My nails dug into the flesh of my palms hard enough to pierce my own skin. “Tell me right now what you’re planning,” I yelled.

Rylander threw me that impish grin I hated. His dimple deepened as he tapped his right earlobe twice, indicating I wouldn’t be able to hear him. Then he grabbed my shoulders, turned me about-face, and pushed me after my departing crew. I planted my heels and tried to fight but the more I jerked against him, the harder he gripped and pushed forward. I cursed. I couldn’t stomach the idea of hiding, but at least I’d die with my crew. A small comfort, but a pirate took what she could get.

Rylander released me and leaned in closer to Krinny. Using the small distraction, I removed the wax from my ears and clutched them in my palm.

“Remember what we discussed. Whatever you see from those windows does not matter.” He looked at me, and his eyes dropped. “Hold her down if you have to. Do not let her leave this room.” And with that, Rylander shoved me into Krinny’s arms and sprinted in the opposite direction.

Via and Krinny pushed me forward and through the door until we were all crammed into the small space, the cool scent of sea around us mixed in with the familiar sour scent of spilled rye.

“Where is he going? What aren’t you two telling me?” I spun around to face them.

Krinny shrugged as the boat started to rock, shoved by hundreds of siren hands from beneath.

“They’re picking the helm apart,” one of the women yelled. “We’ll be dead within the hour.”

Bernard jumped onto a clothing chest. “Settle down. Listen to me.” He raised his hands and hushed the crowd. “You will all live to tell this tale. But you need to put the wax in your ears and keep it there until Captain Rylander opens this door again.” He gazed at the closed wooden door. “May the Fates smile upon us.” He bowed his head and jumped down.

Lanard, Naven, Ketner, and Delmar squeezed through the crowd, checking that everyone’s wax balls were secure.

I lurched forward toward the exit. “Open this immediately!” I ordered, pounding so hard against the wood my fists turned red. “Open up now!”

“The doors are bolted from the other side,” Krinny said at my shoulder.

I whipped my head around, cheeks inflamed. “We have to do something. We can’t leave him out there by himself. He’ll die.” And that’s when it hit me, the reason for their silence. He was taking the sirens on by himself. My shoulders dropped as my heart sank into my chest.

Via grabbed my hand and opened my palm. She cast a meaningful look at the balls of wax resting there. “We are doing something. We are trusting him. You need to do the same.”

Chapter twenty-three

Rylander