The Pirate Prince and the Sea Witch

Chapter 6: Powers

The guys wanted to plan a small get-together for the evening, wanting to invite me or give me a formal initiation as a crew member. Although I still felt awkward, I accepted.

I went into my room and read some of my grandmother's book. So far, out of 170 pages, I'd only been able to read a total of 7, and it was at specific moments that, out of nowhere, what was in front of me became completely clear. I flipped through each page, but few were clear again. It was as if the grimoire was somehow telling me it wasn't the right time, that I shouldn't use it, or that the spells before me were useless given what was happening around me.

Finally, I found a page and frowned. "Multilingual Spell"

It was a simple recitation, because it came with strange letters, but it had pronunciations I could recite in my language. No one was going to bother me here, and for a moment it seemed I had some privacy.

Then, I spent almost the entire afternoon trying to recite the spell, but absolutely nothing was happening around me. Finally, after many attempts, I felt a strange little movement in my stomach, like an instinct, a sensation that seemed to make me feel different, as if it had worked.

Unfortunately, I would have to wait for a moment when I interacted with someone who spoke another language to be able to test it.

I left the book beside my bed and lay down, staring at the wooden ceiling. A year ago, I never imagined I would be on a ship, while six months ago, I couldn't imagine being on a ship without chains on my hands.

I closed my eyes and wondered, "How did I get here? And... if I survived... is it possible that..."

I shook my head, banishing the thought that something like this could be real, and simply wishing inwardly that Brooke's entire crew were buried at the bottom of the ocean.

When it was time to leave, I put the book under my bedsheet and left, going straight to the rail. The place was something I couldn't describe; when I stepped outside, everything made me let out a strangled sigh.

I looked up at the night sky, completely starry, with a number of stars I had never seen in my life. The dark blue was barely visible, as there were so many stars shining in the sky, along with a beautiful waning moon.

As I stepped outside, Selene bowed to me and extended her hand to greet me. I laughed softly and took her hand, and she led me to the edge of the ship.

I gazed at the sea, which, in the darkness of the night, reflected the sky, and all I could see was a beautiful starry landscape in the middle of nowhere.

Even so, the ship had some light, with beautiful lanterns that added a spectacular touch. I looked ahead, and in the middle of it all was a table decorated with food that smelled simply and utterly spectacular, and the others were looking at me with smiles I couldn't describe.

Out of nowhere, it felt like I belonged here, like it made sense to be here... but something deep inside me wouldn't let me feel that way. I felt incredibly strange with them, because they were pirates... despite everything, they were pirates.

The night passed with a sudden, unexpected speed, and in my mind, I kept remembering the dark nights I spent in Brooke's ship's dungeon, where the nights were filled with screams, whippings, and abuse in every way imaginable.

In contrast, here I was given hot food, real food, while everyone chatted warmly, with genuine friendships, not just out of necessity.

They truly were a family, in the middle of the vast ocean and the lies of others.

Almost everyone went to sleep after eating and drinking their fill, while Draven stayed on deck, watching over the ship all night. I stayed for a while too, breathing in the night air and enjoying the beautiful view. I felt I needed to be alone and savor this as much as possible.

The night air filled my lungs like something sacred, like a private and secret moment just for me, after so long.

Suddenly, I heard a strange noise and felt the boat move in a way—no, it was more like it collided with something. I was on the side, and the impact sent me tumbling over the railing, straight into the icy night water.

My back hit the water, with a heavy but calming sensation. It wasn't like drowning, but more like when water is being cleared from your lungs—it burns, but it feels good.

Suddenly, a figure moved near me as I sank.

I can't swim, but I was desperate. Next to me, I saw the figure of a woman, more or less.

Her skin was incredibly smooth, as if it were made of porcelain, or rather, polished. Her skin shimmered with the moonlight, and when I looked down, I saw that she had a fin.

"You're a mermaid," I said, and I was startled by how my voice came out.

She nodded and made a face, imitating the natural breathing of human beings. I breathed. Underwater. The mermaid placed her hand on my shoulder, keeping me afloat in the same place where we were, not far from the ship and definitely far from the bottom of the ocean. Then she whispered to me.

"You have your grandmother's power, princess. You must follow the path to the Blue Heaven. From there, you must not go any further if you don't want to suffer a tragic fate."

I wanted to open my mouth to answer, to ask more, but suddenly everything went dark and I opened my eyes again, breathing heavily and coughing, because I felt like I was drowning.

I was completely dry and on the side of the ship, perfectly fine. I sat down on the ground, letting the strange situation wash over me. Was that a hallucination or a premonition?