Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 144411 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144411 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Though the skeleton crew doesn’t look any different, they seem to believe her and accept the terms. They all start running for the stairs, clattering up them and to the top deck.
“Don’t ever say I’m not fair,” she says to Ramsay, then she looks back at me. “Come now. We have much to discuss.”
She pulls me along toward the steps while Ramsay runs after us.
“Back!” she yells, whirling around with her palm displayed and Ramsay’s large body is shoved back to the ground. Then she takes me up the stairs, all the way to the main deck and into Ramsay’s quarters.
“What did the skeleton crew even do to you?” I ask her.
“They displeased me,” she says. “Trespassed on my island. Plundered the villages, raped the women. They are bad men. They deserved this fate.”
I can’t argue with that.
“Into the cage,” she says, gesturing to it.
I give her a pleading look. “I don’t think you know how much time I’ve spent in there already.”
“I will let you go,” she says. “I just want to talk to you without you struggling or forcing my magic on you. It gets tiring and I’m already exhausted.”
“And you think I should have sympathy for you?” I ask.
She just shoves me in the cage and locks it with a wave of her hands.
I turn around and grip the bars, hating that I’m back in here, even if it’s not at the hands of Ramsay this time.
“What do you want with me?” I ask.
“What do you want with me?” she counters. “You know, Maren, there’s something not right about you and I have a very good sense about people.” She pauses, brushing her kelp hair behind her ear. “But you’re not people, are you? Not human. And therein lies the problem.”
I straighten my back, a chill in my veins. “What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean. I see those gills on your neck. I heard you asking to me to turn you into a mermaid. I saw you jump overboard to save Bones and stay under that water for an awfully long time. Not to mention what my cursed Syrens told me later.” She takes a step toward me until she’s right up against the cage. “They told me that you’re one of them.”
“They don’t know what they’re talking about,” I say, wanting to mention that I kicked their heads right off.
“They do. They’ve heard the stories about a Syren who walks, who bargained with a sea witch. That she lives among humans, unable to return to her past form.” She smiles at me. “That Syren is you.”
A malevolent smile stretches my lips. “If that’s true…” I begin.
My arm shoots straight out through the bars of the cage, not going for her heart this time but around her throat, my claws extending, my teeth sharpening as I bare them at her. “Then you have made a grave mistake.”
Her eyes widen, her hands going to mine to try and pry my fingers off but my claws are digging into her neck, drawing metallic green blood that runs down in rivulets. She closes her eyes, trying to recite words, perhaps a spell and she’s throwing around her hands but I won’t let go. I squeeze and squeeze, feeling her drain beneath my hand.
“Maren!” Ramsay yells and I quickly glance at the door where he runs in.
“I’ve got her,” I say, bringing my eyes back to the witch. “Grab her!”
He pauses. “I’ve got reinforcements.” He says this in such a way that it takes me a moment to realize what he means by it.
My claws. My teeth. The crew can’t see me like this.
I immediately let go of Nerissa, my claws disappearing into nails, and she falls to the ground just as Thane and Cruz run in, looking a little worse for wear. They run straight to her and grab her on either side, hauling her to her feet.
She looks consumed and barely struggles against their grip. She stares at me like she’s hurt, as I’ve offended her somehow.
“Heigh-ho, Maren,” Cruz says, staring at me in awe. “You certainly know how to defend yourself.”
I can’t even smile at that. I watch as Ramsay takes a key from his pocket and opens the door to the cage, then pulls me out of it while Nerissa is shoved in to take my place, falling against the bars. I watch as he quickly locks the door with that key and the three of them step back.
“How will that keep her in there? Won’t she just use a spell?”
“Witches don’t want you to know that their power isn’t limitless,” he says to me with a smirk. “She’s used a lot of hers already. And at any rate, not every witch can undo every spell.” He waves the key at me. “This key can open any lock and it can close any lock. My magic is equal and that cage is specially magicked to keep her from using hers.”