Calandra wiggled a little at first, but when the rope didn't budge, she concentrated on taking in her surroundings. In her two hundred and thirty years of life, she had seen many different kinds of ships. Most of those ships had been sighted from a distance because the Undine clan of mermaids harbored a great mistrust of humans. That mistrust seemed well earned, given her current predicament. 

This ship had the usual armaments--cannons and blades and pistols were everywhere--but it also had some unusual aspects. She spotted runes dancing along the railing, and she recognized Atlantean symbols for warding against storms and malevolent spirits. Each of the men around her also wore a talisman that had the marks of Sylph craftsmanship. Calandra wondered how the men had come across them. She had never known a Sylph to willingly give such a thing to anyone.

She was jerked back into the moment by the lurching of the ship. Beneath her, the hull creaked and groaned in protest. Above her head, the sails billowed under a dark, rumbling sky. Calandra sighed. If she hadn't been so intent on hunting dinner, she might have noticed the trap the sailors had lain for her.

Calandra concentrated on the task at hand. No sense in dwelling on the past when an uncertain future lay in front of her. The crew was small, she thought, maybe twelve men plus the captain. If she could sing, she could have escaped them much more easily.

Calandra sniffed the air and the electric smell of the oncoming storm greeted her. Panic made her fingers turn icy. Kaleo was still in the ocean, waiting for her. She imagined him coming to look for her rather than staying in the safety of the sea cave they had found. Her heart began to beat faster. If the squall picked up, the tides surrounding the island would become rife with danger. Even merfolk could be caught up in the power of a riptide if they weren't careful.

Lightning flashed in the sky, punctuating her sense of urgency.

As she fought against the net in the hopes she would somehow gain freedom, a beautiful bass voice filled the air. It was like she had summoned him by thinking of him.

"We're going away to leave you now. Good bye, fare thee well."

The voice rose into the air and washed over the ship. The sailors shouted out a warning to one another, but they had no defense against the unexpected song. 

With the low hum of the melody came the spark of magic across the bowsprit of the ship. All of the humans nearest it backed hurriedly away as the blue flames spread over the deck, gouging the wood. The magic snapped rigging and shrouds, crippling the ship.

"Good bye, fare thee well."

One unlucky sailor wasn't quick enough to escape, and he fell under the music. He screamed in pain as his clothing was torn and his flesh cut. Calandra watched the magic come closer and begin to rip apart the netting without harming her tail. Kaleo's smooth voice came to her on the wind.

"Ah, give me the girl with the bonny brown hair. Your hair of brown is the talk of the town."

The crew retreated farther, until their backs were pressed against the wall of the captain's cabin. Calandra broke free of the net. She pushed herself forward and crawled over the wood, ignoring the magic that was still wreaking havoc on the ship and terrorizing the crew. 

She managed to lift herself up to see over the railing, and spotted her dark haired husband singing in the water. His eyes lit up when he spotted her and he held out his arms for her to jump.

"We're going away to leave you now."

Calandra jumped, but was jerked roughly backwards. She screamed. The mermaid twisted around and met Shadowfoot's stony gaze. Kaleo's magic sparked over his skin, cutting into him, but he held tight to her waist.

"You won't get away so easily!" he shouted over the song. Blood dripped over his face and arms. "I need a vitae jewel, and you're going to give one to me."

Calandra pushed at his chest, her claws cutting through his shirt. The captain struggled to keep his hold on her. His eyes were bright with determination and his jaw was set. "You're not going anywhere until I get one!"

Overhead, the storm unleashed rain, soaking them both instantly. Lightning crashed. The sails filled with sudden wind, groaning against the newly weakened rigging. Ropes began to snap off, leaving the mainsail fluttering wildly.

Calandra glanced desperately back at the ocean. "Let go of me!" She lifted her tail and wedged it between them. With all the strength she had left in her, she shoved against his chest and broke free, tumbling to the water with a splash. Instantly, the song stopped. Kaleo rushed forward to wrap his wife in his arms.

Shadowfoot cursed with the loss of his treasure, but his voice, unbuoyed by magic, was lost to the wind.