Dusk had fallen. Anya stood alone on her ship with her nerves on edge. She had been searching for any sign of Nereus since morning, but there had been nothing—no splash, no shadow in the water, no sign that he had ever been there. The unease that had settled in her gut earlier hadn't left, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong.
She was thirsty, and drinking the sea water was out of the question. She searched the cabin thoroughly, hoping to find something to drink. Her search paid off when she found two old barrels tucked into a corner. She
pried the lid off the first one, peering inside. The water was murky, the barrel itself filthy, but it was better than nothing. She found a mug nearby, dipped it in, and drank deeply, feeling the cool liquid soothe her dry throat.
Her curiosity got the better of her as she opened the second barrel, expecting more water. To her surprise, the heavy scent of rum greeted her. Her father had always been fond of rum, and she had heard many a sailor
talk about it, but she had never tasted it herself. With the same mug in hand, she took a sip. The sharp bitterness of the rum hit her immediately, causing her to flinch, but she forced it down. It wasn't the best, but it was
something.
Just then, a faint noise caught her attention from the far side of the cabin. It was quiet, but distinct—a scuffling sound, like something
moving. Her heart skipped a beat, and her hand instinctively tightened around the mug. The cabin was dimly lit. Shadows danced on the wooden walls, making it hard to see what was causing the noise. But this was her ship, and whatever it was, she had to face it. Gathering her courage, she moved toward the sound.
As she approached, she saw that it was coming from an overturned barrel. Something was moving inside. Her pulse quickened as she nudged it with her foot, tipping it over. The lid came off and to her surprise, out scampered a small, beautiful dog. It wagged its tail furiously as it darted out of the cabin.
The fear that had gripped her moments before melted away. Anya felt a laugh bubble up in her throat as she chased after the dog. She called after the little creature, who darted ahead playfully, just out of her reach.
But as soon as she reached the deck, her laughter died in her throat. She skidded to a halt as her eyes widened in shock. Three hefty men stood there, looming over her. A ship—a larger one than hers—was anchored
beside her own. Its ropes were tethered to her ship, and one of the men held the small dog by the scruff of its neck.
"Well, well," the man holding the dog sneered, lifting it up mockingly. "Want your little mutt back?"
Anya's heart pounded in her chest. She didn't recognise the men, but their clothes and their demeanour told her everything she needed to
know—pirates. Dangerous ones. She forced herself to stay calm, to keep her voice steady.
"What do you want?" she demanded with her eyes darting between the men and the dog.
One of the pirates stepped forward, a broad, muscular man with a wicked grin. "We want the map, girl," he said. "The map to the treasure of the mermaids."
Anya's blood ran cold. They knew. They knew about the map—the very map she had stolen. But she couldn't let them know that. She had to think fast.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she lied, shaking her head. "I don't have any map."
The pirate's grin widened. "Oh, come on, now. You're Larkspur's kid, aren't you? The one who stood so bravely in the tavern,
announcing to the whole place that you were looking for a crew to find the Siren's Hoard—and your dear dead daddy."
Anya swallowed hard. She had been too bold that night, too careless. But now, she had to backpedal.
"I lied," she said quickly. "I don't have the map. I just said that to get a crew. I needed people to help me. That's all."
The man holding the dog chuckled darkly. "Is that so? Well, how about you choose, then? The dog… or the map?"
He moved to the edge of the ship, holding the little dogover the open water, dangling it precariously over the waves. The dog
whimpered, kicking its legs helplessly.
Anya became scared a little bit. "I told you—I don't have the map!" she cried desperately. "Please, just let the dog go!"
The pirate smirked. "Alright," he said simply. And then, with a cruel grin, he released the dog.
Anya screamed, rushing forward, but before the dog could hit the water, something extraordinary happened. The sea itself seemed to rise up. A swirling column of water caught the dog mid-fall. The little creature floated there, supported by the water, as if cradled by invisible hands.
The pirates stared in stunned silence as their eyes went wide with shock. Anya froze. The water pulsed and shifted, as if alive, and
then, from the depths of the ocean, a familiar figure emerged.
Nereus.
He rose from the water. He was angry, and with a single motion of his hand, the water obeyed him, lifting the dog gently back onto the deck.
Anya stood frozen in awe as Nereus floated beside the ship with a commanding presence. The pirates, once so confident and brash, took several steps back. Their faces were pale with fear.
"A… a merman" one of the pirates stammered, trembling.
Nereus turned his gaze to them with a cold expression. He raised his hand, and the sea obeyed, sending a wave crashing against the side of the pirate ship. The vessel rocked violently, causing the men to stumble.
"You…" Nereus said in a low tone, his English still imperfect but clear enough. "Leave. Now."
The pirates didn't need to be told twice. They scrambled back to their ship, cutting the ropes that tethered it to Anya's. In their
haste to escape, they barely managed to steady their ship as it drifted away,
their eyes were still wide with terror.
Anya stood on the deck with her mind struggling to process what had just happened. The dog, now safe, ran to her, nuzzling against her legs, but her attention was fixed on Nereus.
He floated beside the ship with his face softening as he looked at her. "You… safe from bad men," he said quietly and in a gentle tone.
"You… you saved me. Even after how I treated you."
Nereus nodded with kind eyes. "I… save you. Just like you save me."
Tears welled up in Anya's eyes as she knelt down, hugging the small dog tightly to her chest. She had been so close to losing everything, but Nereus had come back—the one thing that was believed to be a threat to her kind, saved her.