____"Have you lost your goddamn mind?"
____Caspian looked up to see his first mate barging through his office door, but all he did was raise his eyebrows. He knew his plan would ruffle some feathers, just like he knew Gale was the only one who would try to talk him out of it. Which was exactly why Caspian hadn't told him about it.
____"I don't think so," he answered, leaning back in his chair with a sly smirk. "But I'm obviously wrong."
____"You're damn right you are!" Gale slammed his fists onto the desk, almost tipping over a jar of ink in the process. "Why didn't you tell me!?"
____The captain still looked unfazed. If Gale didn't know any better, he'd said the captain looked bored. "You mean, why didn't I tell you I was going to capture a mermaid?"
____"Yes, that!" Gale growled. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to imprison a fucking mermaid? Were you even going to tell me about the tank? For Christ's sake, Cas, how long has she been in there?"
____He hadn't even meant to find her—or her tank. He was just going to double-check that the cargo was still secured after the rough weather they'd sailed through when he noticed the giant tank in the corner, half-covered by an old rug. There was no mistaking what was inside.
____The mermaid had been sleeping when he'd studied her—or at least pretending to. She'd been absolutely beautiful; the face of an angel and hair darker than the midnight sky.
____"How long?" he repeated, demanding an answer.
____Caspian sighed. "Two weeks." There was not a hint of regret in his voice.
____Gale's eyes widened in shock. "No," he said, more to himself than to his captain. He shook his head in disbelief, imagining that gorgeous woman trapped in that small tank for two long week. His stomach turned. He killed and plundered for a living, and yet this was what made him sick. "You're lying."
____"Gale," Caspian said calmly. "There was no other way. We need her for directions."
____And then it dawned on Gale how they'd not strayed off course once during the past two weeks. His face paled as realization hit him. He had to get out, had to get some fresh air. The truth made his head spin.
____Gale stormed out of the office, not bothering to say another word to his captain. He was too angry. Hurt, even. Caspian had never lied to him before, not like this. He'd never gone behind his back either, and Gale never thought he would.
____The treasure they were searching for was rumored to be underwater, and only a handful of mermaids knew its location. Obviously, Caspian had managed to capture one who did. It made Gale wonder how many mermaids he'd captured before her. How many had he questioned—hurt—before he'd decided to put this mermaid in the tank?
____He stood on deck for what felt like hours, staring at the horizon, wondering how far away they were from the treasure. Wondering if it would be worth it. How long could the mermaid survive in that tank? Perhaps he should ask her.
____No one saw him as he snuck down to the cargo deck after dinner that day.
When he reached the tank, the mermaid was no longer sleeping. She looked at him through the glass with eyes so blue he wondered if they were real.
____"What's your name?" he asked her, placing his hand against the cold glass. He wanted to show her that he was not here to hurt her; he was not like the others.
____She kept staring at him with a blank expression on her angelic face, and for a moment, he wondered if she couldn't understand him. Perhaps Caspian didn't communicate with her in English?
____But then she spoke, and it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard; more beautiful than any song ever sung. "Selene."
____He knew already then, without hearing another word, that he was going to set her free. She didn't belong in this tank; she belonged at sea. And if rescuing her would make him end up at the bottom of the sea as well, then so be it.
____Caspian looked up to see his first mate barging through his office door, but all he did was raise his eyebrows. He knew his plan would ruffle some feathers, just like he knew Gale was the only one who would try to talk him out of it. Which was exactly why Caspian hadn't told him about it.
____"I don't think so," he answered, leaning back in his chair with a sly smirk. "But I'm obviously wrong."
____"You're damn right you are!" Gale slammed his fists onto the desk, almost tipping over a jar of ink in the process. "Why didn't you tell me!?"
____The captain still looked unfazed. If Gale didn't know any better, he'd said the captain looked bored. "You mean, why didn't I tell you I was going to capture a mermaid?"
____"Yes, that!" Gale growled. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to imprison a fucking mermaid? Were you even going to tell me about the tank? For Christ's sake, Cas, how long has she been in there?"
____He hadn't even meant to find her—or her tank. He was just going to double-check that the cargo was still secured after the rough weather they'd sailed through when he noticed the giant tank in the corner, half-covered by an old rug. There was no mistaking what was inside.
____The mermaid had been sleeping when he'd studied her—or at least pretending to. She'd been absolutely beautiful; the face of an angel and hair darker than the midnight sky.
____"How long?" he repeated, demanding an answer.
____Caspian sighed. "Two weeks." There was not a hint of regret in his voice.
____Gale's eyes widened in shock. "No," he said, more to himself than to his captain. He shook his head in disbelief, imagining that gorgeous woman trapped in that small tank for two long week. His stomach turned. He killed and plundered for a living, and yet this was what made him sick. "You're lying."
____"Gale," Caspian said calmly. "There was no other way. We need her for directions."
____And then it dawned on Gale how they'd not strayed off course once during the past two weeks. His face paled as realization hit him. He had to get out, had to get some fresh air. The truth made his head spin.
____Gale stormed out of the office, not bothering to say another word to his captain. He was too angry. Hurt, even. Caspian had never lied to him before, not like this. He'd never gone behind his back either, and Gale never thought he would.
____The treasure they were searching for was rumored to be underwater, and only a handful of mermaids knew its location. Obviously, Caspian had managed to capture one who did. It made Gale wonder how many mermaids he'd captured before her. How many had he questioned—hurt—before he'd decided to put this mermaid in the tank?
____He stood on deck for what felt like hours, staring at the horizon, wondering how far away they were from the treasure. Wondering if it would be worth it. How long could the mermaid survive in that tank? Perhaps he should ask her.
____No one saw him as he snuck down to the cargo deck after dinner that day.
When he reached the tank, the mermaid was no longer sleeping. She looked at him through the glass with eyes so blue he wondered if they were real.
____"What's your name?" he asked her, placing his hand against the cold glass. He wanted to show her that he was not here to hurt her; he was not like the others.
____She kept staring at him with a blank expression on her angelic face, and for a moment, he wondered if she couldn't understand him. Perhaps Caspian didn't communicate with her in English?
____But then she spoke, and it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard; more beautiful than any song ever sung. "Selene."
____He knew already then, without hearing another word, that he was going to set her free. She didn't belong in this tank; she belonged at sea. And if rescuing her would make him end up at the bottom of the sea as well, then so be it.