Is it trying to get us killed?
I couldn’t see the fishermen, but I knew they were around here somewhere. I closed my eyes, focusing on the sound of the waves as they splashed up against the side of the boat. They started mild, a soft patter against the wood of the ship. With a deep breath, the waves began to grow louder—more violent.
Shouts broke out as the ship began to rock, and I used the distraction to search for a way out. The weight of the fish pinned down the net, and I used my newly separated fingers to tear at it, but the rope didn’t budge. Hissing, I threw my hands down on the wooden deck. My nails were dull and useless in this form.
I scanned the surrounding area through the holes in the net, and my eyes froze as a small metal spear with a wooden handle came into view. The tool sat upon a sodden wooden crate, almost in reach. I wiggled through the slime and scales left behind from both the fish and me until I could wrap my fingers around the wooden handle.
A groan left me as I secured the handle within my grip and pulled the tool from the crate. My eyes darted around for images of feet running toward me, but I saw nothing of the sort as I started sawing through the rope ensnaring me. There was no way in the dark depths that I was going to be caught bare in a pile of fish by these men. I’d die first.
My arm muscles cried in pain by the time the rope snapped under the blade’s ferocity. I kicked fish off me as I crawled free ofmy entanglement along the ship’s deck. The sheer weight of the creatures pinning down my human form made my ribs scream, but I kept going. When I found my freedom, I felt like nothing more than a flopping fish as my wet body plopped into the puddle of water pooling next to the net.
Peering over my shoulder, I watched as the fishermen attempted to catch their balance and hold on for dear life as a massive wave rocked the boat. The seal cried out, begging me to free it with its wide, dark eyes, but there was no time, and the sounds of its heavy body on the deck would give me away. It was me or the seal, and I was going to choose myself every single time.
My feet struck the ship deck, my bare toes spreading to stabilize myself as I found my bearings. I was too weak to jump back into the water; I’d never survive the transition back to my siren form. I needed clothes, and there was nothing else that mattered until I was dressed like one ofthem.
I snuck through the ship, the wind of the day wrapping around me like the clothes I sought. The commotion at the front of the ship calmed, and I picked up my pace, trying not to trip on my unsteady legs as I rushed to the back of the ship under the coverage of the storage area.
Escaping the harsh daylight penetrating my skin, I found shelter among barrels of rum, tangles of ropes, and a few trunks full of supplies. A shirt and cap were hung to dry over the back of one of the open trunks, and I grabbed the shirt, throwing it on over my wet hair. I twisted my long locks into a knot at the base of my neck and squeezed it into the brown leather cap.
Rifling through the trunk, I dampened the contents as I searched for pants and shoes. I pulled free a pair of slacks and a thin jacket. Throwing them on, the tightness in my chest eased as each new article of clothing covered more of me. I settled intothe new attire, the slacks inches from the floor. I forgot how puny human men could be.
There was a creak behind me, and I spun to face the sound. My body thudded against something smooth and wet, and I stumbled back, my hand gripping my chest. Adrenaline coursed through me as my eyes landed on a figure before me. Thoughts of attack ran rampant through my mind as my blurred vision focused.
A woman with dark, soaked curls and wide brown eyes stared at me with a cocked head. She stood with her arms behind her back, her bare form exposed to me. She blinked as she took a step toward me, her eyes trailing my clothed body. Her hair dripped onto the floor, and the spotted pelt she held behind her back sent a wave of understanding through me.
“You?”I threw my hand up, motioning to the woman.
“You left me…” she seethed. “You left me with the fish. To die.”
“Yeah, well you’re the reason I’m in this mess.” The hiss left my lips, my eyes narrowing on the woman. “You should’ve let me make that kill. You had no business being that far from land. Those areourfish.”
How had I not known she was a selkie? The way she teased me and swam in mocking loops around me… I should’ve realized she wasn’t a mere seal.
“I’m hungry. There’s no fish near our land.” She held her warm brown hand up to her bare belly.
“What are you talking about? Did you not see all those fish? We have nothing like that in the deep,” I bit out.
“Yes, but we are not near my land. I traveled far for that tuna, despite the warnings of my people about getting too close to yours.” She tossed me a disgusted glare. “There’s no more fish in our cove. I had no choice.”
“You have no fish?” I asked, my eyes darting through the crack in the door to where I saw a sliver of blue. As I peered into the water, I thought about all the times my kind killed hers for getting too close to our territory and stealing our food.
Have they also had nothing all along?
My eyes wandered over her bare skin once more and groaned. I didn’t like this one bit, but if I left her here, in this state, we’d both be caught.
“You need to get dressed,” I demanded, gritting my teeth together. “There’s no clothing left back here. I took everything I could find. We’ll have to take something off one of them.”
Her eyes widened, and she peered through the crack in the door.
“From the humans?” Her lips peeled back, and sharpened canines poked over her bottom lip. I ran my tongue over my own teeth, but they were now blunt, human. The residual taste of blood remained in my mouth, my new teeth sore and slightly wiggly as they set into my raw gums. I peered down to her nails, but even in this form, mine were still longer than hers. I’d take the one advantage I had.
“Yes, from the humans,” I said. “Just stay here.”
I directed her to the back of the room, and she placed her pelt on one of the closed trunks. She rose to her tiptoes then took a seat upon it, dangling her legs off the side. She stared at me expectantly with the beautiful eyes of a selkie, dark, mysterious pools I could get lost in if I wasn’t careful.
Creeping toward the cracked door, I placed my hands on it and poked my head through. The men hauled the now-still fish into baskets. There had to be twenty of them at least, all hustling around in their stupid little hats, stealingourfood.
“Plug your ears and keep your eyes off me.”
