SUMMARY:
The gang is on the Lady Beatrice, sailing to Lilituana to try and stop the Boss once and for all. However, Damius has been sending Whisperers to torment Amarie, the most recent being a creature that fed into her insecurity about her beauty. She became a Siren, who can see your deepest desires when she sings. Through this, it was revealed that not only does Abigail have a crush on Isaac—she also has a crush on Amarie.

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My head was pounding. My eyelids felt weighed down by sand. I slowly blinked my eyes open. The sun was covered up by clouds, but still seemed far too bright. I sat up, wincing.

Something was very off on the Lady Beatrice.

Everyone was sitting silently, not making eye contact. Sophie had her knees drawn up to her chest, staring blankly into space. Deynan had his head in his hands. Ravi had his eyes closed and his head leaned against the railing. Sierra was biting her lip and sitting on the bow of the ship, her hands tucked under legs. Isaac had his arms crossed and was leaning against the mast, breathing slowly. Audrey was picking at the wood.

Abigail...had puffy eyes and dried tears on her cheeks. Meri sat next to her, leaning on her thigh in a form of comfort.

I felt a knot rise in my throat. What had I done?

Meri noticed I was awake first, nudging Abigail. She looked up and started to smile at me, then quickly looked away.

I swallowed painfully. I knew how destructive my Siren form could be. She looked into your deepest desires and ridiculed them. Made you feel worthless. And the team had taken a hit.

Sophie looked up, taking a deep breath before smiling weakly. "Hey, Amarie. Good to have you back."

Everyone looked up slowly. I instinctively shrunk back from their stares. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm so, so sorry." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "What did I do?" I almost didn't want to know.

"Nothing too bad," Sophie said softly. "Um...I guess I can't really speak for everyone, because you didn't target me, but...nothing too bad."

I opened my eyes hesitantly. That sounded like a lie.

Audrey scowled, throwing down the wood chip she was fiddling with."You looked me in the eyes and told me the one thing I never wanted to hear."

My throat tightened again. "I-I'm so sorry, Audrey, I really am—"

"Don't apologize," she interrupted. She sighed closing her eyes. "It's stupid, anyway. All I want is a childhood." She smiles wryly. "But I never got one. And now it's too late."

There was silence. It was in moments like these that the sound of the waves against the boat grew loudest.

My heart ached. I knew exactly what she meant. To have memories to look back on in the hardest times, to have a life built on a foundation of innocence and mistakes, learning and growing without consequence, freedom...it sounded wonderful.

"Amarie?" Abigail said hesitantly. She still hadn't looked up.

I swallowed painfully. "Yes?"

"You called yourself hideous. The Whisperer was about beauty." She finally looked me in the eyes, her gaze heartbroken. "Do you...do you really believe that?"

My lips parted slightly. Oh. I had almost forgotten that the Siren was about beauty. Her ability to call on people's desires always seemed more important.

Slowly, I nodded. "I guess." I shrugged. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Not that big of a deal?" Isaac repeated incredulously. "Amarie, how can you believe something so utterly untrue?" He laughed in disbelief. "If you're ugly, Nefertiti is a pile of mush." He squinted. "Not my best metaphor."

"I got it," Ravi said.

"I didn't!" Deynan protested.

Isaac ignored them. "The point is, Amarie... you are gorgeous. Beyond stunning. Don't ever say anything otherwise, okay?" His voice had a ferocity to it that I had never heard before.

I was speechless.

Abigail looked at him sadly before turning her gaze to me. She smiled weakly. "If you don't believe us already, let me tell you a story." She took a breath.

"The first day I met you, you still hadn't spoken much. But I thought you were a sorceress, because you cast a spell on me." She chuckled. "That was cheesy, sorry. Anyway, it was weird. Because I was so convinced—beyond convinced—that I was completely in love with this guy." She jerked her thumb at Isaac and laughed softly.

I blinked. Abigail had a crush on Isaac? I probably should have been able to guess. But something in my heart tightened with the knowledge, and I wasn't sure what.

"Point being," She continued, "then you walked in and messed up everything I thought I knew. How could a girl be this gorgeous, this refined?"

"I had a panic attack at least three times," I whispered. The word refined had never applied to me.

"But you came out of them with grace and dignity, a quiet strength and inner glow that I've never seen before. And you're just...so gorgeous. In everything you do." She shook her head slowly. "It's a little unfair."

"She had a great speech earlier," Audrey muttered. "Too bad you missed it."

Abigail laughed, her eyes growing wet. "Thanks. I guess, the point is...I've had a crush on you since day one. And, I know, I know it's dumb, and we're in a war, and everything is so crazy, but..." She closed her eyes as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

She smiled softly before looking at me again. "You do something really strange to me, Amarie. And I barely even know you."

The boat was silent once more. I couldn't speak. Everything seemed so...surreal. This had to be fake. This had to be a trick. No one could truly think this about me.

But her eyes shone with such sincerity I didn't know what to think.

Eventually, Abigail stood up. She took a breath, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Well. I'm going to go take Meri back to the castle, see if I can find out what happened to the other elves. Liza and Chris are starting a movement to help destroyed civilizations, so I'll probably be more helpful there." She smiled briefly. "Keep in touch."

Isaac stood up suddenly as Abigail grabbed her broom. "Gail," he said, desperation suddenly lacing his voice.

Oh. Right. She had just revealed she had a crush on him.

And on me...

He pulled her into a tight hug. She squeezed her eyes shut as she hugged him back.

Finally, he released her. She clutched her broom with one hand and looped a bag over her shoulder for Meri to ride in. She let out a slow breath.

Then she opened her eyes and smiled brightly. "Thanks for letting me crash your boat party. Sorry for...everything else. I'll see you all soon!" She twirled the broom in one hand before placing it horizontally in the air and climbing on sidesaddle.

"Oh, and guys?" she said. "You're going to take this Boss Guy down. I just know it." She smiled.

Then she sped away and I was left staring into open air with a boat full of silent people and the weight of newfound emotions to handle.

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SORRY FOR THE HIATUS! LOVE YOU ALL!