Black Sea Bright Song

by Shelly Jarvis

  Unsure what to think, she reached out for the old man’s emotions. When she was confident he hadn’t done it on purpose and certain he was planning to aid them she said, “Thank you for your help.”

  The old man smiled. “I haven’t helped you yet, Princess.”

  “Not yet, but you will.”

  “You’re certain?”

  She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly, then nodded. With a smile she said, “See you soon.”

  Twenty-Seven

  The crew was packed and ready when Evan and Myrthe returned to the hideout. They had finished packing food, weapons, and secured the rest of their goods in storage until their return.

  “Did he give you what we need?” Venus asked.

  “He gave me a headache,” Myrthe said. “Crazy old man.”

  Venus put her hands on her hips and shook her head. “What did you do to piss him off?”

  “It wasn’t my fault,” Myrthe said, feigning hurt.

  “It’s fine,” Evan interrupted. “He said to expect everything shortly.”

  “All right everyone, plan’s a go,” Venus called. “Get your gear and be ready to load when Tago gets here.”

  “And where exactly do you think you’re going?”

  A man brandishing a black cane meandered through a side door that Evan hadn’t noticed before. There were several others who followed him in, but he was the one who stole the show. He cut a dashing figure; tall, dark, and dangerously handsome, he was the sort of man who won his way through life with a smile, but had somehow managed to learn how to use a sword just for the fun of it. Though he was easily twice her age, Evan couldn’t help but notice how devilishly appealing this man was. One glance at Venus told Evan she wasn’t the only one who thought so.

  Venus said, “What the hell are you doing here?”

  The man raked his tongue against his teeth, his eyes narrowing. “I could ask you the same thing, babe.”

  “You’ve got a lot of nerve.”

  He smiled. “That’s what you liked about me.”

  “Go to hell,” she spat.

  He chided, “So much hostility, and in front of guests nonetheless.” Turning to Evan he bowed with a flourish, rising with a rakish grin on his face. “Nolan Raines, at your service.”

  Evan smiled, but before she could respond Venus stepped between them and said, “You’re not welcome here.”

  “A recent change in circumstances, quite unfortunate. I would very much like to remedy that, especially considering how well we work together.”

  Nolan winked at Venus, whose expression changed to sheer revulsion. She said, “I have no desire to rehash this conversation. Just like I have no desire to have anything to do with you. You need to leave.”

  Nolan planted his cane and rested his weight on it. Evan couldn’t help but notice how solid he looked, as if he were made of stone.

  “Listen babe, I’m not leaving. I’m here for a reason, and your dissent won’t keep me from what I want.”

  Caspian stepped beside Venus and crossed his arms. “I believe the lady asked you to leave. I think you should do that before the tide turns against you, friend.”

  Nolan laughed, the sound echoing from the tall ceilings. “Oh sweet Venus, you’ve got yourself a real hero this time, eh? I always knew this was your type, but I thought you’d given up on that and accepted who you really are.”

  His words caught Evan off guard. What secrets is she keeping? Who does he think she is?

  Venus flinched at his words. “You have no clue who I am. If you did, you wouldn’t dare walk into my place without invitation.”

  The smile on Nolan’s face soured and he ground his teeth together. With forced calm he said, “No one knows you like I do, love. That’s why it really irks me that you seem to have forgotten who you’re dealing with. I take what I want.”

  “I know who you are. That’s why I’m not impressed.”

  Evan cleared her throat and prepared to diffuse the situation. She was raised to be a mediator, after all. Instead Caspian stepped forward and Evan grimaced, knowing his words would not be conciliatory. He said, “Final warning: leave now while you can.”

  “I don’t think I will, and I don’t think you can make me,” Nolan said.

  The figures behind him stepped forward, lining up beside him. There were six of them, and Nolan made seven. Evan wasn’t a fighter, and she didn’t know how the other smugglers were in a tussle. If it came down to a physical altercation, the odds were in Nolan’s favor.

  Venus seemed to recognize this as well. She put her hand on Caspian’s shoulder and shook her head. In a tempered voice she asked, “Why are you here?”

  “For the Princess, of course,” Nolan said, nodding his head towards Evan. “Hand her over and we’ll be on our way.”

  “I’m not sure what you think you know—”

  “Don’t bother trying to talk your way out of this, V,” Nolan said.

  Evan stepped forward. “What do you want with me?”

  Nolan’s eyes narrowed as he said, “There’s a price on your head, Princess. We just want the gold.”

  “I can appreciate that,” Evan said, nodding. She smiled as a swishing sound echoed in the water behind her. “But as much as I would like to help you, I don’t think I’ll be able to.”

  “I’m not giving you the option, girl. King Calix wants you, and he shall have you.”

  Evan shuddered at the thought of Calix ruling the Protean kingdom. She said, “Calix wants my head, but I’m rather attached to it. Besides, our ride is here so I think we’ll just go.”

  Evan motioned the others towards the porthole. Venus and Caspian were still between Nolan’s men and Evan, and now Sami stepped forward to push Evan behind him. His bulk completely hid her from the rest of the room. He whispered over his shoulder, “Get to the ship. Now.”

  Evan stood her ground. She knew this had the potential to end badly, and she’d already lost too many people she cared for. She didn’t want to lose these allies as well. She wanted to help.

  Crow grabbed her arm from behind, startling her. He said, “Come on, Evan. Let them sort this out without giving them leverage.”

  He pulled her onto the ship. Mailik was already aboard, securing crates in the hold. He nodded to Evan, as if everything was in order and their departure wasn’t being hijacked.

  “Take a seat,” Crow said. “We’ll be off in a minute.”

  Evan furrowed her brows. “What about the others? Shouldn’t you be helping them?”

  “We are helping,” Mailik said, his voice surprisingly jovial. “We’re taking care of the things that need done so they can focus on that mess. It wouldn’t do them any good if they had to worry about loading cargo right now.”

  Seconds ticked into minutes, and all the while Mailik and Crow went in and out of the ship carrying crates. When they finished, Crow nodded to Mailik and said, “Guess we should let them know we’re ready.”

  Mailik smirked as he pulled a small green ball from his pocket. “Tago, be ready to leave in about thirty seconds.”

  The old man nodded and began flipping switches on the console. Evan looked to Crow, but he sat down and buckled himself in, humming off-key. Unsure what else to do, Evan sat beside him.

  A few seconds later, Mailik, Sami, Myrthe, Caspian, and Venus bolted into the ship. They hurled themselves into seats as the door closed and the old man pulled from the dock. They were barely away when an explosion pulsed through the water, rocking the ship in its wake.

  Mailik giggled, unable to contain his joy. His emotions were pouring out from him, infecting Evan and even those without her gift. Soon enough, everyone on the ship was laughing along with him.

  Once the laughter had passed, Venus said, “You know, I was really starting to like that place.”

  “It was infested with rats,” Myrthe said.

  Crow said, “Only for the last few minutes.”

  “Honestly V, how did you ever get involved with that guy?�
� Myrthe asked.

  Blush crept into Venus’s cheeks, and Evan saw she was doing her best to avoid Caspian’s gaze. “Everyone makes mistakes. He was one of mine.”

  “He can be quite charming when he wants,” Sami said.

  “And he’s very handsome,” Evan added.

  Venus sighed. “Sometimes that’s enough.”

  “Do you think the blast took care of him?” Myrthe asked. Her question was quiet, borderline respectful, but she couldn’t hide the hopefulness that danced in her eyes.

  Crow shook his head. “We’re not that lucky.”

  “It was more a distraction than anything else,” Mailik added. “It won’t do more than delay Nolan. You know how he is, once he has his mind on something.”

  Venus tipped her head to Evan. “And it seems he has his mind on you.”

  “I warned you there wasn’t much time, Princess. News travels fast in the underground, especially when there’s a reward,” Tago said.

  Myrthe nodded. “So what happens next?”

  “What do you mean?” Evan asked.

  Caspian wrung his hands together, his first motion since getting on the ship. “We can’t go on with our original plan with those brutes on our tail. We’ll have to come up with something else.”

  “The Triton guards can dispatch them fast enough, once we’re home,” Evan said.

  “Not if Nolan catches us first,” Cas said.

  Venus said. “He won’t give up the chase. Trust me”

  “He’s smart. He’ll expect us to go towards Triton,” Sami added.

  “But he knows we know him well,” Crow said. “Following us to Triton is predictable, so he’ll assume we will change our plans in an attempt to outwit him.”

  Myrthe huffed. “So we’re screwed either way.”

  “Aye,” Venus agreed.

  The ship grew silent as each turned to their own thoughts. After a moment Evan said, “We have to do what he won’t expect.”

  “I don’t know if we can,” Venus said. “He’ll be prepared for any possibility.”

  Evan eyed Tago, remembering how he had told her all of their planning would change. She bit her lip, resolving herself to the new plans forming in her head. “Except one.”

  Cas understood before the others. Evan watched his jaws clench and unclench repeatedly while he struggled to think of another option. Finally he said, “I can’t let you do that.”

  “You know it’s the only choice,” Evan said. “You have to get to Triton, but you can’t afford to take me with you.”

  “No way,” Venus said, realizing what Evan was implying. “That defeats the whole purpose.”

  Venus and Caspian stared at one another, the look between them unreadable. Finally, Cas said, “Evan is right.”

  Evan said, “Then it’s settled. I’ll turn myself in.”

  “Fools, all of you,” Myrthe said.

  “It’s the best choice for the crew,” Evan replied.

  Mailik chuckled. “Since when do you get to make decisions for us? We just met you today, kid.”

  “I hired you to do a job,” Evan said. “I need you to make sure it gets done, with or without me.”

  “It won’t work,” Crow said. “He’ll know something is up.”

  After a moment of thinking, Myrthe said, “Not if I betray you.”

  All eyes turned to her and she gave a self-conscious shrug. “I’m a Siren. It wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine it.”

  “You’re also the newest member of the crew,” Mailik said, rubbing his chin.

  Venus nodded. “It fits.”

  “Okay then, I’ll abduct the Princess and turn her over to Nolan,” Myrthe said.

  “No,” Venus said. “That’s still too easy. You’ll need to get captured by Nolan while you’re trying to take Evan to the castle yourself.”

  “Won’t he expect you to come after us?” Evan asked.

  Sami shook his head. “Recapturing you from his crew would be reckless, especially if we’re already a man short.”

  “It’s settled,” Venus said. “Tago, make for the cave.”

  Cas turned to Evan and asked, “Are you sure about this?”

  Evan nodded. “It’s the only thing I can think of.”

  He put his arm around her shoulders and said, “I’m proud of you, kid. This is a bold move. And you’ll be fine.”

  Evan leaned against him, realizing it was the first familial gesture there had ever been between them. She half-smiled at his encouragement, knowing his words were false. “Thanks, Cas. I’m sure I will.”

  Twenty-Eight

  Evan pushed herself onto the narrow shelf of coral and stood up. Water dripped off her and she found herself shivering in the cool air. “What is this place?”

  Myrthe kicked at the pebbles on the floor. Her lips tipped up in a half-smile as she said, “It’s a meeting place for the unsavory.”

  “It’s cold here.”

  “Probably because you’ve been with the humans. Temperature changes are more noticeable after you’ve been landed.”

  Evan thought the explanation made sense, until she saw Myrthe suppress a shiver. Evan smiled, but it died on her lips when she looked further into the cavern. Standing in front of her was the little boy who’d overheard them on the street earlier in the day.

  “What are you doing here?” Myrthe asked, her voice echoing through the confined space.

  The little boy smiled impishly. Myrthe snatched at him, but her hand came away empty as the kid took off running through a narrow corridor. Myrthe and Evan chased him as best they could, but the passage was shaped so that they had to double over to get through.

  When they made it to the end, the little boy was standing in a hollowed-out area where water dripped into a crater in the center of the room. Evan blinked in surprise as the little boy’s body shifted and changed in front of her.

  “What the—?” Myrthe asked.

  “She’s afraid,” the man said. He was impossibly handsome, so much so that it hurt to look at him. His skin was as dark as midnight, seeming to absorb what little light the room held. Fire-kissed eyes glowed from his hairless head, though his bare chest had white curls on it.

  “Who are you?” Evan asked.

  Myrthe dropped to the ground in a bow. “Forgive us for our many sins against you, Lord Poseidon. Forgive us for our trespasses in your kingdom.”

  The man waved his hand in her direction. “Common prayers from common people mean little to nothing.”

  Evan folded her arms over her chest. “Who are you really?”

  The man smiled with sharp teeth the color of bleached bone. “Is everyone a suspect?”

  “No,” Evan said, shaking her head. “But I find the presence of a god a bit hard to believe.”

  “I can understand your hesitance. How can I prove I’m on your side?”

  Evan frowned. “I don’t know if you can.”

  “Fair enough,” the man said. “Can I at least take you to your friends?”

  “I’m not here to meet friends. A god should know that,” Evan said.

  With a shrug, the man said, “I have to admit, I thought you’d be easier to fool. Maybe you aren’t as dumb as I thought.”

  Evan watched the man’s face distort. The bones beneath his skin shifted and rearranged. Hair sprouted from his bare head, growing to his shoulders in mere seconds. The fiery eyes turned a cool silver, and his dark skin was now pale as alabaster. As he stood from the ground, his muscled body dwindled until there was a slender, beautiful young woman standing in front of them.

  “Juno?” Myrthe asked. “I should’ve known.”

  Juno smiled, but it was more primal, like an animal showing its teeth. “Lovely to see you again, Myrthe. It’s been awhile.”

  “Not long enough,” Myrthe said.

  “Oh come now. You’re not still upset about what happened, are you? It was such a long time ago.”

  Myrthe clenched her jaw. “It was last year.”

  Juno waved
her hand dismissively, looking bored. “Practically an eternity.”

  “I will never forgive what you did to my family.”

  Juno yawned. “That’s terrible to hear. Really, just awful. Now can we get on with the task at hand?”

  “Why are you here?” Myrthe asked, her eyes narrowing. “What’s with the theatrics?”

  Juno shrugged. “The guards have failed Calix repeatedly. He sent someone who could get things done. So what if I use a little flair to spice things up? And why do you care who takes her off your hands?”

  Myrthe took a step back, pulling Evan back as well. Myrthe whispered, “Something isn’t right.”

  “No, it isn’t,” Juno said, her brows furrowed. “Little Princess is awfully compliant today. Makes it seem like she wants to get captured.”

  Evan opened her mouth to speak, but Juno interrupted her. “You know, I’ve been collecting Mer Princesses lately. Everyone seems to want one, though they’re worthless as far as I can see.”

  Evan felt fury rise in her chest. Through gritted teeth she asked, “Where is my sister?”

  “Which one?” Juno asked, silver eyes alight with mischief.

  Evan pushed past Myrthe as the anger took control of her body. She swung her arm forward, her hand colliding with Juno’s cheek.

  A crack sounded through the cavern. As soon as Evan’s hand touched Juno, they were blown backwards in opposite directions.

  Evan felt a tingling running through her body, just as she had in the market when she’d touched Tago. She looked down at her hands. Her skin was shuffling through different shades, the bones of her fingers stretching and shrinking as she watched.

  “What’s happening to me?” she asked, her eyes looking between Myrthe and Juno.

  “Holy shit,” Myrthe said.

  Juno cackled, the manic sound echoing from the walls. “You’re a Merewif!”