The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea

by Kerrelyn Sparks

Elam followed it in, exclaiming, “I think it’s Gavin!”

  The cat leaped into the circle of girls and looked around. Then he let out a desperate cry.

  Nevis narrowed his eyes. This orange tabby looked just like the Seer’s cat.

  “Gavin, is that you?” Bettina asked, and the cat meowed.

  “He must be looking for Gabby,” Catriona added.

  “She’s not here.” Olana shuddered. “Poor Gabby is in the dung—”

  Hannah elbowed the younger girl. “She’s in the castle.”

  “Wait a minute.” Elinor lifted her pen in the air. “Are ye saying Gabby’s brother is a cat?”

  “Why not?” Catriona gave her a wry look. “Your brother is a dog.”

  Elinor tilted her head. “All right.” She added a few words to her notes.

  Nevis sat back down. “I saw this cat a few days ago. He was on the Isle of Mist with the Seer.”

  The cat nodded his head and made a yipping sound.

  “The Isle of Mist?” Bettina reached a hand toward the cat. “Gavin, is that where you’ve been the last two years?”

  The cat butted against her hand and meowed.

  “Wait a minute.” Nevis motioned to the cat. “How did he get here?”

  “Good question,” Elinor murmured. “Can he shift back to human form to tell us what happened?”

  Catriona shook her head. “The queen was so mad at Gabby that she put a curse on Gavin. He’s unable to shift back.”

  Gavin let out a pitiful howl.

  “Poor kitty.” Bettina rubbed the cat’s head.

  Elinor’s grip on her pen tightened until her knuckles turned white. “Queen Cahira has that kind of power?”

  “She’s a bloody sea witch,” Tommy muttered. “She can make things explode and put curses on people.”

  Lobby nodded. “She blew up our boat.”

  Nevis sat back. Gavin’s curse sounded a lot like the curse that afflicted Brody.

  Elinor drew in a sharp breath, then turned to Nevis. “Are ye thinking what I’m thinking?”

  “Brody?”

  Elinor nodded with tears gathering in her eyes.

  Nevis touched her shoulder. “I know it’s upsetting to you, but this is actually good news. Once we capture the queen, we could make her lift the curses on Brody and Gavin.”

  Elinor dropped her pen and fisted her hands. “We can’t stop there. We have to kill her.”

  Nevis blinked. He hadn’t expected this streak of vengeance in the princess. “I agree she’s made Brody suffer. Gavin, too, but—”

  “The witch who cursed Brody was the same one who killed my father and eldest brother,” Elinor hissed. “She destroyed their ship and left them all to drown.”

  A number of gasps echoed around the room.

  Nevis was shocked, too. Brody had mentioned the curse, but he’d never talked about his family getting killed. “Cahira murdered the king of the Isle of Moon?”

  Elinor nodded. “My brother, too. Prince Edgar.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “I have to avenge them.”

  “She’ll get what she deserves.” Nevis squeezed her hand. “You have my word on that.” While Elinor wiped the tears from her face, he gathered up the notes she’d written and passed them on to Lobby. “Can you and Tommy leave now? Tell the guards at Lessa Castle that you have news from the princess, then pass these papers on to Queen Esther. Ask her to send them to King Leo as quickly as possible.”

  “Aye, Colonel.” Lobby saluted and took the papers.

  “Here.” Elinor wrote a quick note, signed it, then jumped to her feet to hand it to Lobby. “This will get you an audience with my mother right away.”

  “Aye, Yer Highness.” Lobby gave her a worried look. “Be careful here.”

  Elinor nodded as the two men hurried out the door.

  “It’s time for the young ones to sleep now.” Bettina pulled some blankets off the shelves and gave them to the youngest girls. “Are you tired? The princess can bunk with us, and Nevis can go with Elam and Quentin to the boys’ cabin.”

  Nevis glanced at Elinor, who still looked pale and drawn from the recent revelation of who had killed her father and brother. “I think the princess should rest. I would like to get a closer look at the guards’ headquarters. The castle, too, if possible.”

  “I’ll take you,” Quentin offered, his eyes lit with excitement. “I can be really sneaky.”

  “I’ll go, too,” Elinor said quietly.

  “Are you sure?” Nevis asked her.

  She nodded. “I need to stay busy. If I don’t, I’ll think about . . .” Her eyes glistened with tears.

  Nevis touched her shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

  She took a deep breath. “I’ll be all right. ’Tis better this way, knowing the truth.”

  “Aye,” Nevis agreed. “And now Brody has a chance to get his life back.”

  She nodded, then touched his hand. “Thank you for being here with me.”

  He folded his fingers around hers. When her gaze met his, he was tempted to pull her into his arms. Unfortunately, there was a room full of people watching their every move. He released Elinor’s hand just as a knock sounded on the door.

  An older woman opened the door and peeked inside.

  “Ruth,” Bettina greeted her. “Come in.” She glanced back at Nevis. “Ruth is the servant who raised us in the nursery. We can trust her.”

  The woman entered, casting a curious glance at Nevis and Elinor.

  “I’m Colonel Nevis Harden from Eberon, and this is Princess Elinor from the Isle of Moon.”

  Ruth gasped. “Oh, no! You must take the princess away from here. Queen Cahira hates her family with a passion.”

  Elinor hissed in a breath. “She’s the one who killed my father and brother, isn’t she?”

  Ruth nodded. “I’m so sorry, Your Highness. Cahira believes the Isles of Moon and Mist should be part of her domain.”

  Elinor lifted her chin. “I’m not leaving. Not until justice is served.”

  Ruth sighed. “So many new people here today. Maeve arrived earlier, and then the Seer.”

  “The Seer is here?” Nevis asked. “No wonder his cat showed up.”

  Ruth noticed the cat for the first time and gasped. “Gavin, is that you?”

  The cat trotted up to her and meowed.

  Ruth leaned over. “Don’t worry. Gabby is fine. She’s been moved to a servant’s room, the one next to mine.”

  “Oh, thank the goddesses,” Catriona said, while everyone in the room let out a sigh of relief.

  “We have Maeve to thank for it,” Ruth explained. “She talked the queen into moving Gabby out of the dungeon.”

  Gavin meowed again and reared up on his hind legs.

  “Do you want to see her?” Ruth asked, and Gavin leaped into her arms.

  “How did Maeve manage to convince the queen?” Nevis asked. “Isn’t she a prisoner?”

  “Well, yes, she is,” Ruth conceded. “She’s being guarded night and day, because the queen doesn’t trust her. But she’s being treated well. After all, she’s the queen’s daughter.”

  Everyone in the cottage gasped. Elinor stiffened.

  “Good goddesses.” Bettina pressed a hand to her chest. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Maeve looks so much like her.”

  Elinor turned to Nevis with a stricken look. “Maeve is the Sea Witch’s daughter?”

  Nevis grimaced. For years now, he’d suspected that Brody was smitten with Maeve. But dammit to hell, that meant the poor sod was in love with his worst enemy’s daughter.

  “I have more news,” Ruth declared, and Nevis prepared himself for something even worse.

  * * *

  After making sure the doors were securely locked, Maeve sat at the table and forced herself to eat. After all, she needed to keep her strength up if she was going to seduce Brody when he came back. Her heart raced at the prospect, but the more she thought about it, the more she felt a heavy sense of regret.

 
This was not how it should be.

  She’d grown up hearing Brigitta weave her overly dramatic stories of true love. It simply wouldn’t be romantic if she coerced Brody against his will. Oh, she had no doubt he wanted her. She’d seen desire flash in his eyes, and he’d admitted to lusting for her. He’d also confessed to caring for her.

  But according to Brigitta’s stories, he should want her with a passion that could not be denied. So far, he’d been quite successful at denying it, blast him. Did that mean he didn’t want her badly enough?

  With a groan, she gave up on eating. What choice did she have but to seduce Brody? This was the only thing she could think of that would cause the Chameleon to reject her.

  She wandered over to Brody’s bed and imagined him kissing her the way he had the night before. It had certainly seemed passionate. Surely, it could happen again. And thank the goddesses, with the doors locked, they would have privacy.

  Or would they? She glanced at the door with the key in the lock. What if Cahira or one of the servants had another key?

  Quickly, she arranged the pillows on the bed so it would look as if someone was sleeping there. Then, she drew the curtains shut around the bed.

  Should she ask for more food? When Brody returned, he might be hungry. And he might want to bathe.

  She grabbed the key, unlocked the door to her bedchamber, then locked the door from the other side. After giving the bell pull a tug, she paced the floor, waiting. Soon, there was a knock on the door, and she asked the servant to bring hot water and a tray of food.

  Once everything had arrived, she poured one bucket into her bathtub for a quick bath, then put on a nightgown.

  She unlocked the door to Brody’s bedchamber, then deposited the tray on his table. Quickly, she brought in the remaining buckets of water, then locked the door. She set the buckets in Brody’s dressing room, next to his bathtub.

  Done. Everything was ready for him.

  She paced back and forth, wondering how long it would take. A few hours, most probably.

  A cool breeze swept through the open window, chilling her in her thin nightgown. But she had to keep the window open, so Brody could fly back inside.

  Shivering, she slipped into his bed and under the covers. As she snuggled up against the pile of pillows, her eyes slowly closed and her thoughts drifted.

  Could she seduce him? The answer filtered into her drowsy mind. No matter how hard she tried, her success would ultimately depend on one thing: Brody had to be willing.

  * * *

  As Brody flew over the harbor of his hometown, Luna, he couldn’t spot any Eberoni vessels in port. Captain Shaw must have left. Had Nevis gone with him?

  If Nevis was still here, where would he be? Brody landed close to the local tavern, then shifted into a pelican. He hopped up onto the windowsill and peered inside. This late at night, only a few patrons were gathered around the fireplace, drinking from their pewter tankards. No Nevis in sight. He must have hurried back to Ebton Palace to report Maeve was missing.

  Maeve. Why had she suddenly asked him to bed her? He could only think that she had suffered too many shocks during the day and was in desperate need of some comforting.

  But a simple hug would be comforting. Maeve had said she was determined to lose her virginity, and that could actually be painful for her. He would try to be as gentle as possible.

  What? With a squawk, he fell off the narrow windowsill and landed with a splat. Was he actually planning to bed her? Hell, yes, a greedy inner voice growled. He’d wanted her for four years now. The fact that she wanted him, as well, was too tempting, too miraculous to ignore.

  But it’s not honorable, his conscience warned him. He wasn’t sure yet if he could get rid of his curse. And once he attempted to capture Cahira and force her to lift the curse, Maeve would know the truth about her mother. If he bedded Maeve now, she would feel hurt and betrayed later on when she realized how much he’d hidden from her.

  So before taking her to bed, he needed to tell her everything. Tell her who he really was and what her mother had done to his family. How would she react? Would she still want him? Would she be so devastated that she might reject him?

  The thought of losing her hit him like a bludgeon to the chest. Now that there was an actual chance to rid himself of the curse, he realized how fiercely he wanted that chance. A normal life, living with Maeve as her husband? Good goddesses, he craved that more than anything. More than revenge.

  Damn. He couldn’t bear to lose her. Not Maeve. Anything but Maeve.

  There was no point in denying it any longer.

  He loved her.

  For the past four years, he’d told himself that he was merely attracted to her, that he simply admired her, respected her, cared about her. He’d used every word but love.

  How could he admit to loving her, when he’d feared he would be cursed for the rest of his life and never worthy of her? But in spite of his fear, he loved her with a passion that never failed to take his breath away.

  Did she love him? He believed so, but how much could love endure? Would she still be able to trust and love him, knowing what her mother had done to him and his family?

  As for him, once Brody had recovered from the revelation, he had realized his feelings for Maeve remained constant. She had nothing to do with her mother’s villainy. Maeve was going to be sickened and appalled when she learned the truth.

  She was nothing like her mother. He preferred to think of her as the Seer’s daughter. She had inherited his gentle and loving soul. Yes, she was stubborn, but now that Brody thought about it, the Seer had definitely had a stubborn streak, too. That made him smile to himself. Stubbornness could be a strength, after all. It might help her endure whatever would happen over the upcoming days. And it might help her feelings for him to survive.

  For now, he needed to figure out what to do on the Isle of Moon. With Nevis and Captain Shaw gone, he would have to ask his mother to send a message to Leo. With an inward groan, he took flight and headed for Lessa Castle.

  It had been almost a year since his last visit. He knew he should see his mother more often, but holy goddesses, he was so tired of the same old blandishments. “Ye’ve been gone far too long. Ye’ve even lost yer island accent. When are ye coming back home? When are ye going to take yer rightful place as king?”

  It was so damned frustrating when his answers were always the same. No, he hadn’t found the witch. No, he didn’t know how long it would take. No, he couldn’t be king as long as he was cursed.

  This time his answers could be different, but he wasn’t sure he should get his mother’s hopes up.

  He landed on the balcony to his bedchamber and shifted into human form. His mother always kept this entrance unlocked, so he opened the glass-paned door and stepped inside. She also kept his bedchamber clean and ready for him. He glanced at the large four-poster bed and, for a second, imagined Maeve naked and waiting for him under the covers.

  Not now. He pushed those thoughts aside and hurriedly pulled on some breeches and a shirt made of fine linen with the family crest embroidered on the shirt pocket. Then he headed down the hallway to Queen Esther’s suite of rooms. There was a guard stationed outside the door to the royal privy chamber, so she had to be still at work, even though it was after midnight.

  He saluted the sleepy guard, who jumped to attention and saluted back.

  “Yer Highness.” The guard bowed. “Are ye here to see Her Majesty?”

  “Yes.” Brody knocked on the door, then cracked it open. “Mother?”

  She whirled around at the sound of his voice. “Brody! Come in, come in.” She dashed toward him and pulled him into an embrace. “Och, it’s been too long.”

  “You’re up late.” He looked her over. There were circles under her eyes, and now tears were making her blue irises shimmer.

  “Are ye all right?” She laid a palm on his cheek. “Ye seem too thin.”

  “You always say that.”

  “Becau
se I’m always right.” She rushed to the door and addressed the guard, “Vernon, could ye ask a servant to bring up a tray of food? Make that two trays.”

  “Aye, Yer Majesty.” The guard bowed and hurried away.

  With a small smile, Queen Esther strode back to Brody. “I just remembered I forgot to eat dinner.”

  “Is something worrying you?”

  “Aye.” Her smile faded away. “I thought yer sister would be back by now.”

  “Elinor? Where did she go?”

  “She took her boat in search of the Isle of Secrets.”

  “What?” Brody’s heart lurched up his throat. “Do you have any idea how dangerous it is there?”

  Esther gripped her hands together. “She should be safe. She has powers of her own. And I sent that nice colonel with her.”

  “Nevis?”

  “There’s no need to shout, dear.” His mother strode to the window and glanced out at the harbor. “The colonel seemed quite capable to me.”

  “Nevis?”

  She gave Brody a curious look. “Ye must know him, then?”

  “Aye. You sent Elinor off with him?”

  “And the rest of her crew,” Esther said, glancing out the window again. “Although I thought they would be back by now. Nevis believed that ye might have gone to the Isle of Secrets with Maeve. He was quite determined to find you both.”

  “Maeve did go there.”

  “Really?” His mother narrowed her eyes. “Now that I think about it, this is all yer fault.”

  “What?”

  She nodded. “If ye came here more often and kept me informed, I would have known Maeve was there.”

  Brody sighed. “I didn’t know she was there until I got there this afternoon. When I go back, I’ll find Nevis and tell him to bring Ellie back home.”

  “Ye should come back, too. Ye’re twenty-five years old now. ’Tis time for you to assume yer royal duties.”

  “Mother—”

  “I know, I know.” She waved a dismissive hand. “Ye’re going to give me yer usual excuses, but no one here cares if ye have to be a dog most of the time.”

  He scoffed. “A canine king?”

  “Better than no king.” She gave him a pointed look.

  “Actually . . .” He shifted his weight, wondering how much he should say.