Hunt on Dark Waters (Crimson Sails, #1)(37)
Evelyn, the damned troublemaker, is awake. She blinks up at me while Aadi coaxes healing magic in the air above her body. “What happened?”
It’s Aadi who answers. “It’s not safe for you to drain your magic to such low levels. Thankfully, your body gave out before your magic did. Otherwise, we might not be having this conversation.”
It’s been only a couple days since she saved my life against the cat-sìth. Surely she’s recovered enough that this magical incident stands on its own. I can’t help the guilt that viciously courses through me. She’s the one who fucked up and yet I’m the one who’s feeling bad about it. I don’t know how she does this without saying a single word, but she manages to again and again.
“Get her up and walking. We’re making a stop.” I should leave it at that, but I hate how fear crests in her green eyes. I should be happy—if she’s afraid enough, maybe she’ll start making smarter decisions—but I never want this witch, this woman, to fear me. “We’re going to talk to the villagers about the dragon attacks.”
“I’m ready to go.” Evelyn sits up, disrupting the beautiful ribbons of magic Aadi is weaving.
The bird woman huffs. “You’re as terrible a patient as the rest of them.” She pins me with a look. “She’s going to be dizzy for a bit. Don’t let her fall and hurt herself further.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to offer to carry Evelyn, but that’s not a reasonable offer to make. The impulse isn’t reasonable, either. Everything about this woman has me twisted up in knots. The worst part is that I don’t know if I want to untwist myself … or urge her to bind me tighter to her.
I know what her answer would be. After all, her main priority is getting away from me. Or at least, away from the C?n Annwn. But it might as well be the same thing because I am the C?n Annwn.
I walk to the door and hold it open, watching her closely as she stumbles toward me. “Don’t fall.”
“And deprive you of a chance to catch me?” She moves past me, each step becoming steadier. “Hold your breath, Captain.”
The crew has cleared out, but I feel their attention on me as we sail into the bay where the village resides. Very few of them are happy with this turn of events, but they can join the club because I’m not happy, either. I have never questioned my purpose. I’m trying very hard not to question it now.
Except isn’t that exactly what I’m doing? The order came directly from the Council. I’ve read it on my desk half a dozen times since Evelyn came aboard. It might be a little sparser on the details than some orders are, but it’s clear enough. And the follow-up confirmed that the dragon killed more than a single person, though even one death would be enough to condemn it.
I’ve never done a separate investigation of an order on my own. I’ve never even considered that I would need to. I shake my head hard. No, damn it. I’m not a traitor. I’m only doing this for Evelyn, to ensure that she accepts the reality of her situation and stops doing things that will force me to hurt her.
I desperately want her to stay safe, even from us. Especially from us.
Neither of us speak as I use my magic to lift us down to the dock. The village isn’t visible from our current location, so I motion for Evelyn to precede me down the dirt road that leads into the trees. It’s only then that I see the strange look on her face. “What’s wrong?” I turn to follow her gaze, trying to find the danger that must’ve put the stricken look on her face. “What do you see?”
“I recognize these trees,” she says softly. “They’re just like the ones that grow around my late grandmother’s house.”
A strange feeling comes over me. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that several realms have the same kind of trees. Some of them are damn near identical to one another. There’s no reason to think we happened to land on the one island out of hundreds that actually leads back to Evelyn’s home realm. The odds are astronomical. Beyond astronomical.
“That’s not why we’re here.”
“If I gave you the slip, I might not end up home, but I have a feeling this realm wouldn’t be that unfamiliar.” She’s still speaking softly, almost as if she’s musing aloud.
Again, that strange fear takes hold of me. “It doesn’t matter if the realm is familiar or not. If you run, you will be hunted.”
“I’m already being hunted. That’s nothing new.” She starts up the path, leaving me to follow. By the time we reach the trees, one would never know that she had been injured a mere hour ago.
Reluctant admiration mixes in with my fear for her. She’s so damned fierce, and she might get knocked down regularly, but she bounces right back up. Yes, her honor seems strangely questionable … but I’m not even certain I believe that anymore. Someone without honor doesn’t weep for the life of a vicious monster. She did what she had to do to protect me and herself from the cat-sìth, but it brought her no joy. I understand that all too well.
We reach the village in short order, and it’s only because I’m watching Evelyn so closely that I see her miss a step, that I see the recognition in her green eyes as she surveys the buildings and the people moving about their day.
This island’s portal really does lead back to her realm.
Katee Robert's Books
- Cruel Seduction (Dark Olympus, #5)
- Radiant Sin
- Electric Idol (Dark Olympus #2)
- Katee Robert
- The Demon's Bargain (A Deal With a Demon #4)
- The Kraken's Sacrifice (A Deal With a Demon #2)
- Electric Idol(Dark Olympus #2)
- Neon Gods (Dark Olympus #1)
- The Fearless King (The Kings #2)
- The Devil's Daughter (Hidden Sins #1)