Whispers of the Sea (The Compulsion Bride Series) Book II (Unedited)

Part 11-Chapter Seven ~ Spoilers included~

'A compass is like a watch only it tells you the direction of your destination and you determine the time it takes to get there.' Jake reflected, the words a wise man, once said to him, years ago as his gaze lingered pensively on the heirloom, he had found it among his father's items when he was just a boy and guarded it with his life ever since that day. The compass lay in the palm of his hand, the solid sliver glorifying under the moon's steady gaze. The tiny golden arrow had not moved since arriving on the island, a perfect indication of the destination's accuracy. God, he hope it was correct, he was anxious to return to London, finally accepting his destiny; He was a duke and it's time, he starts acting like one; spending more time on land was necessary anyway, to help balance some sort of normalcy, in his life. Normal. The word had no meaning to him now, it had reduce to none existence in his life. The word normal was a lie and Jake had loved the lie, if only to keep himself sane.

The sea would always be in his heart but it was time to make a stable home. One that's not slicing through the waters and swayed under a raging storm, so violently that he thought it would discard of him overboard. The waters below was pitch dark, with small waves clashing against the hull of the ship, he would miss the sea; the thrill of riding a storm and battling with nature where anyone could be the victor; the seductive aroma of the salt; the lulling peacefulness of the waves and birds flying above. And most of all he would miss her, although Samantha had been dead for some years now, he always felt like he was near her at sea. The sea that had consume her life, millions of lost treasures in the sea couldn't compare to what he had lost. Could he possibility leave the life of the sea behind? Leave her behind? Jake snapped the lid of the compass shut, the sound echoing a soft click around him, as something caught his eyes, the crystal fish scales, shimmered to the surface of the water, revealing its self to the human eyes.

"You are to close ashore, Tierna." The creature, turned on it's back; pushing it's head to the surface, Jake watched as she transfigured from beast to human-like features, it was so quickly that if one blinks, they were sure to have missed it all. Her tresses became one with the waters, dark and mysterious with a few long strands artistically crafted in swirls on her forehead, as if it were a second skin. If one wasn't looking closely, they might have thought it was painted on her skin and not of her own hair. Her eyes; It was the eyes that always seems to draw him in, though each of the creatures were different. Tierna's eyes were made of crystals with a green slit  drawn at the center of each. Her eyelashes were made from gold dust, that stayed in place magically. Mostly for decoration because she barely ever blinks.

"Not destination. Not England." Her blood coloured lips moved but not in the shape of the words, she just uttered.

Jake sighed, Gabrielle had instructed the creature to safely guild him home; to England even after his profound refusal. Tierna didn't speak the human's language and for them to be able to communicate Gabrielle ensure that she could. Now he had to answer to a dam mermaid. She was to keep out of sight; there but never visible, she had for the past weeks as he moved from one French island to the next. It looks like she got weary and curious. "I am looking for someone; he's suppose to be on this island. It's only to deliver a message, after I promise, England."

She glide backwards, her web-like fingers surfacing for a moment and her head turned towards the docks, followed by her entire body, ears which comprises of tiny translucent petals; rimmed with gold, widen like a blossoming flower and she moved as if to swim ashore but hesitates as if remembering what she was. What she was meant to be. A myth. Hidden.

Erase from his memory.

His eyebrows creased. "What is it?" He asked, as the creature, lifted it's head and started sniffling at the air, slowly she turned back to him with a sly smile.