The Mermaid That's Sweetest

6] A Sacrifice at Sea

6] A Sacrifice at Sea

Many hours later

I wake up rocking, blind and bound with the smell of sea salt infiltrating my senses. My wrists are tied in front of me, my eyes are shut with cloth, my body is naked and chilled... as I lie on the bottom of a rickety boat.

A tiny little boat, out in the Rough.

I lie still while I breathe in a panic, my throat filled with ashy smoke – I cough up phlegm and spit it out beside me.

I turn to my side and I whimper when the enormity of what happened, slams into me.

I was in the middle of the ocean, in the middle of the Rough – and I was stuck in a little boat being jostled and harassed by the waves.

I lie there for quiet while, wondering if I should call out for help... and terrified that if I did, I would just bring the wrong kind of attention.

So, I lie in wait, while the brightness seems to fade and I know the sun is setting.

I try to steady my breathing, but the rocking was making me sick and as I rub my thighs together to keep warm... I feel a wetness and I wonder if I peed a little.

Until I realise it's sticky.

And that I'm bleeding.

That's when I burst out into tears, sobbing my panic and fear while I accept I am utterly doomed.

I am going to die tonight.

I was going to attract actual sharks, if the Erebos didn't get me first.

I heave in breaths while the cloth over my eyes gets heavy and uncomfortable while soaking up tears... and then I cry some more; louder and with lost hope.

"Oh, shut up, you whiny little thing."

I stop crying immediately.

I suck in a breath and let it out slowly.

I feel a hand cover my eyes and I stay still as a thumb slips under the side, over the bridge of my nose... and jerks up the cloth.

As the blind fold is wrenched from my face, I open my eyes and see the Erebos beside me, leaning over the top of me, he's wet black hair dangles, tickling my cheeks as he smirks and then backs off.

I blink and see the twilight fading into navy blue, while he sits naked on a little seat beside my writhing body on the ground.

"I'll admit I enjoyed your crying for a short while," he shrugs to himself while watching the sun set, "...at least when it was just small little whimpers of confusion... then shock... but panic? No thank you, it's quite annoying."

I gulp and shuffle over further to my side of the boat, my wrists tied over my stomach... I glance down and see red on my thighs.

Talk about the worst timing ever.

I squeeze my thighs together and I watch as his eyes instantly divert from the sun setting to my thighs clenching.

He glances at my reaction for a second, before meeting my gaze and snarling happily, "...it's the only reason I found you... the sweetest smell leaking from your womb... but I will admit... you are too cute to rip apart, little Darv... just relax... enjoy the sway of the Rough..." he is so calm.

"Do you remember me?" I ask, needlessly and breathlessly.

"Lily," he says my name in a forced growl, "...the half-wit..."

"I don't mind that, you know... the last thing I remember being called was much worse... a whore... and a slut..." I whisper, reflecting with pain at Darneek's name calling.