I ducked my head underwater and let out a noise that I knew Evie would understand without doubt to mean that she was now set free—a noise taught to me by a mermaid when I’d first learned to train dolphins all those years ago.
I pulled my head back above the waves and watched as my beautiful girl took one last look at me. Her eyes were endearing as she gazed up at me. I felt my battered heart split in two. I knew she loved me and didn’t want to leave.
And it was precisely because I had let myself love her back that she had to. I hoped that I hadn’t waited too long. I hoped that I hadn’t left it too late. I hoped that she’d still be able to live a full and healthy life, unlike Kai.
Evie slowly turned away and sped off into the horizon.
I beat my fist against my thigh until I caused a bruise.
If I had only let Kai go sooner, he might have been able to accompany her.
I crawled out of the water, and barely able to support my own weight, stumbled forward along the beach. I staggered beneath the morning sun until I reached the rock pools I’d once sat near with Kiev, and found somewhere to sit out of view of the beach.
I didn’t want to be found by anyone.
I just need to be numb.
“Numbness.”
Kiev’s voice echoed in my ears.
My vision blurred as the sea spray whipped against my face, mixing with my tears. I lost track of time as I sat staring out at the waves. Closing my eyes and attempting to shut down my mind, I forgot all about Saira’s warnings to not stay out alone for long periods of time.
Merciful sleep must have stolen me away at some point, for I was woken by a harsh tugging against my wrists. Both of my hands were tied behind my back. I felt a gag being stuffed into my mouth.
A sharp pain spread through the top of my head, and I lost consciousness.
Chapter 37: Kiev
The werewolf at the gate looked at me suspiciously and asked, “Where’s the witch?”
I turned and pointed to her figure floating in the distance above the waves.
“She wants to stay out longer.”
I retreated to my room in the tunnels, and, locking myself inside, lay down on my bed. As I gazed up at my ceiling through the darkness, I couldn’t shake the glare Mona had given me. She’d looked at me like it was my fault her dolphin had died. I didn’t understand why she’d thrown herself into such a fit over an animal.
I’d had to fight the urge to pick her up and force her to come back to the island with me. I’d wanted to take her back to her cabin and, surrounded by the silence of the lake, refuse to leave until she told me what was wrong with her. Until she made me understand her. But instead, I’d given into her request and let her mourn alone.
Now that the heat of the moment had passed, I realized that I should have seen Mona’s wish to distance herself from me as a wake up call. You’ve gotten yourself far too carried away with Saira’s task. You’re forgetting what you are, Kiev. Mona is safer without you. Continuing on this course now that you’ve kissed her would be like boarding a train knowing it’s moving along a broken track. The missing rail might not come for this mile, or even the next. But it will come.
I lay alone in the darkness for hours. By the time night had fallen, I found myself craving fresh air and a stretch of my legs. I exited the tunnels and walked through the forest. I passed by the occasional werewolf climbing down from a tree house, but otherwise I was in my own company. Perhaps it was my subconscious, but after about an hour I arrived at a pathway close to the lake. I looked out toward the witch’s cabin. It was dark. Even the lantern hanging outside her porch wasn’t lit. I’d never seen the lantern left unlit at night.
Worry clouding my better judgement, I slid into the water and swam toward the house.
I’ll go up and listen at the door just to check she’s inside. Then I’ll leave without a word.
I climbed onto the porch and walked along the balcony that ran around the circumference of the cabin. All her curtains had been left wide open. I could see no sign of the witch’s presence.
“Mona?” I called.
No answer.
Impatience and anxiety taking over me, I kicked the door open. I gazed around the dark empty room. I ran to the bathroom. Also empty.
No. She can’t have been on the beach all this time.
I sped to the wall.
“Has the witch returned yet?” I demanded of the werewolf still guarding the gate.
He shook his head.
I stepped outside and cast my eyes up and down the beach. And then I started running with all the speed my legs could muster.
“Mona! Mona!” I shouted against the wind until my voice grew hoarse.
Guilt tore through my chest. This is my fault. If I hadn’t left her, this never would have happened. I ran around the entire circumference of the island. I searched every corner of the beach, but it was in vain.
Perhaps she returned to the cave she showed me last night. My nerves settled a little at the thought. But before I could start planning how to get back there, a horn sounded in the distance. I looked out at the waves to see a large ship with deep red sails looming toward the island. Torches hung from the sides of the wooden ship, giving it an eerie glow. Two were particularly bright at the front of the ship, shining light over the words carved into its mast. The Skull Crusher.
Jeers and shouting broke out across the waves. On the ship’s deck was a crowd of ogres. Outside the wall’s gate, a crowd of the island’s inhabitants gathered on the beach. Matteo and Saira stood at the forefront.
And then I saw her. Mona. Still in her underwear, cuts and bruises covering her body, she had been hoisted up into the mastheads of the ship. Thick ropes were tied to her hands and feet. She hung motionless, her eyes closed, and I feared for a moment that they had killed her already. But then her feet and arms stirred and I breathed a sigh of relief.
She is still alive. For how long, we have no assurance.
“Release her!” Matteo bellowed across the waves.
I dove into the water. Since I’d approached from a direction the ogres didn’t seem to have their focus on, I hoped that they hadn’t seen me.
“Hand over Brett,” one of the ogres called back. “And then you can have this useless witch.”
“Even if we did, what assurance do we have that you’ll hand over Mona?” Saira shouted, panic in her voice.
Howling laughter echoed down from the ship.
“Just hand over Brett. Then we’ll see about this girl of yours.”
I’d dealt with enough creatures as vile as these ogres in the past to know not to trust them. They could lose their temper and kill her before our eyes at any moment.