Page 22 of Stealing the Merman

Finn had heard that animals were afraid of humans. Well, humans ate meat, so it made sense. For mermen, meat was indigestible. Animals accepted mermen as part of nature, either paying them no mind or coming up to them in curiosity. Finn loved them all.

Once the hutia had assured itself Finn was no threat, it crossed the final three feet separating them. It didn’t flinch when Finn petted its short brown fur.

“Are you sure you don’t want fish?” Finn asked. He put a piece on his flat hand and held it out to the hutia. It sniffed the fish, but then turned its head.

“Not interested? I’m afraid I don’t have anything else for you, little friend.”

The rodent stayed by his side while he ate. Finn talked to it, about the friends he’d left behind and the journey he was undertaking. It was good to get it off his chest, even if the hutia didn’t understand.

As Finn traveled on, the shallow waters of the Bahamas, often no deeper than a few yards, gave way to the greater depths of the Caribbean. There, Finn came across a school of dolphins. Happy to have company, he followed them along a series of islands, many inhabited by humans. The dolphins were fast, and at their highest speeds, Finn struggled to keep up, even though he could outswim human ships. But it meant he was moving fast, covering a lot of distance.

After several days with the dolphins, Finn came across an archipelago full of merman colonies, some large, some small. The dolphins didn’t stop, but Finn did.

It was here that he made new friends: Strawberry blond, discontent Arian. Beautiful and aloof Tarlis. Dark skinned and friendly Zade. The last was older than Finn by two or three years and had been around these islands the longest. He was excited to have a new friend and showed Finn around.

Culebra, as the archipelago was named, was a gorgeous place. Green-hilled islands rose out of the clear blue sea under an azure sky unmarred by clouds. Colorful schools of fish darted between the islands, and in one of the many bays, an aggregation of manatees lived. The sun warmed the sea, and there were plenty of new friends around. It was perfect, the right place to start his new life. If only it weren’t for the throbbing yearning in his loins.

Chapter Ten

Darin

Darin, under no circumstances, wanted to run into Conall. He was lucky he’d gotten away with what had happened. Maybe Conall wouldn’t tear him apart if he saw him, but how things had ended left a bitter taste in Darin’s mouth. Conall had dropped him like a bad habit. Had Darin’s transgression been that awful? Aboard the ship, he’d been too afraid to remain in Conall’s vicinity for fear of repercussions, but the silent treatment he’d received stung.

Having grown up as an orphan with a changing roster of matrons, Darin hadn’t belonged anywhere or to anyone. Conall had owned him, like Finn had needed him. It was an intoxicating sensation until Conall ripped it away. It left a wound in Darin’s heart. They hadn’t been close, Conall keeping his distance, but when his large hands grabbed him, shoved him onto the nearest surface and claimed his body, Darin was content. Because with Conall, he washis. He belonged.

To cut away what little they had was cruel, and Darin wanted no reminder of his time aboardThe Pillaging Seas. He took Conall’s advice and left piracy behind. That way, there was no risk of running into him in an outlaw haven.

Darin paid a fisherman to take him to the next island over from where he hired a boat to the nearest trade port. There, a merchant employed him on a trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, one of Spain’s main colonial ports, and a great place for Darin to base himself and find work. Over the following months, Darin worked on merchantmen sailing up and down the Americas, often returning to Puerto Rico.

He’d never met this many people, and he’d never felt so alone. The crews he worked with were fine, and he got along with the captains, but what he longed for was a connection that ran deeper than playing cards at night and getting drunk together. Darin enjoyed the evenings he spent with the other sailors, but he yearned for more than superficial chit-chat over a shared bottle of rum.

The new year rolled around, and a Swedish captain of the name Kristian Andersen hired Darin as first mate for a trade run from Puerto Rico to Boston and back. It was a prestigious voyage, initiated by two sinfully rich Spanish merchants, Fernando Santos Veracruz and Luis Garcia Rodriguez. Their whole fleet was sailing north, ships loaded to the brim with sugar and rum. In Boston, they sold their cargo and bought lumber, livestock and whatever else the Spaniards thought could be turned into profit in the Caribbean.

What surprised Darin was the Spaniards’ relaxed attitude. Despite their wealth, they ate their meals in the sweltering heat of the ship’s mess with the common men that made up the crew. Especially Fernando, who chided Darin for calling himseñorSantos Veracruz, was easy-going and at home with the men. He drank and laughed with them, and before long, Luis made a habit of joining too.

To Darin’s surprise, Luis stopped wearing his elegantjustacorpsaboard and swapped them for simple shirts and breeches. He was older than Fernando and Kristian, perhaps forty years of age, and sported short salt and pepper hair. Subtle lines creased his forehead and crinkled the corners of his eyes, giving him character, just like the deep tan of his skin that was so much darker than Darin’s pale complexion. The longer he was aboard, the more casual he became.

Kristian, a captain in his late twenties, ran the ship with professional efficiency. He had years of experience sailing the seas, and while he seemed reserved at first, Darin discovered he was pleasant company once the conversation got going.

One night, they were doing the last round across deck to make sure the men had tidied up and secured any loose items, when Darin said, “I wish we’d taken the coastal route south, along the shores of Florida and through the Bahamas.”

“Not that again,” Kristian groaned. Kristian’s tone implied they’d talked about this ad nauseam, though Darin disagreed. “You’ve voiced your opinion, and when we discussed possible routes, we talked it over with Fernando. The answer isno, and I don’t know why you’re bringing it up again.”

The warm, humid ocean wind stroked Darin’s cheek as he leaned over the balustrade to check the sea state. The swell was calm, carrying the ship unperturbed. Darin had hoped that a route through the Bahamas would lead him back to the Exumas, to Finn. “I’m just saying. Would’ve been nice.”

“We’re here for work, not to see a bunch of pretty islands.”

“I’ve heard there are even prettier mermen,” Darin grumbled.

“Yes,” Kristian sighed, “you mentioned that too.” He rolled his eyes. Like all sailors, Kristian had heard myths about mermen, but he’d made it clear how little he thought of the stories. He was a realist, through and through, and didn’t believe in much outside the realm of his experience. He’d said as much when Darin had first brought up the topic of mermen. “These are stories, Darin. Don’t believe everything you hear in the taverns. Sailors spin yarn.”

“Well, a merman’s company would make me much less lonely,” Darin said crossly. After Kristian’s dismissive reaction when he brought up mermen for the first time, he knew better than to claim he’d seen the creatures with his own eyes. Kristian would declare him insane. There couldn’t be many mermen in the cold waters of the North Sea, and Kristian hadn’t been in the Caribbean long enough to change his beliefs. Darin let him be.

An old cleaning cloth lay on the floor between two crates, and Darin picked it up. He’d have a word with the deckhand for leaving it lying around. At least, Darin didn’t have to do the cleaning himself anymore.

“If you’re lonely, find yourself a nice girl when we get to Puerto Rico,” Kristian said.

Darin let out a mirthless breath. A girl would do nothing to alleviate his state. He’d be forced to marry her if he engaged in more than polite conversation, say a close friendship, though he posed no threat to her virtue. “Not all of us are interested in girls.”

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