The Pirate’s Princess
Bethany Wicker
The Pirate’s Princess. Copyright © 2018 Bethany Wicker.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Kindle Version, 2018
ASIN: B07D9WZ3GJ
Cover Design Copyright © 2018 JMN ART - covers by Julie Nicholls
Thank you to all those that help me hit the USA Today Bestseller list with The Pirate’s Siren!
Chapter One
My father was alive. That was the only thought consuming my mind. I’d been sitting in my designated bedroom for a little over an hour now. It was lavish with a solid gold bed frame and furniture adorned in jewels of all different colors. The bed was softer than anything I’d ever felt with a plush blanket that was perfect for hiding my tears.
After living on an island and a pirate ship, this was certainly the most luxurious thing I’d ever seen. It was hard to grasp places like this existed, even though I currently sat in the middle of it. This castle belonged in those fairytales my mother used to tell me about in her bedtime stories.
Even though I was surrounded by so much beauty, it was hard to fully appreciate it because my heart clenched in turmoil. So much had happened in such a short period of time that I felt like I was finally being spit out of the tornado.
I rubbed my hands together, trying to generate some heat. An unrelenting chill struck me all the way to my bones. I understood it was from the shock of reuniting with my father, but I still couldn’t seem to shake it. The persistent maids—yes, maids—tried to persuade me to jump into the warm bath they’d drawn for me, but I couldn’t make myself move from the comfort of the bed.
My father and I hadn’t had a chance to talk yet. Right after he greeted me, he insisted that I clean up and join him for breakfast. I still hadn’t slept a wink, but my pounding head prevented me from attempting to. It felt like it was going to explode if I moved too much.
A petite woman poked her head into my room and I recognized her as the most insistent of the maids. “Are you coming to the bath? His majesty is waiting in the dining room for you.”
This was the tenth time she spoke those exact words to me, yet I hadn’t even learned her name. Instead of shooing her away with another look, I figured I should answer her since she didn’t seem like she was going to give up any time soon.
“I don’t want a bath.” My voice was soft, but sharp. “My head hurts too badly.”
“Sirens don’t get ill, so it’s probably from not eating. A bath and then food will help.”
“I don’t want a bath.”
“My dear, you are caked in dirt. Certainly you don’t want to eat in those conditions.” She clicked her tongue as her vibrant green eyes assessed me. “You could use a fresh set of clothes as well since that dress is ratty.”
My eyes narrowed at her. As much as I wanted to, I wasn’t going to be rude—at least not yet—but there was no way she was going to tell me what to do. Not when my life had spiraled out of my control. This was something I actually had a say in and I wouldn’t let her take that from me.
“Actually, I think I’ll eat with him like this. I never had to be proper around him before, so why start now?”
“Because now you’re a princess.”
I recoiled as if she’d slapped me. “A princess?”
The older lady looked at me incredulously and her mouth pulled into a thin line. “Your father is the king, so what did you think that meant for you?”
“The king?” Sure, he was sitting on a throne, but I was so surprised he was still breathing that I didn’t even think about the reason why he sat on such a large chair.
“Even your mom’s tainted blood swimming in your veins can’t take that title away. You’re our only heir, so we’re stuck with you.”
I ground my teeth, but wasn’t in the mood to argue with her. That was reserved for my father. “Can you take me to him?”
“Not until you tidy up.”
Forget being nice. Nice wasn’t working. “I’m sorry, let me rephrase. Take me to him. Now. As a supposed princess, I demand it.”
She took a step back at the command and frowned. There was a struggle in her gaze until she finally relented.
“Very well. Follow me.” She all but spit when she spoke and haughtily turned on her heel.
I quickly followed after her before she had the chance to leave me behind. Her eyes remained forward as if I wasn’t trailing her. The halls were just as decorative at the rest of the castle. Glimmers of pearl lined the bottom and top of the walls. There were golden designs painted on the sea foam colored walls. I couldn’t decipher what they were supposed to be of, but they were stunning nonetheless. The halls were quiet, including my escort, and it wasn’t until we stopped in front of a set of double doors that the maid acknowledged me.
With a deep frown, she said, “He’s right in there. My name’s Alda, but only call it if you need me and will be compliant.”
Her stomping footsteps echoed down the hall as she left. I paused for a moment to take a few deep breaths and steady my erratic heartbeats. My head still ached, but the anticipation at seeing my dad again made it more bearable.
As I swung the doors open, I expected to see a grand dining room, but instead, found a small room with one round, marble table in the center of it. My father sat directly across from the doors. An empty plate sat in front of him and in front of the seat beside him. Once the doors closed behind me, my father jumped up and pulled me into a tight embrace.
No, this wasn’t just my father. This was my dad who’d cared for me and raised me. I might be confused about what was going on, but that didn’t take away the joy at seeing him alive. My arms tightened around his waist and the pressure of tears built behind my eyes.
“What’s going on, Dad?” My voice quivered with emotion.
His familiar brown eyes pierced through me. They were swimming with relief. “I’m so happy you’re alive. I was so worried, especially after what they did to your mom. We have much to discuss, but first, let’s get some food in here.”
He clapped his hands together and people walked in carrying silver trays. Each of the servers eyed me up curiously as they set down their platters. Once they exited, Dad beckoned for me to sit down. My mouth watered at the sight of the food, especially since they’d included my favorites. There were plates of fruits and vegetables, grilled fish, and grilled octopus.
Instead of diving into the food like my tastebuds wanted, I asked the question that’d been burning on the tip of my tongue since I’d arrived. “How can you act like this is normal? Mom’s dead, you’re suddenly a king, and now, I’m a princess. I feel like my head’s about to explode and you want to eat breakfast as if nothing’s happened.”
“I thought food first would be better than answers. Then, I can tell you everything when your mind is clear,” he said. “Please, indulge me and eat some octopus at least. I know how much you love it.”
My face burned and my jaw clenched, but I started chewing on a piece of octopus as he requested. No matter what, he was still my dad, and I didn’t like going against his wishes. So, we ate silently for a few minutes.
That was all I lasted.
A few minutes.
My knee banged into the table from me bobbing it up and down so violently, but at least the pain in my head had abated. The anticipation was too much. “Who are you, Dad? Really?”
Dad let out a loud sigh and rubbed at the dark stubble on his chin. “Okay, okay. You deserve the truth. I’m a direct descendent of Poseidon and since my blood runs through you,
that makes you his heir too. By being his heir, we are born with certain abilities the average siren doesn’t have. They mark us as siren royalty.”
“If you’re Poseidon’s heir and a king, why have we lived in hiding our whole lives? Couldn’t you have just made them accept Mom and me?”
“To most sirens, your mother was tainted by human blood. To me, she was perfect. Even though I was king, there are rules that I can’t break either. One of them states that I can’t live in the siren kingdom with a human as my mate, so I took her and we left.”
“But Mom wasn't human.”
“To the others, she might as well have been just for being half-human.”
“If that’s the case, then why am I here? Shouldn’t they have killed me?”
“They can’t because you’re already showing signs of being the next heir. There can only be one possible heir and the gods have chosen you.”
“Dad, you need to be clearer because my brain is about to blow up. What signs?”
“From what I hear, you can control the weather. I can’t even do that.”
“But they could still kill me. Wouldn’t I be safer somewhere else than hanging out in their lair?”
Dad shook his head with a grim smile. “As the heir, they physically can’t. They can chase you and threaten all they want, but it’s against their nature to actually take a swing at you. A pull in their will keeps them from doing so. It’s why they were able to kill your mother and not me or you.”
“Don’t you want to avenge Mom?”
“I can see it in your eyes that you do, but we can’t. These are our people and it’s our job to protect them. Not kill them to seek revenge.”
“Revenge sounds perfect right now actually.” The male siren’s face floated into my thoughts. “I know who I’d take out first too.”
“Sera, that kind of thinking will eat you alive. I love your mom still and I may never forgive the others for what they’ve done. But, the only rightful thing to do as king is to make certain something like that never happens again.”
I massaged my forehead as an ache started to return. “I just can’t wrap my head around all of this. If human blood is so terrible, then how can I be the next heir?”
Dad chuckled and it was out of place with the seriousness of my question. “Their minds are still reeling about it, trying to find the answer. I’m not surprised though because I know something they don’t. You’re a stronger, more compassionate siren than any of them. The human in you makes you more powerful than the others, not weaker.”
A sudden rush of anger sent my blood boiling and my heart thundered in my ears. “I don’t want to be compassionate. I don’t want to be a princess for these murderous people.”
Dad shook his head and said, “You don’t really have a choice. If you leave them without an heir, their existence may be wiped away.”
I gnashed my teeth together. The heat that rose within me made it feel as if I would spit fire if I opened my mouth. Dad watched me patiently while I silently seethed.
Would it be so bad if their existence was wiped away? The world might be a better place without sirens. There would certainly be less murder. What good did the sirens offer to the world anyway?
I sucked in a sharp breath. That wasn’t fair. It wasn’t my place to judge the whole siren species for the actions of only a handful. It would make me no better than them if I did.
After a few cooling, deep breaths, I managed to squeak out, “I can’t.” I took a couple more gulps of air and added, “Maybe I’ll go take a bath after all.”
Dad’s eyes were torn, like he still wanted to talk. A few seconds passed before he finally inclined his head to tell me I could leave. I rose and retreated back to my room before he changed his mind. My heart clenched in my chest and my lungs heaved from weighted breaths.
Even though Alda said to call her if I needed anything, she wasn't too pleased that I needed her help refilling my bath. I would’ve done it myself, but she had to get the water from some place else in the castle. She wouldn’t divulge where because she said it wasn’t something for a princess to worry about, so I had to rely on her to bring it from now on.
Seeing her grumpy face didn’t help my horrible mood and I was relieved to watch her stomp away this time. For a siren, she wasn’t all that graceful, but her foul mannerism fit in right along with the others.
The water was hot when I clambered into the tub. It felt so amazing on my tense muscles and I felt them relax all at once as I breathed out a deep sigh. I really should’ve done this earlier. Then, maybe I wouldn’t have gotten so angry so quickly. Hopefully, this bath would make me more level-headed for the next time I faced Dad.
After a few minutes of soaking, I noticed how awed I was by the fact that I was taking a bath miles under the surface of the ocean. According to my dad, his magic kept it this way, so I wondered how it managed while he was on the island with us. Had Dad kept the air bubble intact even while he wasn’t near it?
Fatigue threatened to overwhelm me, but I found my thoughts drifting to Steel. A pang went through my chest as I realized how much I wanted to see him. Was Steel thinking of me too? I wondered how the crew had made out and if they were on their way to Tortuga. I hoped they would make it there okay without me to help them.
That was a silly thought. They’d made it through much worse without me, but I hoped they at least missed me—even if it was only a little bit.
I drew circles in the water with my finger and watched the ripples they caused. This bath was already calming me down and I was an idiot for being so stubborn earlier. I hated being told what to do, but Alda was right. Maybe it was my grumpiness that rubbed off onto her and made her act so crabby. Heh… a siren being crabby like a crab.
I laughed at my own joke, leaned back, and closed my eyes.
Chapter Two
“Miss! Miss!” A loud voice interrupted my blissful thoughts of Steel and it was followed by someone roughly shaking my shoulder.
My eyelids felt like lead as I forced them open and groaned when I saw Alda. “What’s the matter? Can’t you see I was enjoying my bath?”
Her eyes widened and I was surprised to not see any irritation in them for once. “My Lady, you’ve been in the bath all day. You must’ve fallen asleep. The water is ice cold. Do you not feel it?”
Oh, it must’ve been a dream of Steel then. That explained why he was shirtless and breathing underwater.
I stuck the hand that was dry into the tub but didn’t feel anything out of the ordinary. “It feels fine to me.”
Her mouth dropped open slightly. “It isn’t too cold?”
A wry laugh slipped through my lips. “We’re sirens, are we not? Surely we can handle a bit of cold water.”
“Not this cold, miss. If I were in there, I would be blue from my head to my toes. I will report back to your father to let him know you’re okay. Will you please get out, so I feel better about telling him that?”
I grunted. “All right, if you insist.”
Alda didn’t leave until I got out and wrapped a towel around myself. Now, I needed to find something to wear. My pink dress was nowhere to be seen, so the closet in the corner was my only option. I opened it to see an overload of dresses. I flipped through them and noticed the intricate details on each one. One of them reminded me of the dress Steel had stolen for me from a merchant ship.
It was the same white color, but the jewels on it were yellow like the sun instead of blue. I decided on this dress because it made me feel like I had a bit of Steel with me. It clung to my body, but fit perfectly. I liked that this one stopped at my knees, so it wasn’t too difficult to walk in.
The choice of shoes were vast too, but I figured I might as well go barefoot. It was the most comfortable way and I’d seen several other sirens without shoes. I shut the closet feeling satisfied with my choice of clothing and decided to explore the castle.
People lingered in the halls and they whispered as I passed them. I pretended not to
see and ignored what they were saying. I didn’t care how they thought of me anyway. As I walked, I held my head higher and higher. I couldn’t believe the amount of people that were just hanging around. Didn’t they have anything better to do than stand around the castle all day?
One guy stepped in front of me and cut me off. He had black hair, piercing green eyes, and a toothy smile. “My Lady, do you need help finding something?”
I didn’t think I would ever get used to the words “My Lady” and “princess” because they were so foreign to my ears. “No, thank you. I’m exploring.”
He didn’t miss a beat. “Would you like me to escort you?”
I blinked, but didn’t even take the time to consider his offer. “No, I would prefer to be alone at the moment.”
His smile faltered, but he was quick to straighten it. “Very well, My Lady. My name is Thames. Let me know if you need anything or change your mind about a tour.”
“Will do,” I replied, even though I meant the complete opposite.
I had no desire to spend time with any of these sirens, especially since I was here against my will. The only one I wanted was to talk to my dad, and I was even hesitant about that. I hadn’t liked what he’d said so far—mostly the bit about Mom and not being able to avenge her. I couldn’t promise I wouldn’t lash out if I came across the siren that’d delivered the killing blow.
I picked up my speed to put as much distance between me and Thames as I could. At least he didn’t follow me. When I was far enough away, I slowed my steps and took the time to stare at each picture. I grimaced at one that featured the Kraken. It captured every detail perfectly and I shuddered at the memory of being attacked by him. The next picture featured a giant fish about to swallow a person whole. It was called a Cetus and I cringed. I hoped I wouldn’t be meeting one of those any time soon.
Looking around, I noticed beautiful children—boys and girls—playing with a ball and a small gasp slipped through my lips. I’d been so ready to condemn all of the sirens that I didn’t factor in the children. These kids, sirens or not, hadn’t had the opportunity to live yet and I couldn’t deny them that. I wasn’t cruel, only angry.
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