Page 41 of Tik-Tok

Chapter Sixteen

North

North paced back and forth across her room, her arms folded at her chest. She’d been doing it for a while now, trying to draw out that vivid violet magic. Nothing. Not a spark, not a flame, not a single bit of smoke.

But itwas there.

She thought about the spell the sea witch had cast upon her, and she should have been livid, but she wasn’t. Everything she’d done, she’d secretly yearned to do. Wishing her magic came to her as easy as it did to Celyna, she tried again. Nothing.

“Gods, come on,” North growled with frustration.

Perhaps it was because she was too wound-up from her earlier conversation with Tik-Tok. There had been so much bottled up inside that male—more than she could have dreamed. The wounds on his back, his parents, the King of Ev... She could tell he hadn’t wanted to confess to her any of it, but he’d still confided his past to her. His revelations had unlocked another part within her that had nothing to do with magic.Feelings.

And then she’d offered herself so she could find her magic again and help him succeed in his vengeance, even though it wasn’t hers to seek. Maybe it was because of what her own family had faced in their past. Tik-Tok’s father could’ve become like the Wizard to another world and brought it to ruins, like Oz had.

Tik-Tok had denied tumbling her, so she’d offered to do other things that could lead to pleasure. She’d wanted him to feel the gratification she had earlier in the day, to return the favor. Instead, he’d slammed the door in her face.

“Bah!” she shouted to herself and threw a pretend axe at the wall. It hit right where she wanted it to. If only it had been real.

Her door swung open and she jerked her head up. She hadn’t expected Echo, but was glad to see her, nonetheless.

“I wanted to check on you,” the siren said, climbing down the ladder.

“I’m fine,Princess.” North grinned and sat on the bed.

“Mmm.” Echo plopped down beside her. “I stripped myself of that title after my mother fled our underwater village instead of helping to defend against the invading forces. But it needed to be used today to help a friend.” She gave North a small smile.

Friends. That was what they’d become. North swallowed, wondering what kind of life the rest of the crew members had faced. She’d had a great one growing up, and her chest tightened over how the small arguments with her parents now seemed minuscule. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m better off staying away from her. However, I don’t think you’re trulyfine, and I don’t think the captain is either. He’s holed himself up in his room and didn’t answer when I tried to tell him Dax was back. Celyna had a vision that he needs to speak to the captain about. She also wishes to see Dax from now on.”

North puckered her lips. “How does Dax feel about that?”

“He said he’s more than willing to do his duty.” Echo rolled her eyes. “But Dax would hump a tree if it could get him off.”

She chuckled softly, unable to stop the image of Dax doing just that from flashing inside her head.

“So, what’s really wrong? Is it about what the sea witch made you almost do?”

With a sigh, North shook her head. “The opposite.”

Echo perked up, her smile growing wide. “Go on.”

“I wanted to…” She took a deep breath, her cheeks heating. “I told Tik-Tok that I felt my magic after he … after I…”

Echo blinked. “Orgasmed?”

“No—more like the rush of feelings that come along with that. Feelings for him. I offered to sleep with him, but he doesn’t tumble innocents.”

The siren’s brows lifted all the way up her forehead. “You haven’t before?”

“Nope.” She wasn’t going to go into the story about how she’d saved herself for Birch because that aspect of her life didn’t matter anymore. It was strange how quickly things could become clear, how everything could be so unexpected yet feel like the right path.

“Oh…” Echo stared up at the ceiling. “I’m still surprised he didn’t take you up on that offer. We all want the portal open, but no one as much as him.” Her gaze settled on North’s. “I can’t believe you haven’t. Perhaps it was because I was sixteen when I took my first lover. But I started drowning fae from the moment I could speak.”

Echo must have noticed North’s horrified expression because she continued, “That was another life, though. It’s my nature, what we sirens are born to do, but I didn’t want that life anymore. That’s why I joined this crew.”

“I’m glad you did, Echo.” North smiled. “Because I wouldn’t have met you otherwise.”

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