Page 5 of A Siren of Beasts

“Gods, woman, are you trying to give me a fright?” Barnaby gasped, clutching his chest. “What are you doing?”

“Just looking, it seems we might have a storm chasing us,” I answered, smoothing my hands over my dress I’d tied up so it didn’t get caught.

Barnaby squinted as he looked behind us, as if he couldn’t see what I was talking about. Since being on the ship I’d noticed certain things had changed. My eyesight was getting sharper, even in the middle of the day, so I could see farther. Hearing was better as well—to the point when it was quiet at night, I could hear just about anyone anywhere on the ship. I’d always been strong but my reflexes were noticeably faster and deadly accurate in spearing fish.

“Is that why it’s gotten chillier out here?” Barnaby asked, as if it irritated at the climate change.

“Don’t you remember me telling you that Gusnia has a more temperate climate than Estya? It never gets cold enough for the ground to freeze, but in Gusnia we’re arriving at the beginning of their cold season,” I reminded him.

Muttering under his breath I heard him call me a know-it-all and waved me off. “Enough of that, come with me. I’m in desperate need of sleep and whenever I have a hard time you singing to me with my cock in your pussy always does the trick.”

Just like that, he reminded me that while Barnaby was a good man—he was ultimately a selfish one. I was his slave to service and whatever he pleased however he desired. Somehow, I’d allowed myself to forget that in the short time I’d been left to my own devices.

“Of course, do you need me to wash up? I’m a little sweaty and grimy,” I asked, knowing his preference for us to bathe before coming to his rooms no matter what time of the day it was.

Barnaby wrinkled his nose. “Yes, but be quick about it, I’m still not fully recovered from my seasickness and I need my rest. Showing up in Gusnia, looking like I’d spent my entire time at sea puking, is not the impression I want to make.”

“With your leave, I’ll meet you in your cabin as soon as I’ve cleaned up,” I said, bowing my head waiting for him to leave before getting to work.

Hauling up a bucket of salty water, I slipped out of my dress and used a rag to scrub my body. Thankfully, I’d packed a bar of soap in the scent that Barnaby liked and used that in the areas that might smell more strongly of my activities on the ship. I used the dress to dry myself before using the bucket to wash it while I had the chance to let it dry in the sunlight and soft breeze. I’d packed four dresses, all black since that was my assigned color and truthfully, I felt it looked the best on me as well.

Securing the dress in the clothesline, along with a few other sailor’s clothes, I turned to hurry below deck when an arm shot out to stop me. Looking over I found it was the first mate, Aleks, who’d stopped me. He’d been one of the few men who’d steered clear of me but any time I felt eyes on me it was him.

“Yes?” I questioned.

“You said you saw a storm coming?” Aleks questioned.

Nodding, I pointed to the east. “It’s behind us, but I feel like it’s picking up speed and soon it’ll be chasing us.”

Aleks gave me an odd look but nodded his head. “Best you stay below tonight and make sure that master of yours doesn’t do something stupid. A storm at sea isn’t something anyone wishes to experience. Promise me that no matter what happens you don’t take one step out on the deck. If it’s a storm like you’re talking about, it will sweep you right off this ship without a care in the world.”

“Understood,” I answered. “Thank you for the warning.”

“Look, it’s none of my business and I’m not a revolutionary man by any means, but a woman like you being caged by a man like that is just cruel,” he stated, then walked off and shouted orders to his crew.

A smile tugged at my lips as I hurried below deck not bothering to grab a clean dress, knowing Barnaby would strip me out of it. He liked to use my breasts as pillows as he slept. Slipping into his cabin I found him sprawled on his back naked with an arm over his eyes.

“Kezia, remind me I hate traveling by ship the next time they give me an option,” Barnaby grumbled.

Letting out a silent sigh I sat on the edge of his bed. “There’s no other way to reach Gusnia than by ship, our two continents don’t connect.”

“The way I feel right now, it might have been the better choice to marry Winifred,” Barnaby moaned, rolling on his side to face me. “Will you sing for me?”

“You know I will,” I answered and lay down next to him as he pulled one of my legs over his hip so he could work his semi-hard cock inside me. “Do you have a song you want to hear?”

Nuzzling into my breasts he made himself comfortable before answering me. “No, just something to soothe this churning feeling in my stomach. I feel like at any moment I could be sick, even though there’s nothing to be sick over.”

Running my fingers through his hair the way I knew he liked it, I thought about what songs I should pick. He’d need at least three to fall asleep, with how restless he was. Then one came to mind, and I hummed the first few notes, letting myself remember the tune I’d heard a traveling bard sing. It had been the queen’s birthday and there were tons of traveling entertainers who’d come to the castle. So many new songs were sung, as well as poetry readings, that had me yearning for more.

Keeping my voice pitched low for only Barnaby to hear, I let the words fall from my lips. It was a song about a sailor who loved the sea. He thought she was the most beautiful thing. Then tragedy struck—his boat was attacked, his crew killed, and he was tossed into the sea that he loved. The sailor fought to survive but in the end, the sea claimed her lover for herself, wrapping him up in her loving embrace and breathing new life into him. The sea changed him so he could be with her forever, never having to leave or return to land. A true love story if I’d ever heard one. Tears pricked at my eyes as the song ended and to my amazement Barnaby was sound asleep, already drooling on me.

I stayed with him just as I’d promised the first mate. As time ticked by I felt the roll of the ship change as the water became restless. Things in the room shifted, so I slipped out from Barnaby’s grasp and started to put things away. The storm was catching up and there would be no time to batten everything down if I waited much longer. Once things were secure in his room, I made sure he was still sound asleep, then headed for my room.

There wasn’t much in it. I had my pack with my three other dresses, shoes, two simple pieces of jewelry that Barnaby had given me, and a journal I liked to write songs in. With all the visiting entertainers I was never sure if I’d hear from them again and I didn’t want to forget the songs that I’d loved. Out of everything it was probably my most prized possession, and I’d wrapped it in a waterproof skin to keep it safe. Slipping on a dress, I padded out of my room with my pack in hand and knocked on Finn’s door.

“Come in, Kezia,” he called.

He knew it was me since I was probably the only person who would even consider knocking to enter his space. Peeking into his room I found him on the floor doing strength exercises. He paused and sat up, crossing his legs, giving me a wry look. “That’s not coming in, that’s lingering in the doorway.”