I sat secluded and alone somewhere deep in the bowels of the ship.

A lantern hung not far from my hiding spot as I began to sketch- it was the only thing I could think of doing that might calm me down.

I didn't sketch the sea this time, the estuary was the subject of my composition this time around.

You might be wondering what exactly that is, an estuary. An estuary is a marsh, it is a secluded bit of costal water where wildlife flourishes. Brackish water lives there. It is the same as the sound. And it was where my home resided.

I lived on the sound side of the island and I grew up quite literally in the estuary of my home. I drew some fronds of cordgrass and cat tails. On my estuary I had drawn a little boat out afloat.

I had a little boat and I would often let it afloat with me inside. Just watching the birds soar and maim their prey.

I adored the Osprey. The Osprey with it's mighty majestic wings and sharp keen eye, it was my favorite to watch. The Osprey would glide down to the water and without missing a beat he would catch a fish in his talons and he never missed. I added one in my composition, an Osprey above the little boat afloat.

"I thought I might find you down here."

I looked up from my drawing. Addeline. Her arms were crossed over her chest and the candle light danced in the reflection of her hazel eyes.

"This is as close as you can be to being within the sea while still being in this tub." She told me and sat down next to me.

"What's that?" She asked me as she looked over my shoulder at my drawing. "Home." I said simply.

"Your accent. Where are you from?" She finally asked me. "Far far away place. Costal island." "Pamlico?" "Yes." I set my sketch down and looked at her. "How'd you know?"

"I know the waters of this earth. I've been over to Pamlico a few times. Your home is a beautiful place and the natives of your home are great people, kind people." I didn't respond.

"You mustn't hold it against Sebastian, the way he spoke with you." I still remained silent.

"His sister, Anne, she is very dear to him. She is all the family he has left. No parents. No uncle. Sebastian is desperate to cure her. If he looses Anne, he's lost everything." Addeline continued.
"And he wasn't just trying to win your favor so that you would owe him this."

"How do you know?" I snapped and dropped my vine charcoal in my lap.

"Oh because I know." she said with a knowing smile.

"You'll understand sooner rather than later." She added with the same fondness.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

Sebastian was reading when I found him. He was- he was reading my book.

"SEA MAGIC A HISTORY"

But instead of rage, I softened. Perhaps he was trying to better understand.

"Sebastian."

I said softly and he looked up and I thought he might jump out of his skin when he saw me. He shot out of the make shift seat he hand found from barrels and crates and rushed over to me.

"Sereia."

He threw his arms around me and I flinched. He immediately refrained and let me go.

"Sorry...¦" He said softly. "I'm sorry. I should have never reacted the way I did. It was harsh and wrong of me." He said.

"It's okay." I said softly.

"I dont know what it's like, you're right." I told him. "But I'd like to." I added.

"I will help you with your sister once I know how to." I told him and Sebastian's face lit up. I had never seen him so happy.

"Thank you." He told me. "Oh thank you!"

He pressed a kiss to my forehead and there was that warm feeling again burrowing in my chest, not yet hot enough to take me.

"You're wonderful you are." He added.

And I just stood there, watching him display such utter and unrestrained joy. I couldn't understand it, I didn't fathom it, but I wanted to. I wanted to have joy like this. My time would be here soon. I would know what it was like to feel very soon.

"Here, read this. I read it and it's what gave me the idea that you could help me, that you could help Anne."

He thrusted my book back into my hands and I looked down at it. The chapter he had read was called

"BLUE BLOODS: MASTERS OF HEALING"

and I settled down on to the crate next to where he had been sitting and began to read.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

The next handful of days that passed were not very eventful. We woke, I would watch the sunrise and Sebastian would join me, Addeline would have us eat and Ominis would have us keep up on our studies by reading and discussing the topics of our textbooks.

There would be lunch and Sebastian would challenge me to a duel occasionally, which I would lose every time. Then we would have dinner and Addeline would tell us of her experiences gathering magical artifacts through her life and we would head back to bed to do it all again the next day.

That is until one morning when Addeline was up before I was. She frantically nudged me in my sleep.

"Sereia you have to wake up." She whispered. "Now."

When My eyes fluttered open I could barely make out her frame in the dim light of the room.

"What..." I asked slowly, my voices muffled and dampened with sleep.

"Get up." She said and gave my arm a tug. I yawned and rose slowly.

"What is-" "We've made it." She told me. "You and the boys have to go now if you're going to avoid being seen by Overton." She added. "But-" "No. no buts. Sunrise is in half an hour. You have to get a move on if you're going to get to his stronghold unseen, under darkness." She said and practically dragged me out of the room where Sebastian and Ominis waited for me. She must have already awoken them.

"Sereia." Sebastian greeted me and I yawned in response. "Go, go." she nudged me and we made our way to the deck.

"You'll need to head to the shore on your own. The water is too shallow or we'd get beached and Overton would know we're here." She said. "I have some boats-"

I didn't let her finish. This was my time. My turn to be a thief in the night and take what was mine. I raced to the railing of the ship, jumped over it easily, and plunged down to the dark water below.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

Water.

Oh it was so nice to be back in something familiar, so familiar to who I am. I moved through the water flawlessly, moving as if it were a part of me and in a way it was. The water was cold, but it never bothered me before so it didn't now.

The water guided me, moving with me and pushing me to the surface, to the shoreline. My feet made traction with the shore and I slowly made my way out of the water.

In all the rush I had forgotten about Sebastian and Ominis. I was only concerned about one thing and one thing only, and that was finding my song, my voice. Without my voice I was nothing and remain nothing.

At least that was what I had been made to believe. Wouldn't you? Would you also feel like you are nothing without a voice?