^“Why did you save me?” I ask Jacob, pulling my gaze away from the water. He and Hunter watch me carefully, all their muscles strained and tight like their stern faces. Like they expect me to jump off the ship and swim away. I can’t say I’m not thinking of doing just that because I’m not sure why they want me alive. I’ve heard stories of men that keep women, and I have no desire to be any part of their plans.

“Simple. I would never let someone die that I had the power to save,” Jacob says, his voice soft and slightly kind. I look him over. Jacob has a long, black coat on, it stops around his knees, and the wind is blowing it harshly away from him. He is very good looking for a pirate.

“Well, thank you, but I need to be going,” I say and take a step towards the edge of the ship. The salty sea breeze fills my senses, and the night is lit up by the thousands of stars in the skies. It’s a strange thing to see the stars from a different point of view. I look around the sea, but I can’t see anything near, no islands to swim to. I have no idea which sea we are in or how far we are from any land.

“We have an offer,” another man says, walking out of the captain’s rooms. I watch as he comes into the light. The man is the image of Hunter, they must be twins. He has a purple feather braided in his long, black hair instead of Hunter’s blue one. This man has his tied back by a bandana around his head, but it’s shorter than Hunter’s. He seems more commanding, but kinder, than his twin. Hunter seems to like scaring people, and I know that from the amount of time we spoke together.

“What kind of offer?” I ask him. The others are still as I take another step back, but their eyes watch. I meet Hunter’s eyes, and he smiles. A smile which tells me he finds me amusing.

“We are travelling to Fiaten, we could take you with us. We offer places to people who need help. We will offer you food and safe travel,” Jacob says, as the other man moves to stand next to him.

“Safe?” I laugh, and the other man narrows his eyes.

“I would promise you that you will not be harmed,” the man says, his light-blue eyes watching me closely, and I have to hold in the slight fear I feel in front of them all. They are intimidating, standing so close to each other and completely still as they watch me. I have no doubt that they are friends, from the way they interact.

“Tell that to mister dark and scary over there,” I point a finger at Hunter, who just smiles. It’s creepy and yet he has a really nice smile. I have to keep reminding myself that they are all pirates as I look them over, they look like the men out of the romance books I read. They’re very handsome, and it makes me want to forget who they are.

Who I am.

“My brother will not harm you,” the man says, his voice holding no argument.

“I make no promises, Ryland,” Hunter says, his words slow and dark.

“Shut it, Hunter,” Ryland snaps back, and they both stare at each other. My eyes meet Jacob’s as I take another step back. My feet are now hitting the side of the boat.

“Even if I stay here, I’m a changed one. Anyone that sees me will try to kill me. I need to go somewhere off the charts, and that’s not going to happen if you drop me off at a random port,” I say, and three pairs of attractive eyes turn to stare at me.

“There is a place that is safe for your kind, I will take you,” Ryland tells me. I have the feeling he runs most of the ship, he has that boss-like attitude. I don’t believe for a second there is a place safe for me. If there was, my father would have taken me there. Changed ones are never safe.

“I don’t believe you,”

“There is nowhere else you can go, nowhere that is safe. We have had changed ones on board before and took them to Fiaten. They will help you in the mountains,” Ryland tells me.

“Why would they help changed ones? Why would they help me?” I ask.

“They can teach you, help you learn about who you are and what you can do. Don’t you want to learn what it means to be a changed one?” Jacob says softly, and I hesitate a little. I don’t know anything about who I am, and if they are right, I may find a way to keep myself safe. They might even know how I can get these powers they spoke of.

“What do you want in exchange for taking me there?” I ask, crossing my arms.

“Nothing,” Ryland says.

“I can’t and won’t believe that. No one does something for nothing in this world,” I say and turn around. I climb onto the side of the boat, holding the rope and look down at the sea. The waves look huge and frightening. A part of me accepts that I will die in these waters if I jump, and another part of me, wants to stay on the ship to live.

“Then jump, little bird, see if you can fly,” Hunter says, and I simply smile as I look over my shoulder at him.

“I’m taking the boat,” I tell them, and Hunter laughs. Ryland just crosses his arms in annoyance, and Jacob looks up at the sky.

“Without saying hello to me?” a deep voice I recognise says to the left of me, where I can’t see him. I turn sharply to face him as his sea-blue eyes smile up at me. The guy called Dante, who was at the party, moves to stand in front of me. Looking far more like a pirate than he did when we met.

“You’re a . . .,” I get out, and he places his hands over my legs, locking me in place and stopping me from moving.

“A pirate, pretty girl, and you are not going anywhere.”