"Okay, let me guess," her voice laced with enough sarcasm to sink a ship. "We'll have to go on an underwater scavenger hunt, right? Maybe find Ariel's long-lost treasure or Sebastian's secret stash of Jamaican rum?"
The Captain blinks at her. "Who's Ariel?" his voice laced with genuine bewilderment.
Danirolls her eyes. "Never mind. The point is, we've been through this song and dance before. And let me tell you, Captain, it's getting a little old."
Her eyes narrow on the Captain."But hey, if that's what it takes to get an audience with her Royal Fishiness, then fine. We'll jump through their hoops and play their little games. But remember, Captain—We're here to save the world and do whatever it takes to make that happen."
The Captain nods slowly, his expression turning serious. "Aye, lass," his voice low and gruff. "I can see that. And I respect it. But the merfolk are a proud people who don't take kindly to outsiders. If you want their help, you'll have to earn it."
Erik, the stoic bastard, takes in all this information with his usual look of complete and utter boredom. Typical of my brother.
It's like nothing fazes him, no matter how crazy or convoluted the situation gets. He stands there, his expression as blank as a goddamn slate, as if he's listening to someone recite the phonebook instead of unraveling ancient secrets and navigating treacherous realms.
But I know better than to let his bored act fool me. Deep down, I know he's processing every detail, analyzing every angle, and formulating a plan. He's a fucking mastermind, always ten steps ahead, even if he looks like he couldn't give a rat's ass about what's going on around him.
I trust him with my life, and I know he's got our best interests at heart, even if he doesn't always show it. That's our brotherly bond, an unspoken understanding transcending any momentary annoyance or frustration.
"Alright, Captain," my voice steady. "Cut the bullshit and tell us straight. What must we do to prove ourselves worthy to these fish folk? We're not here to play fucking games. We've got shit to do and people to save, so lay it out for us."
The Captain's grin widens, and he leans forward in his seat, his eyes glinting with mischief. "They like shiny things, booty of such—"
"Why did I not seethatcoming?" Dani's sarcasm is at an all-time high now. "What kind of gadgets, gizmos, and plenty are we talking about here, Captain?" Her tone as sweet as poisoned honey. "Something special, or just any old whoozits and whatzits galore from a sunken pirate ship treasure?"
The Captain blinks at her, clearly not getting the reference. "I... I'm not sure what you mean bywhoozitsandwhatzits, lass. But I can assure you, the artifact we seek is no mere trinket."
Danisighs, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "Of course not. Alright, so what is this oh-so-special thingamabob we're supposed to retrieve?"
The Captain's eyes glint with excitement. "It's called the Siren's Lyre and said to be hidden deep within the Coral Caverns on Serraphatic Cove. Legend has it that the merfolk used it to communicate with the gods themselves and that it holds the key to unlocking their deepest secrets."
Daniraises an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "The Siren's Lyre? Like, a musical instrument?"
The Captain nods, a grin spreading across his face. "Aye, love. But not just any musical instrument. The Siren's Lyre is said to have the power to control the tides and summon somthin' of great power at the wielder's biddin'."
Dani's eyes widen, "Okay, that's... that's pretty impressive. But let me guess—it's guarded by a terrifying sea monster or ancient curse, right?"
The Captain chuckles, shaking his head. "Not quite, lass. Traps and puzzles guard the Siren's Lyre, each more fiendishly clever than the last. It's said that only the most cunning and resourceful of adventurers can hope to retrieve it."
Daninods, her expression thoughtful. "Traps and puzzles, huh? Well, I guess that's better than a giant squid or a Kraken."
Ican feelDani's excitement about this shooting through our bond. She fucking lives for this type of shit. Solving puzzles, riddles, and cracking codes— it's like her goddamn lifeblood.
The Captain grins, "Aye, lass, that it is. But I have faith in you and yer crew."
Dani sighs, "Alright, priority check." She locks eyes with me, "Step one: Head back to our world. Step two: Snag Lucian. Because there's no way in hell I'm playing 'Under the Sea' scavenger hunt while that nutjob has Lucian."
She's right. I already feel like a fucking asshole for abandoningLucian, andDani's inner remorse is shooting through our bond like a goddamn live wire. She hates abandonment with a passion and would never have done it herself. But she was weak and barely able to stay conscious. She would've fought tooth and nail to saveLucian, even if it meant sacrificing herself.
That's just the kind of person she is—loyal to a fault and willing to put everything on the line for the people she cares about. It's one of the many reasons I love her so damn much, even if it scares the shit out of me sometimes.
But something about the Captain's story isn't sitting right with me. It's like a puzzle piece is still missing, a crucial detail he's intentionally keeping from us. And I'll be damned if I'm going to let him lead us into some trap or wild goose chase without getting the whole picture.
Why would the merfolk, with all their power and knowledge of the sea, need us to retrieve this artifact? What's the real reason behind this supposed quest? I don't particularly appreciate being kept in the dark, especially when the stakes are this high.
I won't letDani's guilt and my sense of failure cloud my judgment. We need to keep our wits about us and approach this with a healthy dose of skepticism. The last thing we need is to get caught up in some political shitstorm or ancient feud that has nothing to do with us.
"Hold up, something doesn't add up here," I interject. "If this artifact is so damn important to the merfolk, why can't they just swim down there and retrieve it themselves? Why do they need us to play fetch for them?"
I narrow my eyes on the Captain's face for any hint of deception. "This whole thing seems fishy as fuck, no pun intended. What aren't you telling us?"
