Hunt on Dark Waters (Crimson Sails, #1)(73)

“Let’s eat.” I stand and offer my hand. It’s a testament to how shaky Bowen is that he accepts it and allows me to tug him gently to his feet. Worry is a physical thing inside me. He needs to see a healer. A proper one. The wound isn’t infected or actively bleeding, but now that he’s clean, we definitely need to bandage it at least. “But first, I’m going to play nurse.”

I lead him to the kitchen and urge him into the chair. A quick stir of the stew reveals it’s almost ready. I have just enough time to slap a bandage on this man. In my initial search, I found first aid kits—or at least Threshold’s version of them—in every single room. I can appreciate the level of preparedness, but it does make me wonder how many times people end up here while bleeding out.

It’s not a comforting thought.

Bowen holds still as I carefully apply the bandage to his neck. The only nurse I’ve ever played is the sexy kind, but it’s a fucking bandage. It’s not rocket science. Even so, I can’t help being afraid that I’m messing this up. If he dies because of my ineptitude, I don’t know how I’ll live with myself.

“Evie.” He covers my hands with his and gently guides them away from the bandage. “It’s okay. I’ll be okay.”

I worry at my bottom lip. “All my magic did was stop the bleeding. Those mermaid teeth looked vicious. Even if they’re not poisonous, there’s no way you didn’t get some gross ocean bacteria into the wound. Maybe we should head into town tonight. I don’t know if it’s a good idea to wait.”

“Evie,” he says my name again, and I don’t think I really registered that he’d started shortening my name. It just sort of happened—kind of like falling for him.

“Bowen.” My voice is a little wobbly, but my world is a little wobbly right now. “I’m worried about you.”

“I know.” There’s so much satisfaction in his tone, my knees go a little weak. He smiles. “This is not the first mermaid bite I’ve lived through. The previous ones didn’t get infected, and I doubt this one will, either. Even so, it will hold until we go to Cato tomorrow. Ze’s good at zir job, and ze’ll put me back together again without a problem.”

The way he says that makes me think that this Cato has healed him from significantly worse, which does little to help my blood pressure. I’ve seen the map of scars across his body. I know he’s lived through a lot of horrific injuries, but that isn’t reason enough to get careless now. “It would be very foolish of you to die over something incredibly preventable.”

“I’m not going to die. At least not yet.” He turns my hands over and presses a kiss to each palm. “You saved my life, and you’ve bandaged me up. The wound is clean. Let’s eat and sleep; that will do more to help than anything else.”

I highly suspect that he’s being a bit patronizing right now, but it comforts me all the same. If he feels well enough to be high and mighty, then he’s not knocking on death’s door.

The trick is keeping him from doing something foolish.





CHAPTER 30




Bowen


THE BED IS SMALLER THAN I WOULD PREFER, BUT THE UPSIDE is that Evelyn ends up sprawled across my chest. She falls asleep within minutes, her body loose with exhaustion and her breathing steady. Her presence is almost enough to combat the fears that come in the dark.

Nothing about this world is what I thought it was.

Not the C?n Annwn. Not the people. Not even the monsters.

There’s only one person who might be able to give me answers, and they are currently sailing away on the Audacity. Sometimes it’s months before we see the same ship again. Sometimes even longer. The only regularity among the C?n Annwn is the requirement to visit Lyari on an annual basis to present ourselves to the Council.

I always thought those annual visits were a waste of time, an unnecessary presentation of everything we’ve accomplished since we last stood before the Council. They already know the details of each hunt we embark on, courtesy of the required reports we submit through the magical relay system in each captain’s desk.

Now I wonder.

Are those visits meant to reinforce the authority of the Council, to remind us who we answer to—and the consequences of betrayal? I’ve heard of captains being stripped of their position, but I’ve never heard of anyone being put to death because they were part of a resistance against the C?n Annwn. Which doesn’t mean it never happened … only that the Council didn’t want to advertise that a resistance exists in the first place.

Nox would know, I bet.

I have no idea where Hedd is headed next, which means I have no idea where his quartermaster will be next. And they are the only person who can tell me what the fuck is going on. If they knew the location of this safe house, knew to send us here, then they have sent others. I don’t know if this underground organization has a leader, but if it does then I need to find them.

The problem is that they’re not going to allow themselves to be found by someone like me. Not until I prove I’m not a danger to them. I don’t know how to go about doing that without Nox. If I can convince them, then maybe they can vouch for me.

Evelyn lets out a cute little snore, and I cuddle her closer. No matter what else is true, I have her. She’s choosing me, the same way I’m choosing her. I just have to work hard to ensure I’m not signing her death warrant. This journey we’re on won’t be safe. But then, what about life is safe?