Page 56 of Of Magic and Rum
It can’t end like this. The Fates wouldn’t have united Jack and me, only to see us torn apart so quickly. They never spin threads so haphazardly, only to see them wither and break. And it gives me the strength to nod at the stranger, agreeing.
“No,” Jack roars against the wall.
Before the man can whisk me away, I leap at the wall, pressing my palm to it. When Jack’s hand touches mine, I still feel his warmth despite the impenetrable water shield standing defiantly between us. “Find me, Jack.”
“I’m not one to beg, but I will drop to my knees now if it keeps you from doing this.” Jack’s words are frantic, angry, and pained.
Shaking my head, I back away before my willpower fails me. “Findme, Jack.”
Jack beats his fist against the wall, the realization that thisishappening regardless of his words, cinching his features into a furious scowl. “I won’t leave this island until I do. And you—” Jack points to the man behind me. “Are a fucking dead man.”
“Empty words falling from powerless human lips,” the man says, his tone chilling me to the marrow.
As the man’s arm wraps around me from behind, Jack locks his gaze with mine, and I mouth to him a final time, “Find me.” This connection we share, despite our not having named it, will give him insight no one else on the crew will have, I’m sure of it. The man’s arm morphs into water, followed by the rest of his body and my own.
We appear in a cavern, stalagmites hanging from the ceiling, dripping into a small wading pool. In one corner, a living space resides with a makeshift cot, hearth, lit torches, and other paraphernalia. The man backs away slowly, letting his hands slipaway before clasping them beneath his chin, his gaze roaming my body like he’s surveying a livestock purchase.
None of this makes sense.
“Who are you?” I bark the words, impatient and furious.
The man grabs one of the torches and brings it between us, using it to light my face and body as he circles me. “For eons, I could only ever dream I’d meet someone like you. I was told by every witch and hag that some existed. But how could I believe a supernatural creatureandan aquatic one would cross my island? And yet here you stand—” he draws a breath through his nose, pausing in front of me and letting his eyes roam my hair “—living proof they were right.”
He makes no move to touch me, so I stay put to avoid further antagonizing him. “About what?”
“My name is Nøkk. And you, my dear sea nymph—” he touches me now, but only to graze his fingertips over my cheek “—are mymate.”
The ferocious howl that thunders from my lungs is unlike any sound I’ve ever made. My fists slam against the invisible wall a final time after this insufferable asshole steals my Anne from me, and I stumble forward when it disappears. Its purpose is pointless now. It was meant to keep me away—to keep me fromher,and now he’stakenher. Seeing blood red, I kick the trunk of a palm tree and crack it in my rage.
“Jack, I brought—” Red starts, breathless from sprinting back. “—where the hell is she?”
The question infuriates me even more, and I slam my boot into the tree, splitting it in half and narrowly avoiding several coconuts collapsing into the sand. “He. Took. Her.”
Ragnar sidles beside me, side-eyeing me cautiously as if he’s the next tree I intend to use as an outlet. “Who took her?”
“I don’t know,” I answer through a snarl, picking one of the coconuts up and squeezing it between my palms.
Mary’s eyes blaze with confusion, and she shoves between us. “Someone took Anne, and you don’t know who theyare?”
Ragnar pulls her away. “Now’s not the time, Read.”
“He came out of nowhere from the lake and conjured an impenetrable wall of water.” Red rubs the back of his neck. “We tried everything to get through it, and it wouldn’t budge.”
Grunting, I hurl the coconut at the lake, my chest heaving as I watch the ripples from the splash. “He threatened to kill me if Anne didn’t go with him. Whoever he is, he was interested in her because of herfins.”
“Do you think he wishes to use her somehow?” Mary’s arms go slack at her sides.
The memory of us rowing toward Vane’s ship plagues my mind, and I shove a thumb between my eyes. “Undoubtedly. What other reason would someone have to kidnap besides their own gain?”
“Ransom, perhaps?” Ragnar offers, flicking his middle finger and thumb together.
The look on the water man’s face—desire, longing, surprise. I’ll slit his throat as soon as I’m within arm’s reach of him.
Anger swells in my chest, but I do my best to shove it away this time. It’ll only cloud rational thought, and right now, I need to do everything I can to figure out a way to rescue her.
Find me, Jack.
She said it with such clarity and confidence, like sheknewI would, and it was the only reason she could fearlessly disappear with him.
