who is wearing a guilt-stricken look on her face. Her skin almost matches her hair and eyes with the blanched tone it’s illuminating.
“Davina,” she starts. “This was something I pushed to have happen. They agreed to it but—”
“I was the one who found it though,” Isolde interjects. “I couldn’t find another way at the time.”
“I supported it,” Brylee adds. “Because I wasn’t going to give up any one of my sisters. I’m sorry, Davina.”
I open my mouth, but Kali speaks beside me. “It’s better to have one than none. You should pick.”
“No,” I repeat. “It’s done.”
“Do not let your stubbornness oversee this opportunity,” Father professes. “If you need to think about it—” I’m on my feet, looking down at him while everyone stares at me with Zeus knows what kind of look in their eyes.
It’s pointless, my decision isn’t going to change.
“Please tell Grandfather that I am extremely grateful for his generosity in letting us keep the island. I love it here, I wouldn’t want it to disappear. But as far as the pirate and the Viking are concerned, I’ll kindly decline the offer. Please send my wishes to him.”
And with that, I push the chair back with the back of my knees, hearing the wood scrape against the tiles, and leave the room.
Leaving the only hope of seeing one of them again behind.
A school of yellow fish swim together in a flock within my vision, pulling me out of my deep thoughts of inner turmoil that I keep drawing to. It feels like an entire century has passed even though it’s been less than two days that I killed Taysa, and today we’re burying Tobias and Dagen.
For a pirate, normally a man that had passed away was shrouded in cloth and tied to two cannon balls. The thought of sea creatures eating away at his body made me vomit this morning, so we decided to keep him with Dagen and his traditions.
On a small ship that Sullivan and his men made, we’d send them both off to sea on it after lighting it on fire. It was reserved for men with high honor and, with them being brothers who just found out about each other, I thought them finding peace together might be nice too.
“Davina!” Through the ripples of the water, I hear Rohana’s voice somewhere on the beach. Since the veil has fully dissipated, the ocean doesn’t burn or irritate my skin anymore, so it has become my new hiding spot when I can’t stand being on the island anymore and need space away.
Another holler of my name and I push myself from the ocean floor to peek through the calm waves. Rohana’s lavender hair softly blows in the wind, and she cups her eyes against the sun in search for any sight of me, walking down the opposite side of the beach. A slow grin creeps up my lips at her innocence and sweetness that she’s provided for me since everything happened. Last night, she wouldn’t leave my side, sleeping on the side of the bed Dagen slept in when he was here. It keeps some of the memories but not all.
Blowing the surface of the water, Rohana stands about ten yards to the right of me and a few feet from the small wave that I just orchestrated to crash over her. The moment the cool water splashes over her frame, Rohana is already turning in my direction. Hair matted to her face, dark purple eyes in slits, and a frown trying to make me feel bad.
I do—a little.
But I miss how simple things used to be too. How all of us would spend time together on the beach teasing Atarah about how serious she always is, how Nesrine can’t keep her eyes off any man that graces her presence, and how Isolde tries to practice on Sullivan and the other guards but getfs scolded and shooed away from her prying.
Another century but it was only a few weeks ago, and two men changed our worlds but flipped mine upside down.
“Did it look like I was hot?” Rohana scolds, brushing back a glob of hair from her forehead. “Because I can assure you I was fine.”
“Just trying to keep the sun out of your eyes,” I jeer, stepping out of the water as my legs break apart from my tail.
“Thanks.” She frowns down at her wet clothes and back up at me, just to watch the annoyance flee her eyes and fill with sadness. “It’s time.”
I