Page 2 of Sea and Sky
Kyler snorted, hoping to throw Captain Farol off. “You have the wrong man. I’m no mer.”
Captain Farol stalked closer. Dark eyes intense. Heat came off him. Kyler tried to back up farther, but the bed had him good and stuck.
“But you are.” Captain Farol yanked Kyler by the hair, lifting him to his toes.
Then Farol lifted the edge of Kyler’s shirt to reveal his hip and the patch of blue scale that shimmered there in his human form. It showed up a little over a month ago, just the size of his thumbnail, but now it was as big as his hand. He was sure Captain Vex was forcing Kyler’s mer to consume him and he needed to get away from whatever influence it was that caused the scale to stay in his human skin. He was mer. Part of two worlds, not one. As much as he craved his beloved ocean’s embrace at all times, he was also human, and the thought of not being able to go to land as he pleased made his bones ache.
“Skin condition is all that is.” Kyler batted the hand away, but Farol held him, keeping him on tiptoes.
“Not very convincing, are you?” Dropping the shirt, Captain Farol breathed Kyler in. Drew his tongue across Kyler’s cheek, tasting him.
A shiver of disgust tumbled down Kyler’s spine.
“You don’t taste human. Too sweet.”
“That’s surprising. Wouldn’t merfolk taste salty?” Kyler couldn’t help the snarky question. He tried to shrug as nonchalantly as possible, but he was still caught in the man’s grasp. “On account of swimming in the ocean, of course.”
Captain Farol barked out another laugh, sending more shivers down Kyler’s spine, heating his skin.
Captain Farol released Kyler’s hair, letting him stand properly. At the same time, the entire ship heaved to the side, throwing them both off their feet. In the confusion, Kyler scrambled toward the huge window in the back of the cabin. But the man grabbed Kyler’s leg, tripping him. Kicking, Kyler caught Captain Farol’s stubbled jaw, which only made him smile. A slimy, slick smirk.
The man yanked Kyler’s ankle hard, dragging him along. Kyler desperately dug his fingers into the wooden slats of the floor. His finger pads bled into the grains, nails chipped and broke. Flipped over, Kyler kicked again, but Captain Farol’s grip held him in place. With one hand, Captain Farol clamped Kyler’s wrists to his stomach.
“His Majesty will be happy to have you. He has plans for you.” Holding Kyler’s wrists in one hand, Captain Farol pushed to his feet, then yanked Kyler to his.
“What? To gawk at me in a tank?” Kyler struggled against the captain and searched for anything he could use as a weapon. He found it on his captor’s belt—a dagger.
Captain Farol huffed. “Perhaps. Who am I to judge what my king needs a mer for? But that’d be such a waste, don’t you think?”
In answer, Kyler kneed him in the groin, but Farol didn’t budge, just stared down at Kyler with that smirk.
Captain Farol licked his lips. “It’s too bad I can’t have my fun first. His Majesty said if I broke you, I wouldn’t get anything.” He patted his hip. That’s when Kyler saw the whip.
That changed things. His back twinged where he’d been whipped before. It’d been years, but he couldn’t forget the crack of leather or the bite against his skin.
Kyler renewed his efforts to get away. Struggling as hard as possible, biting, kicking, anything to get Captain Farol to loosen his grip.
The ship shifted again. They both kept their footing, but the man released Kyler’s wrists to keep from toppling over.
Faster than the man could see, Kyler grabbed the knife from his belt. Just as fast, he stabbed through Captain Farol’s soft belly until Kyler felt the wool of the uniform on his knuckles.
“You will not steal me away from my freedom. Not for a king. Not anyone.” Kyler pushed back the snarl bubbling up his throat.
Thick, bright red blood spurted down the front of his shirt. He threw the knife across the room; it skittered to a stop in front of the desk. With a gasp, Captain Farol slumped into him, eyes wild. Kyler let the man thump to the floor.
“You little shit.” The man’s breathing was ragged. Blood and stink poured from between his fingers.
“That’s not my name.” Kyler walked away, trailing blood with his footprints. He still needed something valuable to sell.
Rummaging through the desk drawers, Kyler found a few trinkets and filled the pockets that lined the hem of his shirt. He took a handful of gems he suspected were fake, and a gold-sheathed letter opener. But there wasn’t anything else of note, much to his disappointment.
Captain Farol pushed to a seated position and leaned against the wall, clutching the wound. When the man coughed, blood sprayed the air. “Get the healer. I don’t want to die.”
“No.”
“I just meant to scare you.”
“And look where that got you.”
