That symbol—etched in quiet ink but screaming in my head—freezes me cold.
The water elemental mark. My mother’s symbol.
The one on her chest. The one that I haven’t been able to forget.
A rush of memories—her voice, the shimmer of the marking in the watery light as she danced with my father, the way she used to smile before the world turned cruel—comes crashing over me like a wave.
Odelia is talking, but I can’t hear a word she’s saying above the rush in my ears.
“Rune—”
My eyes lock onto her face. She pauses mid question, then continues. “We can work together to find the treasure. You get half, I get half.”
I can’t think, let alone comprehend what she's suggesting. I need time.
I snatch the map from her hands and take a few steps back. Her mouth falls open, but she doesn’t speak again.
My gaze roams over her figure one more time. “I don’t make deals with pirates.” Then I go, slamming, and locking the door behind me.
I’ve got no interest in cutting deals with sea scum—but this map . . . this damned map has answers. At least it did, before a fool decided to swallow them whole. Still, I’m not letting that stop me. If the answers are in her, I’ll find a way to get them out. One way or another.
Clear evening skies scattered in diamonds call for feasts under the stars. Soraya insists. Between her and Bear, we’d have a party every night if I allowed it. Otto loves to cook, and Soraya loves to dance.
Who am I to argue with that?
Some of the crew is still eating their meal of garlic-soaked lobster, seaweed salad, and roasted meats and vegetables for those who prefer a more carnivorous diet. I myself prefer white flesh. Others are half drunk with burgundy wine as they listen to Soraya serenade with her siren song.
My mind drifts to the map inside my pocket. I haven’t shared it with anyone yet—not even Elio. How did my mother’s symbol end up on a map? Does it even mean anything? Better yet, how did the map end up in the hands of a Viper pirate?
Soraya’s voice carries on the ocean breeze. I sip my whiskey while watching the crew carry on. Usually I join in on the fun, but tonight my heart is conflicted. It feels heavy, like there is aweight in my chest.
Should I take Odelia up on her offer? Should I say yes to a pirate? One from theSea Bane? The only run-in I've had with Captain Ivor didn’t fare well, and only my association with the siren kingdom saved us . . . though Otto had still suffered beyond reason.
If she knew how valuable the map was she didn’t let it show. But then again she has the necklace too . . .
A wooden chair scrapes against the deck as Elio sits beside me. “You’re quiet tonight. Everything alright?”
I offer him a grin, lifting my cup to my lips. “Splendid.”
His hazel eyes squint. He knows I’m lying.
“I’ve decided we’re going to spend some time in Maiden Stone.”
Elio leans back in his chair, arms folded across his broad chest. “What’s in Maiden Stone? Don’t you want to get the prisoner to Goldmere?”
I take another sip of whiskey before answering. “We will—eventually.”
His brow pinches together. “Can you tell me what spurred this decision?”
Thoughts churn in my head. I could tell him the truth. I usually do, but I need to buy myself time. I need to clear my head, and maybe having my feet on solid ground will help. Maybe, the secret hope is that when we arrive, Odelia will turn tail and flee. Then I won’t have to choose between my mother and the respect of my crew. They’ll think I’ve lost my mind. There’s no getting around the fact that pursuing the map would put lives in danger. The uninhabited islands stay that way for a reason. Monsters, deadly flora, you nameit. The others wouldn’t understand that it could be worth the risk of trusting a Viper. Elio and Tavi might, but everyone else . . . there’d be no way to justify it. But I’ll need her to find the answers. She made sure of it.
I shove my hands into my trouser pockets, rubbing the bone-carved nautilus shell pendant between my forefinger and my thumb. “Otto needs supplies, and I know some of the crew are desperate to feel some solid ground beneath their feet.”
Elio glances sideways to look at me. “When did you decide this?”
“Earlier today.”
“And you didn’t think to talk to me or Tavi first?” His voice is laced with a hint of annoyance.
