LORELEI

Smuggler's Harbor

Mid-Rainrise

Lorelei had only seen Kane look lost once before.

It was the night after Kane had lost his father's compass the mermaid lagoon. He was sitting with his back against the trunk of a tree, watching the dying fire while the rest of their allied crew got some rest. His brow was furrowed as usual, but his eyes held an untold story behind them.

"How are you feeling?" Lorelei asked softly from where she lay next to him in the grass. Her voice sounded like a shout in the quiet. She glanced to Csilla and the rest of them sleeping nearby to make sure she hadn't woken anyone.

"I still feel like I got my ass kicked," Kane grunted, gaze remaining on the dimming fire. The dull orange glow cast shadows across his face.

She remembered the panic she'd felt when she'd seen him lifeless, when she'd tried to help him breathe again and nearly failed. It wasn't as if the two of them were truly dear to each other, yet she couldn't deny the ache in her chest when she thought he was dead. He hadn't let her in enough for her to know about his past, but from what she'd seen from him, he was a man of honor.

He could've killed her when he realized who she was. He could've left Borne to drown in the mermaid lagoon. So why did his eyes show such regret as he looked into the fire?

"It was brave what you did," she told him. "Saving Borne from the mermaid. In a place like this, I don't believe many men would do the same. It's a true strength of yours."

"Strength," Kane scoffed, his gaze refusing to meet hers. "Yet you had to come to my rescue in the end, didn't you?"

"We all need a little saving sometimes." Lorelei rolled onto her back and stared up at the canopy of the jungle. "I'm sorry we couldn't save your father's compass."

"Don't be sorry," Kane muttered. "It's better off lost."

"Then why are you the one who looks lost?" Lorelei held her breath, hoping that what she said wouldn't push him away.

"Why do you always ask the most soul-prodding questions?" Kane sighed. She could feel the heat of his gaze on her now, but she kept her own focused on the leaves tangled together in the dark.

"It is fine. You don't have to—"

"Ever since I can remember," Kane said at the same time. "That compass was in my father's hand. Whether it was on the ship or on an uninhabited island we were exploring, he had it with him, looking to it when we weren't even navigating." Kane paused for a moment before continuing, almost as if he were trying to make sense of it himself.

"My mother must've given it to him because when she died, it was the only thing about him that remained unchanged. He drank more heavily, trained me harder, shoved me aside even more, but the one thing that always brought him back was that damned compass."

"You sound like you hated it though," Lorelei said, turning her head to look at him.

He was already looking at her. "I did. That compass meant more to him than I ever did."

"Yet you carried it with you."

Kane watched her carefully like he was trying to figure out a puzzle. "Why?" His brow knit. "Why did I do that?"

"Your mother's dresses still hang in the wardrobe of your cabin," Lorelei told him. "Perhaps keeping these things is your way of holding onto the treasures of your heart." She smirked then. "I mean, you are a pirate after all? Aren't treasures your heart's calling?"

Kane's face held an unreadable expression and she thought she'd gone too far, pushed him too much. She noticed the small blush in his cheeks before he looked away.

"You should get some rest," he told her, looking back to the fire.

Lorelei nodded and rolled over onto her side, facing away from him so that he couldn't see her own cheeks reddening. She'd noticed how handsome he was from the moment she'd seen him and the way his muscles moved under his shirt, but this vulnerability was something new, something that she longed for more of. As she drifted to sleep, she had wondered if she was just a girl from the harbor, and if he was just a boy who liked to sail, what could have been between the two of them. What could be then if they survived the cruelty of the world.It wasn't that long ago, but the Kane from that night was so different from the Kane she saw now in the tavern below.

She'd been in the market of Smuggler's Harbor, when Jaron quickly pulled her and Nara into an alley. They'd followed him up onto the rooftop and to the wall of a tavern that was falling apart with promises of showing them something they'd be interested. She nearly yelled out when she saw Kane, Csilla and the others enter the tavern, but Jaron quickly shushed her.

"I saw them enter while you two were stuffing your faces," Jaron told her, glancing past her to Nara. "Let's listen in. After this, I'll let you decide what you want to do."

"What?" Lorelei asked, shocked. "Why even wait? Of course, I want to go with my crew."

"I don't know what kind of game you're playing at," Nara said menacingly. "But I see no point in waiting when our comrades have come for us."

Jaron sighed, "They didn't come here for you. They're here for him." Jaron motioned to the man with golden eyes sitting at the table Kane just sat down at.

"A witchblood?" Lorelei asked.

"Yes," Jaron answered.

He said something else, but his words didn't reach Lorelei as she was too wrapped up in watching Kane. Dark circles lined his eyes, his complexion missing the warmth of the sun she'd come to know. His gaze reminded her of that night he stared into the fire, but more lost than ever. Something silver rested in his hand.

Her compass.

Her heart bloomed at the sight of him holding it as dear as he'd held the one before. Knowing that he kept the compass close had Lorelei's eyes glistening, a small and content smile playing at her lips.

The feeling however, didn't last long. Something was wrong with him.

He set her compass on the table and picked up a deck of cards the witchblood had dealt him and Lorelei listened intently as the conversation continued, hoping to figure out why Kane didn't seem like himself.

But the longer the Serpent spoke, the less she wanted to hear.

"I'm sure the man whose market stall you trashed regret not repaying Rove on time."

"I would say I'm doing better than the man you crippled in this very tavern."

"There are quite a few people on this island who mourn the men who went missing each time you docked here."

With each sentence, the light in Lorelei's heart dimmed. Magnus had warned her before—about Kane's past—and now she understood why he kept his actions a secret. But he'd shown her such kindness, he'd done such heroic things. How could he be capable of both?

Her enemy had been right.

She didn't truly know the Blackwater.

"Pirates," Jaron muttered. He turned his attention to Lorelei. "They aren't truly your friends. They just want your storm, but I can teach you how to control it if you choose to leave here with me."

Lorelei hesitated.

"Lorelei," Nara said. "Don't listen to him. He is the enemy."

"I extend the same to you," Jaron said to Nara. "I can help you return to Ventys. Neither of you belong with them."

"I've chosen my family," Nara responded. "And I will continue to choose them."

Her words lodged themselves in Lorelei's heart. "As have I," she said.

"You will lose control of your storm again," Jaron said. "And when you do, which one of them will you hurt next?"

Nara's gaze turned glacial. "You are cruel and—"

"And telling her the truth she needs to hear."

Nara's mouth snapped shut.

Lorelei let his words sink in before she said anything. She glanced back at Kane who was standing from the table, motioning to the witchblood to follow them. The last time she'd touched him, she'd nearly killed him. The image of Crew's scorched body flickered in her mind. She could never live with herself if she let the same happen to Kane.

"I don't trust him, Lorelei," Nara said. "And you shouldn't either."

Lorelei took one last long glance at Kane, then Csilla, Flynn and Arius, before moving away from the hole in the wall. "Neither do I, but I also don't trust myself anymore." She looked down at her golden hands. "I need to learn to control this before it consumes me and everyone else."

"Are you certain about this?" Nara prodded once more. "This is our chance to escape. We still don't know what the emberblood's plans are for us."

Lorelei nodded. "I am certain."

"Then I will go with you," Nara said.

The sudden sound of scuffling and shouting drew their attention back to the hole. A group of men surrounded Kane and the rest of them, swords drawn.

"What's happening?" Lorelei asked frantically. "Who are they?"

"Incendian soldiers," Jaron said, surprise in his tone. "They were here the whole time, dressed as common Cerulians. Now is our chance to leave without them seeing us."

"We can't just leave them," Lorelei said, as Jaron pulled on her wrist.

"We must help them," Nara argued.

"If they're captains of the fleet, then I'm sure they will be fine," Jaron said. "I only spotted one Scout among them. We must make our leave if you wish to come with me instead. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to cut ties. Don't you agree?"

Lorelei looked down into the tavern one last time to see the crew making their way successfully to the doorway as a group, fending off their attackers as they moved forward. She forced herself to pull her gaze away and turn back toward the way they came across the rooftop.

She quickly balanced across the crooked shingles, following behind Jaron and Nara as the sound of fighting faded. A ladder waited at the end and then they would sneak back to Jaron's ship. A couple more steps and shouts from men and women in the street below made her stop.

The group had escaped the tavern and now were fighting a couple of the disguised Incendians in the street. The crowd backed away as Flynn punched one in the face so hard that he fell backward into a stall. She found Kane and saw him grip the spot where his shoulder met his chest. He grimaced and glanced around the market street. As if he was drawn to her, his eyes scaled the building and locked onto her.

He mouthed her name.

"Shit," Jaron said. "We got to go now."

Lorelei took one last glance at Kane before following after Jaron across the rooftop. He called her name from the street below and as much as it clawed at her heart, she kept her gaze forward and moved ahead.

"Lorelei!" he called again. "Go on without me!" he yelled to the rest of his crew.

Lorelei, Jaron and Nara got to the ladder at the end, but when Jaron made the move to climb down, Kane appeared at the bottom. His fists gripped both sides of the ladder as he looked up at the group of them.

"Lorelei," he said breathlessly. "What are you doing?"

"Come on!" Jaron yelled before jumping to the next rooftop. The gap was narrow since the buildings were stacked so close together, but the thought of missing the jump made Lorelei's heart jump in her throat.

Nara jumped next with ease and turned to Lorelei. "If this is what you want, then you have to jump before he makes it up that ladder."

Lorelei looked down at Kane who was now climbing and back at Jaron and Nara who waited for her on the other rooftop. She took a deep breath, whispered an apology, and braced herself to jump.

She took a step and leapt forward, her toes finding the edge of the roof as Jaron and Nara both grabbed her and pulled her to the other side. Then they all took off in a run across the slanted rooftops.

Lorelei struggled to keep up, her gaze flicking between Nara, who ran in front of her, and where she should put her feet next. Behind her, she heard Kane chasing after them while shouting to her to wait. But if she waited, if she let herself talk to him, she wasn't so sure she'd be able to walk away.

A shingle dislodged itself under Lorelei's foot and she slipped, nearly falling before picking herself back up again. As she ran, she pictured Kane—the way he'd asked for her forgiveness on Crossbones, the way he held her in his arms when she returned from Limbo, the way he looked at her when they danced together on his birthday. Then, just like every other time she thought of Kane recently, the memories were followed with him on the ground after she'd hurt him with her lightning.

She could never let that happen again. She'd make friends with her enemy before she'd let herself hurt Kane once more. She blinked away the tears that sprang to her eyes as they neared the end of the rooftops.

Jaron stopped at the edge and looked down for a moment before turning back to Nara and Lorelei as they both stumbled to a stop. The docks and their ship waited just beyond.

"That pile of hay could do for a safe landing," Jaron said. "I'll leap first and then you two follow me. Make a break for the ship as quick as you can and I'll meet you there."

Lorelei didn't respond. Her gaze nervously flicked from the hay to the ship.

"You're still deciding what to do," Jaron said quickly. "But you have to make that choice now. Come with me and learn how to use your magic, or go back and risk his life. The choice is yours, Storm."

Lorelei knew she was being manipulated. Jaron didn't care about whether or not she hurt Kane, but he was very much aware that she cared. Her leaving with Jaron by choice was exactly what he wanted and as much as she wanted to refuse and run toward Kane, she couldn't. Jaron was right. She would face whatever plans he had for her if she could just control her storm.

"I'll go," she said.

Jaron nodded and jumped from the edge of the roof. Lorelei leaned to peer over, watching as he plopped safely into the hay. Nara leaped down as soon as Jaron had cleared the way. As she scrambled out, Lorelei readied herself to jump.

"Lorelei!" Kane yelled. His footsteps slowed to a stop behind her. "Wait!"

She stopped the tip of her toes, frozen except for her hair which blew in the wind. Jump, she told herself. Let go.

But she couldn't. The desperation in his tone from that one single word had her hesitating when she had just made up her mind a moment before.

"Please," Kane begged, his voice even closer. "Why are you running from me?" His fingertips brushed against her wrist.

She quickly spun around and pulled her arm from him. "Stay back," she told him, the ache in her heart making her words tremble. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't hurt me, Lorelei," he said, his gunmetal eyes swimming. "You'd never hurt me or anyone else."

Kane could say those words over and over, but they would never be truthful. She had hurt two people now and killed one of them. Crew's charred remains haunted her—a memory that returned no matter how many times she tried to bury it.

"You don't understand," Lorelei said. She swallowed back the tears that threatened to form. She held up her hands, her fingers trembling as she showed him the gold that had spread from her fingertips to her forearms. "Look at me, Kane. Look at what's happening to me."

His gaze was wide-eyed for a moment, taking in the spreading gold. "It's okay," he said. His breathing picked up speed. "We can figure this out. We can fix you."

"Fix me?" Lorelei shook her head. "You think I'm a monster, don't you?" Perhaps he was right. Perhaps she was a monster.

"What?" Kane rubbed his hand down his face. "I didn't say that I—"

"I'm not going to be a monster." The wind blew Lorelei's hair in front of her face. "I'm going to learn to control it. Don't follow me, Kane. Let me go."

Kane's jaw worked as he tore his gaze away from her. "Don't say that," he said, his voice low. "You can run, and I will follow, but don't tell me to let you go because I will not." His eyes turned back to her. "I refuse to accept that fate. I can't."

His words nearly made Lorelei change her mind and throw herself into his arms, but the shimmer of the setting sun on her golden hands reminded her of her unsettled magic. She took one last look at him—his dark restless eyes and the small scars scattered across his face. At least she'd gotten to see him one last time. She bit her lip and took a deep breath.

"Goodbye, Kane," she whispered.

Then she turned and leapt from the rooftop, landing in the soft hay below. She quickly climbed out and ran toward Nara and Jaron who stood waiting by the docks. As her foot hit the wooden planks, she snuck a glance back to see if Kane had jumped after her, but he remained on the rooftop, watching her go. He clenched at his shoulder as if in pain. Was she the cause? Her lightning must have hurt him deeper than she'd thought.

"Are you okay?" Nara asked as they climbed onto Jaron's ship.

"I will be," Lorelei said, closing her eyes.

The words tasted likea lie.