The last three days wouldn't leave his mind.

Moonlight turned the dark deck of the Airlea into Kain's stage. He brought his blade down in a smooth, practiced arc as his feet shifted through patterns he'd memorized years before. The movements had long since become instinct. Despite this, Kain considered himself far from a master swordsman. Without actual combat experience, he was a glorified amature at best. A boy who knew how to swing a sword, but had never buried it within the flesh of his enemies. Well, as long as no one counted nightmares.

Due to this, his thoughts had far too much time to wander. As he turned, his blade leaping from pattern to pattern, he recalled his search of Artemios' office shortly after he'd left Dalphie alone that first day.

Initially, he'd been looking for a list of contacts. If they couldn't rescue Iliana the moment they reached Eol, the group was going to need money. As loathe as he was to admit it, they potentially had quite a bit of it sitting in the cargo hold, and no one to stop him from selling it. As he'd gathered names and addresses, however, his foot had come into contact with a small, locked chest tucked beneath the desk. After a few moments of hesitation, Kain'd hauled it out to study.

The wood was old, but polished, with gold trim. The lock that held the box shut was the same expensive metal. He'd studied it with a frown, wondering what could have been so important to put a lock on, but not important enough to put more effort into hiding. Artemios' kept his money in his cabin, buried beneath a fake board. It couldn't be gold.

Unfortunately, lockpicking had been left off of the long list of things he'd been taught while living aboard the Airlea. So, he'd spent his free time that day searching for a key. It wasn't until the next morning, Kain'd elected to examine Artemios' cabin rather than retire to his own bunk, he found a small key hidden away in the old captain's pillowcase. Rather pleased with himself, Kain'd instantly returned to the office. His excitement had given way to confusion when he'd unlocked the box, then opened it, to reveal nothing but a large stack of letters.

By all rules of privacy, he should have shut the box and put it back where he found it. The rather personal location the key had been hidden in, and the vast number of letters that appeared to be addressed by the same hand, told he'd stumbled upon something close to Artemios' heart. Any decent person would have left it be. Kain had tugged on his cap, guilt plaguing his thoughts. Still, his curiosity was stronger.

Leave it alone. Just because it's written in the language of Cieon...

With his free hand, he'd run his fingers over the first envelope. There'd been this nagging feeling in the back of his mind that told him he knew the handwriting. At the same time, he only knew one person in his home country. But, that wasn't possible, was it? Why would she be writing Artemios when Kain himself hadn't received a letter in half-a-year? Perhaps the envelope was old. The box was almost full, after all. If they were all from her, they must have gone back several years.

He'd hesitantly pulled it out and began turning it over in his fingers. The back had a familiar, broken wax seal that confirmed his suspicions. Before the letter had been opened, the deep blue seal would have depicted a sea serpent eating its own tail, a gem settled in the empty middle space. It was the mark of the head priestess that ruled over Cieon's temples to Umae. The choice of the sea serpent was meant to represent humankind. Sea serpents were the weakest, and yet most numerous, of the nightmares that filled the ocean. They dominated over the average aquatic creature, however, proving themselves to be at the top of one food chain, but the bottom of another.

The nightmare eating its own tail represented many things, but the most important when it came to the seal was immortality. It was meant to remind those who saw it of the legend that a priestess of Umae could only be killed on dry land. Stories said that if she even had one foot in a pool of water, she could escape even certain death. Kain knew the story to be false--but that didn't stop the legends. The gem, of course, stood for Cieon.

Kain closed his eyes as he flew through a complicated step, then another. The characters etched across the first letter he'd pulled from the box floated across his thoughts. It was as if, despite his intentions, his mind had independently decided that he should treat her words as gold. That even though he'd only read the letter once, it should be cemented into his memories.

Dearest Brother,

The letter had been sent to Artemios, hadn't it? Why would his mother be calling Artemios her brother? As far as he'd known, they weren't related at all. In fact, it was impossible.

I apologize for the gaps in my letters. I cannot help but find it difficult to write in these trying times. I know it is paranoia, but I fear their spies figuring out how to trace the letters. The box is a blessing, as otherwise I could not write at all, but worry insists on stilling my hand.

Father has fallen sick, so I know they are here. Our spymasters root them out, but like weeds, they sprout again within days, hours even. The people have been told it is natural, as he is an old man, but I know differently. The councilmen talk in quiet, wary voices, and the doctors refuse to look me in the eye when I corner them. It reminds me of my sisters, and of still babes.

The death vigil-like atmosphere is not limited to the palace walls. My own temples have grown silent. I cannot recall the last time I heard one of my sworn family laugh. These reasons are why you alone receive this letter. I can't think of anything cheerful for my treasure. It is best that your heart alone is burdened with these worries. Hate me for it if you wish.

I wish you would.

I know, however, that you'll simply give me that shake of your head and call me a silly woman for believing it possible. Still, it would be nice for someone to give my fear the disdain it deserves. Del only offered me comfort before he set out for the mountains. Of course, his path only adds his life to the list of my worries. It does not do for the younger sibling to be comforting the elder. I should have made him stay for prayers before he left. If I cannot do anything for him, perhaps the gods could.

They say that forest rats have been seen sniffing around the minefields. Del, of course, insisted he confirm or deny the rumors in person. That was only a few days before Father took sick. He took only a few men with him, saying his guard would draw too much attention. I say that when the crown prince travels, he draws attention no matter how many men go with him.

Enough of my troubles, however. Please tell me more of how my treasure fares. Do you still believe you've found it a proper companion?

Keep it safe, and hidden. And yourself, of course.

You are, forever, one of my brothers, and I could not stand to bury another sibling.

With love,

Gabrielle

Sweat streaked his brow, each swing of his blade coming quicker than before. He danced across the deck, his feet moving before his mind would've been able to drag up the pattern. Still, it did nothing to rid his mind of the words.

Were things truly that grim? The last time his mother had written him, she'd spoken of how beautiful the central forest became in the fall. She'd given a recount of a particularly amusing attempt Del had made at courting a noble girl. Kain had been under the impression that despite the long war with Reotak, the courts were thriving.

This letter, however, painted a different world. Rather than showing Cieon and Reotak on equal footing, it gave the distinct feeling that his people were losing the war. In fact, his mother made it sound as if the royal family was one wrong move from extinction.

Kain swore as he stumbled. He caught the tip of his blade against the deck, just barely keeping himself from collapsing in a gasping heap. Instead, he fell to a knee and drew in several deep breaths. Even the night hours couldn't keep him moving indefinitely, and Kain couldn't recall the last time he'd paused. The letter began playing through his mind again, and almost instantly he shoved himself to his feet.

Damn him and his uselessness. Was he really so pitiful that she couldn't tell him the truth? Instead, his mother painted him a picture of peace, while his home country crumbled. Frustration filled him from head to toe, his entire frame trembling. Why did things have to be this way? Why had fate forced him to the sea?

"If you keep going on like that, you're going to hurt yourself."

Kain forced himself to drop his sword arm to his side, his eyes searching out the voice. They weren't wrong. He was just stupid enough to keep going past his limit. At the same time, he was also smart enough to know he hadn't yet reached it. Otherwise, thoughts of the letter wouldn't still be tumbling around his churning mind.

Melitta was leaning in the doorway that led into Artemios' office. Her arm was tucked around her middle, the opposing shoulder resting against the door frame. The moonlight straying across the deck almost seemed to focus on her, illuminating her pale skin and reflecting off her platinum blonde locks. She had a faint smile on her face, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"I'll be careful," Kain said.

She rested her head against the frame as well. "Somehow, I find that hard to believe."

"I know my limit," he explained, raising his free hand to wipe at his sweat-caked brow. "I haven't reached it yet."

"He's been swinging that thing around for two straight hours," Rhode called down.

Kain shot the crow's nest a frown. Earlier in the day, she'd opted to take the first half of the night watch, but for some reason it had completely skipped his mind until that moment.

"Careful, huh?" Melitta teased.

Kain shifted from one foot to the other, his smile turning sheepish. "That's..."

"C'mere," Melitta interrupted, giving a small, amused shake of her head. "You need a break, and I wanted to talk about our path."

Kain hesitated for a moment. Then, he moved to join her. Together, they walked into Artemios' office. Earlier that day, Kain'd closed the letter box and shoved it back into place, then spread the most relevant maps over the top of the desk.

"What about it?" he asked.

"We started out around... here," she explained, pointing to the point on the map they'd been using. "And since then, we've sailed about this far," she drew her finger along the parchment, "Callias shifted position some, but for the most part he's stayed pretty consistent about the direction. I think they're going to land here," she pulled a more detailed map of Eol out from beneath the one they'd been using and pointed to a town on the coast, "In Nokos."

Kain eyed the small town with a frown. "That's a problem."

"Definitely," Melitta agreed. "The locals call it Wolfhaven for a reason."

Nokos had a wolf problem, and not in the animal sense. For the last decade, a criminal ring known as the Unseen Hand had risen to be considered one of the five main rings that troubled the Western Continent. Among the common folk, they were called "wolves" after the markers they used to claim their crimes. With the exclusion of the capital city, Nokos was known for having the highest number of wolves, and wolf supporters. Why people supported them, Kain couldn't understand. Rumors said the Unseen Hand consisted of nothing but thieves, cutthroats, and rebels. In his opinion, that should have inspired fear instead of admiration.

Still, Artemios had a few recorded buyers in Nokos. Even with its crime rate, the town was one of the biggest ports on the coast. They would just have to be careful, he decided. They'd need to find someone with a big enough name to ensure that the Airlea would still be there when he returned with Iliana.

All of that settled in his mind, he cast a curious look towards Melitta. Her eyes were still focused on the map, as if staring at it would change their most likely destination. Her words hadn't gone over Kain's head--rather, they'd sparked a question that'd been running through the back of his mind since this had all begun.

"How do you know where he is?"

She jumped, as if she'd forgotten his presence entirely. Then, she lifted her eyes to meet his, a light smile on her lips.

"I suppose that would seem curious to someone who doesn't know us," Melitta mused.

"Very," Kain agreed. "You finding me easily in the middle of the forest was one thing, anyone could do that, but being able to trace your brother across miles of ocean..."

"It was a gift from Umae," Melitta answered as she spread her palms out on the desk.

If anything, her answer only increased his curiosity. "He took an interest in the two of you?"

She bit her lip, eyeing him with a faint frown. It was only there for a second, but Kain recognized the way she grew tense, as if there was something about this topic that bothered her deeply. He almost told her that it was alright, she didn't have to answer his curiosity, but then she gave a shake of her head and her entire body relaxed.

"Yes, well, we were a bit unusual," she admitted. "My people are used to taking care of the ocean's dead. As you may know, they call to us. We can feel their ability to turn, and their corpses are like a light in the midst of the darkest waters. When my brother died, those who came to him found me as well. I was struggling to stay afloat after hours of clinging to his body in the middle of the open ocean."

Melitta paused, her eyes seeming to be watching the story playout in her memories. There was a faraway edge to her sad smile.

"We weren't far from here. I couldn't for the life of me tell you where, just that we weren't far from Inna's Cove. Sensing the possibilities within me, they swam me to the shore. I was terrified, I remember. I could barely make sense of what they were telling me, that they wanted to take Callias away. I wouldn't let them. From the moment they found me, to the moment we reached those shores, I clung to his corpse."

Kain swallowed thickly. He couldn't imagine such a thing. His and Iliana's situation was horrid, but what Melitta's words spoke of a pain beyond what he could imagine. She paused again, biting her lip as if simply telling the story had dredged the memory into reality, as if the emotions of the time had filled her frame.

"You don't have to--"

"It's fine," she cut in and gave a small shake of her head. "I've discovered that when you talk of something, it steals away the hold the memory has. The more I speak of that time, the less it hurts."

It doesn't look like it. "I see."

"The horrible luck we'd had all our lives must have decided to balance out right then," Melitta continued after a moment. "Perhaps Koun had finally decided we deserved a bit of the better side of fortune. Either way, Umae was visiting the island with Inna. The goddess had disappeared on him again, as she does often, and he'd grown tired of waiting for her to return to the ocean. They heard the commotion and came down to see what was going on.

"I must have made for quite a sight. I was soaked, my hair clumped with dried blood the ocean hadn't washed out, and my clothing stained red. I was skinny, too skinny, from months of ocean travel with men who'd been more interested in enjoying the trip than in feeding me. Then, there was my behavior. I was dazed, barely listening, and screaming at whoever tried to take Callias from me. Inna sang something, and I remember feeling more peaceful than I had in my entire life. Then, I passed out.

"When I woke up, they offered me two futures. Stay on the island and become a part of a new family, or take to the ocean to join my brother. Really, there was no choice. When Umae heard me declare that I'd never separate from Callias, he blessed us with the ability to always know where the other is. He said it was the least he could do to show how much our devotion to each other impressed him. Plus..."

Melitta fell silent once again. For a moment, she seemed to have an internal debate going on about what she would say next. His curiosity flared as she came to a decision and moved on from whatever she'd been going to add.

"Inna, not willing to give up on me being a part of the family, also declared that I was free to come to the island as I pleased. She said that it wasn't fair that I be excluded simply because I was devoted to my brother. It was sweet of her, and I've repaid it by bringing them every potential siren I find among the dead."

Kain sensed the story had come to an end. For several seconds, he had no clue what to say. The atmosphere in the room had grown sad and tense, as if the air itself was waiting for what he might say. Knowing that up until that point Melitta hadn't shown herself the type to accept sympathy thrown her way, Kain offered her a sheepish grin.

"Well, I certainly didn't expect that sort of answer when I asked about your bond."

She laughed. "No, I imagine not."

Encouraged, he tugged on his hat as he turned the matter over in his mind.

"Doesn't it ever get tiring?" he asked. "He seems a bit overprotective. I imagine you find it hard to get two minutes away from him. You couldn't hide if you tried."

Melitta gave a small shake of her head, the amused edge to her smile telling him that his humor had been appreciated. It was his go-to way to handle serious topics, but it was always hit or miss whether the other person would take it well. Iliana'd been as likely to roll her eyes at him for such a comment as she was to get all huffy over it.

"I don't mind it," Melitta said. "We spent the majority of our childhood unable to have a single second alone with each other. When we were, I knew it was more for the sake of our master having a leash on us than for any kind reason. Now, he may be suffocating at times, but we have no one to tell us when we can and can't speak to each other. I've spent more time with him in the last year alone, than I did the first ten years of my life. Also, it's useful at times. Like now, for instance."

"I can't disagree with that," Kain replied, laughing.

The heavy air had completely dissipated. In its place was a strangely warm feeling. He'd barely noticed it when they'd sat talking to each other on the island, but there was something comfortable about speaking to Melitta. Unlike Dalphie, she was easy to handle. Perhaps it was her open, and oddly normal personality. The conversation was even easier to navigate than those he'd held with Iliana, as he never had to worry about ticking her off. Melitta seemed to have no temper.

Several more minutes of cheerful, meaningless conversation passed by. It wasn't until Kain was about to excuse himself--as it'd soon be his turn to take the watch--that Melitta's mood turned hesitant. Her eyes fell to the map again, a faint frown tugging on her lips.

"You know, when we arrive... perhaps it'd be best if you went ahead of the rest of us."

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

She shifted where she stood, her fingers curling into her long locks. "Well, it's just... I'm not dressed for such a place. None of us are, really."

Kain studied the plain outfit that Melitta wore, then mentally brought up the clothing the sirens wore. All three of them had borrowed clothing from one bunk or another, depending on what size the girl wore. This, of course, meant that each of them wore the pants and loose shirts of sailors.

"We walk into Nokos like this, and we'll draw nearly as much attention as a couple of working girls wearing nothing but what they were born in," she continued.

The thought hadn't crossed Kain's mind. He was too used to Iliana walking off the ship in her trousers as if it were normal for a girl to be wearing pants. The three women were too beautiful to traverse the docks dressed as boys, or commoners for that matter. If they were going to blend in at all, they'd need to look the part of the upper class. At least, then, the men might look but not touch. Well, as long as Kain made sure they got an eye-full of his sword. Most would fear offending some unknown noble house. Men were too fond of having work to risk losing a hand over something so trivial.

"I'll take some coin and buy you all something to wear," he decided. "I'll need your sizes, if you're comfortable giving them to me. I should be able to at least be able to pick you something to tide you over until you're able to walk into shops on your own."

Melitta's hesitance turned to a brilliant smile. "That sounds--"

She was interrupted by a shout from outside. In that same second, the ship lurched. Kain caught the end of the deck, barely managing to stay on his feet. The second he realized the ship hadn't moved an inch since the initial jolt, he darted for the door. He froze the second he'd taken a step out onto the deck. The moonlight that'd earlier given him such a peaceful image of Melitta against the door frame now enabled him a terrifying view of the creature stretching out above the bow of the ship.

It's face, nearly as big as the cabin Kain had just left, consisted of a pointed mouth like a serpent with thousands of sharp, terrifying teeth. The thing's eyes were as large as Kain's head, and seemed to focus on him as he stared in shock. Thick tentacles came off of its head, and were hooked around the front of the ship. The weight of it's massive body must've been what had pitched the ship forward.

Please just be curious. Please, please just be curious.

The creature let out a roar that seemed to vibrate his bones, and Kain curled his fingers around the hilt of his blade. One of its tentacles tore through the railing and plunged deep into the deck. The ship dipped downwards again, and Kain lost his balance.

He tumbled towards the bow, and the beast widened it's gaping mouth.