by C. L. Wilson
“Sirena.”
The sight of the unfamiliar men, with their gleaming gold eyes and sharp, fully extended white fangs set her nerves on edge. The swimmers were more likely Calbernan merchants or fishermen than villains in league with the Shark, but she wasn’t ready to take chances.
“Stay away from me!” Without the collar or her own internal barriers to restrain her magic, her Persuasion cracked like a whip. “Don’t come any closer!”
To a man, they jerked back as if she’d struck them. The confusion and surprise was plain on their faces, but not a single one swam any nearer.
“Sirena,” said the one who’d first spoken to her. “We heard your call. We’ve come to answer it.”
“What’s your name?” one of them asked.
“Where are you from?” queried another.
“Do you know Dilys Merimydion?” The Calbernans were speaking Sea Tongue, so she asked her question in Eru, hoping to keep an advantage in case they turned out to be an unfriendly bunch. “Can you get a message to him? Please, I need to find Dilys Merimydion. Di-lys Meri-myd-ion.” She enunciated each syllable slowly and distinctly, the way people did when they didn’t think you spoke their language.
“My friends, look at her,” a fourth Calbernan muttered. “She is oulani. How can she be the Siren we heard?”
The first man gave the fourth a disgusted glance. “Don’t be an idiot, Mahelon. The call led us here—all of us and all of them as well—” He gestured to the wide ocean all around them, where Gabriella could now see more than a dozen ships speeding quickly her way. “Besides, can you not see she is the one the prince has been searching for?” Turning to Summer, the first man smiled. The smile was much more charming and much less threatening with his long battle fangs retracted. In Eru, he said, “Sirena, I am called Amanu Susa. My family lives not far from Cali Kai Meri, the family isle of House Merimydion. My younger brother served on the Kracken. The Myerielua attended his wedding earlier this year. Let us escort you to Calberna, and we will send word to him. Please, Sirena,” he added when she did not immediately jump on his offer of escort. “You were on the sea when you Shouted. Most of the Varyan will have heard you by now—or very soon—which may include those who stole you from your lands. You will be safer in the Isles. Let us take you there.”
“Where is your boat?” she asked, more to stall for time than because of any genuine curiosity. “You must have a boat? Surely you didn’t swim all this way from Calberna?”
Amanu laughed, and the sound was every bit as charming as the good-natured laughter of every other non-Shark Calbernan she’d met. “Our ship is there—” He pointed to one of the fishing vessels heading their way.
The absurdity of her reluctance struck her. Who was she kidding? Of course she was going with them. What else was she going to say? No, leave me floating here alone in the ocean to drown or be eaten by sharks? “Very well,” she agreed with as much regal dignity as she could muster. “I would be honored to accept your escort to Calberna.”
“Wonderful!” Amanu issued a sharp whistle.
Gabriella gave a startled cry as two dolphins popped up on either side of her.
“Hold on to their dorsal fins, Sirena. They will swim you to our ship. Hold on tight. Ready?”
At her nod, Amanu whistled again, and the pair of dolphins flanking Gabriella took off. She gave a small, startled yelp of surprise and tightened her grip as the dolphins dragged her swiftly through the ocean towards the approaching fishing vessel. The Calbernans and the other dolphins followed alongside, leaping through the waves like flying fish.
It didn’t take long to reach Amanu Susa’s fishing boat, and they lifted her onto the deck by way of a magic-borne spout of water. Strong, bronzed hands were there to steady her as her feet touched the deck.
“Sirena,” the fishermen murmured, their expressions and their voices filled with awe that bordered on reverence.
Dilys had told her about the Sirens, about the terrible blow their loss had been to Calberna, but the truth of that loss hadn’t fully registered until now, this moment, as she stood on the rocking deck of a simple Calbernan fishing vessel, surrounded by the near-worshipful faces of these Calbernans. Had the goddess Numahao herself stepped down from Halla to tread upon this very deck, these men couldn’t have been more amazed or reverent. Her fear that Amanu and his men might be in league with the Shark evaporated in the face of their awe.
“Send word to the Myerial, and to the Myerielua as well,” Amanu said to one of the other men aboard. “Tell them the crew of the Blue Pearl has found the Sirena, and we are bringing her home to the Isles.”
Chapter 23
About fifty miles south of the shores of the westernmost Calbernan Isles, a familiar ship crested the horizon. Flying the colors of Calberna and House Merimydion, Dilys’s flagship, the Kracken, was speeding across the deep, blue Varyan Ocean, on a direct course for the fishing boat carrying Gabriella, which was now accompanied by a fleet that had grown to more than two hundred vessels.
Aboard the Blue Pearl, Gabriella was beset by equal parts exhilaration, relief, and dread as she watched the Kracken draw near. Relief that Dilys was unharmed. Exhilaration that she would see him again after the last long weeks of torment and horror. And dread for the same reason.
Her stomach tied itself in knots, and her hands gripped the Blue Pearl’s railing so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her heart was slamming against her chest wall.
The Kracken was still easily a mile out when one of the Calbernans aboard leapt from the bow into the sea. She knew who it was long before she tasted the salty tang of his sea magic or saw the streak of blue light spearing through the water. Dilys, his ulumi glowing bright, swam towards her faster than even his magic-powered ship could sail. Moments later, he rose on a wave of water like a young god of the seas. He leapt from wave to deck with one lithe, agile movement to stand before her, so tall, so strong, and—even though his face was drawn to the point of gauntness and there were dark rings beneath his eyes—so beautiful her heart nearly broke to look upon him.
“Gabriella.” There were tears in his voice, tremors in the hands that reached for her, then stopped, as if fearing she was a figment of his imagination.
She knew that feeling. She’d dreamed of him while in the clutches of the Shark and Mur Balat, tasted the bitterness of despair when she woke from the dream to find him nowhere in sight and the wooden walls of her floating prison still about her.
Then his arms were around her, solid and real, and it was his skin pressed against hers, soft, supple, so very warm, his scent filling her nostrils, a mix of aromas unique to him. And every part of her shuddered with joy and relief and . . . and love. Yes, love. Helos help her.
“Dilys, I—” Her throat closed up, tears threatening. She battled them back, afraid to let them fall for fear of not being able to stop crying once she started. It wouldn’t do to fall so completely to pieces in front of an audience. Nor was it safe. These fishermen had come to her aid. The last thing she wanted was for some inadvertent, emotion-fed burst of power to cause any of them harm. Her barriers were gone . . . blasted out of existence by that Shout that had torn through her collar and disintegrated Solish Utua’s ship. The fishermen aboard the Blue Pearl had been so awed by her they bordered on reverent, making it easy to hold herself in check around them, but with Dilys here, her fragile facade of calm had no chance of standing firm.
Dilys kept his arms around her, stroking her back and murmuring soft, soothing words against her ear. “It’s all right, moa kiri. It’s going to be all right. You’re safe now. I will never let anything happen to you ever again.” And even though she knew that “safe” was a word that could never again be applied to her in any context, the sound of his voice, the strength of his arms wrapped around her gave her a measure of comfort.
She clung to him, drawing strength from his closeness. Enough, at least, to help her keep her composure until the emotions bubbling madly inside her began to subside
.
When she was relatively calm again, she started to pull away from Dilys, but he slid an arm around her, tucking her against his side, and turned to Amanu and his crew. “Calbernari, you have my deepest thanks. I will always be in your debt for coming to my liana’s aid. And I will personally dower every one of your unwed sons in thanks for the great service you have provided House Merimydion and Calberna. If any of you ever need anything—anything at all—do not hesitate to ask. If it is within my power, I will see it done. Which one of you is the captain of this vessel?”
Amanu Susa stepped forward and bowed low before his prince. “I am, moa Myerielua.”
“Susa? There was a Manelo Susa who served aboard the Kracken.”
“My younger brother, Myerielua.”
“A good man. I attended his wedding before leaving for Konumarr this summer.”
Amanu beamed. “You did, my prince. My family was greatly honored.”
“Captain Susa, make a list of your crew and their families and send it to me at Merimydia Oa Nu. So long as I live, your families will always be welcomed by mine.”
Gabriella watched how quickly and completely the crew of the Blue Pearl fell under Dilys’s spell. He was so easy with them, so naturally and effortlessly charming. And so sincere. That was the real root of his near-magical charm. He genuinely cared, genuinely took an interest in their lives. And not just because they were Calbernan. He’d been the same in Konumarr, to the Summerlanders and Winterfolk.
That was the difference between herself and Dilys. The face she had always shown the world was a lie, a mask she’d worn since childhood. Dilys’s goodness, on the other hand, was the real thing. People loved him because he deserved it, not because he showed them a lie meant to manipulate them into loving him.
The Kracken had furled its sails and was drifting alongside the Blue Pearl now. Beaming Calbernans filled the riggings and lined the side of the ship, their smiles wide and dazzling, their joy so thick in the air each breath was a dizzying rush.
“Myerialanna Summer!” they called out, and, “Sirena!”
Their welcome washed over her, but instead of revitalizing her, their happiness and warm welcome began to sting her raw senses like nettles.
They all believed the lie of who and what she was. They didn’t know. None of them. Not even Dilys truly understood. How could they? She hadn’t truly understood either, until the Shark had laid his filthy hands upon her, and every thought in her mind turned to bloody, violent vengeance. A good person—one who was truly good at heart—didn’t relish the thought of turning her aggressor’s brain into soup, didn’t dream of crushing every bone in his body, one at a time, and drinking his agonized screams like a fine wine.
Even now, though she was safe, free, and reunited with the man she loved, all she could think of was going after the Shark and Mur Balat, tracking them down, slaughtering them in the worst, bloodiest way possible. Helos help her, even the urgent, heartfelt need to rescue her sisters was secondary to the ferocious lust for vengeance that writhed inside her.
With a wave of his hand, Dilys summoned a spout of blue water from the sea. He swept Gabriella into his arms, said, “Hang on, moa kiri,” and jumped onto the crest of the wave. It carried them up into the air, rising swiftly to the higher deck of the Kracken.
When they landed and Dilys set her on her feet, she stepped away quickly, out of his reach. She felt the instant, startled flare of concern, the wounded surprise, quickly stifled. She ignored both, plastering on her usual smiling mask as she girded herself to greet the members of his crew and assure them she was well and unharmed. More lies, from the princess of lies. They believed her without question, of course. Dilys didn’t. He knew something was wrong. The whole time she stood there, greeting the crew and the Winterfolk who had sailed with them in search of her, his concerned gaze kept darting back to her again and again.
“I’m very tired,” she told him softly when the reunions were done. “And I need a bath. Might I have one?” She’d bathed the day the fishermen had rescued her from the sea, but it hadn’t been enough, not nearly enough, to wash the taint of the Shark from her flesh or make her feel clean again.
“Of course you can have a bath. Whatever you desire, moa haleah, so shall I provide.” He called to one of the crew, issuing the command to have a tub and fresh, hot water brought to his cabin.
“The water doesn’t need to be heated. I can do that myself.” She smiled wanly and held up her wrist, where her Rose was a dark, warm red against her skin. It hadn’t cooled since her barriers had broken.
He walked her to his cabin, where his men were already setting up the large copper tub and hauling in buckets of fresh water from their stores. Since, per Summer’s request, the water didn’t need to be heated, it only took a few minutes for the crew to ready her bath, laying out a washcloth, a jar of soap, and what appeared to be several neatly folded bedsheets.
“We don’t have bath towels aboard,” Dilys told her. “They aren’t something Calbernans need, but the sheets should work almost as well.”
“It will be fine, thank you.”
“There are clean shumas in my dresser that you can use when you’re done. I’m sorry. I don’t have robes or gowns. I’ll put a call out to the merchant vessels in the vicinity.”
“It’s fine. I can just wash what I have on and have you dry it for me when I’m done. It’s what Amanu did after fishing me out of the sea.” They were being so polite to each other, so stilted.
“If that is your wish.” He started for the door, then stopped just as he reached it. “Gabriella . . .”
“What?”
He regarded her from the doorway, a rare look of indecision on his face, but then he shook his head. “Never mind. Have your bath, moa haleah. We will speak when you’re done.” He left, closing the door behind him with a soft click.
Gabriella’s fingers curled into fists. She thrust them into the cool water in the copper tub. She’d hurt him. He’d felt her withdrawal as clearly as she’d felt the wound it dealt him. She would hurt him even more once he realized that her kidnapping had left her more resolved than ever not to marry him. Everything she’d feared and fought against her whole life had come to pass.
She regarded the now-steaming water in the tub, gallons and gallons of water that she’d heated to near boiling without even thinking about it.
To free herself from slavery, she’d freed the monster.
There would be no caging it ever again.
“What’s wrong, Dilys?” Ryll asked. “You do not look like a happy akua-to-be, just reunited with the love of his life.”
The Kracken was under sail again, its course set for Calberna. Ryll had left his own ship to join his cousin on the Kracken.
“I wish I knew. She isn’t speaking to me.”
“She needs to.”
“I know.” Pain held within, unshared, festered. “She’s bathing now. When she’s done, we will talk. I’ll know better how to help her once we do.”
“Do you think they—” Ryll broke off, looking shame-faced.
Dilys’s mouth thinned. “Do I think they raped her? I don’t know. Possibly not. Virginity is highly prized by those who would pay to have a princess stolen from her home. But if she was, we will get through it. Whatever she needs, so shall I provide.”
“And whatever you need, so shall I provide,” Ryll vowed, his voice rich with compassion, “and Ari, too, once he’s done at the Kuinana.”
“I know.” Dilys laid a hand on his cousin’s shoulder. “And I thank you. You are my brothers in every way that matters.”
“Is there anything we can do for you now—or for her?”
“No, I—” Dilys started to refused, then broke off. “Wait. Actually, there is one thing. You’re handy with a needle, aren’t you?”
A knock sounded on the cabin door, making Gabriella jump.
“Just a minute!” She was still in the tub, where she’d been for over an hour, and the water was just as hot
as it had been when she started. She’d had to add more water, in fact, to replace what had steamed away.
Not that the bath had truly helped. She’d all but boiled herself and scrubbed her skin raw, but she still didn’t feel clean.
She climbed out of the copper tub, snatched up one of the sheets Dilys had left for her, and wrapped it around herself before calling, “Enter.”
The latch lifted. Dilys stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. He was carrying a small parcel. “Ryll and several of my crew made you a few things to wear while you were bathing. I’ll just set them here. You don’t have to wear them if you don’t like.” He handed her the parcel and watched while she opened it.
The first item Gabriella pulled out of the parcel was a robe sewn from white silk. The second was a sleeveless gown in a beautiful shade of sea green, the skirt slit up the side to reveal a pristine white underskirt. Strands of large, perfect pearls hung in graceful arcs at the waist. There was another, simpler gown, too, blue and sleeveless, that laced up in the front.
“It’s beautiful, beautiful—they’re beautiful.”
“The crew considered donating their shumas for the cloth, but one of the merchant vessels nearby offered some of the fabric in their hold instead.”
“Please, thank them for me. The merchant ship as well as your own crew.”
He nodded and eyed the still-steaming copper tub. “Are you done with your bath?”
“Yes.”
“Then why don’t you try the dress on, in case it needs alteration, while I take care of the bathwater.” He gestured to a screened alcove in the corner of the cabin.
Gabriella picked up the simple blue gown and headed for the alcove. As she dressed behind the screen, she could hear Dilys moving around in the cabin. A month ago, she would never have changed clothes with Dilys in the same room, no matter how many screens stood between them, but there was something about being chained naked to a bed and subjected to countless indignities for days on end that had stripped away every last vestige of virginal modesty.