I brushedthose thoughts from my mind, knowing I had no control over them ortheir answers. All I had was the present, the truth in my hands andthe tangible reality to which I lived in each day. Henry, my crew,my friends. Family. And the child growing inside of me. Discreetly,I tucked the ring into my bosom for later, where it would wait forthe perfect moment to tell Henry. We all piled into horse-drawn carriages and trolleyed along towardThe Siren’s Call. This time, Henry and I sharing a space with Finnwhile Lottie and Gus took the second.
The crispDecember night smelled of frost and fireplaces. Each lamppostburned with the flame of a lantern and cast just the right amountof light on the Christmas wreaths that hung from each one. Adelicate sprinkle of snow fell from the sky and melted as it hitthe dirt road beneath us. I wrapped the fur collar of my cloaktight around my neck and leaned into Henry’s shoulder.
Across fromus, Finn gleamed. “Aye, ‘tis good to see ye so happy.”
“It feelswrong to be going to a party when I have such a heavyresponsibility hanging over my head. I’ll be much happier when thisis over, and we won’t have Maria Cobham to worry about ever again,”I told him.
“Are ye sureye made the wish and didn’t just dream it?” Finn replied. He spokewith a layer of humor, but I knew underneath he had concerns.
“No, it’sworking,” I assured them both. “I can… feel it. Like astrange tugging inside my chest.”
“What aboutyour first wish, then?” Henry asked.
“What do youmean?”
“You say youcan feel something pulling you in the right direction to Maria or,at least, a sense of it working.” He let a pause hang in the airbetween us. “But you first wished for your friend Benjamin to beset free. Is there anything telling you that it was successful? Orthat the wish is carrying out as it should?”
I chewed at mybottom lip, as I always did when deep in thought. I knew Henry hadreservations about Benjamin and how the pirate showed obviousaffection toward me. But I had assured him time and time again thatBenjamin was only a friend. A dear friend who I’d gone through agreat ordeal with and shared an otherworldly bond with. But afriend, nonetheless. He couldn’t hold a candle to Henry.
But this wasabout something else. The strike of worry on both the men’s facestold me that it was more about my second wish, and whether or notit really was coming true. I thought about Benjamin and The BlackSoul. Sure, I worried my wish didn’t work, but that was only due tothe fact I had no evidence to prove otherwise. But when I imaginedmy friend, his massive frame topped with a smirk that softened hisgrim face, I felt somewhere deep in my gut that he was alright.
“No, itworked. I’m sure of it. As sure as I am that we’re on the righttrack to finding Maria. My exact wish was to find her before shekilled my mother. Maybe the universe is leading me up to the verymoment before she draws the sword, or something.”
I was graspingat straws but as I spoke the words, I felt them to be true.
“Perhaps,”Finn agreed and nodded. “Christ, I didnae know the universe was sobloody literal.”
We laughed asour carriage took a turn and I saw out the window that we nearedThe Siren’s Call. The familiar rows of trees, now highlighted withtiny lanterns, lit the long and narrow drive to the main house. Ifelt like royalty as we circled around the fountain outside andstepped out onto the groomed dirt below.
The frontdoors opened to the outside as two men in fancy suits stood togreet and welcome the guests. We stood and waited for the secondcarriage to pull up and I watched patiently as Gus emerged and thenhelped a stunning Lottie step out. Her foot touched the ground anda heap of dark blue silk flowed from her body. A white-gloved hand took Gus by the arm and theycame to meet us by the fountain.
“Are youready?” Lottie asked me.
“Yes, let’sget this over with,” I replied.
“Over with!”Finn exclaimed. “I dinnae know about the lot of ye, but I plan toenjoy every bit of it.” He tipped his head toward me. “Somethin’ yeshould consider doin’ yerselfevery now‘n then.”
I rolled myeyes and took Henry by the arm and the five of us marched towardthe opened doors, lured by the sound of cheerful music and thescent of delicious food. As I stepped over the threshold, I was metwith a blanket of noise and festive décor.
Rows of freshgreen garland hung from the ceilings and candles lit every cornerof every room we passed. People of all sorts filled the spaces andchatted with hands full of fizzing glasses and appetizers. Weturned a corner to the main room where guests danced about to themusic being played. Men with fiddles and mandolins stood on anelevated floor and happily played the festive tunes.
Gus tookLottie and the two swirled into the moving crowd as if theybelonged there. Finn had already run off in search of food anddrink. Henry and I circled around, tasting the tiny food thatcoasted by on large trays. Enjoying the festivities. Before long,Wallace found us and approached. Taking in the sight of me with analmost proud collection of thoughts. Her tall body was draped indark green silk, white ruffles poking out around her wrists andneck. Her dark hair pulled up from her long neck.
“I see youmanaged to find suitable clothes,” she said by way of greeting andthen switched her gaze to Henry, completely ignoring me. “You lookabsolutely dashing.”
“Thank you forinviting us. The Call has never looked so alive,” he replied andthen turned to me at his side. “Care to dance, milady?”
I caughtWallace’s eyes flicker with malice at the slight snub that Henryhad given her, and she turned on her heel, sifting through thecrowd and away from us. I tried not to think of what the rippleeffect that might cause down the road.
“Oh, thepirate king dances now, does he?” I asked him with light mockery.This was something I’d
