Lunars of the Caribbean

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Cinder was weary of allowing Clay to roam around free. Though she did not contradict Thorne's judgment. She knew he had a plan for everything, and all variables of change seemed to be accounted for when he crafted his plans.

All of this went completely against his foolish and carefree personality. Then again, so did his tragic explanation for why he had mermaid tears. Losing someone you love, someone so generous and kind, it must kill him every day to know that they're gone.

She watched him at the helm as he directed the ship onto its proper course. It seemed as though he was uncomfortable with steering this particular ship. Perhaps he was ship sick for his own vessel.

Whatever would happen to the Solstice once Thorne had his own ship back, Cinder had no clue. She suspected Thorne might sell it or give it to Wolf to get them off their backs. Or present it as a compensation to the crew for their services. For one, because Thorne had no way to pay them for such services. And two ...

because Cinder suspected they would have no need of a crew once they got back to Thorne's ship.

Something about the way he spoke about it, or anyone for that matter, gave Cinder the impression that it had magical properties. Like many of the objects Thorne possessed as Cinder was coming to realize of late. The mermaid tears, the bag of junk he held firmly to his side at all time, his compass, all of it. All of those things had magical properties. So why shouldn't his ship?

Another thing was reeling in the back of Cinder's mind. Even though she'd been a low-waged blacksmith, she'd heard many stories about the dangers of the Caribbean. She could recall a few select tales of mermaids, and their mercilessness. Some said that their tears were more valuable than diamonds. That they had long whips of seaweed, stronger than any rope. They had the strength of ten men, speed surpassing any ship, teeth sharper than any blade. Hearts more cold and black than Hell itself.

She'd seen that the rumors the impossible healing properties of mermaid tears were true enough. But one part of that truth laid unanswered. How a mermaid had given up the tears. Was it willing? Or was it by force? Some said that mermaids would rather be tortured to death by any means than give up a single tear. Other said that the only way to get one was to cut out their eyes, and rip the droplets from the back of their sockets.

So how had this friend of Thorne's been able to capture a tear? And could it be the reason why they were now missing?

Or, were Cinder's sneaking suspicions correct? Could the person Thorne loved so dearly have given the tear to him as a last resort for healing? Could that person love him so much that they would do anything to protect him?

Could the person Thorne love, indeed, be a mermaid?

Well, that was just something Cinder was going to have to ask Thorne.

...................

Kai paced in his chambers, ponder of what in the name of Luna could Cinder and her new friend could possibly be up to that would involve the two of them escaping Port Royal Prison.

Why Cinder would run from her fate at the Gallows was simple enough. She didn't want to die. But why she would go out of her way to free the pirate as well was still a profound mystery to him.

Something ate at his brain as he thought of this. Maybe it was Levana's constant advances even when she was supposed to be organizing a search party for Cinder and the pirate. It could have been his father's worrying and constant despair at the relations between Port Royal and Luna.

Yet, Kai felt it had something to do with Cinder's Lunar Mark. Something about it did not seem right. For answers, Kai knew exactly where to look. And as fate would have it, Levana was finally out of the Governor's household for the day. She was back at her own place of residence in Port Royal for the time being. Supposedly plotting the best ways to locate and capture Cinder.