Page 86 of Of Magic and Rum
“Brace for impact,” I shout to the crew because what the hell do you use againstthat? Any firepower we possess will go straight through it.
Anne uses the rigging to hoist herself to a barrel. Flailing her arms, she’s fearless against the water steed. “Poseidon,” she yells.
Poseidon? He’s real. Of course, he is.
The horse still gallops and rears, its front legs batting the air.
“Poseidon, stop. Please!” Anne climbs further up the rigging, still waving her arms and fanning her fingers.
Anne seems to know this fellow.
The first blow happens, the horse sending a tidal wave over the ship, slamming into barrels and soaking the deck. Mary is blown backward, but I catch her coat and pull her toward me. I snap my hair away from my face, running a hand over my eyes to rid them of water droplets. The attack puts several holes in our sails, but it is not so catastrophic that we can’t repair them. And then the horse rears, ready to strike again.
Anne stands on the bow. “Daddy, stop!”
Jesus. Christ.
My throat, my chest, my hands, theyallgo numb.
“Did she just call himdaddy?” I ask no one in particular.
Mary snorts and laughs behind me. “I certainly wouldn’t want to be the man who’s fucking a sea king’s daughter right about now.”
I’ve yet to release my death-like grip on the railing but slowly turn my chin at Mary. “Iwillthrow you overboard.”
“You’d miss me too much, Cap.” Mary grins and bats my nose.
The titanic-sized horse begins to shrink, water dripping away, and in a surge of sea spray, a tall man with wavy ash blonde hair falling to his chest and a full beard appears. He’s holding his trident in one hand while his other reaches for Anne’s face, his eyes blinking as if holding back tears. The sun reflects off his golden armor, particularly the greaves, and the man is large enough to make me stand taller and flex my arms beneath my shirt.
“Rhode?” Poseidon whispers, his thumb stroking her cheekbone.
Anne smiles at him, pulling her sleeve back to reveal the cowrie bracelet she wears, tears glistening in her eyes. “It’s me, Daddy. You finally found me.”
Shit. Hours ago, I was being paraded through a London street to be publicly executed, then fearing for my life as a giant seahorse tried to drown me, and now I’m witnessing some bizarre family reunion between Greek deities. This is quickly becoming an average Tuesday for this crew.
Poseidon is oblivious to the rest of us as he pulls a matching bracelet tucked away in his gauntlet to show Anne. Her smile broadens, and she jumps, wrapping her arms around his neck. He catches her with one arm, still wielding the trident, and hugs her to him, breathing a relieved sigh.
Two more bursts of sea spray sprout on deck, and a shorter woman with chocolate brown hair and armor matching Poseidon’s steps forward, followed by a tall, slimmer, and younger man with short bright blonde hair wearing—cut-off trousers, I suppose? I’ve never seen such a garment.
“Triton?” Anne asks the younger man, pushing back from her father, but pauses when her gaze lands on the woman. Her expression is hard to read—confusion? Fear? Joy?
Rhode stands perfectly still in front of the woman, tilting her head from side to side. “Mo—mother?”
The woman cups her hands over her mouth. “Rhode, I wanted to?—”
The reunion is cut short by several barbed tentacles plunging from the depths and smacking against the ship’s sides.
Poseidon twirls his trident and runs to the railing. “Rhode? In your letter, you said you were safe. And you’ve had the Charybdis after you all this time?” His voice is an anguished roar.
“I—” Anne pauses and throws her hand out at her side, producing her Atlantean sword instead of her cutlass. “—I didn’t want you to worry?”
Poseidon shakes his head and points a stern finger at her. “We’ll talk about this later.” He hoists himself to the railing and looks at the other three sea beings. “Between the four of us, we should be able to put this thing out of existence for good this time.”
Poseidon, the woman, and Triton dive into the sea. Anne rushes to me, pressing a quick palm to my cheek. “I’ll explain everything after this is over, Jack. I promise.” Her lips brush mine, and she turns, joining her father in the ocean below with a flick of her sea nymph tail.
Nope. That’s not happening. I refuse to stay on deck while Anne and her family do my dirty work for me. Iamstill the captain of this ship.
I’m removing my belt and shirt when Mary shoves me. “You cannot be serious. I’m quite certain they have it handled.”
