part0027

The sun would rise in an hour, perhaps two if they were lucky. In truth, Drew was exhausted. He looked forward to the time when he could collapse onto his bed and sleep for a long time. However, he did not even know if he had a ship to go back to. With the fact that his crew had betrayed him, he would not be surprised if the Wraith was ash by now.

Not that it mattered.

Kelia was safe. Wendy was safe. Even Daniella was safe.

He did not want to think about that right now, and yet, looking at the Siren who had devoured Emma’s heart, he could not help but be bitter about it.

Emma was gone, and in her place, was little more than a child, with long dark hair and violet eyes. There was something unnatural about her beauty, something otherworldly and unnerving, that would not let an onlooker appreciate her aesthetics without getting a twinge of unease coursing through their body.

“I think this calls for a meeting,” the Siren said. “I believe there’s much to discuss between the two of us.”

“What of everyone else?” Drew asked, nodding. “You had some dissenters who did not want this truce to happen.”

“I’m sure they’ve swam off to talk to the Queen to let her know our treachery,” she said. She looked over at Kelia. “Shall we go, then?”

“The cabins are frightfully small,” Kelia pointed out. “If all of us pile into the room, it will no doubt be difficult to breathe.”

“Not to worry,” the Siren said. “I sent some of my sisters to retrieve your boat. It should be here in a matter of moments.”

“Boat?” Drew furrowed his brow and looked between the two women. “Certainly you meant ship, because I do not possess a boat.”

Kelia rolled her eyes. “Drew has a crew,” she said, her voice serious. “We received word they have already betrayed Drew, but I do not want any harm to come to your sisters. If they are on the ship—”

“They will be handled,” the Siren said. She fixed those eyes on Drew. “I do not think we’ve been formally introduced. Your lover here demanded my name when we first met. You do not seem to care. Why is that?”

“I trust her,” he said. “If she feels the need to speak to you, you must have won her over in some way. There must be a part of you that’s good. If there wasn’t, she would not waste her time.” Drew crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head. “You also saved my life. That accounts for a lot, at least with me.”

“Bethany,” the Siren said. Her eyes dropped from his in order to scan his body. He could tell she was attracted to him, but there was something in her gaze that was more reserved. “My name is Bethany. You are Drew Knight.”

“I am,” he said solemnly.

“Your reputation precedes you,” Bethany said. She paced the small deck of the boat as they waited for the Wraith to appear. “I’m sure you’ve tasted much blood in your lifetime.”

“Not because I had to.” Drew did not like discussing his kills if he could help it. It was something he regarded as private. Unless he thought they could benefit Kelia in order to teach her some kind of lesson, he did not want to go into detail about the many ways he killed someone, the different types of blood he had tasted, the way bones felt when they turned into dust, or the way ash caressed his face.

“Of course not,” Bethany agreed.

“Thank you,” Kelia said, from where she stood at the bow. She’d been surprisingly quiet during this exchange. “For saving him.”

“There is no need to thank me, Shadow,” Bethany said. “The truth of it all is that I would not have saved him if it did not benefit me in some way. Do not think we are friends now.”

“Oh, I doubt we would ever think that,” Drew quipped.

At that moment, the ship slid into view. Drew’s heart swelled at the sight. Finally, finally, he could return to his ship. It had only been a handful of days he was parted from it, but it felt like a lifetime. He could not function properly without his ship. He did not sleep well in a different bed. He did not feel the same amount of security as he had on the Wraith .

“He is in love with his ship,” Bethany commented, her lips turned up into an amused smile. The smile itself seemed tense, as though the action was not something she participated in under normal circumstances.

“Yes,” Kelia said. “Indeed.”

When the ship came closer to their boat, there seemed to be a problem.

“Drew,” Kelia said, wrinkling her nose. “Are those… There are people on your ship.”

“No.” Drew’s entire body tensed. Even from the distance where he stood, he could make out a handful of his crew. He should have known. He taught them the skill himself. Someone always needed to stay with the ship. “That’s the crew.”

“I can make out four,” Bethany said. Her voice had turned from playful to curt.

“Five,” Drew corrected. “There’s one in the crow’s nest. Have your sisters missed their presence entirely?”

“They weren’t tasked with looking at the ship before bringing it here,” she pointed out.

“They will learn soon enough,” Drew said. “I hope your sisters are Sirens you can trust, because if they brought the ship here knowing full well my traitorous crew was on deck, I will not have a problem with slaughtering them.”

“Neither will I,” Bethany retorted.

“What are the orders?” Kelia asked. “The boats are—”

“Half a day away,” Bethany said. “I can get my sisters to turn the tide and make it more difficult for them to get to us. They will, eventually. We are not able to stop them entirely, but we can delay the process. I will need your cabin to gather my magic.”

“Use it for whatever you like,” Drew said.

“Do you need any other assistance?” Wendy asked.

Bethany opened her mouth. Drew thought she was going to reject his sister, but she stopped herself.

“Actually, yes,” Bethany said. “Rain is coming soon. I would not be surprised if it hits us in the next few hours. If my sisters and I are able to control the water, then with your help with the wind, it will prolong them from getting to us. Once I have my magic, I will go to the sea. I might need extra clothes to change into.”

“You may have some of mine,” Kelia said.

Bethany nodded. “For now,” she said, looking back at Wendy, “use the wind and push them away.”

Wendy raised her hands and twisted her wrists. The wind howled as it moved against its natural direction, controlled by his sister. Bethany disappeared into Drew’s cabin once more, leaving Drew with Kelia and Daniella.

“I’m going to go belowdeck,” Daniella announced. There was no explanation offered, no explanation asked for. She disappeared until Drew was alone with Kelia.

“Shadow.” Bethany’s voice sliced through Drew and Kelia, hanging between them the way a dagger might had it been thrown between them to keep the couple from getting closer together. Drew hadn’t heard her re-emerge from the cabin.. “We must meet. Now .”

Kelia’s eyebrows pulled together. “But the—”

“Kelia,” Bethany said, her voice somewhat gentle but still with enough bite to reveal just how serious she could be. “I need to speak to your captain. I understand you are concerned regarding cabin size, but this is of great import. I will not ask again.”

Drew locked eyes with Kelia and tried to give her a comforting look that told her he would handle things and she need not worry. Kelia frowned, but she did not open her mouth and argue—a first for her. Perhaps she was learning. That, or she was exhausted from their encounter with the Sirens.

“Lead the way,” Drew said, spinning on his feet until his toes pointed toward the intended direction of his cabin.

Bethany smiled and made her way. Drew followed. He felt Kelia’s eyes on him the entire way.

Once they were inside, Bethany pushed past Drew to make sure the door was closed. Drew stepped out of the way so she did not touch him. He was not a fan of Sirens, but being too close to one made it easy to forget that their blood could very well kill him.

“What do you want?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest as though he wanted to protect himself from her. He was not sure why. He did trust Kelia’s judgement, and he did not get the feeling that Bethany had an ace up her sleeve. But there was something in her demeanor, something he didn’t know what to make of.

“No small talk?” Bethany asked. “I thought you were supposed to be charming.”

“I would rather keep an eye on the threat ahead, thanks,” Drew bit out. He was not trying to be difficult, but he did not wish to waste time. “If you came here to try to charm me—”

“Please,” Bethany cut in. “Do not flatter yourself. While yes, even someone as cold as I am can admit that you are pleasing to the eye, that does not mean I want anything to do with you on a romantic or physical level. On any level, really. However, I believe we can be of use to each other.”

“Really?” He did not keep the doubt from his voice. “And how’s that?”

“Well, I saved your life,” Bethany pointed out. “And now, I want something from you.”

“Why am I not surprised?” he asked. Under his breath, he muttered, “Slippery Sirens. More like eels, really.”

“Mutter all you like, but it is the truth,” Bethany said. She took a seat on the edge of her bed and brought her knees up to her chest. “I do believe you owe me a favor, at the very least.”

Drew sighed through his nose. He did not like where this conversation was heading.

“And what is it you want, then?” he asked.

The corner of Drew’s mouth flickered upward. “Now, darling, while I am flattered by your attention, I must inform you that, unfortunately for you, my heart belongs to another.” He lifted his hands, pressed flat together. “But I thank you for your consideration.”

Bethany’s face contorted into a scowl. “Never,” she said. “Never in a million years would I even consider you as a romantic partner. What I mean when I say I want you is that I want you to turn yourself over to Port George. I hear the East India Company has reclaimed the fortress since you brought down the Society. I want you to turn yourself in and, in return, I promise my sisters and I will assist you on your quest in killing the Queen.”

“You want me to turn myself over to the EIC?” Drew asked slowly. “Why would I do that?”

“My sister died because of the Queen,” Bethany said. “If the Queen wasn’t hellbent on getting you back, she never would have taken me and my sister. My sister would still be alive. At least this way, I can avenge her.”

“Isn’t killing the Queen enough for that?”

“That is your revenge,” Bethany said. “It cannot belong to us both.”

“They will kill me,” Drew stated.

“Perhaps,” Bethany agreed with a nod. “But if you do not do this, I will kill you and your sister and the redhead before delivering Kelia to the Queen to do what she will to her, and we both know the Queen will be more than cruel.”

“You aren’t giving me much of a choice.”

“I’m glad you see it my way.” She reached out her hand. “Do we have a deal?”

There was nothing Drew could do. He could either die now or, even if he killed Bethany and attempted to fight the Queen alone, die later.

But there was only one way to keep Kelia safe: live long enough to kill the Queen.

“Fine,” he said, shaking her head. “Do not tell Kelia.”

“I won’t,” Bethany said.

Drew said nothing before heading out the door and straight for the helm, trying to keep his frustration to himself. That did not keep Kelia away from him, however. She was too curious for her own good.

“Is everything okay?” she asked. “Everything that happened between you and Bethany. Is everything well? What did she say?”

Drew opened his mouth, a lie dancing on his lips. As he looked at her, however, he faltered. He had never lied to her before. Withheld information, certainly, but never had he outright lied, and he didn’t intend to do so now.

He cleared his throat and looked to the horizon, at the ship that seemed to be slowing down, at least momentarily. He could not lie to her, even if he wanted to.

“It is as good as it can be,” Drew said, his voice tight as his gaze returned to hers.

A question flashed in Kelia’s eyes, one that seemed to sense that there was more than he was letting on. He waited. He did not want to cut her off and reveal that her suspicion was, in fact, correct. However, he did not like the heavy silence that hung between them, and he wanted to fill it with noise.

Instead, he stepped back from the bannister and continued toward the helm.

Her voice followed him as he continued to move away. “You are not telling me everything.”

“I am telling you what I can,” he said. He did not turn and regard her with a look. Instead, he focused on getting to the helm.

“So you admit there’s more to this?” she asked, coming up behind him.

“Please.” He closed his eyes, lifting his head toward the sun, silently asking God for patience, for the ability to lie to Kelia. “Do not ask me for more information because I cannot give it to you.”

Kelia clenched her jaw and crossed one arm over her chest. “Will everything be all right?” she asked, her voice uncharacteristically meek. “The least you can do is tell me that, can’t you?”

Drew huffed a sigh and opened his eyes once more. “I can’t predict the future, Kelia,” he said. “All I can tell you is that, in this moment, we are alive. I will not say more than that.”

He turned his attention back to his ship. How long would he have to wait before he stepped onto his deck again? Would he even be alive to enjoy the Wraith one last time?