The Sea Siren

Chapter Three

Vivian

"Viv!"

Bastian, hangs over the ledge, flashing an ear-splitting grin in my direction. Most of the crew rush to his side, peering eagerly into the cobalt waters. What we all hoped to find is scattered along the shoreline of the cliffs.

The wet air cuts through the sails as they're lowered.

Three full moons later and we've finally spotted them.

Puakai's, trapped in water of the moon. The whirlpools glow under a full moon cycle, which makes it only possible to view the golden flowers below the surface, caught in the repetitive cyclone.

"We must be quick," I say to Aggie, who takes the helm. "If you see light up ahead, you know what to do."

She nods, smiling as widely as I am.

Puakai's are heavily sought after, especially by members of the court in Vale. You can only find them on the coast of Belmur. Due to their rarity, the income in getting even one of these can sustain us for months at a time. It's as valuable as any jewel in the province.

I unwind my laces, throwing aside the corset and my boots, stepping onto the ledge with most of the crew. The ones who fear the dark waters at night, and what unknown creatures lie beneath, stay aboard, ensuring we remain undetected to the soldiers guarding the monastery above.

We dive into the black depths, swimming to the whirlpools.

Bastian, the strongest out of us all, ties multiple ropes around a slippery boulder, somehow withstanding the cresting waves. We each knot a rope around our waists, so that if any of us are sucked under, we can be pulled back out.

Xiu, the ship's negotiator, laughs excitedly. "There's at least three down there, guys."

The waves weigh tons as they descend upon our heads, making it hard to remain above the surface. There's a reason why these flowers are so rare—not many wish to die against these rocks.

I remove my dagger from my boot, spitting out salt water. "Careful, all right?"

"Always!" they chime in unison, knowing damn well none of us are ever careful.

While Bastian watches our ropes above, the three us us dive under, just outside the rotation of the whirlpool. I see the glowing plants swaying through burning eyes, mesmerized by the range of colors covering each petal.

I follow the long stem of one, waving my arms to catch Xiu's attention. She grabs the rope tied to my waist, holding onto the rock as I lean in, reaching my arms into the violent whirlpool. If not for her help, I'd be sucked in and lose myself in the endless loop.

When the petals are encaged by my hands, I feel her begin to pull me back, which is a relief. I'm not as trained in holding my breath as they are. I pass the treasure to her and hurry towards the surface, breaking it with a large gasp.

"That was a personal record," Bastian praises while I get my bearings.

"She's right." I wipe the salt from my eyes, laughing. "There's two others down there."

"Luck is in our favor tonight!"

Xiu breaks the surface next, followed by Kenut, her lover of three years. Wherever she goes, he follows. He, like me, was torn from his family in his young years. I don't know much more than that, but I know he didn't leave his tribe willingly.

"The other two won't be as easy to get. Let me do this one."

I nod, watching Xiu carefully place the flower into Bastian's net for safe keeping. Sinking down, we retrace the area and this time, I grab onto Kenut's rope, digging my fingers into the cliffside to keep us steady. The moment his arms enter the pressurized pool, I exert all of my strength into holding us at this level.