"Aye, good to see ye back, lass," Gideon chimes in, his pirate accent thicker than the stew he's been slinging in the galley.
I flash him a grin and a nod, "Thanks for not abandoning us."
"Well, well, if it isn't my favorite damsel in distress," Finn drawls, sauntering forward with that ridiculous red bandana perched atop his messy mop of brown hair. "Nice to see yer not doing yer best impression of a drownin' rat this time. It's a good look on ya, lass."
I roll my eyes but can't help the grin tugging at my lips. "And here I thought you missed playing the dashing hero, Finn. Don't worry, I'm sure there are plenty of other helpless maidens just dying to be rescued by your scurvy-ridden self."
Finn laughs. "Aw, come now, lassy. You know you're the only waterlogged princess for me."
"Charming as ever, I see," I retort, giving him a playful shove. "So, tell me, oh great savior of the seas, have you managed to keep the hold clear of unexpected floods? Orshould I be worried about taking an impromptu swimming lesson every time I step below deck?"
Finn's smirk widens. "Aye, lass, the hold's as dry as a nuns... well, you know. But don't let that stop ye from calling for me if you ever feel the urge to practice your drowning technique again."
"I'll keep that in mind, Finn."
After a quick bath (and by "bath," I mean splashing some water on my face and hoping for the best), Rhyland and I change into dry clothes for once and head back down to the galley.
And bless his heart, Erik's got a bowl of steaming seafood stew waiting for me like he knew my stomach would stage a mutiny if I didn't get some grub in me pronto. I don't waste a second, diving in like a starving wolf and slurping down every last drop.
Erik sits there, watching me with this little smile like he's the world's most overgrown mother hen. Always looking out for me, that one. It's enough to make a girl feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
"Thank you," I mumble around a mouthful of stew, my manners temporarily taking a backseat to my ravenous hunger. Once I've licked the bowl clean (literally, no shame), I fish out the Siren's Lyre and plop it down on the table like a trophy.
Not to be outdone, Mirella produces Nixie's journal with a flourish, sliding it over to me like she's passing me the keys to the kingdom—time to get to the bottom of this curse nonsense and figure out what the hell Cordelia's been up to.
I reach for the journal, ready to crack it open and spill its secrets. Before I can even flip to the first page, Rhyland's got me in his lap, his arms wrapped around me, tight.
"Seriously, babe?" I grumble, trying (and failing) to wriggle free. "I'm trying to solve a cosmic mystery here, not play'The Princess Bride.'"
Rhyland chuckles, his breath warm against my ear. "Relax, Angel," his voice all low and rumbly. "You've been through a lot today. Let me hold you for a minute, yeah?"
And damn it all to hell, I can't argue with that. Because as much as I hate to admit it, being in Rhyland's arms feels like coming home, like the safest place in the world. And after our day, I could use a little safety and comfort.
With that, I start to read. I'm staring at this journal like it's written in freaking hieroglyphics, my brain doing somersaults trying to make sense of the cryptic scribbles. But then, like a ray of sunshine cutting through the fog, Seraphina pipes up.
"Here, allow me," her voice all sweet and knowing, like she's about to drop some profound wisdom on us.
I look at her, my eyebrows shooting up. "Wait, what? You can read this ancient mumbo-jumbo?"
"Trust me, Princess. Wait till you see this shit. It's like watching a librarian on speed-reading steroids." Lucian snarks.
I hand over the journal, still skeptical but figuring it can't hurt to let my guardian angel take a crack at it. And holy hot damn, Seraphina starts flipping through those pages like she's skimming a trashy romance novel. I swear, her eyes are moving so fast, they're practically leaving scorch marks on the paper.
Within a minute (a freaking minute!), she hands the journal back to me, a serene smile on her face. "Okay, here's the deal," her voice all calm and collected, like she didn't just perform a miracle of speed-reading.
And then she starts to spill the tea, and let me tell you, it's a doozy. I'm talking drama, intrigue, and plot twists that would make even the most seasoned soap opera writer clutch their pearls in shock.
I lean back in my chair, my mind reeling from the bombshell Seraphina just dropped on us. "Okay, let me get this straight. Cordelia and Calypso are sisters? And their dad, Aeces, pulled a classic case of 'trade in the old model for a newer one' when he ditched Undinite for Rillia?"
Seraphina nods, her expression of sadness and understanding. "Yes, Dani. It was a terrible situation for all involved. Rillia, Calypso's mother, was to crown her queen next in succession."
I snort, shaking my head in disbelief. "Yeah, no kidding. And then Undinite went all'fatal attraction'and murdered Aeces and Rillia? Talk about a family drama."
Seraphina sighs, her voice soft and melodic as she continues. "Undinite then crowned Cordelia as queen and then took her own life. It's tragic, Dani. In her grief, Cordelia lashed out at Calypso. She cursed her with a once-a-month mermaid tail."
"Because nothing says 'I love you, sis' like turning her into a magical fish out of water, right? Cordelia must have missed the memo on healthy sibling relationships."
I take a moment to reflect on our encounter with Calypso. She was lounging in a pool, her mermaid tail on full display, and then, after dinner, she was suddenly over our presence, ready to kick us out.
