As it turned out, Cas wasn’t exactly made for hammocks.

While it certainly was an upgrade from the barrel, he somehow managed to get tangled up in it three times, almost fall out of it six times, and actually fall out of it four times over the course of the night, slamming against the wooden planks at a variety of angles.

Now too paranoid to move a muscle and go tumbling out again, Cas lay awake, staring up at the ceiling as his hammock rocked back and forth with the sea. The muffled crash of the waves and the creaking of the ship filled the darkness.

With his fingers digging into the hammock’s sides to keep himself in place, Cas squeezed his eyes shut. Memories of his bed at home tugged at the edge of his thoughts. It had been so soft and warm, and it didn’t stink of someone else’s body odor.

Cas let himself sink deeper into the memories of home. Of delicious food, and music, and parties, where his every whim was met with the snap of his fingers. As the youngest of four hundred royal siblings, Cas’ only responsibility had been keeping himself entertained and out of the way.

So that’s what he had done, gouging himself on so many pleasures that the days had blurred together. He’d wake up with women, and a few pretty men, whose faces he couldn’t recall sprawled around him. Everything had smelled of sex, wine, and bile, the bitter aftertaste of the previous night’s alcohol lingering on his lips as he grabbed another bottle and then did it all again. Time had lost all meaning. Life had been one big, never-ending party. And it had been so… fucking… boring.

Cas had been caged in, the world passing him by as he rotted away in privilege along with his selfish, heartless siblings. Then one day, two of his older brothers had taken to punching him over and over because they, too, were bored and didn’t have anything better to do.

Cas should have hated it. But he hadn’t, because at least the pain had made him feel something. Which is why, as yet another merciless punch had come flying, something other than a fist had struck Cas—a realization.

He didn’t want to keep living like this.

Cas’ eyes shot open, nearly tumbling out of the hammock as he snapped out of the memory with a gasp. He took a deep, steadying breath, his fingers curling around the amulet as he rolled over, curling in on himself inside the hammock.

Plush beds be damned, he thought. If exchanging them for this stinking piece of cloth meant escape from all of that, then it was well worth it.

That’s when a sound caught his attention.

It was quiet at first, the metallic notes of a harp drifting through the air from the deck above.

Cas shot up, straining his ears to hear. The instrument played a gentle melody, soft and slow, dancing through the night like a summer breeze. After a moment, a voice joined it, humming along. Cas’ breath caught, his eyes going wide. He’d never heard a voice like this.

“Hmmmm... hmmm, hmmm…”

The singing sounded like liquid moonlight, dripping down from the deck and illuminating the darkness beneath with its ethereal sound. Cas’ throat went tight, his eyes stinging with the threat of tears.

Swallowing hard, he slipped from his hammock, following the song as if in a trance. He tip-toed through the lines of hammocks—their occupants still fast asleep, snores, grumbles, and quiet breathing filling the space—as he chased after the source of the music. Weathered planks creaked beneath his feet as he ascended the stairs. Moonlight spilled in from above, the music growing louder and louder at each step, overwhelming his senses.

Cas emerged onto the deck beneath a chorus of stars twinkling across the inky sky. A sea breeze caught in his hair, whipping blue strands around his face and guiding his head upward until his gaze locked on the music’s source.

The mer-prince’s heart leapt into his throat. He stood frozen in place, his eyes as round as saucers, helpless to do anything but stare as the realization of who this must be set in. Finally, Jasper and Johan’s warnings about the Scarlet Mamba’s first mate made sense.

Because this was the most beautiful person Cas had ever seen.

Kishi sat draped in rose-pink robes, perched on one of the ship's masts, his song filling the night as he played a massive harp. Moonlight bathed his form as his long, white hair floated around his head. Like, literally floated, as if he were submerged in water. From the way it glowed, Cas could’ve sworn that actual starlight was caught within it. Kishi’s slender fingers went still against the harp's strings as Cas approached, the last dying note reverberating through the air.

“Good Evening,” Kishi said in a soft, silky whisper of a voice.

In an instant, Cas fell helplessly and madly in love.

His head went dizzy, his stomach aflutter with butterflies. He was struck with an overwhelming urge to sink to the ground and offer up his heart. Cas wanted to declare his love into the night, to shout it to the wind, for his voice to carry all the way to the stars until the world knew he belonged to Kishi and Kishi alone!

He was drunk on the feeling. Kishi overtook his senses, filling his head and his heart, leaving him completely and utterly—intoxicated.

Cas blinked. Wait a damn minute!

The love confession died in Cas’ throat as his mind cleared. Awareness dawned that he was under some kind of magical influence.

Kishi flashed him a sliver of a smile as he sprang from the mast. “Sorry about that.”

The harp resting in his lap transformed into smoke, wisps curling around him as he descended through the air. Just like his hair, it was as if he too were moving through water, floating more than falling. His form was as celestial as any of the stars twinkling around him.

“What are you?” Cas asked breathily.

Kishi landed before Cas, his pale eyes narrowing with almost childlike curiosity as he took Cas in. “Funny. I was about to ask you the same thing.”

Cas crossed his arms. “Merman. You?”

Kishi smiled, his eyes pressing into crescents. “Siren, on my mother’s side.”

“Ah, that explains a lot. So half-siren, huh?” Cas stroked his chin. “Never met one of those before. Your dad must have been a fucking madman.”

Kishi’s gaze darted away. “I’m afraid he was much worse than that.”

“Oooooh, daddy issues?” Cas gasped. “No way. Me too!”

Kishi blinked. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Cas said with a nod. “It’s an unfortunate side effect of being born as one of four hundred eggs. I’ve got mommy issues too.” He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m just a whole smorgasbord of stunted emotional growth stemming from childhood neglect.”

Kishi’s pale eyes widened in surprise. “You say that so… casually.”

“It’s ‘cause I’ve just stopped caring,” Cas said with a shrug. “Gotta just bottle that shit up with humor, y’know?”

“Um, no, actually I don’t,” Kishi said, his short, sharp brows drawing together. “Is that… entirely healthy?”

“Oh no. Definitely not. Please don’t ever be like me,” Cas replied, laughing and sticking out a hand. “The name’s Castian, by the way. But you can call me Cas.”

Kishi hesitantly took it. “Kishi.”

The half-siren’s delicate hand met Cas’ in a shockingly brutal grip. The handshake caused Cas to wince, his hand still aching once it was finally released.

As Kishi’s fingers slipped from his, Cas’ gaze caught on a silver ring wrapped around Kishi’s pinky finger. He’d seen something like it before, the half-moon etched across its surface making it an almost perfect match to…

Cas’ breath caught. “Wait, are you and Valentine a couple? Cause I thought he didn’t do the whole ‘relationship thing,’ but having matching rings with someone is kinda, y’know…”

“Huh?” Kishi’s gaze drifted to the ring, then back up to Cas, staring with wide eyes for a moment.

Then he burst into laughter.

Kishi’s hand flew to his lips in an attempt to muffle it, but to little avail. The melodic sound resonated through the air like bells. “Oh no. No, we’re not together. He’s like a brother to me.”

He offered Cas a genuine smile now, so warm it felt like it could melt ice. “This ring,” he continued, his fingers absently brushing across its surface, “it signifies a promise we made to each other long ago. It binds us, ensuring that we can never betray it.”

“And what promise was that?” Cas asked.

Kishi shook his head, sending glowing strands of hair swirling around his face. “I’m afraid I can’t say.”

“Ugh, why is Valentine such a mysterious guy?” Cas sighed dramatically. “He made me part of his crew, but I seem to be the only person who has no idea what that stupid map is, let alone why we’re following it.”

“Really?” Kishi said, sounding surprised. “He hasn’t told you?”

“Nope.” Cas perked up. “Wait, Kishi! Could you tell me?” He snuggled up against his shoulder and stuck out his bottom lip. “Kishi, c’mon, pleeeeeease!”

“If Valentine doesn’t believe the time is right, then he must have his reasons.”

“Oh boo,” Cas pouted. “That’s what everyone keeps saying. You all have way too much faith in that guy.”

Kishi offered him a serene smile. “You’ll understand eventually. I promise.”

“Doubt it,” Cas muttered. “Seems to me he’s just a huge asshole with a drinking problem. Also, he seriously needs to stop threatening murder every five seconds. It’s getting old, real fast.”

Kishi giggled, the bell-like sound echoing around them. “That may be true. But just give him time. Once you know him like we do, perhaps you’ll change your mind.”

“We shall see, Kishi,” Cas replied, his eyes narrowing. “We. Shall. See.”

Cas was highly skeptical his feelings about the captain would ever change.