Just as I think he’s about to shake his head and give in, Conrad leans in and whispers, “Captain or not, you and I both know that you anthwer to the Ice Mer King. You’re nothing more than an errand boy ethcorting hith bitch daughter.”
Under his words, like a hidden current in a river, I hear the violent undertones of the orders I’ve been given. Orders to kill her. An innocent.
Blood flows to my extremities like crashing waves. Before I know it, my fist connects with his face again and again and again. Conrad yells as the bones in his nose crunch, and he lets go of the railing to grip his face. At the same moment, I hit him under his ribs.
He screams at the impact, his feet losing purchase on the wet deck.
I watch, everything seeming like it's in slow motion, as he falls onto his back. A brisk wind blows as the ship's gentle rocking becomes more lethal.
The sailor within me shouts a warning to the crew.
Gasping, I lurch forward and grab onto the railing, but it's too late.
A wave comes over the side once more, and when it disappears, the spot where Conrad stood is empty.
My heart pounds.
He’s... gone.
Another wave crashes against the boat. A second. A fifth. A tenth.
There is no sign of him.
He’s gone. He broke a rule, and now... he’s dead. Swallowed by the sea.
Rules are the reasons why what we do works. Rules are why we take... side trips to help those who are less fortunate. They are the structure of everything good in my life. And they are the only thing that can redeem my black heart.
Saving the Mer princess doesn’t atone for my sins, but it sure as hell will be a mark on the good side for me.
What the Hell is Happening?
HELENA
My chest heaves as I stand in the stairwell that leads to the deck above. I cling to the railing, my legs feeling weaker than ever.
Did Erik just… kill Conrad?
One step at a time, I climb the stairs. Then I gaze at the ninth circle of hell. The ocean is choppy, and the sky is rumbling above. Streaks of white lightning snake across the sky, flashing light across the already-lit area. I’ve never seen a storm before, and this looks terrifying. No one seems to be that afraid, though.
I wrap my arms around myself. The sounds of nature are all that is left because the crew is staring at Erik. Not a soul so much as takes a step. He isn’t looking at them, he is still staring over the rail where Conrad fell moments ago.
Before Erik had burst into my room, Conrad had kicked my legs in, causing me to slam onto the bed. My knees still ache, and the metallic taste of the man’s blood is still on my tongue from when I’d bit his lip so hard he screamed.
The memory makes a cold shakiness take over my body, and I want to throw up. I am okay. Why does this hurt so much? The tips of my fingers have grown cold, and my heart is palpitating furiously.
Still, no sound comes from the water.
One of the men, Anders, steps up and looks over the railing. When he turns around, his face is fixed in a grim line. He shakes his head once, and the thunder cracks overhead as if in reply.
I lean back against the rail and let out a long breath as I hug myself tighter. I’m happy someone is dead. What does this say about me? That I am finding relief in a man’s death? Even though he was going to... to... touch me, I can’t believe I amhappyhe is gone.
But I am.
As I get lost in my thoughts, the men begin moving. Some of them glance at me, the bruises already blossoming on my face, before they look away. I recognize their looks. They are ashamed.
I want to scream.
But I can’t. Father stole that from me when he put me on this horrid ship. This whole thing is a nightmare.