“Great. Via,” I called, “stand watch at the porthole. Apprise me of any change in Rylander’s condition. Okay?”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” she yelled back.

Rylander’s five men had the chest lifted between them. “On three,” Delmar said. On the third count, they barreled into the door. After the tenth wallop, it started to crack at the seams. My heart pounded. They had to hurry, or we—

“Captain, we have a problem,” Via called from the porthole. “It looks like he’s out of air. He’s sinking. I can’t see him anymore.” She bit her lip, hard.

Panic stabbed my chest. But I held myself together like my father had taught me and spoke with deadly calm. “You heard her. He needs us now. Break down that door.”

Three more attempts did it. The door jamb tore and twisted, opening a crack big enough for me to slip through the splintered wood. I ran up the stairs and onto the deck, my pounding heart drowning all other sound. When I got to the top, I kicked off my boots but didn’t bother shedding any clothes. I caught Smitter’s sour glance from the helm as I hopped on the rail. He had no idea Rylander was drowning, and I had no time to explain. I stored a deep breath and dove into the ocean.

The chilled water pricked my skin like nails. I propelled myself down, kicking in a tight rhythm while my arms carved a path ahead. I pushed body after body out of my way, swimming deeper and deeper. The dark waters were clouded worse with all the viscera. Tangled red hair wrapped around my torso and got trapped in my arms as I raced for the sand. The farther I swam, the more I worried Rylander and I would never return to the surface, but I had to try.

Within the smudged puzzle of limbs, I spotted his limp form only an arm’s length away. One arm floated in front of his face like he was reaching for me. Two shimmering tails covered in blood pinned his torso and thighs to the ocean’s floor.

I took hold of the severed pink tail first because I wouldn’t have to deal with the weight of a torso. Ichor flowed from the hole like a red ribbon. I dug my nails into the scales and flinched. I’d never touched a siren’s tail before. It was cold, rough, and heavy, so heavy. I heaved upward, but it barely budged. I pulled myself closer to the fin. Maybe if I kicked it and shifted it sideways, I could release Rylander’s legs. I tried to pry her off him with my heel. When that didn’t work, I started to panic. My lungs cried for air. Soon, I’d have to go back to the surface for another breath, and Rylander would never survive.