All the Stars and Teeth(57)
I push myself from the hammock and tug on my boots and cloak before climbing the stairs to the deck. The air’s no longer warm with summer heat; there’s a bite to it. It’s one that sinks into my core and casts shivers down my spine.
One that promises summer won’t last much longer, and reminds me of Aunt Kalea and her enchanted eyes. The fate of Visidia depends on these next few days.
We can’t stop moving.
The sky is thick with starlight. It blankets the sea and casts a silver glow along the deck of Keel Haul, painting the ship bright. The main sail acts as its own moon, full and luminous as it pushes forward into the black sea.
There’s a quiet rustle of clothing flapping in the wind, and I turn to find I’m not alone. Vataea sits cross-legged near Keel Haul’s barnacle-covered, serpentine figurehead, tempting her fate by how dangerously close she sits to the water. Her body is still as I approach, but I know she’s aware of my presence because she doesn’t flinch when I take a seat behind her, closer to the railing.
“Do you mind if I join you?”
Vataea shakes her head. “Please do. It’s been ages since I’ve had another woman to talk to.”
I cross my legs as well, wishing I were daring enough to move closer to her. She has a perfect view of the water, but one strong wave and she’ll be in the sea.
“I’ve missed the ocean,” Vataea offers without prompting. She leans forward and draws a long breath of briny air. “It’s good to be back.”
I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do. I’m used to giving commands, not support. I know what it’s like to have things bottled up inside and feel the need to share them with someone, but I’ve usually only complained to Mira, or kept problems to myself. It’s foreign to be on this side of things. Hesitantly, I set my hand upon Vataea’s shoulder and squeeze it gently, just once, as Father does. It’s all I know to offer.
“How long were you kept in Kerost?”
Vataea’s laugh is as soft as the ship’s quietness calls for, but it’s spine-chilling. “About two seasons. And before that, a year on Curmana. Blarthe is a traveler; he goes wherever he has the most to gain. For nearly two years he’s kept me with him, far from water. He used me as a way to lure customers into whatever temporary shop he opened up. One man even tried to pay for a night with me, once—fifty years. But when I tore out his eyes and bit off his cheek, Blarthe started keeping me tucked away. I was his trophy after that—something to show off when he needed the boost. A prize he felt he’d won by capturing me.”
My chest seizes. Two years is a long time to be trapped anywhere—let alone with that monstrous man. I can’t begin to imagine the things she must have suffered through. I wonder, what might someone’s soul look like after that sort of experience?
Soul reading is the innocent part of my magic, effortless and always eager to be put to use without repercussion. And though me sneaking a peek would go unnoticed by her, the idea of looking into Vataea’s soul curdles my stomach. She’s only just escaped Blarthe; the least I can do is give her the privacy I doubt she’s had in some time.
“Do you intend to return to the sea, then?” I ask, unable to imagine wanting to go anywhere other than home if I were in her position. And yet Vataea shakes her head.
“I’ve no intention to return there any time soon,” she answers. “For centuries my kind have been hunted, and now hardly any of us remain. No matter what we may want for ourselves, there’s a pressure to repopulate.” Her forehead scrunches ever so slightly as she says this, as if recalling memories.
“I understand the need for children,” she admits. “We need to ensure mermaids continue to exist for centuries to come. But that’s not the life I want for myself. What I want is to see what it might be like to live on land. Mermaids are able to have legs, so why shouldn’t I use them?” Though Vataea playfully wriggles her toes, the small smile on her lips is a sad one.
“After your father passed laws to help protect my kind, there was a push for many of us to go ashore and conceive a child before we returned to the water,” she continues. “But when I left, I had no immediate plans to return. I’ve wanted to see what you humans are like for ages. I want to spend time on your islands, trying your food and seeing everything that land has to offer. I’d like to feel the sun on my skin for more than a few minutes at a time. Explore my new body. I enjoy being with women, but I’ve also wondered what it might be like to be with a man.” She brushes a hand over her thigh, as if still fascinated by the skin there, and then sighs. “Unfortunately, I lasted no more than a week before I was taken, so there’s still so much out there for me to see. I’d like to experience it all.”
Vataea’s spirit is one of adventure. She wants to explore the world. To see all it has to offer her. If there’s anything I understand, it’s this desire that she and I share.
Shame weighs my shoulders, though she deserves better than me shrinking back from her truth. Was my kingdom truly so damaged that Vataea couldn’t travel for longer than a week before being poached? Even despite the laws Father has put in place?
“I’m so sorry you went through this,” I tell her. “You should be free to travel wherever you’d like without worry. If you’d like to see more of the kingdom, Bastian and I will get you wherever you want to go once this is all over. I could even escort you back to Arida myself, if you’d like? It’s beautiful there—waterfalls, red sand, and almost all the plants glow at night. The gardens there are one of the most beautiful places you’ll ever see…” My words trail off as my mind starts to linger on Arida and all that’s happening back home.