Father and son. By the seas, of course they are. Now that I know it, I can see the similarities in their features. The same ash-blond hair, the same freckles peppering their cheeks. At the sight of them, something stings my heart, like a small needle tearing open a wound I try to keep closed. I, too, had a father who worried about me. Once upon a time.
“Of course, how could I be so thoughtless?” He lets go of him but scans his body one more time with a smile on his face that doesn’t reach his eyes. A mask placed meticulously over his worry. He has to be concerned about which memory his son has lost.
Nightglass pats Lark on his shoulder. “You’re needed out on deck. The captain’s counting hands.”
Lark nods and quickly hurries away, boots thudding down the corridor with renewed confidence, leaving me alone with his father, who eyes me up, scrutinizing every inch of me.
“I appreciate you checking on him, lass. But I don’t want you near him.” He sees my brows as they lift in confusion. “Grim told me what you are.”
Swallowing, I slowly shake my head.
“Sirens never hurt kids. We’re not interested in the innocent. Besides, you are pirates. I think it is I who should be more afraid. But I understand your concern, and I will respect your wish.”
He nods slowly, jaw tightening as if he’s weighing every word. He seems to let it slip, his worry for his son overpowering any anger my words have sparked.
“You don’t know what he lost? Did he seem… confused to you?”
“No.” I offer him a reassuring smile. “He remembers his home, his family, and that he’s a true pirate at heart.”
A smile tugs at his lips. “Good. That must be enough.”
Nightglass turns toward the door again but stops and looks back at me.
“I’ll lock you in here until the crew has settled and the captain is ready to see you. Go change and rest. I’m sure he has some clothes in there.” He nods toward a chest at the end of the bed.
Metal clicks. When I turn back around, the door is already closed.
I don’t even bother trying it. I know it’s locked.
Chapter Ten
Apparently,Ichangedintoa simple gown I found in the chest and completely crashed out on the soft bed in the captain’s quarters. Otherwise, there’s no way of explaining the stern-faced captain staring down at me with his dark eyebrows pulled into a frown.
I half expect rough planks beneath my back, the stink of the hold, iron at my ankles. It takes effort to register the softness of the mattress, the unfamiliar weight of blankets, the quiet creak of the ship instead of the roar of the sea.
The last thing I remember is exhaustion so deep it felt like drowning. For a moment, I just lie there, trying to understand what I’m seeing. I rub my eyes, my vision still blurry from sleeping, and prop myself up on my elbows.
“Had a good nap in my bed, little fish?” He asks me in a mocking tone, raising a dark brow. A playful smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth. He’s clearly amused, and that alone bothers me.
He’s so close to me that I can feel the warmth coming off his body. It's a little too intimate for my liking, him hovering over me like that, so I give his chest a slight push, forcing him to give me more space. The skin underneath his damp shirt is hot against mine, the strong curve of his muscles resisting the pressure of my hand. I linger a little too long, my eyes stuck on his chest and his tattoos there, before quickly pulling my hand back, annoyed with myself for briefly falling prey to thoughts of how muscular he is.
“I won’t apologize to you if that’s what you’re after.” I point my chin high. “I was locked in here, after all.”
“Mhm.” The corner of his lips lifts into an almost-smile as I get up to sit on the bed cross-legged. His bed. What was I thinking? Allowing my guard down long enough to fall asleep on the captain’s bed was a big mistake. Without wanting to, heat rushes into my cheeks. I shouldn’t have lain down here, not with the lack of sleep I had in the last few days. I was bound to crash. My head still feels heavy, my thoughts slow to catch up.
Sable straightens his posture and leans against one of the wooden bedposts with his arms crossed. He looks comfortable, a little pleased with himself, like this is all working out exactly how he wants it.
“You were right about the Intermaria. You tried to save the ship and the crew. That doesn’t go unnoticed.”
My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. Is he trying to thank me? Of all the things I was expecting him to say, that was not at the top of my list. I allow myself to indulge in a faint smile as I realize I have fulfilled my end of the bargain, and it is now Sable’s turn to fulfill his.
“Are you saying I get to sleep in a cabin tonight?”
He shrugs and nods toward me. “You’ve already slept in one. Mine, to be specific. I think the debt is paid.”
I quickly glance out of one of the foggy round windows across the room. It looks like the sun is about to set. Time has crept on despite my brief break from the world. “The night hasn’t even begun yet!”
A grin spreads across his face, dimples forming in his cheeks. “So you want to stay in my bed, little siren?"