Into The Unknown

Chapter 6-Lior

I caught the thunderous smash and was out of me hammock before me brain could even reckon where the racket came from. Growlin' like a mad dog, I fling on me breeches, snatch me coat—not botherin' with me shirt—grab me tricorn, and shove me feet into me boots before stormin' out into the passageway.

'Twas pitch black, seein' as how it be the dead of night. I come to the fork in the passageway and spot two deckhands chargin' straight toward me.

“Captain! Captain!” They each hoist a lantern in hand, so I can make out the burly dog named Ozan huffin' for breath, his cheeks turned a deep crimson.

I bark a curse at the old man's soft, out-of-shape bones—he’s a fresh deckhand we plundered from the last port—and turn me gaze to Lycidaus, the green boy standin' beside him.

"Captain, we were keepin' watch when a thunderous crash shook the timbers!"

Straightaway knowin' what foul business be afoot, I charge off in that direction. Outside the hatch, seawater floods the deck planks. I straightaway begin barks of curses!

A heavy, overpowerin' wave of copper and sharp sea brine, like openin' an oyster that's been bakin' under a bleedin' sun, strikes me the moment I barrel through the hatch. I had no time to reckon the stench before I stop dead in me tracks and slam the hatch shut behind me.

She lays on her side with her back turned to me, her mane cascadin' around her shoulders, stickin' to her wet flesh. Me eyes trail down her form and widen as I take in her now pale, human-colored skin, and legs.

Aye, legs.

She seems to be out cold, layin' in a pile of shimmery, sloughed-off ash as I close in on her now human form. Straightaway, I yank me ledger from me coat and begin scratchin' down me notes.

Her new legs be pale, quiverin' in a light shiverin' motion as if her whole flesh was buzzin'. They be covered in faint, silvery scars, like she'd carved somethin' deep into 'em, and the soles of her feet bear a symbol branded into the skin. The mark be pure silver and holds a faint, ghostly glow.

I manage to sketch the mark before a loud knock rattles the hatch.

"Captain, what foul business has struck?!" Sadgin barks, hammerin' against the hatch.

She stirs in the ashes but doesn't wake from her slumber.

I stand tall, leavin' me inspection of the wench, and step to the hatch, crackin' it open just a hair. Sadgin stands on the other side, "All be steady here. If I let ye cross this threshold, ye must give me yer word not to lose yer wits!

He gives me a dumbfounded look, "Captain, if there be another sea devil aboard, I'm bound to insist we toss one of 'em to the depths!"

I give a low chuckle and let him step inside, slammin' the hatch behind him to shut out the pryin' eyes of the crew. When I turn back around, Sadgin be frozen dead in his tracks, stiff as a wooden mast.

"I know not what dark magic took place. The sea dweller obviously worked some manner of transformation."

He bends down and cups a hand over his mouth, "We should've sliced into the beast while she was still a creature of the deep!"

"We'll not be carvin' her up, lad! I would, however, like to take a closer look at the wench. Perchance we can reckon how she worked such black magic!"

"Sorcery? Canna be! The lands have been dry of magic for centuries now!" He's shakin' his head now as he stands tall to look me in the eye. ""What be our play with the wench then?”

A broad grin stretches across me face. I’ve been waitin' for some brave soul to ask me that very riddle!

Sadgin lets out a heavy groan, clamps his hands behind his neck, and mutters, "I already regret askin' that question, Captain. Last time ye wore that wicked grin upon yer face, we ended up in irons, captured by Dastpen's bloody crew!"

"'Twas all by design, lad! The haul was well worth the trouble, and ye know it in yer bones!"

“So what's the plan?”

"I mean, what else would ye have reckoned me to do upon findin' a daughter of the sea?! A bounty of all bounties!"

He immediately shakes his head, “No. Captain No. It's a legend. A tall tail.”

"A few moons ago, the same would've been said for a mere sea-devil," I say, givin' a careless shrug. "Now, we have one right in our clutches. If there's any shred of truth to the tales, she be mine!"

"And while we're off on this wild goose chase, what of yer old man?!" Sadgin barks back.

"And what of me old man? He's growin' frail and hasn't left his keep in years."

Sadgin lets out a weary sigh. "And what be our play after the prize is won?"

I give a careless shrug, "Grow old and gray in peace on our own island hideaway somewhere, far from the king's reach."

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The newly-turned wench stirs in her slumber behind us before sittin' up, her back to our gaze.

Sadgin's eyes pop wide as he scarpers back against the hatch!

She curiously hoists her arms out in front of her, reachin' skyward, before her hands trail down to her legs. They stop short at her knees, then creep down to her toes. She grabs her feet and falls flat upon her back when she spots us, tryin' to sputter upright by kickin' her legs into the air, but ends up splat upon her belly instead.

I bend down low till we be eye-to-eye and offer her me hand. She scoots backward in terror, and a few glass shards dig deep into her flesh, makin' the lass wince.

“Let me help you.” I slowly take off my jacket and offer it to her.

She scrambles to back up further, only causin' more sharp glass to bite into her delicate flesh.

I let out a heavy sigh and toss her me coat. She narrows her eyes at me in defiance and flings the garment right back at me head! I merely shake me head at her stubbornness.

Behind me back, Sadgin slips out the hatch and vanishes onto the deck.

"I mean ye no malice, lass. I be merely curious—about ye and yer kind," I say, once more hoistin' me hand.

She tries to let out a fierce hiss but comes up short, makin' naught but an awkward, throaty rattle. 'Twas clear it startled her to lose a power she’d known all her days, for she squirms wild and lands hard upon her backside, facin' me with her limbs cast wide.

A sudden heat rushes to me groin at the unexpected sight of her exposed flesh, and I bark a curse under me breath to snap me wits back.

Sadgin steps back inside the cabin. "I've brought two sets of irons, Captain, and ordered every soul back to their quarters."

"Smart play, lad. I'll take the helm from here."

He gives a firm nod and slips back out the hatch.

The wench narrows her eyes at me the moment I turn back around with the cold iron links in hand.

"Forgive me, lass, but 'tis for the safety of the whole crew." I give her no time to strike; I charge forward, pinnin' both of her wrists in me iron grip.

She strains to pull away, gaspin' and shriekin' like a wild bird. I swiftly snap the manacles around her wrists and let her loose. She drops back onto her backside, wincin' yet again as the metal bites.

I shake me head and bend down low, clappin' irons around her ankles as well. She glares up at me, utterly mortified. I give a low chuckle at the look on her face, then scoop her up into me arms.

She struggles against me grip, but I keep a firm hold as I haul her up the companionway. As ordered, every soul had retreated to their quarters, though the passageways were now ablaze with lantern light. I make a straight line back to me cabin, the guest still thrashin' and protestin' in me arms.

With a heavy sigh, I set her upon me bunk and turn to bolt the hatch, just to be certain. I fish the key from me coat pocket. Kickin' off me leather boots, I tuck the key deep inside 'em and turn me gaze back to the lass, who be watchin' me every move with wide eyes.

I let out a sigh, starin' at her back. This new form of hers flips the whole chart upside down, and it seems the creature hasn't a clue how to work her new land-legs. A clever captain could well use that to his advantage to keep her from fleein' before we find the answers we seek.

Once more I close in, towerin' over the bunk. She tries to shrink back against the timbers. I take hold of her bound wrists and guide her to the head of the berth, where a heavy chain waits to link the irons to the bedstead.

'Tis not to say I make a habit of such things, but I be plagued by the sleep-walkin' sickness. Sometimes a bolted hatch ain't enough to keep me anchored. It scares the bloody wits out of me crew when their captain wanders the decks in a trance, so I do me level best to keep the cabin under lock and key.

She squirms beneath me, her small frame trapped under me massive shadow as I hover over her. "Ye reek," say I, immediately standin' tall.

She gives me a look I cannot rightly decipher. Her full lips pucker up in pure disgust, but by the powers, that can't be right. Why in the world would a beast of the deep be agreein' with me?

I burn to know her name. I fix her with a pointed look and demand, "What be yer name, lass?"

Once more she returns a gaze I cannot reckon. With a heavy sigh, I snatch me coat, a proper shirt, and shove me feet back into me boots before stormin' out of the cabin.

The wench had no answers to yield, and me nose was still stingin' fierce from the reek of raw fish.