A Pirate's Dream by Marie Hall Page A

Sirenade’s elementals, but they do seem to like my smell.”
    A secret light filled his gaze, calming the choppy waves. Then his fingers brushed gently against her cheek. Orion jumped back onto his master’s arm but not before giving her chin a gentle brush with his antennae.
    “Be safe, little pirate.”
    Rolling her eyes, she stepped out of his arms, wishing she didn’t have to but knowing she had no choice. “Aren’t I always, beluga?”
    He looked forlorn when she walked off, and even though she felt bad and desperately wanted to go see what his surprise for her was, she had no good reason to break her engagement with her great-mother.
    She was half down the stairs when Stygia came swimming up. Her hair was caught up in a twisted knot of cascading curls and threaded with miniature pearls of every color. Her eyes were painted with kohl, and her lips were a vivid pink.
    In short, she looked stunning. And today, she’d not placed hair across her breasts but bared them proudly. Her pink-tipped nipples stood out, bold and erect.
    And Nimue ached to slap the smirk off the mermaid’s face.
    “Legger,” Stygia sneered, “he may slack his lust with you, but you will never have him. You are a curiosity, a bauble. But you are not folk, and we do not fall in love with your kind.” Her gaze rolled down Nimue’s form with a mix of disgust and satisfaction.
    Notching her chin high, she turned her face to the side.
    Nimue was a pirate. Hook’s blood ran through her veins. There was nothing this fish could say to make Nimue think any less of who she was. Without even so much as a farethewell, she stepped to the side and walked toward her great-mother’s hut, smiling as she felt Stygia’s wrath beat at her backside.
    She might be making an enemy, but there was no good pirate without one.
    *
    M aiven handed her a goblet of sparkling cider then wiped her brow as she gazed at the day’s harvest. “You were a legger obsessed, Nimue. I do not think I’ve ever harvested more than three baskets’ worth in a day.”
    Laughing, she swallowed the crisp ale, sighing as its wet coolness settled in her empty stomach. “You needed help.”
    “Aye. And I appreciate it.” She flicked her orange-red tail against Nimue’s foot. “But I sense that it was much more than that.”
    She shrugged, smiling to herself. If she’d maybe pushed herself faster than normal so that she could return just a little earlier today, she certainly wouldn’t be telling her grandmother that.
    Just then, the squeal and chatter of mermaids erupted through Maiven’s hut.
    “Yes. She has cookies. Follow me!” Ariana’s voice was like the Pied Piper’s leading her little troop out toward the back garden.
    Groaning, her great-mother got up, wiping the dirt off her scales. “That girl.” She rolled her eyes, but her words were full of affection. Just as she got to the door, the band of at least five merchildren squealed with delight.
    Ariana clapped her hands, her beautiful green eyes wide with delight as she said, “I smelled coral cookies.”
    “Yes. Yes.” Maiven held up a finger in Nimue’s direction. “A moment, dear, while I deal with the rabble.”
    “Take your time.” Nimue dipped her head before taking another fortifying sip of her ale.
    The girls raced after Maiven, who’d headed inside, but Ariana glided over to where Nimue sat on the coral bench and plopped down beside her.
    “Hello, legger.” Ariana beamed proudly. “I went to the palace today to find you. You weren’t there. I am happy you are here.”
    “Ari.” She smiled back, thinking she liked the mermaid more and more each time they met. In just a few weeks, they’d grown close. Ariana was a refreshing change of pace from Stygia’s cruel surliness. “Are you going to be drawing today?”
    “What? Me? Nooo .” She shook her head, causing her white hair to flow like running waters down her exquisite shoulders. Leaning in, she whispered excitedly, “I spoke to my