this is for her. She loves Casem, and he loves her. There’s nothing confusing or difficult about it.
Only after making sure she’s bundled tightly in her coat does Casem plant another firm kiss to her lips and begin to draw back. His footsteps are slow, dragging across the sand.
I wish I didn’t have to take him with me. But Mira’s been teaching him mind speak, and coupled with his ability to manipulate air, he’s too valuable to leave behind.
“That’s nearly everyone,” I say, mostly to myself, though Vataea’s lips press thin with surprise.
“Nearly?” she echoes as a royal soldier approaches. It’s one I don’t recognize, the same woman who stumbled at the sight of Vataea. She’s tall, with broad shoulders and cropped red hair. Freckles kiss her face, and her green eyes are bright and devious as she looks us over. On her wrist is a small bracelet that looks as though it’s been made from dainty fish bones and plated in rose gold.
“Forgive my eavesdropping”—her voice is a purr I recognize instantly—“but did I hear correctly? You’re waiting on another crew member?”
Vataea’s eyes flash as she turns to me, as if to ask, Is this person serious?
I try not to laugh as the soldier’s grin turns toothy. The red of her hair lightens and lengthens down her spine, turning into baby-pink waves. Her green eyes deepen into the shade of fresh blood, and her curves widen while she shrinks in height. Slowly, her body continues to morph until it’s clearly Shanty who stands before us.
“Hey there, Captain,” she purrs. “Care to introduce me to your friend?”
I bite back a smirk as Vataea’s neck contracts with initial surprise. But she levels her expression and lets curiosity take its place. Her eyes linger slowly up Shanty, taking their time.
“Vataea,” she answers for herself, but keeps her arms folded across her chest, not offering a hand.
“You must be the mermaid.” Shanty offers her hand anyway, and smiles deviously when Vataea eventually takes it. “I’m Shanty.”
“Shanty’s the one who tipped us off about where to find you,” I offer. “She uses Ikaean enchantment magic in a way I’d never seen before I met her. Calls herself a face-shifter.”
“Not just faces, anymore,” Shanty corrects. “I can enchant parts of my body now, too. I’m better with the top half than I am with the lower, but I’m working on it.”
The first time I met Shanty was in the hidden Barracuda Lounge on Ikae. She’d seemed dangerous then, among the color-flashing lights and leading a gang that wouldn’t hesitate to slit our throats if she asked them to. But here, as the sun is peeking through the fog, I’m surprised by how normal she seems.
Shanty’s shorter than I remembered, nearly reaching my shoulders. And though the red color she prefers to keep her eyes is unnerving, she’s strangely approachable. Clever and ruthless, Shanty is also beautiful, with full pink cheeks and a smile that lies, convincing the world she’s not a threat. She’s the type of girl people find themselves drawn to, never really knowing why; the type you give your trust to far too easily, even if they’re the type who might betray you the moment they’re given the chance.
Though I pardoned Shanty and the barracudas for their past crimes thanks to her helping us find Vataea, it was before I knew they were hired mercenaries. While Shanty knows I’ve got my eye on her, no part of me believes that the barracudas aren’t still taking jobs.
“Are we waiting for anyone else?” Vataea asks as the soldiers finish bringing up the last of the cargo, and I scan the deck to see the crew we’ve assembled:
Ferrick, Casem, Vataea, Shanty, Bastian, and me. A crew of six, which normally would never be enough to maintain a ship of this size. But it’s a perfect crew.
A healer.
A mind speaker who can wield air.
A mermaid who can turn the tides with a single song.
A face-shifter.
A pirate with curse magic, as well as the magic I once had.
And … me. Who, without any magic or skills other than knowing how and where to stab a person for maximum efficiency, adds exactly nothing to the skill set of the crew.
But that’s exactly what I’m here to fix.
As the ramp to Keel Haul is drawn up and the soldiers return to the shore to wave to us, wishing me luck, Bastian takes hold of the helm.
“Where to first?” He’s barely able to conceal the hopeful edge in his voice. Though