship.
I moved to his side and gazed out over the water.
This time of year, when the water was warmer, storms tended to roll in.
But for now the sky was clear and the sun shone down on us, bathing us in oppressive heat.
Sweat gathered on the nape of my neck and ran down the small of my back.
I pressed my hand over the medallion, and I swore I could feel some kind of power emanating from it.
It felt heavy around my neck and pressed into my chest.
“It’ll work.”
“What’s it supposed to do?”
I glanced down at it. “I’m not sure exactly, but I think it’s meant to get us back safely.”
“And why would it do that?” Jack glanced down at it and leaned away from me. He’d been doing that for days, glancing at me and leaning away. I couldn’t blame him. He, like the rest of the crew, believed in curses, and Dracinda was a legend among them—for good or bad.
“I have no idea. But I believe we’ll be back soon enough.”
Jack nodded his head toward the front of my ship.
I turned my gaze forward toward the entrance to the Silent Straight.
Two islands stood close together ahead of us.
They were big enough that it would take days to go around, yet small enough that the straight was difficult to navigate.
Both islands jutted from the water and were surrounded by steep cliffs on all sides.
The water passing between them was quick and rough.
Many ships had run aground in the straight, which made it that much more difficult to navigate.
Not only would we have to make our way through the straight dodging shipwrecks and steep cliffs, there were also rumors of sirens residing here.
I pointed toward the entrance. “Right in, Jack.”
“You sure about this?” he murmured low enough for only me to hear. “We haven’t seen Captain Barr this whole time, and he should only be a few hours ahead of us.”
“He’s in there.” I patted the medallion and took a step toward the railing. I rested my hands there. “I feel it.”
“Why don’t we just go after the treasure ourselves?”
“Because if I know Captain Barr, he’s already gotten the treasure and knows we’re going for it too.” He guided the ship right toward the straight, and the rest of the crew went completely still.
Their eyes darted up toward the craggy cliffs.
They were so high on either side of the ship that they blocked out the sun and cast my ship in shadows.
Even the temperature dropped around us, and a chill ran over my skin.
The waves sprayed up against the cliffs and sprinkled over me.
At the opening of the straight there were jagged carcasses of ships that’d crashed here before.
“Spotters!” Two of my sailors scrambled to the front of the ship, taking up posts on each side.
“Three meters!” one called out, and Jack adjusted.
“Two! Two meters!” the other called out, and Jack adjusted our course once more.
“Like threading a needle, Jack.” I kept my eyes on the bow of the ship, following the straight and making sure we didn’t run into those sharp walls.
Water sloshed against the hull and the wood creaked. The wind whipped through the straight, and my ship lurched forward, gaining speed, but we didn’t need speed . . . we needed caution. “Trim the sail!”
My men rushed to pull the sail in. The ship slowed just enough for Jack to continue guiding us through. I glanced back at him. “Steady there, Jack.”
He ran the back of his hand over his sweat-slicked brow. “Aye, Captain.”
I turned back to gaze out over the rapidly moving waves.
Something glinted among them, but as quickly as it showed, it was gone.
I twisted my head in the other direction when I saw something out of the corner of my eye.
I moved toward the stairs to the right of the helm and walked down to the main deck.
There to one side was that flash of sparkling green.
I moved to the rail and looked out over the water . . . nothing.
But the hair on the back of my neck stood tall, and the air grew hazy. The ship lurched as a large rock scraped against the side, sending us careening away from it. I glanced back up toward Jack. He stood there with his arms limp at his sides, his eyes glazed and unfocused.
“Jack!”
Nothing.
“JACK!” I bellowed over the eerie whipping wind.
Nothing.
I spun around to call for the rest of my crew, but they were in the same state, standing there with glazed eyes and limp limbs.
The ship listed to the side, the straight carrying it forward.
It came precariously close to the cliff edge, and I ran up the stairs to the helm.
The wheel spun wildly and I reached out, grasping it firmly, fighting the rapids.
I used all my strength to right the ship, but without a crew to man it, we’d be another addition to the ships wrecked among the towering cliff’s edge.
Then I heard it . . . music so lovely and so soft it was lulling. “Oh bloody hell. No.”
“Well, this is an interesting predicament.” Thanatos appeared at my side. His voice was so calm and smooth.
“Are you serious?” I hollered as I fought to hold the ship straight. The rudder dragged on something and the ship vibrated.
“I am.” He strolled forward and gazed at my crew with raised eyebrows.
The music grew louder, and a chorus of voices rose from the water.
I gazed over the side, and there they were.
Half a dozen sirens floated around the ship.
They were all devastatingly beautiful. Long, flowing hair drifted around their bodies, and they were topless, with their full breasts exposed.
Their tails were long and glittering. It was easy to see how sailors went to their deaths with these creatures.
Their song grew louder, and Jack trudged toward the rail. I called after him. “Jack!”
But they had him under their spell. “Why isn’t it working on me?”
Thanatos shrugged. “If you don’t find them sexually appealing, then they’d have no effect on you.”
“Men!” I rolled my eyes and dropped the wheel.
“This is gonna hurt me more than it hurts you, Jack.” I marched up toward him, pulled my fist back, and punched him right in his jaw.
His head snapped back and his eyes cleared for a moment.
I didn’t know what made me do it, but I pulled the medallion from my neck and shoved it onto the skin at the opening of his shirt.
It burned hot beneath my hand and melted into his skin.
He bellowed and staggered back, pressing his hand to his chest.
The medallion remained in my hand, but his skin was an angry red where I’d pressed it. His eyes widened as he gazed down at himself, then out over the water. He staggered back. “Sirens?”
“Yes.” He ran his hand through his hair. He looked like he was about to go mad. I cracked my hand across his cheek. “Take the helm,” I commanded. “I need to help our crew.”
Jack gave me a shaky nod and grabbed the spinning wheel.
The muscles in his arms strained as he wrestled for control.
The ship straightened a second before it careened into the wall.
Even so, the wood scraped against the rock and splintered down the rail.
My body lurched to the side and smacked into the railing as I ran down to the deck.
Pain exploded in my side, but I didn’t stop.
One of my men leapt over the edge of the ship, diving toward the sirens.
His screams echoed in the air. There wasn’t enough time to rescue them all, not when they moved so quickly toward their own deaths.
I grabbed a rope from the deck and threw one end of it to Thanatos. It went through him and dropped to the deck. “Either help or leave.”
He ran his hand over his body, and small bolts of what looked like blue and white lightning sparked over him, then he reached down and picked up the end of the rope, holding it still.
“By all the seas!” Jack yelled, and my gazed jerked up to his. His eyes were locked on Thanatos.
“I told you!” I held the other end of the rope as I ran around a group of sailors about to go over the edge and yanked them back with the rope.
They sprawled on the deck, dazed from their fall.
I didn’t have time to press the medallion to each of them.
I ran to pull another from the edge of the ship.
Thanatos was like an anchor on the other end of that rope, yet he held it with one hand as though he were holding a feather.
His other hand was wrapped behind his back.
His muscles didn’t strain, and his robes barely wavered in the gusty wind.
Another sailor leapt overboard, and I ran to the side hoping to get to him before the sirens.
But it was too late. He fell into the water and they swarmed him.
Their faces turned from temptress to hunter in seconds.
Their gorgeous smiles turned shark-like with sharp, jagged teeth and blackened eyes.
They dragged him under, and his blood spread in the water.
When more men scrambled toward the edge, rage went through my body. I marched up to Thanatos. “Do something!”
“If it is their fate, then I cannot.”
I growled in frustration. “At least talk to them!”
“The sirens?” He arched his brows at me. “You want me to speak to the sirens?”
“They’re part of your world.” My panic for my men grew. “Can’t you try at least?”
Thanatos made a hmm sound in the back of his throat and dropped the rope. He headed toward the edge and looked down at the sirens drifting beneath us. His eyes lit with recognition, and he called out. “Ligeia?”
The sea rose up on one side of the ship and a siren hovered there with the water curling around her.
Long red hair flowed down her body toward her scales.
Her breasts were pert and glistened with drops of water.
To Thanatos’s credit, his eyes never drifted toward them.
She beamed at him with a lovely smile. Gone was that shark-like face.
Her sea-green eyes gleamed. “Thanatos, how good to see you.”
“And you, Ligeia.” He gave her a little bow of the head.
“What can I do for the Lord of Death?” She motioned toward the other sirens. “We are providing a bounty of souls for you to reap, are we not?”
“You are indeed,” Thanatos said pleasantly as though losing my crew was of little importance. “However, I was curious. Could you not take these men?”
Ligeia’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Is it not their time?”
“As you know, I come for all. One way or another, the fates will cut their lines, and I will answer that call. But I wonder, might you let them live this day?”
Ligeia narrowed her eyes at me, then her gaze drifted to him and back again. “This is her?”
“It is.”
“What?” I wanted to move closer, but I didn’t dare take another step. “Who am I?”
Ligeia didn’t bother to look at me again. Instead, she turned back toward Thanatos. “I will grant this favor to you, Lord of Death.”
The wave lowered and took Ligeia with it. The water stilled and the haze surrounding my ship lifted. The men seemed to wake from the spell they were under. They gazed around at each other in confusion. I turned back toward Thanatos. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He gave me a tight-lipped smile.
“I’m glad you decided not to stay away from me today.” I dropped the rope to the deck and dusted my hand off. My hands shook from the nerves leaving my body.
Thanatos glanced around at my crew, then met my eye. “I’m not here for you, Ana.”
“But the Sirens have stopped. They should be safe.”
“Like I said I’m not here for you.” His gaze didn’t waver.
A chill went down my spine, and I knew my men were never meant to live through this voyage. The guilt of that knowledge ate at me. I wanted to save them all. “If I turned around right now?”
He gave a light shake of his head. “It will not matter.”
The crew all staggered around the deck, staring at Thanatos and rubbing their heads. “Do they remember?”
“No, but they can see me now.” Thanatos turned away from me and marched up the stairs toward the helm. He stopped right next to Jack and gazed out over the water.
Jack paled and his grip tightened on the wheel. He mouthed the word death at me and his eyes went wide.
I turned to the rest of the crew as they stood their staring at Thanatos. “Take up your posts! We sail with Death on our side.”
They roared their approval and scurried around the deck, bringing the ship back to rights. I marched up the stairs to stand beside him and gaze out over the water.
“Death on their side?” He raised an eyebrows at me.
“I’ve decided sometimes it is a kindness not to know you are coming,” I whispered.
“Someone very wise once told me that.” He folded his hands behind his back. “I couldn’t agree more.”