To Ocean's End (34 page)

“Can you lift my curse?” My hopes rose ever so slightly. “I don’t want to be like this anymore. I want the freedom to die, like all men do. All men but me.”

“I’m not the one who cursed you.” His baritone voice was pitying.

“Well then could you at least let me out of here? Please?”

“No. I’m not interested getting involved.” Bracing his massive hands on the throne’s arms, he pushed to his feet.

“But this is beyond ridiculous! I’m being held prisoner for no good reason while she’s off contemplating the details of my punishment, and while the last people I know and care about grow old and die. At least grant me the mercy to say goodbye to them. I’ve had to say goodbye to so many good men. Even though it hurt every time, it hurts more to not even be able to say goodbye.” The wave swiping away my crew from over two hundred years ago replayed in my mind.

Poseidon glared. It was like watching a storm erupt out of nowhere. I unconsciously took a step back as my neck ached with the effort to keep eye contact with him. “She is the sea. I am the sea. We both take and spare lives as we see fit. We don’t care if you don’t understand our motives, but you
will
understand that I shall remain uninvolved. Do I make myself clear?”

I drooped my shoulders. “Yes, sir.”

“Very good.” The storminess of his glare lifted and the pressure in the chamber eased.

“Then if I’m to remain here, may I have a spot to call my own? I don’t belong here, but would a little room or something be too much to ask?” Yep, the humility card. It was overdue. On top of that, my humility was sincere.

“The best place for you to go would be into deep thought.” He glanced at the ceiling that was too far up into the gloom to see. The glowing water spiraling up the pillars ended some-where level with the top of Poseidon’s steely mane of hair.

“How do I get her to lift my curse?”

“I don’t know. Like I said, I’m not the one who cursed you. All I can tell from the curse’s mark that, despite how she goes about showing it sometimes, she truly loves you.”

“Yeah, because I’m just some mortal toy she gets endless pleasure torturing.”

The stormy glare returned. “You cross a line,” he said in a dangerously low voice.

I lowered my eyes and bit back a reflexive apology. I doubted he cared about hearing one. He’d just take it as an escape route from punishment.

“You will not belittle my wife in front of me. Ever. Again. Gods and humans are very much alike in countless regards, but there are many things about gods that would take a hundred lifetimes for you to fully understand.”

“Then why is she pining after me if she’s married to you?”

I was expecting him to stomp on me after a bold question like that, but instead he seemed caught off guard by it. Recovering his intimidating composure, he considered me like I was some ant he was trying to decide whether to bother squishing or not, then closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. He backed towards his throne and vanished before he finished taking a step. A shadow passed over the chamber in the direction it’d come in.

I stared at the empty throne while I absorbed my disappointment, then heaved my own sigh. I couldn’t see how she didn’t hate me. She was still pissed off about me sleeping with her daughter. Of course she hated me.

I diagonally walked across the chamber, heading towards the hall with the exit pool. I wasn’t going to try to leave again; just stay near it and hope the sight brought comfort, instead of despair. And since I had all the time in the world--literally--I paused at one pictogram-covered pillar after another, taking in beginnings of the stories they told. Lots of them were love stories, a few with explicit content. The rest were recollections of ancient history. Nothing remotely contemporary. I pulled up at the beginning of the hall and plopped down, discarding my coat by my side and reclining against the cool stone. I glanced in the pool’s direction and my heart sank. It was just a tease, no longer my ticket out.

Sit here a
nd think, huh? About what?

“Dyne,” a woman whispered.

Not sure if I’d imagined it or not, I ignored the voice.

“Dyne.”

I looked up. Okay, I wasn’t imagining it. The voice sounded like Amphitrite’s but not exactly. Maybe because I couldn’t recall her whispering to me before. She wasn’t one for subtle. Had decades passed already and my first round of punishment was about to begin? It was possible.

“Sweet Dyne.”

It couldn’t be! I surged to my feet and spun around. I backed up when I noticed the most beautiful pair of eyes watching me from the vein of water in the wall. “Rhode,” I breathed. My heart started racing.

Rhode smiled her sweet smile. She was so beautiful. Her mother was too, but Amphitrite was the type of gorgeous any guy took one look at and wanted to bang. Rhode possessed a beauty and sweetness that triggered a man’s instinct to hold and protect a girl. I think I would’ve enjoyed my curse if Rhode had been the one to bestow it on me.

“You are in quite the predicament, sweet Dyne.”

That was quite the understatement. “Can you help me?”

“Only indirectly, like before.”

“Can you get me out of here?” God, I wanted to run my hands through her hair, just a bit before finding a way out of the palace.

“No,” she said with a shake of her pretty head. Her flowing curls splayed around her curvaceous body floating among the glowing fish.

I tried to break into an angry rant but she held up a finger and shushed me.

“Transform back into your demon form.”

I flinched. “Why?”

“Trust me.” She vanished.

Chapter 29

Risks

Jessie and crew had made a quick stop in Wellington, New Zealand, throwing the lines soon after Sauna netted a shipment to South America’s east coast. The crew more or less behaved as normal. It was like a lockdown period, only with Dyne not in the container and everyone worrying now and then. Rammus kept the morale up and everyone focused on their jobs. Jessie continued to train and with crew and cook with Mido. She tried to go on as normal but Mido’s ribs and Dyne’s violent parting distracted her from simply accepting the current situation.

The night they left New Zealand, Jessie decided she’d waited long enough to try an idea. It’d been obvious from the day they’d left Australia, but she didn’t want to test it until things calmed down and Mido healed up a little. He was still in constant pain but he was pulling the macho man card and pretending all was well, except when they hugged and cuddled. He was still bruised and tender.

This was one way to keep them chaste between ports...

Right now, most of the crew was in the galley, playing poker and having a few drinks. Rammus was up in the wheelhouse. O’Toole was watching the boys play, and Jessie sat next to Mido on the fold up chairs, him participating in the card game and her watching in silence. She wasn’t interested in playing; just staying near her cherished cook while thinking things out.

Mido tapped her with his elbow while Ed, Ted, Scully, and Sam exchanged smack talk and bets. Mido gave Jessie a questioning look, bringing her back to her surroundings, and to the conclusion that he’d noticed something atypical about her silence. She shook her head and gestured to the poker game with her chin. He gave her a skeptical look, then shrugged and went back to his abysmal hand.

“I fold,” he said with a frown. He collapsed his hand and slapped them facedown on the table, then got up and left the galley.

No clue where he was headed, Jessie got up as well.

“And where you two headed off to all by yourselves?” Ed said with a knowing smile.

Jessie gave the techie a hard look. “I actually don’t know why he left.”

“Lemme peek at his cards.” Ed, who’d folded already, brought his face close to the table, lifted a corner of the card pile and fanned through Mido’s hand. He made a face. “Good lord. It’s bad.”

“How bad?” Ted said.

“Can’t tell you yet.”

Sam said, “You look like you’ve got something on your mind, Jessie. What’s eatin’ you?”

“Just worried about Dyne,” she admitted.

Jacobi’s eyes hardened and his jaw muscles flexed with a bit back comment. He’d been on perfectly good behavior since Darwin. Just scowled and glared at her when he couldn’t avoid her company, which wasn’t often enough for Jessie to snap at him to cut it out.

“Don’t worry too much,” Sam said, “or you’re gonna get as wrinkly as me in a hurry.”

“I’ll try.” She followed Mido, who wordlessly led her to the sleeping cabins. He stopped in the doorway to their bunks and turned around. She stopped in the middle of the hall.

“So what’s up?”

“What do you mean?” She folded her arms.

He folded his own arms and fixed her with his “don’t argue” look.

“Am I really that transparent?” she said unhappily.

“Yep.”

She let out a frustrated sigh.

“C’mere.” Mido held out his strong arms.

Jessie pretended to consider them a moment. Then, her own arms still folded, she stepped into his embrace. He pulled her into a firm hug and held her in his blue-eyed gaze that drew her to him every time. It was like his soul was looking into hers and he was trying to become closer to her with just his gaze. She resisted the urge to kiss him as she interlaced her fingers behind his neck, the resistance part out of Dyne’s plight, and part out of not wanting to get caught. All anyone had to do was look down the hall. Mido grabbed her glutes and began kneading them as he pulled her body to his. It felt good but she didn’t feel like being put in the mood for pleasures of the flesh. “Not right now, Mido. I’m in a serious mood.”

“Then be less serious.” He started slipping a hand down the back of her pants.

“I’m worried about Dyne.” The hand paused, then retracted and he began rubbing her back instead.

He stroked her cheek. “We all are. That’s why we’re trying so hard to distract ourselves. I was trying to help you do the same.”

“I appreciate it, but I can’t seem to stop feeling like I need to go looking for him, even though it’s such a ridiculous idea.”

“Keep reminding yourself to be patient and hope for the best. That’s what I do.”

“I’ve--” She sighed in frustration. “I’ve had this idea for a while now. I’ve just been waiting for things to calm down and for you to heal up a bit, in case it’s dangerous.”

He stopped rubbing her back and held her shoulders. He glanced down the hall, towards the galley. “What kind of idea?” He sounded nervous, instead of disapproving.

“Promise not to make fun of me?”

“Of course. You shouldn’t have to ask such a thing.” He kissed her forehead.

“I feel like I’m supposed to go looking for him.”

“Have you had another dream with her in it?”

“Surprisingly no. It’s just that I can’t stop thinking about how things unfolded in the cave.  I’m going nuts waiting around for the chance to take action.”

“Well what
can
you do?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” He gave her a blank look, then shook his head. “Come with me then.” Jessie took Mido’s hand and led him onto the deck. A warm and windy starless night greeted them as the
Pertinacious
rode the swells. She hugged the wall and motioned for Mido to do the same. He wordlessly obeyed. She peered at the wheelhouse over the rim of the wall, checking on Rammus. His back was to the stern. Jessie tugged Mido into a walk and they snuck over to the part of the railing blocking the stern ladder. She looked out into the darkness, able to see a small ring of water reflecting the ship’s floodlights. The rest of the world lay in complete darkness.

“So... what’s your plan?” Mido stood beside her with an arm around her waist.

Jessie held onto the railing with both hands and leaned against Mido. “Did you see how the water monsters in the cave reacted to me when we were walking to the table?”

“Yeah. They went away when you told them to.”

“And remember how the dolphins came when I called in La Havre?”

“
That
was impressive. I’ve never seen anything like it. They saved us a boatload of trouble, pun intended.” He winked. “Are you hoping something out there will help us find Captain?”

“I’m hoping the water monsters will help us find him.” Mido’s arm went slack around her waist.

“They attacked him.”

“They’re probably the only things that know where he is.”

“Why would they help us?”

“Those ones probably wouldn’t but I bet there are ones loyal to Rhode, Amphitrite’s daughter. When I talked to Dyne right before the cave, he explained how Rhode helped him once. I bet I can get them to come, but I don’t know if I’ll find ones loyal to her or her mother, which is why I’ve been waiting for you to heal. I wanted you to be able to defend yourself in case they attack us.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“No,” she admitted, “but this is the only thing I can think of. I have to try. You can go below if you want.”

He held on tight. “There’s no way I’m letting you face those things alone.”

Jessie felt a mix of gratitude and worry. She didn’t want to do this alone, however she felt it would be safer for the crew if she did. She had a feeling they’d leave her unharmed if it was just her, no matter who answered the call, but they might toy with the rest of the crew just to cause mischief. She said as much to Mido.

“I’m not risking you doing something like this alone. I’d rather be there, regardless of my own safety.”

“Okay. I won’t argue. Just be quiet a minute and let me concentrate.” She removed his arm from her waist and braced her hands on the railing.

“Hold on. I think we better warn the others in case this gets ugly.”

*     *     *

Fifteen minutes later, the entire crew was gathered on the stern, everyone but Jessie and O’Toole armed with swords. Rammus had the ship in neutral, just to make it easier for their impending company to swim up to them. Jacobi stood among the cargo pushers, radiating silent fury, but otherwise behaving. He’d been allowed to give his input when Jessie ran her plan by the crew. Even though he was outvoted, his heavy bias stole any weight from his opinion. Everyone else had agreed to let Jessie try. Cancer stood by Jacobi, also armed.

Jessie stood by the railing with her studded sparring gloves on, just in case. Wearing them brought comfort and confidence but no feeling of invincibility. She almost asked Mido to give her a kiss and wish his sea goddess luck, but she wanted to be purely herself, in case Amphitrite would try to wreak havoc through her. Jessie
was
trying to use her monsters for her own agenda after all. Hopefully Amphitrite wouldn’t try to hinder her, since she was trying to help Dyne, like a good avatar.

Jessie took in a deep breath and let it go, hoping to calm her nerves, then she closed her eyes. Her audience made her nervous. If things went bad, Jacobi would get his “I told you so” in and who knows where things would go from there? Would she be ask to leave, or would they go so far as to throw her overboard to rid them of the dangers her presence brought? She tried to push such thoughts from her mind as she pictured the croco-frog monsters in her mind.

A pair of gangly arms wrapped around her torso, and a head buried itself in the meat of her shoulder. Jessie opened her eyes. That wasn’t Mido, Ed, or Ted hugging her.

“O’Toole, come back here,” Sam said.

Jessie did her best to remain calm as she pried the Irishman’s arms off and shooed him away. She wanted to shove him for touching her, but at the same time she was floored by what he just did. He’d never tried to touch her before. She’d never seen him hug anyone, come to think of it. Dyne was the only person he’d fussed over, but with tears and pawing. This time he was gibbering excitedly as his empty hands reached for her. “O’Toole, stop,” she said firmly. He tucked his arms against his torso like a praying mantis. “Go back to Sam. I need to concentrate.” She pointed to Sam. The Irishman gave her a questioning whine. She pointed again. He drooped his shoulders and trudged over, then latched onto Sam.

“Hey. Stop that.” Sam pushed the Irishman off and held him at bay by one arm. “What’s gotten into you? I’ve never seen you like this.”

Scully said, “Guess he knows something’s up again.”

Jessie faced the ocean and closed her eyes. Hopefully O’Toole’s behavior was a good omen. She pictured the croco-frog monsters in her mind and reached into the sea with her awareness. She rode along the water’s surface, the sensation feeling like drifting in a boat being pulled downstream in a swift current. The sensation gave her butterflies in her stomach.

Her mind then got pulled in a different direction. The yank made her gasp and lose concentration. She blinked several times and eased her death grip on the railing, then took a few calming breaths to ease her racing heart.

“Are you alright, Jessie?” Mido said.

Looking over a shoulder, she nodded and gave him a small wave, then slipped her awareness back into the sea. Something tugged on her mind, eager to make contact with her. She let this other awareness guide her to it. Who or whatever had found her consciousness didn’t feel malicious. Sure, they might be hiding it to lure her in. If that was true, she didn’t care. She’d deal with that “what if” as it came. Her awareness zoomed along the mental river to--

She tried to gasp but she couldn’t take a breath. She first thought she was looking at Amphitrite, but then she realized this woman had wavier hair and a friendlier complexion, and a more petite figure. She had to be Rhode.

Sweet child
, came Rhode’s gentle voice,
you have harnessed your communal powers at last. I send aid to you. Heed their instruction.

Before Jessie could even say hi, her head snapped back and she saw the cloudless sky. She looked around to make sure she really was back on the ship. The crew was watching her with open wonder, Jacobi with open dislike.

Rammus said, “Well that was an interesting ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes?” The whole trip had felt like seconds, no more than a minute.

“Yeah. So what happened?”

Rhode’s words echoed in her mind. “They’re coming to help.”

“Who’s they?” Scully said.

Jessie shrugged.

Something meaty slapped against the boat’s hull.

Jessie peered over the side. She couldn’t see straight down. What sounded like large rats scurrying up the side made chills run up her spine. She backed away but stopped so she stood between the crew and the railing, just in case she was the only one that could keep everyone alive. Her first impression of Rhode was that the goddess was friendly and genuinely wanted to help, but whatever was crawling up the side of the boat triggered her need for caution. Four creatures climbed on top of the railing and perched there. She took another step back, then forced herself to hold her ground. These were the croco-frog things, except they looked like female versions. They had frog-shaped bodies, bulbous eyes, and croc-like teeth and tails.