When I returned, I was one of the last to enter the ship. Dickens awaited me from behind his steering wheel, nodding in approval. I ignored the woman standing next to him, her arms crossed underneath her breasts and her feet tapping with annoyance. She wanted me to look at her, but I simply didn't. I had enough of her mind tricks. One moment she made me feel hot and desirable, the other she was making love to the one who had decided to keep me on the Devil of the Waves. I groaned and immediately stumbled down, ignoring the chamber and headed for the cellars.

I noticed the surprise in Marina's eyes, as I dropped some fresh fruit in her cell. « What are those? » She said, pointing at the fruit close to her lap. « Fruit. Tastes good. » I ensured her, unable to hide my foul mood. She reached out for a peach, digging her pointy teeth inside its flesh. I shuddered at the thought of those teeth ripping human flesh apart, in any way attracting other vicious killers of the sea as the blood would collide with the salty waters. She scrunched her nose, her delicate face one of childish curiosity. She seemed so majestic in her element, but as soon as she took another bite of the peach, she seemed so much more human, so much more relatable.

« Thank you. » She whispered in between bites and licking the juices of her pale skin. I shrugged « It's nothing. » We sat together in silence until all the fruit had disappeared in her toothy mouth.

« What's wrong? » she asked. She scanned my body with those silver eyes, explicitly avoiding my own. It felt rather nice for a change that someone was willing to talk to me without having to prove their point in a silly argument. « What's right, is an easier question. » I shrugged and let my head lean against a trunk. She smiled and looked at my hands, before averting her eyes to her own hands. I noticed her comparing the two. « Marina, what are you doing? » I said, not taking the effort of moving my head towards her. Suddenly shy, she dropped her hands into her lap and shook her head. « Come on, do tell me. » I insisted. If she weren't so pale, I could've easily imagined her blushing for the way she held herself. « For all those years I've spend in the Bay... » she started finally and again looked at me with those tiny ponds of silver. We both knew what she had done. Even I was aware that mermaids were skilled in deceiving lonely seamen and seducing them under the waters where they stole their last breaths and feasted on their flesh and bones. But those words weren't spoken. « I've never really appreciated how humans look. »

I wondered about her words for a second. She held out her hand, not even reaching the bars. « Let me show you. » She whispered. I inched closer, reaching my arm between the bars until her hand caressed mine. Her long, elegant fingers pushed my hand flat against hers. « You see, you have space, whereas I... » with her other hand she tugged at the skin between her fingers. She giggled at her behavior, but I came to realize what she was saying. Being so close to her, I saw that, where I thought she was flawless, it had only been part of the curse she held upon me. Of course, I was a little freaked out over her wet, greasy skin resembling that of an eel. But she was so open, so fragile and complicated. That was where her true beauty lie. « If I may be very blunt, Marina. You're the prettiest mermaid I've ever had the honor to meet. » This time, I was sure she was blushing for a soft pink crept all the way from her ears hidden underneath the slick white hair to her pointy nose. I liked how she displayed her emotions on that blank surface of hers. It was so refreshing after looking at Paulina's face for a month, a canvas of dark streaks and past mistakes, longing for the future with a burning passion, hiding away her inner thoughts and fears.

She dropped her hand and scooted a bit away. « I don't think I'll be the last mermaid you'll see, pirate. » I frowned upon her. She was pulling her tail closer to her, her scales looking dry where the water couldn't touch it. « Marina, why is it that women are so difficult to comprehend? » I said, my hand scratching at an itchy place on top of my head. She smiled again, careful not to expose much of her pointy teeth. « You're hers, aren't you? I can tell by everything you do, by how you smell, by how even if I try to call out for you, your thoughts always avert to... the girl on deck. » Her gaze dropped back to the water, afraid it might disappear once again. I shook my head. « There's nothing between Paulina and I. » I assured her, but the look she gave me proved of her disbelief.

« We'll see. » A sad expression covered her as strands of white hair fell in front of her face. The truth was, I couldn't deny thinking about Paulina. Sure, I started to seriously doubt her morals but it were those glimpses of fragility that made me come back on my opinion over the stubborn Pirate Princess. We sat a while in silence before we felt the ship leaving the port behind. I got up, ready to commence my task but Marina said one more thing before I left. « Please, keep your eyes open. You're a good guy. She does not deserve someone like you. She is going to hurt you. »

I appreciated her concern but walked away. I began to understand why women were rarely involved in piracy. They made everything complicated and distracted you from what had to be done. It had no purpose to acknowledge that fact. My mind was still playing tricks on me as I was going over everything that Paulina had said and done. I vaguely noticed her body sitting in the top mast, but burned my eyes into the wood underneath my hands. We were already far away from land when the shift changed and I retreated towards my hammock. Paulina was still seated, her figure seeming so far away as she did not look once at the decks below her. Perhaps, I should avoid both women, my mind told me. It was only good reason to avoid what caused my thoughts to storm through my head and body.

My idea of avoiding Marina and Paulina went well. However, every night I went downstairs to quickly shove a piece of bread towards Marina, she was always asleep and seemed not eager to stay awake for me. Paulina stayed most of the days up in the sails. Dickens on the other hand was a walking storm. If it weren't for the fact that Paulina and I hadn't talked in several days, I should be afraid he was going to kill me. His behavior reached a peek when one evening, we threw our anchor in front of a cove. He demanded every single one of us on a line, his crimson red coat hanging wide open as he inspected each and every one of us. He made Castor and Lock step to the front, along with a few other well built men. The change of tension rippled through us. The men left behind were obviously the less capable and did not belong to the elite fifteen that were watching us as well. It came to no one's surprise that I was one of those to remain unchosen. Dickens walked up and down the deck, checking his choices once again. « We're going in. There's a treasure inside this cove. I need my best men to accompany me in the sloop. The others wait here and take care of the ship. As soon as we leave the cove, the Serena must be ready to depart. Understood? »

He stood in front of me, his eyes deadly calm before he looked at Paulina who was leaning near the steering wheel. « If I capture any of you fishfaces touching any of my personal belongings... I won't hesitate to avoid that from ever happening again. »His voice was directed towards me. I just knew it. But he did not have to fear. Paulina was a finished chapter. They left soon after. All men were equipped with swords and pistols, rope was thrown into one of the boats and one by one they descended. In the end fifteen men lighter, we watched them disappear into the darkness of the cove. Dickens threw us one last warning look before he too disappeared. A sigh of relief was spread amongst us.

« For a sec, I thought he was going to skin us. » Absolom sighed as he immediately reached for a flask inside his shirt. Though I hadn't experienced the wrath of Conway Dickens myself, I wasn't eager to find out. I left the bucket and rag behind me, before I stumbled towards my hammock. The others remained upstairs as they were slowly preparing the ship for departure whilst occasionally taking a sip of rum. I heard her steps quickly following behind me. « Felix, wait. » but I turned around.

It surprised her as Paulina nearly bumped against my chest. Immediately a fresh wave of the scent of sea salt entered my nostrils. « How convenient you look out for me just when the Captain leaves. » I had to retain myself from pushing her away from me. I wanted to leave, but I was bitten by curiosity to why and mostly what she had to say. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest unwillingly pushing her breasts up a little. I had to swallow away a wave a desire at the sight.

« Stop acting so childish, Felix. We... » but I stopped her in the middle of her sentence. « We finished this. Remember? »

She looked defeated, her shoulders slumped for just a second once again revealing the weaker side of her. But then fire returned to her being. She pointed a slender but dirty finger my way. « You're a complete arse, Felix! I came here to talk to you like an adult, but instead you want to play the heartbroken teenager, mature! » She rolled her eyes and flicked her hair out of her face.

« Talk to me like an adult?! » I repeated with force in my voice « You don't even dare to come near me when Dickens is here! You're doing all of this behind his back! »

«  I could very well do it right in his face if it weren't for your own safety, you fool! » She spat, unaware of the distance that was decreasing between us. « For my safety? How humble of you. » I sneered in response, my gaze trapped in the coils of her eyes.

What happened next was finished as soon as it started. Paulina's lips were pressed against mine, the heat of the moment spreading from her touch through my body. She pulled away as soon as she realized and the distance between us was quickly restored. « I hope you're happy now. » She said, her voice unsteady and harsh. With a turn, she left me alone in the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest. My fingers brushed against my lips that had been accompanied by hers just seconds ago. For something that was so wrong, it felt too good to be true.