Port Barlow
Early Redwind

Lorelei stood at the cliff on the hill's crest, watching the sea toss and turn in the distance. The view from the farm had always been the most redeeming quality of Port Barlow. The cool breeze of the early redwind season played with her hair, making strands slip out of her braid and tickle her neck. While her mother baked fresh rolls, Lorelei left the small cottage and did the same thing she did every morning—stood, watched, and dreamed.

She dreamed of seeing nothing but the dark blue of the sea surrounding her. She dreamed of waking up to the sound of waves washing against the ship she would travel on. She dreamed of the wind and the sky above her and the endless sea of stars that reflected in the water.

But that was all they were—dreams.

She would never drift across the sea in hopes of finding someplace new. She never had, and she never would. It wasn't her fate to storm the seas—it wasn't her legacy. Her destiny was here, on the farm with her mother.

Lorelei sighed and tucked her hair behind her ear even though the strands fought against her in the wind. Goddess, she missed her mother. She'd just seen her before she left the cottage—hunched over, kneading dough—but in the past year her mother had deteriorated from the woman she was in Lorelei's memories into someone consumed with madness. Lorelei missed the sound of her mother's gentle voice and the cinnamon scent of her hair from the soap she used to make herself. She missed the stories of beautiful mermaids, ice dragons that lived up north, beyond the Frozen Gap, and most especially the legendary Captain of the Storm, a mortal pirate whose goddess-given sea magic won an ancient war. Mystical tales that seemed so real it was almost as if her mother had lived them. But that was an illusion, the art of great storytelling. Her mother had always run this farm, and so Lorelei buried the way the sea sang to her, reached for her, called to her, because she would run the farm one day too.

Lorelei could very easily catch the first ship out of Port Barlow and head somewhere new. She'd once seen a map that had slipped out of one of her mother's old books. She still remembered the jagged scar of islands cutting between the Silver and Bronze Seas—the jungles of Macaya, the lively sister islands of Sarva and Ravana, the ruins of the Lost Isle, and other islands, with the capital, Baltessa, at the very center. Cerulia. During one of the tales her mother used to tell years ago, she'd told Lorelei the island kingdom of Cerulia was a welcome home to anyone wishing to escape the bitterness of the land kingdoms. Maybe in Cerulia Lorelei could find a witch that could help cure her mother's mind, erase the imaginary voices she was certain whispered to her from the fire. Maybe Lorelei could find her father, the man her mother barely spoke of but murmured about in her sleep.

Jack was his name. Her mother's croons in the night echoed off the walls in their small cottage. Although she never delved too far into details of the man she loved, from the bits and pieces she'd told, Lorelei had put together that her mother never wanted to leave Jack behind but left because of a great fear of something from which even he couldn't protect her . . . of course she never said exactly what. Lorelei could sail away and find him, bring him back, and make their lives whole again. Even though she'd never met him, she could look into his eyes and know who he was—they shared the same blood. He could be the piece that was missing from Lorelei's life. Perhaps his return could fix her mother.

But each time thoughts of leaving drifted into her mind, her heart tugged, pulling her away from the dreams and back to the farm where she belonged.

Lorelei gripped her skirts and turned away from the sea. She should be ashamed for even thinking about leaving her mother. Especially now, when she faded with each day. But being around her was suffocating, and Lorelei needed the stolen moments by the sea to breathe freely.

Lorelei headed down the hill. The bustle of the harbor would be enough to distract her wandering heart.

As she trudged down the path, the sea continued its siren call to her, but she ignored them. Harbor-folk milled about the docks and roads winding between the short, squat buildings. Even though she didn't know most of the people very well, she enjoyed watching them, like the way others took pleasure in watching birds. Some kept to themselves and nodded politely as Lorelei passed. Most remained quiet—ears piqued to private conversations, eyes searching for careless decisions with damning consequences. They buried themselves knee deep in everyone's business. Some still gossiped about the captain of the Scarlet Maiden's escape over a month ago.

She still remembered the thrill of seeing them escape through the field in front of the cottage. The limping girl was the only one who noticed her standing in the door, and even then it was enough to make Lorelei shrivel back into the shadow of the doorway.

At least their escape had given the harbor-folk something to talk about other than her mother. It was already bad enough the entire harbor had noticed their absence throughout the years at the Flame Festivals and the executions at the fort. Sometimes Lorelei wondered if they knew about her and her mother's secret prayers to the Sea Sisters before eating dinner or about the Cerulian gold necklace her mother kept tucked in the collars of her dresses at all times. Maybe it was time to finally summon the courage to demand that her mother tell her the truth about her past, about where she really came from—to see if the fantastical stories held a figment of truth in them.

"Lorelei Penny," said a warm, familiar voice from behind her. "You're down earlier than usual."

She turned to see Luis smiling at her from the door of his father's butcher shop. His light-olive skin glowed in the morning sun and his wavy, dark hair flopped as he strutted across the narrow street toward her. She had to crane her head to look at him, but she was used to it. He had always been taller than the rest of the kids by the docks when they were growing up.

"Don't tell me you rushed down to the harbor to see me." Luis winked. If only it was that easy—to be a love-struck girl with no worries except which arm she belonged to. How could she fantasize a future with anyone when her mother whispered angry words to the fire at night?

Still, it didn't hurt to flirt. She'd play his little game.

"I couldn't leave the cottage fast enough." She giggled behind her hand.

"Don't tease me, Lori." Luis clutched at his chest playfully. "My fragile heart cannot bear it if it isn't true."

"Perhaps your heart needs armor then."

They stared at each other for a moment, neither of them blinking. Luis cracked first, his chestnut-colored eyes sparkling, his lips curling up until he burst into a handsome grin. He crossed his arms over his chest as his laughter echoed down the harbor streets.

"You laughed first," she said with a smile of her own. "I win. Again."

"You only win because I let you," Luis argued. He cleared his throat. "What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't?"

"Are you going to be so gentlemanly to pirates after you enlist in the Incendian Navy?" Lorelei asked. She'd given Luis an earful about enlisting when he'd first shared his plans with her, but since the recent escape there seemed to be no stopping him. "Are you to become a Scout too? I swear those men have no souls left in them. They set fire to that small trading port in the northern harbor just a few moons ago."

"Oh, come on, Lori, they were aiding fugitive pirates." He rubbed his temple as if the matter gave him a headache. "We've already talked about me enlisting. Do we really need to talk about it more?"

"We did, didn't we? Yet your father told me two days ago that you're still following through with it." She poked him in his meaty chest. "You told me you'd think about it."

"I did think about it, and I made my decision."

"Well, your decision is asinine." Her stomach twisted to learn he had committed to what she hoped she'd changed his mind about.

"And it's mine to make. Not yours."

Harbor-folk slowed their paces as they passed by, their eyes wandering to the quarrel in the middle of the road. Luis noticed this, too, and quieted his voice.

"I don't understand why you're always so enamored with Cerulia." He brought his face closer to hers as he continued. He smelled of embers and charred wood from hours of smoking meat at his father's shop. If he became a Scout, he'd smell even more of fire and destruction. "Pirates cause nothing but trouble. They steal. They murder. They sink entire ships of weapons needed to protect our people."

"Protect our people? From what?"

"From them."

Lorelei rolled her eyes. "Do you believe every story drunken sailors tell in the tavern? Half of them have killed men with their own hands. I'm disappointed that you deem them reliable sources."

"A soldier died during Csilla Abado's escape. He was a husband and a father. Her crew made a mockery of the navy. What other proof do you need of their wickedness?"

"Why were they hanging her in the first place, Luis? What was her crime? Being one of them?"

Luis shifted uncomfortably. "Their way of life promotes violence and chaos."

"Generalizations like that lead to hatred and hatred to—"

Luis's sigh interrupted her. He turned his head away and narrowed his eyes, as if something in the distance would help him come up with a reply. He clenched his jaw and looked back. "You're only seventeen and naive. You'll understand one day."

"Pardon me?" She gritted her teeth as anger built in her chest. "Don't act like I'm a foolish child. You're only two years older than I am, and we've been friends our whole lives."

"Lori." Luis ran his hand down his face. His ears flushed red. "I'm sorry, I—is that your mother?"

Lorelei drew back, her face twisting in confusion. Luis wasn't looking at her, but instead over her right shoulder. She'd rather stand and argue with Luis until the sun went down than face her mother in public. The last thing they needed was more gossip being spread.

"Lorelei!" yelled her mother. It was a frightened cry that was too familiar to Lorelei. She often heard the anguish in the quiet of the night.

"Good luck," Luis said with wide eyes.

"Lorelei!" yelled her mother again. There was slight relief in her tone, but it still oozed of paranoia and fear.

Every pair of eyes in the harbor latched onto Lorelei, waiting for her to react, to do something so deliciously terrible that they could talk about it for weeks.

Dear Goddess, please just smite them now.

Luis's eyes widened then fell on Lorelei. "I should get back to my father."

"You're a terrible friend," Lorelei growled at him. "Don't you dare leave me."

Luis ignored her and put his hand to his ear. "Do you hear that? Sounds like he's lifting a cow, or a boar, or something . . . heavy." He turned and bolted, giving Lorelei a small wave over his shoulder. Traitor.

She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled after him. "I won't miss you when you leave!" Another lie. Port Barlow would be even more boring when Luis left for naval training.

A hand gripped Lorelei's shoulder, ripping her from her thoughts, forcing her to turn around and face the owner. Lorelei's stomach dropped, her heart twisting in her chest at the sight of her mother. Eyes shimmering with tears. Dark-brown hair a tangled knot. Face red and blotchy from crying. A complete and utter mess.

"Where were you?" her mother asked, her bone-thin hands and sharp nails digging into Lorelei's shoulders, shaking her. "Where were you?"

As Lorelei stared into her mother's broken eyes, she realized that she might never be able to pick up the pieces. If anything, she only added more cracks.

Lorelei glanced left, then right at the harbor-folk who had gone still in the streets. With curled lips and beady eyes they watched the trembling woman in her dirty clothes and matted hair. They regarded her mother as if she was a rotten tomato on the vine, like her madness would spread to them if they got too close.

She shouldn't have let this go on so long; she should have gone to her mother the moment she heard her name being called. Then the others would have less to gossip about. Goddess, she was the worst daughter in the kingdom.

She'd just wanted one breath of fresh air, of a somewhat normal life. And it ended up further worrying her mother.

Gently, Lorelei shifted out of her mother's grasp and wrapped her arm around the woman's shoulders, pulling her into her side. The harbor-folk watched, their burning gazes labeling Lorelei the daughter of madness—the maiden likely to spiral into insanity after her mother.

"What are you all looking at?" Lorelei asked, unable to hide the tremble in her voice. "Don't you lot have something better to do?"

She damned their judgmental gazes and walked with her shaking mother pinned to her ribs. For now, what mattered most was shepherding her mother out of the harbor before she had a fit. Lorelei would let her guilt wash over her later.

"Where were you?" her mother asked again as the crowd thinned out and the path up the hill loomed ahead.

"I just came down to see Luis," Lorelei answered, loosening her hold on her mother. She'd stopped shaking and the red blotches had faded. Now, her face was pale and ashen.

"You didn't tell me."

Because she wouldn't have allowed it. "I was on my way back—"

"You must be careful." She cut in with a harsh whisper. The sea wind whistled in Lorelei's ear, muffling her words, but there was no mistaking what she said. "The fire glows brighter when he talks to me. He wants to kill the heir. That's all he needs to regain his power. That's why you have to stay safe, Lorelei."

"Who? What does this have to do with me?" Lorelei gently grabbed her mother's hand and pulled her to a stop. She knew her mother held no passion for Incendia or the fire gods, but this was different. "There are no voices in the fire, Mother. There is only you and me." Or at least there used to be.

"Oh, my sweet Lori." Her mother's face changed for a moment, her eyes sparkling with emotion, her cracked lips curving into a frown. She opened her mouth to say something else, but then she froze as if someone had interrupted. After a few moments, her lips snapped shut and she yanked her hand away, as if Lorelei's touch was a flame. "Don't sneak off again. Dark tides are rising. If you aren't careful, you'll drown."