"Get up get up get up get up."

Novari pushed Britter away, sitting up. She blinked. It was bright in her room already.

"I want a spot at breakfast," he told her, tugging on her arm. "Move, please."

"You can't just walk in here," she told him, tossing her legs over the side of the bed. Whale, the cat, was still knocked out on her pillow, so she carefully maneuvered around it until she found her dresser.

"I can walk in here," he said. "It's my room."

"It's not," she replied. "We bargained for it."

"I still reserve the right to come in," he said, perching on the bed to watch her brush through her hair with her fingers. "How was your night?"

Novari made a gesture to get him to turn around while she changed, and he obeyed. "Busy," she said.

"Just tell me," he demanded, his voice muffled by the wall. "Everson everything you wanted?"

She made her way to the door, letting him look again. "I thought you wanted to go."

He groaned and turned around, following her out the door. He was breathing down her neck while they took the stairs. "Did you let him in? How was he?"

"You're interested in him? You can have him."

He scoffed. "So he was bad, then? That's weird. He's so confident."

She spun around as they landed on the topdeck. "Where do I go?"

Britter nodded to the common room and pulled her along. The sun was just rising over the horizon, Sirennia closer than it had been in the morning.

Novari glanced at the captain's quarters. Bardarian was on the balcony, speaking to Courtley and Everson. His hand curled around the railing, but he didn't look down at her.

The common room was loud, most of the crew gathering at the tables in the back. Kourvourk, the ship's cook, was putting food in front of the people who showed up. Britter took a spot next to Rusher, and Novari sat next to him. She nudged him as he pulled forward his plate, practically drooling.

"Where does Bardarian sit?" she asked.

"Here," Britter said, nodding to the chair across from them as the bridge crew entered the room, walking towards their table.

Novari rolled her eyes. Across from her? Him and Everson were still talking in hushed tones as they sat, the latter looking as normal as he had the day before.

"Siren day, sir?" Rusher asked, bringing his fork to his mouth as they sat.

Bardarian leaned back as Everson nodded. Novari wondered why he wasn't eating like everyone else.

"Who's going in?" Britter asked. "I can. Please take me."

Everson shook his head. "If the Siren Queen doesn't like what's going on, she'll charm Cap. Gotta have a woman in there to keep the situation fair."

"Miller, probably?" Rusher asked, still chewing. "She's our best woman, right?"

Everson glanced at Novari. "Used to be," he said. Bardarian glanced at her for a moment too, but he didn't say anything.

Rusher looked up. He pointed at her. "Can you believe that? I really forgot about you for a second." He went back to chewing.

Novari leaned forward, finding Bardarian's gaze. "Is this your way of asking me to come and protect you?"

He shook his head. "Not asking," he said. He leaned forward to drink from his water, then stood up. "Five minutes."

He was walking away from the table when Novari called after him, "I thought I was on probation." She threw an edge to her voice. "No excursions?"

Bardarian held four fingers up, his back to her as he walked away. "Four minutes," he called back.

She must've done a subpar job of hiding her irritation, because Rusher leaned towards her. "I'd take it as a compliment," he said between mouthfuls. "You're a weapon."

Novari pushed the food on her plate. She felt Everson staring at her.

Britter snorted. "I heard Sirens can charm women with words, too. Not with a song, but still effective."

Novari leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. She wasn't listening to Britter. She was thinking of Bardarian's irritating countdown.

"Not if they have Siren blood," Everson said, nodding to Novari across from him.

She glanced at him. He shouldn't know that. It was rare to know things like that. He gave her a wink in response, which almost caused her to outwardly cringe. She pushed her chair back and stood. Bardarian was probably getting close to the end of his countdown anyway.

She passed by Lyra in the doorway, and the girl gave her a slight nod. She came across the deck and took the steps to the captain's quarters. She hadn't been in there since she'd searched the ship on her own, but she wondered if it would look less sad now that he was living in it again.

Novari wouldn't knock on his door if her life depended on it, but just as she was about barge in, he opened the door at the same time. She was not the kind of person to slip or misjudge distance, but for some reason she managed to do both right then, nearly tripping right off the balcony platform.

He pulled her back by the forearm but made no point to overexaggerate it. He passed by her on the steps and said, "I hope you're better on your feet when I put my life in your hands." He reached the bottom of the steps, not looking back at her.

Novari watched him as he got to the bottom of the stairs. She understood the whispering around his name—the effortless nonchalant way he held himself in public, the emotional version he presented to her when they were alone—it was beyond unusual.

She spun around and followed him down. The Avourienne slowed, the lump of island clearing in the distance. She glanced at Bardarian. If she was going to be waiting on his command for the next bulk of her life, she better get used to it now.

He looked at her, then jutted his chin out behind her. She turned to where he'd gestured.

The lump was rising and expanding; she'd heard about this, but it didn't make it look any less surprising. The underwater palace was forming before her eyes, the algae-covered walls shooting through the waterline, spires finding the sky. The water rushed off the roofs, swirling below. It was massive, the columns and foundation completely dwarfing the Avourienne.

Bardarian muttered something like he was annoyed as he moved to the other side of the ship, closer to the rising palace. When the beautiful building was fully above the water, he squinted at it, like he wasn't satisfied.

There was a long, quiet moment. Then he spoke up, voice loud out over the water, "I'm not swimming!"

Th pier began to form, locking into formation in front of their eyes. It connected the palace out to the Avourienne, interlocking right up until it almost touched the hull.

Bardarian held his hand out to her. "After you," he said.

She glanced at him. She didn't want to take it and promote some form of reconciliation, but she didn't want to slip again, so she held it as she dropped to the pier. The solid ground felt wrong, but she held her balance.

He was behind her in a moment, his feet loud against the wood. He put his fingers on her back again as they walked, then took it away.

"It's fine," she said.

He put it back. In a way, it felt a little comforting. She was a part of the Avourienne now, crewing for the most famous pirates in the sea. It felt like loyalty, A protection she didn't need and found herself liking either way.

"Don't talk or move unless you're told to," Bardarian said. "If that woman tries to charm me, you put a knife to her neck until I'm back."

Novari watched the light glint off the building. "Okay."

"Everson gave you weapons, yes? A pistol?"

"I have a knife."

Bardarian shook his head. "You need more than that." He reached for his pistol.

"I don't need a pistol," she said. "I wouldn't use it anyway."

He let out a long sigh as they walked. The palace walls came closer and closer. "How did you get that kind of confidence in your skills?"

She was surprised at the question. She glanced at him briefly, but his face gave nothing away.

"Siren bodies are—"

"I know the biology. I'm asking mentally. How you feel confident enough to walk into the Siren palace with nothing more than a knife."

"I've never lost."

He stopped walking and turned to her. She could see the red sails of the Avourienne in the corner of her gaze, the building in the other.

"You've never lost?"

"No."

"Never?"

"No."

He watched her for a long moment. Then, "I need you to fight Everson when we get back."

"Why?"

"To give you some perspective," Bardarian told her. "To take you down a notch. You'll get beat in your life, and you need to learn how to recover from it."

"You're that confident he'll beat me?"

"Yes."

Novari watched him move, his beautiful eyes judging the building in front of them. "Why?" she asked again. She'd asked him that stupid word twice in the last minute.

"Everson is willing to die for a win," he explained. "He's never had a loss, and I doubt a teenager will administer his first one."

There was that age thing again. Big, experienced Captain Bardarian who didn't think she could beat Everson.

"I'm not a child," she said.

He made a face. "You're inexperienced—"

"I'm so tired of you saying that."

"You cut me off."

She felt her teeth grind. She wanted to stand on her toes and look in his eyes from his level. She didn't want to be shorter anymore, didn't want to be smaller or younger, the one without the power.

"I'm not trying to belittle you," he said gently. Gently—like she needed coddling. He stopped in front of the doors, and she didn't have time to assess the scene, just his expression, genuine.

"A decade, I've been doing this," he said. "I know how to make a sailor. I know how to lead people, and a big part of that is acknowledging faults. The moment you figure out your weaknesses, you're free to excel."

Novari shook her head. She didn't have faults or weaknesses. Of course not.

"Look, Silta," he said. "You're extraordinarily talented for your age and your gender. But if you keep thinking you're the best, someone like Everson is going to kill you before you have a chance to defend yourself. You don't know how to make split-second decisions, because you've always planned a conversation and situation in advance."

Novari had told him that in confidence. How dare he use it against her now?

He kept going, "You spend your time forcing the world to adhere to you—controlling conversations and figuring out how to mold me and everyone else into the place you want them. That won't work for you in this life. You can't predict everything."

She just kept shaking her head.

"You don't have to be the best," he said. "You don't have to be the smartest. Its okay to acknowledge it."

"You're flat-footed," Novari said. "Too heavy on your feet and too reliant on strength."

"Criticism doesn't really work with you, does it?" he noted.

"You also fake your charisma, and you're insecure. You pretend like you've moved past what happened with us, but you're stuck on it."

He sighed. "Fight Everson when we get back. Take the loss. Learn from it."

Novari watched his back as he moved. She'd fight Everson, and she'd win. She caught up to him.

"I'll win," she insisted, but he didn't seem to hear it.

Bardarian didn't bother knocking. He pulled on the huge marble conches ribbed on the door and threw it open.

It was quiet inside; the only sound was the light noise of the water dripping from the ceiling. The floor was slick and wet, but neither of them slipped.

The Siren Queen was perched on her throne on the far side of the room. As they entered, her glittering blue tail spun into two pale legs. Her white hair cascaded down her shoulders and blended into the simple sheet she wore. Her long fingers curled around the arm of her throne, unsteady on her legs. Her eyes were narrowed and thin, luminescent yellow. Her face structure was sharp and unforgiving, her skin so smooth. Novari saw part of herself in the woman.

Bardarian's footsteps echoed in the room, loud and grounding. He walked through the middle of the massive space, his eyes free of fear.

"Captain Bardarian." The Siren's voice was melodic and smooth, high and silky. Her accent was thick; Sirens had their own language under the sea that Novari knew well. The Queen bowed her head slightly to show him respect. Her eyes didn't flicker to Novari.

Bardarian didn't follow her niceties. He stopped just at the foot of the throne—far too close. "We have a problem," he told her simply.

The Siren Queen's face dipped into a scowl. She thought this visit would be friendly.

"You remember the deal, no?" Bardarian asked, taking his last step up to the throne, his eyes just below the Queen's level. When she warranted no response, he took another step. Far too close. "Stand the fuck up, woman. Look me in the eye."

The Queen stood. Her skin glowed ethereal, her sharp teeth outlined against her lips. She took one step down, matching him. She was quite tall, standing only slightly below him. Novari stayed where she was, on the ground.

The Queen leaned forward with that Siren grace. "I am confused, Captain. I have not broken deal. Not at all."

Bardarian laughed. Haughty and annoyed, but still mocking. He turned to Novari. "You know who this is?" he asked the Queen.

The Siren Queen's almond eyes narrowed to Novari's. She recognized Novari's eyes and the shape of her body, no doubt. Her kind. "I have heard of her. She's isn't Siren. I don't lead her."

"You've heard of Canale?" Bardarian asked.

The Queen's eyes widened just a little from the narrowed slits. "I am aware of them. They are not my control."

"Are they Sirens?" Bardarian asked, venom dripping from his voice. It was an act, Novari knew; he didn't get so riled up.

The Queen's eyes were darting. Powerful she may be, but this deal was important. The Avourienne was invisible at night—deadly to her kind.

"They are not led by Sirens."

"They have tails, do they?" Bardarian snapped. "They're your kind. I don't give a shit who controls them. You promised me immunity from Sirens. I was attacked by Sirens. My ship could've been destroyed. My crew could've been killed."

"I had no control over this."

Bardarian stepped closer, bringing his hand to her neck. He pushed her back, into the arm of the throne behind her. She gurgled slightly but made no move to struggle against his chokehold.

"I want reasons. Tell me not to break this deal where I stand. Kill you here and now."

The Siren Queen's eyes shimmered. Bardarian tightened his grip. Novari felt her muscles tensing.

"No charms, Kretch," he snapped.

Still, the Queen's eyes continued to shimmer until Bardarian's arm dropped. He stood still, his face glassy.

Novari stepped around him. She glanced at the Queen. In her weakened state, with her legs, Novari could kill her rather quickly.

"Silta, is it?" the Queen asked. She straightened her gown.

"That's right," Novari replied, keeping her eyes on Bardarian. He was still and clouded. Novari liked him that way. She pushed his shoulder, and he swayed a little.

"Canale?" the Queen asked.

"Disbanded. I've pledged allegiance to the Avourienne. My orders were clear. You charm him, I kill you."

"I charm you as well," the Queen threatened.

"I have Siren blood, my Queen. That won't work."

The Queen glanced back at Bardarian. "The deal is good for us. I want to keep it, but he is very mad."

Novari sighed. She twirled her knife and stepped forward, bringing it to the Queen's neck, who stumbled backwards. "Wake him up," Novari told her. "Cower. He'll like that."

Bardarian sprung forward, but the first thing he saw was Novari's knife at the Queen's neck, the job he'd asked of her.

"Captain," the Queen breathed. "I like to keep our deal. And my life. Please call off."

Bardarian stepped forward. "Any Siren that comes within a mile of my ship will be killed. I don't care if it's by accident."

"Captain, this is impossible—"

"And I'll kill some of them just for fun on my way out. Unless you agree to my new deal."

"Of what, my Captain?"

"Immunity, but also allegiance. If I don't like a ship in my sea, you'll take it down for me."

Novari resisted the urge to laugh. It was awfully clever.

The Siren Queen's throat bobbed. "I can do this."

"I want it to be public. Everyone in the sea knows you're under me."

The Siren Queen tried to lean further away from Novari's knife. "Yes."

Bardarian flicked his hand, and Novari pulled away. She hated responding to a hand gesture.

"Shall we seal?" the Queen asked, her eyes lifting to Bardarian's.

Novari knew how Sirens sealed deals. She knew how Bardarian had sealed this deal the first time. It was not so different from the way Seira had forced Novari to get information.

Bardarian titled his chin down. He took a step forward towards the Queen, and Novari took one back. "Lead the way," he said.

And she did. She led him away, down the hall. He turned around, walking backwards to face Novari as he followed. He pointed to her. Telling her not to move.

Novari bit down her reply. She suddenly thought if it were intentional that she'd been the one to witness this. That he was playing with her.

But she waited, for she had no other option. She turned around to the empty throne room, wondering what she would do for this period of time. There wasn't much to do. She glanced at the door. She wondered how that works—intimacy with the Siren Queen. And in thinking of such things, Novari found herself wondering what the Siren Queen was feeling at this moment. If the Captain were that good at sealing a deal, like the rumours said he was.

Novari rolled her eyes. She spun her knife. This was annoying. She tossed her knife at the throne a couple times, retrieving it and tossing it again.

After only a few minutes, the door at the far end of the room threw open. Bardarian came through, glancing at her playing target practice with the throne. He looked the same. The man was never hurried, never dishevelled or caught off guard.

"That was quick," Novari said in disbelief, wrenching her knife from the throne.

He looked at her sideways, not waiting for her as he moved back down the way they came. He didn't answer.

Novari glanced up at him, letting out a laugh. "Three minutes? Are you serious?"

He didn't look back at her. "Signing a contract doesn't take very long."

Novari stared at him. "But the first time, you—"

"I did," he said, throwing open the doors again. Sunlight pooled in. "The first time. We did it her way once, we'll do it my way this time. You thought I slept with a woman in less than three minutes?"

Novari blinked away his abrupt reply. "Hence the shock."

He was still walking. "I'd think you'd be used to that kind of thing."

Novari blinked again. She was good with quick replies, but that was new. "I am, but—I mean, that's not really an insult," she said.

The Avourienne was still and silent, the ocean wide and inviting. Bardarian lifted a hand behind his head to get her attention, as if he didn't have every ounce of it.

"Stretch. You're fighting a champion when we get back."