The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea

by Kerrelyn Sparks

  Maeve bit her lip to keep from smiling. She knew how much Brody hated porridge.

  Brody gave Cahira a strained smile. “Thank you, my dear.”

  Cahira patted him on the shoulder. “It’s a joy to take care of you, Burien. If you need me, I’ll be in my workroom. Ruth can clean up your dressing room.” She strode toward the door.

  “I was thinking . . .” Brody started, and Cahira turned to face him with a questioning look. “Your garden is so lovely, what with the hedges clipped into different shapes and the colored ponds—”

  “Of course it’s lovely.” Cahira preened. “I designed it myself.”

  Brody smiled at her. “I would love to have lunch with you on the balcony, so I could admire both you and your garden.”

  “Oh, what a wonderful idea!” Cahira clasped her hands together. “A luncheon party for just the two of us.”

  Brody slumped over and said in a weak voice, “I don’t think I can make it there without my daughter.”

  Cahira shot Maeve an annoyed look. “Very well. But if we invite her, then I will also invite Kendric. Surely if he spends more time with Maeve, he will see that she would make a much better wife than that silly Brigitta.”

  Maeve gritted her teeth. Soon, she would be telling her mother exactly whom she was planning to marry.

  “That would be perfect,” Brody said. “We’ll be there shortly before noon.”

  “Excellent. I’ll have the servants get to work on it right away.” Cahira strolled out the door.

  Maeve motioned for Ruth to stay behind; then she locked the door. Noon? Obviously, Brody wanted to be on the balcony so he could see when the ships arrived.

  He moved the tray aside, then jumped out of bed.

  Ruth gasped. “He really is a young man.”

  Brody stopped in his tracks. “Oh. I can explain.”

  “Don’t worry,” Maeve assured him. “I told Ruth everything this morning. She wants to help us. She’s already helping Nevis.”

  Ruth nodded. “It’s been breaking my heart to see the babies I took care of turned into killers. And the others rejected and forced to work, even the little ones . . .” Her eyes filled with tears. “And when I think about how Gavin was cursed and you, too . . .”

  “I’m glad you’re on our side.” Brody touched her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll make Cahira lift the curse on Gavin.”

  Maeve thought back to when her mother had threatened to turn the Chameleon into a mouse. “What if she just makes it worse? If we capture her and threaten her, she might turn you into an animal permanently to be rid of you.”

  Ruth shook her head. “You needn’t worry about that. She’s already cursed Brody and Gavin. A second curse won’t work unless she first removes the prior curse.”

  Maeve exhaled. “Oh, that’s a relief.”

  Brody slipped on his leather shoes. “Is there anything else you can tell us?”

  “Do you know what Nevis and his Spiders are planning?” Ruth asked, and Brody nodded.

  “Spiders?” Maeve asked.

  “That’s what Nevis’s army is calling themselves,” Brody explained. “They plan on getting rid of most of the guards.”

  “Gabby wants to help, too,” Ruth added. “And I think Gavin is trying to help in his own way. He escaped from their room last night and ran around the castle causing trouble. The night guards were exhausted from trying to catch him.”

  “Excellent.” Brody smiled. “The Seer was right, naming him Trouble.”

  “I thought we should do our part.” Maeve whisked the tablecloth off to reveal the linen strips she’d made. “How many guards can we tie up before lunch?”

  Brody snorted. “We won’t know until we try.” He grabbed a candlestick from the table and strode into Maeve’s bedchamber. “Your guard will be first.”

  Maeve stuffed a few linen strips into her pockets and followed him. “How do we do this?”

  “You get him to run inside, and I’ll do the rest.” Brody positioned himself beside the door, where he would be hidden when it opened.

  Maeve took a deep breath, then screamed. The door immediately opened, and the guard peered inside.

  “Help!” Maeve frantically motioned toward her dressing room. “Th-there’s a man in there!”

  “What?” The guard dashed into the room, and Brody clobbered him from behind.

  Ruth ran over to shut the door, while Maeve tied the man’s hands and feet.

  Brody pulled a knife from the guard’s boot, then unhooked his sword belt. “I could use these.” He gagged the guard, then dragged him to Maeve’s dressing room.

  “Where should we go next?” Maeve asked.

  “There’s a guard outside Gabby’s room,” Ruth suggested. “I’ll show you the way.”

  Maeve and Ruth pocketed the rest of the linen strips, while Brody pulled on the Seer’s hooded robe to hide the sword belt that was now strapped around his hips.

  He slid the spare knife into the belt, then grabbed the Seer’s staff. “Let’s go.”

  “Oh! Just a minute.” Maeve ran into the Seer’s bedchamber to grab the key, so she could lock her room as they left. She didn’t want any servants coming in and discovering the guard.

  The hallway was empty now, so they were able to walk quickly.

  “Where are the guards?” Brody whispered to Ruth.

  “There should be four circling the castle,” Ruth replied. “Two more at the back door and another two at the front door.”

  “That’s eight,” Brody said. “Nevis will take care of them.”

  “How many are inside the castle?” Maeve asked.

  “Seven,” Ruth replied. “There was one stationed at your door, then there’s one at Gabby’s room, two at the throne room, one on the lookout tower, and two who move about patrolling the hallways.”

  When they reached the stairwell, they paused at the sound of booted feet climbing the stairs.

  “It’s one of the guards on patrol,” Ruth whispered, and they ducked around the corner.

  Brody whipped his knife from his belt.

  “I’ll distract him,” Maeve offered. She eased to the head of the stairs and gasped in feigned surprise as the guard reached the landing below.

  He glanced up at her, his eyes narrowed. “Your Highness. You’re not in your room.”

  Maeve shrugged. “I thought I’d go for a swim. Can you tell me the way to the tank room?”

  He scoffed. “You’re not going there. It’s an escape route. Where is your guard?”

  Maeve let out a small squeal and ran up the stairs. With a muttered curse, the guard gave chase. He reached their floor and turned to follow Maeve up the next flight. She stopped at the landing and glanced back. Brody sneaked up behind the guard and clobbered him with the blunt end of his knife.

  She hurried down the stairs to tie and gag the guard.

  “Where can we stash him?” Brody asked Ruth, and she used a key to open a nearby storage room.

  With the guard locked away, they proceeded down the stairs to the servants’ hallway. Maeve peered around the corner and spotted the guard in front of Gabby’s room. She nodded at Brody, and he immediately hunched over like the Seer. They walked slowly down the hallway with Brody leaning heavily on his staff.

  The guard watched them with a suspicious look.

  After what seemed like an eternity, Maeve finally arrived at Gabby’s door with Brody and Ruth. “We’re here to see Gabby.”

  The guard looked away with a sniff. “No one is allowed in except Her Majesty.”

  Maeve circled around him so his back would be to Brody. “Apparently, you don’t know who I am. I am Princess Maeve, heir to the throne, and I command you to—”

  Clonk. The guard crumpled to the floor.

  Brody slid his knife back into his belt. “Princess Maeve?”

  She gave him a wry look. “Prince Brodgar?”

  He shrugged. “I prefer being Brody. But I’ll take the title if I can be your prince.”
r />   She smiled. “Then I’ll be your princess.”

  Ruth shook her head. “I can’t believe they’re flirting right now.” She retrieved the key from the guard’s pocket and unlocked the door. “Gabby?”

  “Yes?” The young woman ran up to the door. “Oh, my!” She stepped aside while Brody dragged the unconscious guard into her room.

  “Are you all right, Gabby?” Maeve asked as she closed the door.

  “I’m fine. Thank you for getting me out of the dungeon.” Gabby frowned as Brody tied and gagged the guard. “How can such an old man move so quickly?”

  “He’s a shifter like your brother,” Ruth explained.

  Brody bowed his head. “I’m Brody from the Isle of Moon.”

  “Prince Brodgar,” Ruth whispered.

  Gabby’s mouth fell open.

  “Do you know where Gavin is?” Maeve asked, and Gabby shook her head.

  “He sneaked out last night to terrorize the guards,” she confessed. “He must be hiding somewhere now, probably taking a nap.”

  Brody snorted. “I don’t know how a little cat can terrorize anybody, but I’m grateful for his help.” As he strode toward a window, Maeve noticed Ruth and Gabby exchanging an odd look.

  “I wonder how much progress Nevis has made.” Brody peered out the window.

  Maeve joined him. “Look!” She pointed at two guards who were slowly marching around the castle.

  Gabby and Ruth gathered at the second window.

  “I wish we could get rid of them,” Maeve muttered. “Maybe you could fly at them as an eagle—”

  Suddenly, one of the guards tripped, then the second one. As they sat up, dazed, a flock of birds flew straight at them.

  “Ack!” They ducked down, covering their heads as the birds pooped all over them.

  Gabby laughed. “It must be Bettina! She told the birds to do that.”

  Nevis and his Spiders emerged from the nearby woods. They ran to the guards, knocked them out, then dragged them back into the forest.

  “Excellent.” Brody opened the window and waved.

  After a moment, Nevis stepped from behind a tree and waved back. He showed his hands, his fingers splayed.

  “Seventeen?” Maeve asked.

  “That’s how many guards they’ve taken.” Brody raised his hand, displaying the number three.

  Nevis responded with a thumbs-up, then disappeared once again into the woods.

  “I have an idea!” Gabby darted over to her worktable and grabbed a handful of gold coins. When the next two guards came marching around the castle, she tossed a few coins out the window.

  “Is that gold?” one of the guards shouted, and they both sprinted over to retrieve the coins.

  “Woo-hoo!” Gabby shouted and flung more coins out the window.

  The guards scrambled about on the grass, frantically picking up coins. Meanwhile, Nevis sneaked up behind them and clobbered them both on the head. As the Spiders dragged the guards into the woods, he flashed the number nineteen at Brody.

  “Hell, no.” Brody thumped his chest, then raised a hand to show the number five.

  Nevis responded with one finger, and Brody snorted.

  Maeve gave him an incredulous look. “Are you arguing over who gets credit for those two?”

  “Gabby should get credit,” Ruth announced.

  “I agree,” Maeve said.

  Gabby grinned. “What do we do now?”

  “We take out the guards at the throne room,” Brody announced as he strode to the door.

  Maeve winced, recalling the dream that had revealed Brody getting injured in the throne room. That was the last place she wanted to go.

  * * *

  With no more guards walking the perimeter of the castle, Nevis and his Spiders were able to dash across the garden at the back of the castle. They arrived at the base of a giant hedge clipped into the shape of a dolphin.

  “Blindfold her,” Nevis told Bettina, and she quickly wrapped a linen strip around Catriona’s head.

  He retrieved the dark canvas bag that Ruth had left for them beneath the hedge. “Let’s get closer to the door.”

  The Spiders moved slowly toward the door that led into the castle’s dungeon with Bettina leading the blindfolded Catriona. Once they were close enough, they all hid behind a hedge. Between the branches, he spotted the two guards and the dog they used to frighten the children into working.

  The dog could apparently sense their presence for he started barking. Peter, Kurt, and Hannah cringed.

  “It will be all right,” Elinor assured them.

  Kurt shuddered. “I’m afraid one day when I’m a rabbit that the dog will eat me.”

  Bettina sighed. “They keep the dog half-starved so he’ll be mean.”

  Nevis patted the bag that Ruth had brought from the kitchen. “That’s why our plan should work. Ready?”

  Elam and Bettina nodded. After taking the canvas bag from Nevis, they slowly approached the guards. The dog growled and tugged at his leash.

  “What are you doing here?” one of the guards demanded. “Go back to the village and work.”

  “We brought a gift for you.” Bettina pulled out two large fish. “Here!” She tossed them to the guards.

  The fish landed at the guards’ feet, and just as they leaned over to look at them, Elinor whisked Catriona’s blindfold off.

  Bam! The fish exploded, knocking the guards off their feet. The dog pulled loose and charged toward Bettina and Elam. He pulled a ham bone from the bag and threw it to the side. The dog immediately changed direction and dashed to the bone. While he happily gnawed away, Bettina and Elam tied and gagged the two guards.

  Nevis and his Spiders ran toward them. After retrieving the keys from one of the guards, he unlocked the door. They dragged the guards in and locked them in the dungeon.

  Now that they were in the castle, Nevis was tempted to change his plan and hunt down Cahira.

  “Something wrong?” Elinor asked when he hesitated.

  “No.” He headed for the dungeon door. “We follow the plan.” First they would capture the guards at the front door, then he would help Brody deal with Cahira and the Chameleon.

  After running back to the forest, he and his Spiders made their way to the front of the castle. The ocean was visible now, and he shielded his eyes from the noonday sun to scan its surface. No sign of the armada yet, but they should be here soon.

  He glanced up at the highest tower of the castle. There was a lone guard up there. No doubt he would be the first to spot the invading ships. He might also see Nevis and his Spiders moving through the front garden.

  “Elam will come with me,” Nevis told his group. “The rest of you will remain hidden here in the woods.”

  “That’s not fair,” Quentin grumbled.

  Nevis gave him a stern look. “You said you would follow orders.”

  Quentin quickly saluted. “Then I’ll be in charge here, right?”

  Hannah scoffed. “Why would you be in charge? You’re the youngest.”

  “Elinor is in charge until we get back.” Nevis pointed at the guard on the lookout tower. “Make him trip. Then we’ll run for that hedge there.”

  “Aye, Colonel.” Elam waved a hand at the guard, who promptly fell over.

  Nevis and Elam dashed for the cover of a large hedge clipped to look like an ocean wave. They followed the hedge toward the front door.

  “We’ll do the usual trip and clobber,” Nevis whispered as he spotted the two guards.

  Elam nodded, gripping his knife tightly.

  Suddenly, the door opened and a group of young people emerged. Nevis winced. It was the Embraced army. Seven of them, fully armed. Dammit to hell! He knew from his years of being in the military that no matter how well he executed his plans, there was always some unknown variable that would screw things up. He knew it, but it still pissed him off whenever it happened.

  “Why do we have to practice now?” the youngest boy whined.

  “T
he general ordered it,” Alfred grumbled. He pointed at the balcony overhead. “The queen is having lunch up there soon, so Kendric wants us to show off our skills.”

  Nevis looked at Elam and shook his head. There was no way the two of them could handle the guards and the Embraced army. While the soldiers did their warm-up exercises, he and Elam sneaked back down the hedge. When Elam caused the lookout guard to trip once again, they ran back to the rest of the Spiders.

  “What do we do now?” Elinor asked.

  Nevis glanced at the castle. The back door was open, so he could still sneak in to help Brody. He turned his head to gaze at the ocean. Or he could stay here to help Leo.

  “We wait,” he told the Spiders. “And when the right opportunity comes, we seize it.”

  Chapter 23

  Brody exhaled with relief as Ruth locked the door on a storage closet. Inside he had stashed the two guards stationed outside the throne room and the last of the patrolling guards. He assumed Nevis had eliminated the guards at the front and back doors to the castle. That meant the only guard left was the one on the lookout tower. It was best, Brody believed, to leave that guard in position so he could sound the alarm as soon as he sighted the armada. That distraction was needed if Brody was going to deal with the Sea Witch.

  It was nearing noon and time for Cahira’s luncheon party, so Brody and Maeve rushed toward the balcony. Ruth was expected to help in the kitchen so she headed there, while Gabby went in search of her brother.

  When Brody reached the last hallway, he slowed his walk, his arm linked with Maeve’s, in case Cahira or any servants saw them approaching. He noticed all the doors to the balcony were open, and a breeze from the ocean was fluttering the purple curtains.

  “Green and purple,” Maeve whispered.

  “What?” He leaned heavily on his staff and made sure his robe was closed and his sword hidden.

  “Those were the colors of my Telling Stones,” she explained. “And the colors of my mother’s flag and throne room.”

  “Those stones have a creepy way of being right,” he muttered.

  “Can we stay away from the throne room?”

  “Why?” He noticed the glint of fear in her eyes. The Telling Stones weren’t the only ones with the power to predict the future. “Did you see something in a dream?”