skepticism is nothing new to me, in fact, let me enlighten you further. Not only is he the love of your life, but you lived in this world before. A long, long time ago. You were a maiden of the sea. What you mortals call mermaids.”
Trisha opened her mouth, but Danika routed her. “You see, I told you I’m immune to your skepticism. And you may not believe now. But you will. I know who you are, who you really are, and who you’ll be again. I swear to you, Trisha, love is real and it can happen to you. But you must be willing to let go and believe.”
With those words she vanished inside the twirling tunnel of stars.
Dropping down to the bed, Trisha stared at the rug. And what she saw wasn’t the carpet, but the memory of a girl who’d loved once and lost everything because of it.
Chapter 6
Hook popped the cork out of the decanter and drank, enjoying the skin stripping sizzle of the whiskey as it flowed hot down his throat. The sun had set hours ago and a million stars burned up the navy canvas of sky above him. Below him the Never Sea rocked gently, its depths glowing neon blue from the thousands of glow fish during its mating call. Making the world appear as if it were full of stars from every conceivable corner.
The black silhouette of mountain ranges appeared like the craggy profile of a woman at slumber. Wind, smelling of salt and the wild, kissed his temples and ran long fingers through his hair.
Spreading his legs wide, he inhaled deeply. This was his home, where he belonged, with the sea, sailing its tide.
He chugged another mouthful, eyes tearing instantly, and then huffed as it burned a path straight to his stomach.
“Captain,” Smee’s concerned voice carried to him, “I heard a…”
Rolling his gaze toward his first mate, James tipped the empty decanter down with a disgusted frown, before dropping it to the deck. The glass rolled toward Smee, who stooped to pick it up.
“Ignore anything you hear coming from my cabin,” he said.
“But, sir. It sounded like a woman’s voice… You know how the crew get about taking a woman out to sea. ‘Tis said…”
“Yes,” he leaned casually against the rail, studying his nails in the dim moonlight, “I know. Calypso is a jealous mistress and refuses to share, but you see, dear Smee…” He swayed to the rocking of the ship, walking toward one of the three images of Smee, hoping to clap the real one on the shoulder and not the drink induced vision, as he would surely fall and smack his head on deck should he pick the wrong one. Thankfully, he was spared any humiliation when he gripped the left shoulder of his man. “I am told she is the daughter of Calypso.”
Smee’s eyes widened. “A maid of the sea?”
“Or so says Danika. In fact,” he clapped Smee again, so hard he stumbled back a step, “she claims the lass is none other than Talia.”
“Ta…” Blinking hard, Smee shook his head. “Your betrothed?”
He shrugged, as if it didn’t faze him, as if he didn’t want to slam his cabin door open, barge back into that room, and demand she tell him the truth.
But he wasn’t the bastard all the tales made him out to be. Beneath the icy exterior beat a heart. It was mangled and blackened, but it existed. Few ever got to see it, but Talia had. She’d taken the good and the bad and loved him all the more for it.
The woman looked nothing like his Talia.
Many stories would have you believe a maid could come and go upon the shores at whim, it wasn’t the case. A maid was tied to her waters, but it hadn’t been a problem for them, for he’d been tied to them too. Though different in form, in soul, they’d been alike. She’d taken him in, made him her own, and shown the other maidens the black guard was more than the tales.
“But that cannot be. When a maiden’s body is destroyed her soul sails upon the…” Smee lifted his hand.
Swinging
Trisha opened her mouth, but Danika routed her. “You see, I told you I’m immune to your skepticism. And you may not believe now. But you will. I know who you are, who you really are, and who you’ll be again. I swear to you, Trisha, love is real and it can happen to you. But you must be willing to let go and believe.”
With those words she vanished inside the twirling tunnel of stars.
Dropping down to the bed, Trisha stared at the rug. And what she saw wasn’t the carpet, but the memory of a girl who’d loved once and lost everything because of it.
Chapter 6
Hook popped the cork out of the decanter and drank, enjoying the skin stripping sizzle of the whiskey as it flowed hot down his throat. The sun had set hours ago and a million stars burned up the navy canvas of sky above him. Below him the Never Sea rocked gently, its depths glowing neon blue from the thousands of glow fish during its mating call. Making the world appear as if it were full of stars from every conceivable corner.
The black silhouette of mountain ranges appeared like the craggy profile of a woman at slumber. Wind, smelling of salt and the wild, kissed his temples and ran long fingers through his hair.
Spreading his legs wide, he inhaled deeply. This was his home, where he belonged, with the sea, sailing its tide.
He chugged another mouthful, eyes tearing instantly, and then huffed as it burned a path straight to his stomach.
“Captain,” Smee’s concerned voice carried to him, “I heard a…”
Rolling his gaze toward his first mate, James tipped the empty decanter down with a disgusted frown, before dropping it to the deck. The glass rolled toward Smee, who stooped to pick it up.
“Ignore anything you hear coming from my cabin,” he said.
“But, sir. It sounded like a woman’s voice… You know how the crew get about taking a woman out to sea. ‘Tis said…”
“Yes,” he leaned casually against the rail, studying his nails in the dim moonlight, “I know. Calypso is a jealous mistress and refuses to share, but you see, dear Smee…” He swayed to the rocking of the ship, walking toward one of the three images of Smee, hoping to clap the real one on the shoulder and not the drink induced vision, as he would surely fall and smack his head on deck should he pick the wrong one. Thankfully, he was spared any humiliation when he gripped the left shoulder of his man. “I am told she is the daughter of Calypso.”
Smee’s eyes widened. “A maid of the sea?”
“Or so says Danika. In fact,” he clapped Smee again, so hard he stumbled back a step, “she claims the lass is none other than Talia.”
“Ta…” Blinking hard, Smee shook his head. “Your betrothed?”
He shrugged, as if it didn’t faze him, as if he didn’t want to slam his cabin door open, barge back into that room, and demand she tell him the truth.
But he wasn’t the bastard all the tales made him out to be. Beneath the icy exterior beat a heart. It was mangled and blackened, but it existed. Few ever got to see it, but Talia had. She’d taken the good and the bad and loved him all the more for it.
The woman looked nothing like his Talia.
Many stories would have you believe a maid could come and go upon the shores at whim, it wasn’t the case. A maid was tied to her waters, but it hadn’t been a problem for them, for he’d been tied to them too. Though different in form, in soul, they’d been alike. She’d taken him in, made him her own, and shown the other maidens the black guard was more than the tales.
“But that cannot be. When a maiden’s body is destroyed her soul sails upon the…” Smee lifted his hand.
Swinging
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