Song of the Sea

Chapter 4

I stalk back to my cabin and pick up a book. The bed creaks under me as I lay down. I barely make it through the first chapter when I feel a change in the air. I close my book quietly. Wind howls outside of the ship and something hums through my bones. We must be inside the storm the captain warned me about. But this feels different somehow. I go above deck. Gray mist covers the ocean. I look over the railing and see the ocean has turned gray too. The crew is standing still, not making a sound. I grab a telescope out of Tommy's hand and peer through it. The shape of an island appears. We seem to be headed straight for it. An eerie song fills the air. It threatens to overtake my thoughts, but I push it back. The music rises and falls. I look at the helm and am alarmed when I don't see anyone there. I hear footsteps behind me and whirl around. Aric stands straight up, his face hard.
"What's going on?" I whisper. "What's wrong with the crew?"
"Sirens," he whispers back. "One of the most dangerous sea creatures ever. They entice every man who hears their song."
"Not you?"
"I hear the sirens singing. I do not think they will sing for me."
"When will they be done?" I ask.
"When they feel like it. I would prepare for an attack. They grow restless." I feel the air grow taut. Then it snaps. The men jolt as if waking up. Aric rushes to the rail. "Prepare for an attack!" he yells. The water swirls around the ship.
A creature leaps out of the water. It tackles Aric and they tumble to the ground. The creature has the upper body of a woman with blonde hair trailing down her back. That would've been normal, except for the fishtail where her legs are supposed to be. It's black and spiky and flops around on the deck. She screams and it's echoed across the water. I glance over the rail and see hoards of sirens tearing towards us. Aric throws the siren off him. I get a good look at her face. Her eyes are sunken and lined with black. Her pupils are slitted like a cat's. She claws at Aric with talons and attempts to bite him with razor-sharp teeth. I draw my dagger and run forward. My knife plunges into her back and she goes limp. A sigh escapes her mouth. As I watch, she turns to foam.
"That's twice you've saved my life," Aric says. "Thanks."
"Anytime," I say.
We brace for the sirens. Their hissing fills the air. A whirlpool forms and the port side tips inside. Lightning flashes around us. The crew forms a half-circle behind us. I tap my dagger against my leg in anticipation. The sirens draw closer and closer until it goes silent. I hear a sailor ask if they were gone. I'm about to turn around to answer when the water explodes. Sirens jump out of the water everywhere. They rain down on us and we scramble into battle.
I launch myself at a siren who has started tugging at a cannon. She whirls around and snarls at me. I notice her face has scales on it too before she attacks. I lift my dagger and she impales herself on it. She turns to foam. The whirlpool grows bigger and a giant roaring sound fills the air. I run to the helm and grab the wheel. I yank it to the right. Nothing happens. I give up and run back into the chaos. I stab every siren that falls on deck but they keep coming and coming. Aric and I end up fighting back to back. We slash and block sirens who try to fight us. The whirlpool gets bigger and bigger while we careen into it.
At last, the fighting ceases. The whirlpool vanishes and spits us back onto the surface. I stab one more and she lets out an agonizing scream before dissolving.
I hear Aric shout across the deck, "Save one for interrogation!" A couple of sailors tie one up. They hang her over the side. "Sail to the island," he commands another man. He nods and rushes off.
"Hey. Are you okay?" Cai asks me. I jump.
"Yeah, I'm fine. That was crazy. Everything just became a blur. I only remember pieces of it." I notice a spot of blood on his arm. "You're hurt."
"It's fine. Just a scratch. Blocked her before she could do anything else."
I nod. "What do you think is on the island?"
"Hopefully gold. We didn't come all this way just to be denied any riches."
"I hope it's somewhere we can rest. We all deserve it."
"Maybe not everyone." Cai casts a pointed glare at Aric, who is tying down a cannon.
"What is it with you guys? He's done nothing to you."
"He's a creature of the sea. Or do you forget what happened to our mothers'?"
"I do remember! But the curse was not Aric's fault. It was the Sea Goddess. She said so herself. Or do you forget that?" I snap. Anger bubbles in me. "Not all sea creatures are the same."
"Yes, they are. You just can't see past his charm," Cai snaps back.
"I don't mean to interrupt this fascinating discussion here," Aric says, "but we're almost to the island and we need to be ready." He steps in front of me. "Lady Mirabel, may I walk you to your cabin?"
"Gladly." I take his hand with a pointed look at Cai. He rolls his eyes and stomps off. Aric escorts me down and leaves me at my door. I enter and decide to write about what happened. I start talking about finding Aric and end with the sirens. I hear shouting on deck and get up to go look. My hand touches the doorknob and I hesitate. Any time I go up, bad things always happen. I decide to stay. I lay down on my bed and close my eyes to take a nap.
"Miss, we're here," a voice says. I groan and sit up. Tommy stands in my doorway, looking petrified. "Aric and Cai are organizing who will go to shore. I'm sorry I had to wake you. Please don't be mad."
"Thank you. I'm not mad. Tell them I'll be right up." I pull my brush through my hair and slip on some shoes. I head above. I gasp when I enter the deck.
The trees are made of gold. The sand gleams like thousands of tiny jewels and a mountain shoots up into the sky in the middle. In the middle of the rock is a carving of a leopard so large I can see it from the ship. Cliffs jut out from the right of the island, and on the left seems to be a bay. The water is clear and I can see schools of fish swimming below. Rocks protrude from the ocean and I catch a glimpse of something jump off one. Aric comes up beside me.
"Ready for this?"
"Ready as I'll ever be," I reply. I swallow my nerves and climb into the rowboat. Cai and Aric get in after me. Cai tosses me a pistol. I nod in thanks. We don't know what we will find. The boat splashes in the water and Aric and Cai start to row.
Once we reach the island, Cai jumps off to pull us in. I step out onto the sand. It is the softest thing I've ever felt, and it sparkles in the sun. We trudge up to the jungle. I look back at the ship. I catch a flash of something in the water before Cai calls me back.
We hike through the trees. Aric leads us, cutting down any foliage that is in the way. I go after him, and Cai brings up the rear. A few miles in, I break the silence.
"What are you going to do with the siren?"
"We already questioned her," Cai says.
"We asked why they attacked, and she said her Queen gave her orders. It doesn't make sense. Sirens don't just attack like that. They draw in their prey, then drown them," Aric says. "Maybe we'll find some answers here."
Cai grunts. "Or maybe we'll just all die. That would be fun, wouldn't it?"
"Shut up," Aric says. His head snaps to the left.
"No, I don't think I will. You see, I don't take orders from you-" his words become muffled as Aric claps a hand over his mouth.
"Something's watching us," he mouths. "Be quiet." A low glow shines through the trees. It reflects off the gold and I squint. I hear soft bells and a woman singing. I hear it and I feel something stir within me. My heart aches for everything that has happened and has yet to happen. I step off the path and head into the trees. The song floods my veins and it feels like my heart is being broken in two. Aric grabs my arm. "Where are you going?"
"Someone is calling me," I say. He shakes his head, but I toss off his arm and continue. As I walk, the light grows brighter and brighter. The singing hums in my blood, calling me closer. Tears trace down my face as the song echoes in my very soul. Emotions flood my body.
I emerge in a clearing. A waterfall cascades down into a pool. Green grass tickles my feet. A woman is standing underneath the water, bathing. Her skin glows with a godly light. Blonde hair falls down her back. Leopards lounge in the sun around us. I hear Aric and Cai stumble behind me. I step closer and she stops. She turns around and my body stills. She is the most beautiful person ever. She smiles, and it's like looking into the sun. Her eyes are black orbs of obsidian set into a porcelain white face. She gets out of the water and a dress floats over her head. It cinches at her waist with a belt and the skirt floats around her, held aloft by the wind. The leopards stir.
"You are the chosen one," she says in a thick accent. The words flow through me, lighting my blood on fire. "You do not yet know it, but it is true. I did not believe it. But here you are." She steps closer and touches my face with featherlight fingers. "Beauty." An apple appears in her hand and she drops it. I reach out and catch it. "Strength." She pushes my shoulder and I fall back into the grass. My skirt fans out around me. "Grace. I have never met anyone like you. What's your name, little one?"
"Mirabel," I say. She smiles. I notice tiny fangs. As I watch, they press into her lips, drawing beads of blood.
"I'm Olena, goddess of Souls and Misery. I look forward to seeing you how you will change the world. Who are your companions?"
"Aric and Cai," I say. Her face goes dark.
"Aric. How nice to see you again," she snarls. Her fangs get longer until they protrude past her lower lip.
"Nice to see you, too, m'lady." He bows. "How are you doing?"
"Rather poorly since you took my blood. Do you know how disgraced I was? All the gods and goddesses made fun of me." Giant black wings grow from her back. "You will pay. Your future is murky, but I will get my revenge." Olena turns to Cai. "And one of mine. Hello, darling."
"Hello, miss." Cai bows. I look back and see his face is full of anguish.
"You always wondered why you have sharp teeth like that?" she asks.
"Yes, miss. Why?"
"Because I chose you. You do not have any powers, but you do have my characteristics. I put my mark on you, and mark my words, you will shake the world. Maybe not as much as these two, but you will. I promise."
"Thank you, miss." Cai bows again. "I look forward to it."
"Of course you do," she says. A gong sounds from the sky. "I bid you good luck and farewell. I would head back to the ship now, darlings. Something is happening." She disappears into blue light. A single piece of fabric falls to the ground. Aric scoops it up.
"We have to go," he says and breaks into a run.
"Have you two met before?" I yell while running. He hacks down anything that gets in our way.
"Yeah! A while ago! I didn't think she would remember me!" Aric yells back. "I'm just glad she didn't kill any of us! She's one of the more dangerous gods! The sirens guard her. If she was scared of what chose you, then we are in serious danger!"
We race through the trees, tripping over roots and rocks. We hurtle out onto the sand and stare at the water. Another ship has emerged from the mist and is engaged in battle with ours. I squint at the water.
"Is that-" Cai begins.
"Yes!" I yell. "It's my father's! We need to go now!" We run for the boat. Aric and Cai leap in and push it into the water. They row as fast as they can without drawing attention.
We make it to the ship just as a cannonball pierces the hull. Wooden shards explode around us. I throw up my arms to shield my face. Aric hoists us up and Cai immediately runs over to the cannons. Grip hooks shoot across our ship and attach to the masts. Sailors from my father's crew swing across. Aric cuts one down and swings back across to the Regent. I stand there for a bit before realizing I need to help. I grab a sword from a fallen man and begin to cut away the grip hook wires. A raven perches on the wire closest to me.
"Hi, Mira!" It squawks. "Your father wants you!" I look at the other ship and see my father standing at the helm. I turn away. A boom rattles the ship.
"Captain!" I yell. "Can you get us out of here?"
"Not without those wires gone!" he yells back.
"I'll work on them! You work on getting the ship ready!" I slice through several more. Aric comes swinging back and helps me cut them away. We cut the final one and begin to pull away. A giant boom throws me off my feet. I crash onto the deck. A ringing fills my ears. I lift my head and see double. Someone crouches down beside me and says something, but it sounds muffled. My head drops back onto the deck and the person moves away. I feel the ship tilt sharply to the side. Another splintering sound comes from below. My vision fades to black.
Someone shakes me awake. I sit up and wince. The sun shines in my eyes. Cai swims into my sight.
"Hey. You hit your head pretty hard. Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine." I stand up and grab the railing. "What happened?"
"We got away but there's a giant hole in the hull. We're taking on water fast. It won't be long before they catch up to us." His eyes are full of worry. "It's over, Mira."
"No. I don't believe that." I move to go to the captain's cabin. "What islands are around we can head to?"
"We're near Astor's Islands. We can stop there."
"Tell the captain. We can repair the ship there and restock supplies."
"Okay, but only if you get your head checked out," Cai says. I nod. "Good." He walks off.
I stumble down to the infirmary. It smells of antiseptic and I plug my nose. There are some sailors down here in varying degrees of hurt. One has an ice cube teased to his ankle. Another has bandages covering his face. A sailor approaches me and asks what I need. I tell him what happened and he leads me to a table. He checks my eyes and my reflexes before giving me a bag of ice to press to the back of my head. I thank him and go back on deck.
On my way there, I notice a hall full of water. I step through it until I get into the brig. There's at least an inch of water and a giant hole pierces the hull. Water trickles in. This must be the one that Cai told me about. A bell rings above and I go above.
The captain is standing in front of the crew.
"We're going to make a stop at Basburn Island. We'll restock and hopefully get the hull repaired before they catch up."
The crew murmurs. One brave soul speaks out. "Why don't we just surrender?"
I step out of the shadows. "What do you think will happen? My father will just accept you back with open arms? He'll make some soup for you and dry your tears? No. He'll toss you in the dungeon and forget about you. You'll starve to death. Does that sound like fun?"
He shakes his head. The crew eyes me with newfound respect.
The captain clears his throat and says, "Direct our course there. We'll leave as soon as the ship is repaired. Get to work." He walks back to his cabin and the crew jumps into action. I see Aric head up the rigging with other men to hoist the sails. Cai grabs some ropes and begins tying them down. I look around. They are one big efficient machine working effortlessly. Everything that they do is graceful and fluid. I go back to my cabin.
I stand in the middle of my room trying to decide what to do. I have already journaled, read all my books, and am too wired to sleep. I walk over to my trunk and dig through it. At the bottom, I find some paints and a canvas. I pull them out. I decide to go above and paint whatever I see. I throw a smock over my dress and step out.
I go to the helm and sit behind the helmsman. The easel is set up so it faces out across the water. I set a stool down and open the paints. The sun reflects on the water and a couple of whales emerge from the depths. My paintbrush swirls on the canvas as I capture the moment.
A few hours later, it is finished. I leave it out on the deck to dry. I see an island in the distance and ask a sailor if it's Basburn Island. He tells me it is and says we should be there in a couple of hours. I go below and grab a blanket. On my way back up, I go to my cabin. I change into some trousers and a tunic.
I go back above and lay the blanket out. The sun hits my face as I lay back. The crew works around me, preparing to dock. Aric's face appears above mine.
"What will happen if your father catches up to us?" He asks. I shrug. "Can I sit here?" I twist my mouth and he takes that as an invitation to lay down beside me. "Look, I am having fun running from your father, but if you don't know what to do, then the crew will not know what to do. So if that speech earlier was just pretty words, then nothing is stopping your father from killing them without a fight. You need to inspire them. Join the crew."
"I can't," I say. He frowns.
"Why." Not a question, a statement.
"Cai said there's no way I could. He said I don't have what it takes," I explain.
"No. Don't let him tell you what to do. You are your own person. You get to do what you want. So if you want to, do it." He twists on his side to face me. "Make it happen. Surprise them."
"I'll see what I can do," I say. He plops back down with satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. We lay there for a couple of minutes. "Why are you here?" I finally ask.
"Because I owe you several life debts," he says. "It's in our custom to always give back."
Cai's face leans over us before I can talk back. "Having fun?" He asks.
I sit up. "As a matter of fact, yes." I ignore his outstretched hand and get to my feet. "No thanks to you." I hear Aric chuckle behind me. Cai's face goes sour.
"What's the matter with you? Has he gotten into your head? I knew he was bad trouble."
"No, you got into my head," I say, and flounce away. Aric breaks out into laughter behind me while Cai sputters. I approach the captain.
"Sir, I would like to join the crew," I state.
"You need to train first."
"Yes, sir."
"Tommy will help you." He motions for Tommy to join us.
"Thank you, sir. I will get right on it, sir."
"We're about to pull into the harbor, so you might want to want a bit," the captain says.
"Yes, sir." I smile at Tommy and walk away. As we drift to the town, I climb up to the crow's nest. From there I can see the whole town. There are several buildings that shoot up over the others. The entire town is painted gold and brown and looks like something out of a painting. Several boats are in the harbor. I breathe in the air and smell salt mixed with smoke. The ship bumps against the dock as it pulls in. I swing back down.
I approach Aric and ask, "What are we going to do?"
"Want to go get lunch while they fix the hull?" He responds.
I smile and link my arm through Aric's. "Of course."