“So, whatmade you guys come looking for me again?”
The piratesnorted a laugh. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“Oh,please.” I rolled my eyes jokingly. “Look who you’re talking tohere.”
His small browneyes scanned the crew below while seeming to recall the rightwords. “Henry said he… he thought he heard a voice tell himto.”
I let out aslight gasp. A voice? Was it anything like the one I’d been hearingall along? At first, I thought it was my mother. But now… I wasn’tsure at all. But one thing was certain. It had yet to steer mewrong.
“Ibelieve it,” I told the man.
Gus lookeduncomfortable. I don’t think he believed in the magic stuff as muchas the rest. Or perhaps, he just didn’t want to. “Yes, well,” hebegan to fidget with the thick leather belt that wrapped around hiswaist. “All is well now. You’re safe. Henry is happy.”
I admired howmuch he regarded Henry’s happiness. They were truly like brothers.Gus was as unreadable as a rock, but I’d never doubt his loyalty tohis captain. His family. Which made me think of something else. Ipatted the pirate’s arm playfully.
“Youknow, you could have that, too. With Lottie.”
His responsewas a shifty grunt and an uncomfortable moan.
“I’mserious, Gus. Loosen up. Stop being so old-fashioned. You have one heck of awoman just waiting for you to say the word. Don’t let her slipaway.”
“It’s notthat easy.”
Ishrugged. “Seems easy enough to me. Man likes a woman, woman likes the man. The math is pretty simple.” I made light ofthe situation, but he didn’t smile. “Unless there’s some other reason?”
He struggled tolook me in the eye. “I’m… already married.”
I wasn’texpecting that. I always wondered what Gus’s story had been. Henryonce told me bits and pieces, how he found Gus pick-pocketing thestreets of England after Maria burned his ship. But that was theextent of my knowledge about the man’s past.
“Oh,well, that does present a problem, doesn’t it?”
He moanedinwardly. “Yes.”
“Where isshe?” I asked.
“She diedmany years ago.”
I stifled alooked of confusion. “Hold on,” I shook my head, trying to wrap mymind around his words. “Gus, you’re not married if your wife…passed away.”
“I knowthat,” he defended, “I’m not a fool. I just,” he paused to rake hisfingers through his beard, “I’m afraid to be with another woman.That it’s somehow disrespectful?”
With a sigh, Iturned to my friend and took him by the shoulders, forcing him tolook into my determined eyes. “Did you love your wife?” He nodded.“Did she love you?” Another slow nod. “Then she’d want you to behappy, Gus. She’d want you to move on. Make a life for yourself.” Ilet him go and returned to my stance of gazing out over the opendeck. “I know it’s what I would want for Henry if anything everhappened to me.”
“Christ,God help us all if that ever happens,” he kidded.
I smiled buthad no reply. We stood in our own silence for a few minutes, bothcasually leaning against the railing in front of us. The distantsounds from below carried through the misty wind and tickled myears. I hoped I didn’t pry too much, or push him further from theidea.
Finally, hemuttered, “I do care for Charlotte.”
My head tippedto the side. “Well, I certainly hope so. Because she’s crazy aboutyou.”
At last, Icaught the glimpse of a curve at the corner of his mouth.
“She’s aremarkable woman,” Gus added.
I smiled.“Look, there’s a saying where I come from. Carpe Diam. It means to seize the day,” Itold him. “Don’t worry about yesterday. Don’t stress abouttomorrow. Just live. Do what makes you happy.”
“Aye,Lassie!” Finn suddenly bellowed up at me from the deck below. Myeyes followed him up the stairs. “I need to talk to ye about thishere map.”
“I’llleave you to it,” Gus said and then gave me a half smile beforesprinting down the stairs.
I turned myattention to a frantic Finn. “What is it? Is something wrong?”
Hehovered over me and unfolded the delicate parchment that was themap. “When I first saw this, it took me a second, but I ken whereto go. Then I got to thinkin’. Howdo I ken where to go? I’d never been this far off the regularroute ‘cross the Atlantic.”
He’d lostme.
Finn’sbig green eyes bulged with excitement. “I’d never been to the SirenIsles. They benothin’ more than a myth among sailors. A place never found.T’was a myth I’d heard many times growin’ up a wee lad.”
“Finn, myGod, just tell me what the issue is,” I said, unable to standit.
“TheIsles have never been found ‘cause they’re hidden by the rìoghachdde uilebheistean.”
My brain fizzedat the foreign words on his tongue and I blinked rapidly to processthem.
Finn rolled hiseyes and let out an impatient and raspy sigh. “The Realm ofMonsters.”
“Oh,that,” I said.
TheScot’s brow lifted high. “Oh, that?” he mocked. “Ye mean, yeken?”
“Well,no. Not really,” I replied. “Benjamin said something about it, butI was so anxious to get back to you guys that I never gave it asecond thought.”
“Benjamin?” Finn pointed to the map. “What did he say?Anythin’ that can help us?”
“Helpus?” I shook my head in disbelief. “Why would we need help? Is thisplace so bad?”
Hisnostrils flared as he sucked in a deep breath and folded the paperbefore slipping it back into his pocket. “If the legendsbe true, we’re ‘bout toenter a world of trouble.”
I swallowedhard. “What kind of trouble?”
“It’s naecalled the Realm of Monsters for nothin’,” he began. “The sirensalone be enough to worry ‘bout. And if ye possess one of theirhearts…”
He was startingto worry me. “Well, wouldn’t that benefit us? I’m returningit.”
“Perhaps.” His hands slapped helplessly at his sides.“Perhaps nae. We’ve no way of knowing what’s ahead of us. Giants.Kelpies.” He quirked an eyebrow. “Vengeful sirens.”
“Crap.” Iblew out an exasperated breath and cast my gaze to the horizon.What have I done?
“Dinnaeworry, Captain,” my friend told me. “I just wanted to tell ye. Weshould be prepared. Ready the ship for anythin’. Be armed, as well.Just in case.” He must have seen the worry on my face because histone suddenly shifted. “Aye, dinnae fret. I’m sure it’ll all befine. I bet the heart will be on
