The Tides of Loss and Longing (Love from the Deep #1)

Chapter 6

Drake

A urelia was avoiding him. She wasn’t there when he woke and didn’t return to the cave until nightfall. Drake couldn’t deny the flicker of disappointment that settled in his chest when he woke up again to the empty cavern this morning. It was a feeling he found increasingly difficult to ignore. He told himself this arrangement suited him fine—it gave him time to explore the island, plan, and focus on finding a way off this cursed place without being preoccupied with a mermaid.

Yesterday, he ventured beyond the waterfall to further survey his surroundings. It took him only into the afternoon to walk the island’s perimeter, confirming his initial assumption that the island was indeed small. The secluded cove near the waterfall, where he and Aurelia had spent the day, had a narrow entrance guarded by a great barrier reef that encircled half the island. From the shore, he could see the jagged coral formations rising out of the water like sentinels, guarding this island’s treasure—and princess—from brigading pirates like himself.

This morning, he decided to explore inland. Rising from his bed, he quickly dressed and headed to the waterfall to wash his face. The cool, fresh water felt heavenly in the morning sun. After drinking his fill, he set off.

The dense forest made traversing the land difficult, but it wasn’t large enough to lose himself in. With each step, the oppressive weight closed in around him, the humidity clinging to his skin. There was nothing but the faint rustle of palm trees in the breeze, the occasional squawk of a bird overhead, and the never-ending crash of the waves against the shore.

His thoughts drifted to Sebastian and the rest of the crew. He was confident they were searching for him. Granted, pirates were not known for their loyalty, but Sebastian was different. They had grown up together, fled England together, and fought side by side in countless battles. Sebastian was more than just his first mate; he was a brother in every way that mattered. Emilio, too—loyal to a fault, despite his more cautious nature.

No, they would come for him, though he worried how they fared without him. Sebastian would have taken command of the ship, though he undoubtedly loathed the responsibility. Emilio would be trying in vain to boost morale while navigating. Poor bastards.

As Drake explored, he tried—and failed—to keep his thoughts from returning to the mermaid. The merfolk were mysterious creatures. Most considered them mere legends, but any seafaring person could tell you otherwise. Everyone had a story or two, often warnings of the dangers they posed. Drake wondered if his story of a mermaid saving a drowning human was the only of its kind.He was aware of a vast world beneath the ocean’s surface, one he knew little about—but he had never had to confront it until now.

Merfolk and other creatures of legend fetched a high price in the underground markets across the world. Unbeknownst to her, Aurelia was worth more than all the treasure in her grotto combined. Still, Drake would never consider that. It was a line he wouldn’t cross, even as a pirate.

As he finally stepped out of the dense brush, the endless expanse of the ocean opened up before him. He was truly stranded here, as much a prisoner as the mermaid’s guest. Honestly, he still couldn’t believe he had been conversing with a mermaid. It was truly unfathomable. If he told anyone, they’d think he had gone mad. Maybe he had gone mad—hit too hard on the head .

Yet she had become a constant presence in his thoughts, perpetually resurfacing despite his efforts to push her back into the recesses of his mind. She was an intriguing little enigma he could not help but want to know more about. More often than not, Drake pictured her big, expressive turquoise eyes—eyes that betrayed her curious nature yet remained guarded as if they held a secret close to her chest.

Drake was certain Aurelia was hiding something from him. If nothing else, he knew that for sure.

◆◆◆

That evening, Aurelia returned to the grotto late, pointedly ignoring his questions. Yet, despite her silence, Drake could feel her eyes on him, tracking his every move with a sharp intensity that betrayed her interest. She remained quiet even when he rummaged through her treasure trove, hoping to provoke a response. Instead, she simply wished him goodnight and disappeared beneath the water, leaving him both exasperated and defeated by her evasiveness.

Drake’s patience was wearing thin. What irritated him most, however, was the growing realization that he was worried about her. Despite her defiance, he found himself anxious during the day, powerless to help her if something dangerous befell her in the depths of the ocean.

The next day, with Aurelia off somewhere in the sea, once again ignoring his existence, Drake decided it was time to take a more proactive approach toward his rescue. He spent the morning gathering dry brush, branches, and fallen logs—anything that looked remotely flammable. A large enough bonfire would be visible from a great distance.

The sun beat down on him relentlessly as he worked, prompting him to shed his shirt and tie his hair back loosely with a bit of string.The laborious work quieted his mind. The rhythmic lapping of the waves and the rustling of palm trees in the breeze were interrupted only by the occasional cry of seabirds overhead.

After hours of work, he took a break, allowing his gaze to drift toward the ocean—until a familiar tangle of soft pink locks caught his eye just offshore. A smile tugged at his lips despite himself. It seemed his little mermaid thought she could ignore him while spying from the safety of the water. He shook his head, exasperated. Resuming his work, Drake tried to focus on building the bonfire, but now that he knew she was watching, her gaze was impossible to ignore.