Page 111 of Sea's Secret

Does Finn suddenly want a family? I knew she wanted that. She should not compromise that. I shook my head. Something was wrong with the drink; it was not working. Everything seemed foggy. The ship seemed even more wobbly than normal.

“Dominick, I was not able to introduce you before, but this is Finn,” Meria said with a smile.

“Great,” I said, wobbly, walking toward the vile merman. “Let me run you through.” I reached for my belt where I had a dagger, only I couldn't get my hand to reach my belt, or find the dagger.

“Dominick?” Meria asked as she walked to me. “What is wrong?”

“I am fine,” I said, swaying a bit, realizing that being actually drunk was rather like swimming, feeling pulled this way and that. I fell against the railing.

“Domnick? Finn, help me!” Meria shouted, and I wanted to believe that concern in her voice was because she loved me, but that was too much to hope for.

I pushed her hands away.

“Do not touch me!” I said a little too loud.

“Dominick, I am only trying to help you.”

“He is beyond help. He is two sheets to the wind,” Sands said, finally beside me. “What?” Meria asked.

“He is bashed–drunk,” Sands kept speaking, and I had no idea where he was, but his voice was annoyingly everywhere.

“I will run him through. See if he can withstand The Cruel Hand.”

“No, you will not,” Meria said, moving her face right before mine. “Dominick?”

“Yes, I will. I hate him.”

“Dominick, you do not know him,” she went on, clearly defending him.

Sands put his arm around me. I wobbled, falling into him.

He grunted.

“Stop blasted moving!” I shouted, but it came out garbled.

“Excuse the captain; he needs a little rest.”

“I do not need rest, I need her.”

“If you do not remove yourself from this situation, you will do something you will hate yourself for.”

Before I knew what was happening, I was in my cabin, alone and with my hand tied to my chair. I had no idea how long I sat there before my head bobbed and blackness surrounded me.

My head felt as if it was about to split in two. The rocking of the ship was not helping. I moved to grab a cloth for my sweaty face, but found that I was still tied to a chair. What in the life of the Traitor King happened?

“Oh, good, are you sober now? Or are you going to go drink yourself to madness again?” I looked toward the voice and found Sands sitting on the edge of my bed.

“What is going on?”

“You do not remember? Of course, you don’t! Blasted fool.”

“No–but my head feels as if you hit me with the hilt of your sword,” I winced.

“You got blasted drunk. I will say it was rather pathetic, really. All this time, you not drinking was probably the best thing you have ever done–or not done, I guess. You are a bad drunk, sloppy and foolish.”

“What?”

“You drank near an entire bottle of rum, you imbecile!” Sands stood and began walking over to me. “Everything will be ruined if you do things like that!”