Chapter 8 （Nathan）Silent Night
Chapter 8 (Nathan)
Silent Night
T he following day, we resumed our walk. It wasn’t long before we heard the distant sound of the river. A strange mixture of excitement and the bitter memory of sirens filled me. I hoped the boat’s captain had a plan for crossing the river without falling victim to the creatures.
It wasn’t until the afternoon that we caught sight of the river. The water was as beautiful and moving as last time, but this time, I knew it was because of the bewitchment of the wretched creatures.
“Beware of sirens,” I reminded Xavier and Saphielle.
“You didn’t tell me there would be sirens,” Saphielle reproached Xavier angrily.
He scratched the back of his head. “I may have forgotten to mention that when I asked you to come.”
These comments took me aback. Being aware of what awaited before going on a trip was vital. Still, I felt the need to rectify. “We talked at length about the need to take a boat across the river because of the sirens,” I commented, and looked at Saphielle. “You were there during all those conversations. I would expect you would have heard us.”
The woman rolled her eyes. “I remember these discussions but I didn’t fully understand what it meant. Look, this is my first trip.”
“Well, you brought this on yourself,” replied Xavier with a smirk.
Saphielle sighed in frustration and walked further ahead. It was too late to turn back anyway. It wasn’t as if she could find her way back to the city alone. She pressed her steps, and Xavier ran after her, trying to ease her anger. “I’ll protect you! Wait for me, Saphi.”
I looked at the half-vampire, amused, and wondered if he had fallen for the woman. He looked like an awkward teenager trying to make amends to his girlfriend. He finally caught up with her. In the distance, I couldn’t help but notice a smile on the woman’s face as Xavier begged her to let him protect her. She was clearly liking him as much as he enjoyed her. I looked away, not wanting to interfere with their gestures of affection. Seeing them reminded me of the beginning of my relationship with Emerald. I hoped their game would grow into something special for both of them .
I wondered if the sirens knew our presence as we approached the river. I was sure they were aware of the big boat anchored on the bank. The sight of it reassured me. It meant we wouldn’t spend too much time on the shore at the mercy of the vile creatures.
The boat was made of dark wood and was bigger than I’d imagined. It was a sailboat with three tall masts. A few windows revealed the captain’s bedroom and a few others for the crew and guests. I expected a smaller vessel, but this was a fine ship and I was happy.
Once up close on the beach, the boat seemed even more enormous. As we boarded, the crew was busy cleaning the deck and checking that the equipment was in good condition.
A dwarf greeted us. Unlike most dwarves I’d met, this one had no beard. He was four feet tall, but despite his small stature, he stood tall. His personality radiated leadership. He wore a brown leather hat whose flaps were curved up and secured with brass buttons. His shirt was white, and he worn leather armor over it, and a black jacket finished the look.
The crew, made up of dwarves, humans, and elves, obeyed his orders. I was surprised to see them working together, given that elves and dwarves generally despised each other. They traded together and tolerated each other at the United Races Committee but kept their distance the rest of the time.
“Welcome aboard my ship.” His brown eyes shone with the excitement of a new adventure.
“Dolgrom, it’s nice to see you again,” spoke Xavier in a friendly manner.
“Of course, lass! I couldn’t pass this adventure,” the captain answered.
“This is Saphielle,” Xavier said. The captain took the woman’s hand in his, bringing a kiss on top of it.
“My Lady,” he exaggerated, and the woman giggled.
“And this is Nathan.” Xavier gestured to me.
“Ha, the infamous Cursed King! I have heard of you,” exclaimed the captain.
I flinched at the name, not expecting to hear it. The name almost sounded foreign to my ears. It brought back the sour taste of betrayal to my mouth.
“Please, call me Nathan,” I answered.
“Aye,” replied the captain. “But I want to hear all your anecdotes when we eat tonight.”
I held back a sigh of discontent. Socializing wasn’t quite in my plans, but I owed it to myself to keep company to the only captain who dared to face the river for us.
The captain added, “You’re all invited to my table.” Then he called, “John.”
“Yes, Captain?” replied a young man in his early twenties. His hair was combed to the side, and he sported a mustache and a trim beard.
“Go show our guests to their rooms. We’ll weigh anchor as soon as supper is over, wherever the evening winds take us south.”
“Aye, Captain,” the sailor replied before motioning for us to follow him.
The wooden deck was clean. Canons stood on either side of the boat, pointed to shoot down anything that might come in from the sea, stacks of cannonballs nearby. Ropes hung everywhere, and I was careful not to step on one. I noticed that most crew members were also wearing swords on their belts. Sailing a boat was a dangerous business.
We followed John onto the main deck, leading to small cabins. There were a few, and the sailor pointed out ours. I was happy to have a bed waiting for me, although I didn’t know if I’d be able to rest knowing the doom hanging over our heads.
I entered my cabin. Although small, I had enough space to store our bags beside my bed. It was more than enough for the night we’d have to spend on the boat.
I waited for Xavier and Saphielle before heading for supper at the Captain’s Quarters. The room was large and lit with candelabras. On one side of the room was the captain’s bed. It wasn’t massive, but still more luxurious than the one in my cabin. A desk with a large sea chart and a compass was on the other side. Above the table was a hutch with several closed doors that kept its contents secret. At the far end was a large upholstered armchair overlooking a wrought-iron decorated window.
Finally, a large table filled the center of the room. Fruit and cheese plates were arranged, and the staff brought chicken dishes and other sumptuous delicacies. From the amount of food, I figured either Xavier was paying the captain handsomely, or he liked to show off. Probably a bit of both.
Dolgrom was already sitting at the table. He motioned for us to join him. “Aye, make yourselves at home!”
I sat by his side, Xavier sitting in front of me beside Saphielle. John brought a bottle of blood wine that I shared with Xavier, as we were the only two half-vampires on board.
I asked the captain, “Tell me, how do you keep the sirens at bay? I thought we would have encountered some already.”
The captain grinned after swallowing a mouthful of mashed potatoes.
“Aye. Have you noticed the elves on board?”
I nodded. “Yes. I was surprised to see elves on a dwarf ship, given the history between your two races.”
Dolgrom laughed heartily. “At sea, there’s only one race: sailors. Everyone is working together to make it alive to shore.”
He bit into a chicken leg, pulling until the skin tore, drops of chicken juice splashing up to Xavier. The half-vampire stared at the captain, who didn’t notice, swallowing his mouthful as he sipped wine before continuing, “Those elves are mages. They cast a muffled spell on the ships when we arrived. If ya can’t hear the sirens’ songs, they can’t get to you.”
It was ingenious. It would allow us to cross the river without any bad encounters.
The captain continued, “Of course, the spell has worn off, but the sirens have moved away because they saw earlier that they couldn’t reach us.”
“It wore off?” I asked, bewildered. “Why didn’t you cast it again? Those vile creatures are dangerous.”
Dolgrom shrugged it off. “They won’t be back until we move.”
“How can you be so sure?” Xavier asked.
The captain winked. “Experience.”
I eyed the captain warily. I didn’t trust the sirens wouldn’t return until we moved. Those creatures were vicious. They wanted fresh blood and wouldn’t be satisfied until they had some. This captain wasn’t as experienced as he tried to make it sound .
“How long should the crossing take us?” asked Xavier. The river was large enough at this place that we couldn’t see the other side. However, it became even larger when it merged with the ocean.
“There are a lot of sharp stones underwater, some parts of the river being shallower than others. Thus, we won’t be able to go at full speed. Nonetheless, we will only require a few hours to cross. We’ll be there by tomorrow morning.”
This was good news. The quickest I’d be away from this river, the better I’d feel.
“Enough talking about me,” Dolgrom slapped the wooden table, and Saphielle gasped in surprise. “I want to know everything about you, Nathan. I have heard so much about the legendary half-werewolf, half-vampire.”
His words made me uncomfortable. If there was one thing I’ve learned in my years as king, it was never revealing everything about ourselves. I talked about my parents and bits and parts everyone knew.
The captain continued to eat, listening attentively as I spoke without interruption. Xavier had a funny look as I recounted my childhood and how I’d grown up in the castle. He raised an eyebrow when I recounted my mother’s death and seemed shaken when I mentioned my father’s death. Perhaps he’d had a similar experience in his youth? I realized I didn’t know a lot about his childhood. I wanted to ask him, but the captain pressed me with more questions. Careful not to reveal any dangerous information, I satisfied our host’s curiosity.
When supper was finally over, John burst into the room again. “Captain, the tide has turned, and the wind is picking up.”
Dolgrom stood up, a grin on his face. “Perfect timing! Tell the elves to get ready to chant the spell for the sirens. The creatures will likely come back once the ship starts moving. We’ll weigh anchor once we’ve cleaned up the table.”
John left the room, and the captain turned to us.
“If there’s anything you need to do before we weigh anchor, now’s the time.”
We nodded and headed out. I grabbed Saphielle’s hand, which was in front of me.
“I want to feed before we leave. Bloodwine alone won’t be enough to sustain me.”
She nodded and followed me to my cabin, Xavier behind us. He crossed his arms and leaned against the corridor wall, giving the woman a long look as I closed my bedroom door.
“I’ll be here for you,” he said confidently.
I fed quickly. Saphielle was used to it by now, and Xavier was always eager for her to return when I was done. From how he looked at her as she left my cabin, I was sure the half-vampire had feelings for her. I waited for them to enter Xavier’s cabin and headed for the bridge.
The moon was high in the sky, and the elves were lined up. They began chanting a spell.
Dolgrom shouted, “All sail, weigh anchor!”
The sailors began to move, obeying the captain’s orders, as the singing of the elves mingled with the ambient noise. John passed in front of me, carrying a bundle of ropes. An intense light pierced the night and enveloped the ship. At the same moment, all sounds were muffled. I felt as if my ears were underwater. I panicked for a moment, looking around. The elves were no longer chanting, and the captain was silent, but the crew wasn’t worried. They were communicating without words .
Xavier and Saphielle rushed to my side, panicked. I could see their lips moving, but I couldn’t hear anything. I tried to answer them, but I couldn’t make a sound. I turned to Dolgrom, who was smirking at us. It was only then that I realized that the muffling spell the elves had cast around the ship protected us from the sirens’ song, but also meant that no sound could be heard on the ship either. I hoped Xavier and Saphielle understood this too.
Once the initial panic had passed, I leaned against the rail at the stern of the ship, watching the crew at work. I knew I needed to go to bed, but this enforced silence filled me with peace. I admired the beauty of the water, almost black in the night, and the grooves left by the boat’s passage as the wind pushed us southwards. I didn’t often go out to sea, but this moment of tranquility made me yearn to do it more often. It was so different from the chaos of the city.
As I was hypnotized by the beauty of the night, I thought about Emerald. Was she all right? What could these Shadow Weavers want with her? I hoped I’d get there in time. I’d kill anyone who hurt her. The void her absence had created was a never-ending abyss, torturing me. I dreamt of her every night and thought of her every waking hour. I couldn’t live without her.
Fatigue was beginning to set in. I looked at the peaceful landscape again, thinking I should go to bed. A movement broke the tranquility of the moment. I squinted to see what it was. It looked like fingers, water dripping inside the boat. The sailors didn’t see it as they were busy doing their chores.
Soon, two bluish hands appeared on the boat’s edge, the smell of fish filling the air. My heart pounded in my chest. I knew precisely which creature these hands belonged to. I wanted to shout to warn the sailors nearby, but the mute spell was still in effect.
More hands appeared all around the boat, and soon, the nearby sailors began to turn their attention to the creatures. It all happened so quickly. Half a dozen sirens were hoisted aboard, their fishy skins glistening in the moonlight. A palpable sense of dread filled the air.
I ran up to John, who was nearby, and touched his shoulder. He turned toward me, and I pointed at the sirens. When he looked in their direction, one of them was already standing on the deck, rearing up on her fishtail, grabbing the nearest sailor with her sharp claws. I was surprised at the agility sirens showed out of the water. I had expected them to be awkward on land.
I rushed with John to save the sailor struggling with the siren, signaling any crew members I could on my way. By the time I reached the siren, the sailor was already ripped open, the vile creature tasting its entrails, blood staining her coral horns. She dropped the body when I arrived, turning her attention to me. She hoisted silently, pointing her sharp teeth at me, preparing to pounce.
Bolstered by the blood I’d drunk earlier, I let my vampire instincts take over, my fangs and nails growing.
Around me, almost the entire crew was on deck, fighting the sirens. The one in front of me desperately tried to grab and pull me into the water, but I was faster than her. I wanted to claw her in the face, but she slammed her tail into my ribs, forcing me to shift my leg to keep my balance. Gritting my teeth, I lunged at her, lacerating her arm with my claws. Dark blue blood poured from the wound, and the acrid scent of the siren’s blood came to my nose. I charged again, slamming the creature against the edge of the boat. Its skin was slimy and easy to slice with my sharp nails but slippery and hard to grasp.
The siren lunged at me again, swishing her tail, but the boat rocked on the side. The creature stood, wedged between me and the boat’s edge. She pulled up, her face close to mine, too close. I pushed her away, but she was faster than me, digging her claws deep into my back. My scream was silent, but the pain was atrocious.
I felt incredible strength as the mermaid tried to pull me over the boat’s edge. She wanted to get back into the water, where she would have the advantage over me.
Face to face with the creature, I rammed my head into her belly, trying to pull its nails from my skin. But her claws wouldn’t let go, and I felt my skin tear under the force, gashes forming in the furrow of the siren’s claws. A tear rolled down my cheek despite myself, and I gritted my teeth harder as the creature’s nails slipped under the force of my thrust. I pressed on despite the pain, knowing full well that worse was to come if the siren succeeded in pulling me into the depths of the water. I finally managed to free myself from the siren’s grip, warm blood running down my back.
I grabbed the sword of the fallen sailor and infused my vampiric strength into my blow, slicing through the siren’s arm. The creature hissed again as her arm fell to the floor and tried to claw me with its other hand, but I swung my sword at it, and it recoiled. I prepared to strike a blow into her chest right at the point where the hard coral began. It was my only chance to reach her vital organs, the coral creating a natural armor around her torso. The siren tried to lash out with her tail again, but I leaped into the air and plunged the sword into her chest. The blade sank until the sword handle was lodged in her chest, my hand touching the siren’s warm, viscous flesh.
I returned to the ground, seeing the creature no longer moving. It was frozen in a moment of fright and fell to the ground. Her body was still heaving with slow breaths; she wasn’t dead yet. Not wanting her to suffer needlessly, I slit her throat, wishing to hasten her death.
I wasted no time in helping the other sailors. Another siren had caught Saphielle, and Xavier desperately tried to save her. I rushed to their aid, and with the two of us, we pulled the woman out of the creature’s clutches. The captain signaled to the elves when all the sirens were either dead or gone. Their mouths moved, and in an instant, the sounds returned.
“Why did you remove the spell?” I asked Dolgrom.
“They’re not returning, and we need to check everyone’s condition. It will be better if we can speak.”
“That’s what you said to begin with,” I replied.
The captain raised his index in the air. “Correction. I said they wouldn’t return until the boat moved, which they didn’t.”
I challenged him. “What makes you think they won’t return this time? We’re still moving.”
“We scared the shit out of them just now, even killing some. They’ll stay away for a while. Besides, you’ve seen what the spell does. How can we heal the wounded if we can’t make a damn sound?”
His tone was aggressive. He didn’t like to be challenged. Though I didn’t trust the sirens wouldn’t return, he was right. We needed to be able to talk to each other to tend to the wounded, at least to cast healing spells, if nothing else. Besides, he was the captain. He was giving the orders on this ship. I nodded, turning my eyes to the state of the boat.
It was a sad sight. The corpses of sailors and sirens lay on the deck, the dark blue blood of the creatures mingling with that of the humans, dwarves, and elves who had fought. The river crossing had not gone as peacefully as planned.
I joined Xavier and Saphielle. The half-vampire was holding the woman protectively in his arms .
“Are you okay?” I asked Saphielle.
I could see the pain in her eyes as she stared at me. “It hurts.”
Her shoulder was torn, and blood was oozing out.
“We need to close her wound,” I said to Xavier.
He nodded and approached Saphielle. “Do you trust me?”
The woman nodded. “With my life.”
Xavier nodded. “Don’t move.”
He applied his mouth to the wound, like a lover wanting to give a hickey, but I knew he was healing it. Vampiric saliva had a healing property. It was the same as when I drank blood and closed the puncture holes but on a larger wound.
The skin would be closed, but the internal wound would take several days to heal.
I suddenly remembered that the siren had cut my back open, but it didn’t hurt much anymore. When Xavier had finished with Saphielle, I turned around.
“What state am I in?”
Xavier asked in surprise, “What happened to you?”
Saphielle murmured, “Your shirt’s in tatters.”
I laughed. “The siren got me good.”
Xavier brushed his fingers over my skin, and I hissed. “The gashes are still visible. The skin is not fully closed yet.”
I turned to them and nodded. “Yes, that’s what I thought. The pain’s almost gone.”
“So quickly?” asked Saphielle, surprised.
I smiled. “I’m half-vampire and half-werewolf. My healing powers are amplified.”
“That’s pretty handy,” she murmured.
Despite the events, the woman was faintly smiling, but I was worried about her. The look on Xavier’s face when he met my gaze confirmed that he thought the same thing.
“Thank you for saving me,” the woman mentioned as she looked at us.
Xavier looked tenderly at the woman. “It was only natural.”
I put my hand on Xavier’s shoulder. “Go. Take care of her. It’s getting late.”
The half-vampire gently helped Saphielle to her feet. He put his arm around her for support. His movements were full of affection. I watched them make their way to the cabins.
Taking one last look at the night, I helped the deckhands throw the bodies of the sirens overboard and put the bodies of the crew into bags. They would be buried appropriately when we reach land tomorrow.