I’m pathetically grateful for the chance to shift this conversation into safer territory. Though, truth be told, I want to know more about Evelyn and what kind of life she must’ve lived to turn her into the person she is today … and to cause her path to cross mine. “Your grandmother raised you?”
“I was orphaned at six. Bunny picked me up and I never looked back. She taught me everything I know.” She stares at her plate, but it’s blatantly obvious she’s looking into the past.
I recognize the grief that flickers over her face. I feel the same when I think of Ezra, gone now three years. The ship’s just not the same without him. Even years later, there are times when I’m faced with a difficult decision and I find myself looking to where he used to stand behind the helm. I always feel foolish when I do it. He gave me every bit of advice he could when he was alive. He trained me to be able to make these decisions on my own, once he was gone.
It doesn’t mean I don’t miss him, though.
“How did you end up here?”
I expect another laugh, or maybe a playful comment, but Evelyn freezes. Is that true fear on her face? She carefully sets down her fork. “We’re still on the move, right? We’re nowhere near where I came in?”
“We’re leagues from there now.” I lean forward. “Why?”
“I damaged the portal, but Lizzie is too damn smart to have only one route available. There’s got to be another one in the house, if not more. How do portals even work in Threshold, anyway? I should have asked that the moment I woke up.” Her words tumble over each other in her apparent panic. “It was really foolish of me to steal from her, but it seemed like a good idea at the time, and she didn’t have to be such a bitch about kicking me out of her house when I didn’t even want to be there to begin with. She practically kidnapped me. Which I wouldn’t have been opposed to, except for the whole ‘her family showing up and killing me for fun if they stumbled on me’ thing. Really, I was justified in stealing from her.”
I blink. “Lizzie is a … friend? Girlfriend?”
“Lizzie doesn’t like labels. And neither do I,” Evelyn says primly. Or at least she tries. She’s gone pale, her movements becoming jerky. She’s still talking too fast, even for her. “But I suppose if you were going to put a label on it, ‘lover’ is as good as any. That’s not the point. The point is that there’s a decent chance she’ll follow me to Threshold on sheer principle, since she threatened my life and all. If she does, we’re all in danger. She’s a bloodline vampire, and the power she wields is …” Evelyn shudders. “Trust me that I don’t know a single person who could survive a fight with her. I certainly couldn’t.”
I don’t know what it says about this Lizzie that Evelyn went through a portal, ended up in the space between realms, and was attacked while still barely conscious, and yet none of that caused the same amount of fear she’s exhibiting right now. It makes me want to reach across the table and take her hand. To comfort her. To promise I will stand between her and whatever danger this Lizzie presents.
The impulse is so strong I almost talk myself out of it on instinct. But I’m the captain, aren’t I? It’s my responsibility to see to the well-being of my crew, and that includes their emotional well-being. That logic feels flimsy as fuck, but I move before I can think too hard about it.
I reach across the table and take her hand. Little tremors work through her fingers. It makes my chest feel funny. “You have nothing to worry about. Threshold is vast, and despite all we’ve talked about with people wandering here by accident, it truly doesn’t happen as often as you’d expect. Portal travel is usually confined to whatever realm the portals themselves exist in. Even in Threshold, our portals to the network of realms are limited to the islands. One portal for one island, and while they’re stationary here, they aren’t in their home realms. It’s all but impossible to come here on purpose. It defies probability to believe she could follow you, powerful vampire or no.”
“If you believe that then you don’t know Lizzie.”
I squeeze her hand. “Even if you’re right and she somehow manages to defy the odds to track you down, you’re part of the C?n Annwn and the Crimson Hag’s crew now. This whole crew, including myself, will stand between you and any threat that arises.”
Evelyn stares at our joined hands for several beats. When she lifts her gaze to mine, she doesn’t look particularly reassured. “While I appreciate the attempt at comfort, if Lizzie comes here, we’re all fucked.”
CHAPTER 8
Evelyn
I DON’T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING CASUALLY EXPLORING the ship earlier. I should’ve been thinking about Lizzie. I should’ve been thinking about the fact that there’s no way she had only a single portal in her house, no matter how difficult Bowen claims it is to get to Threshold. She has another way here; I’m sure of it.
I look around Bowen’s cabin again, this time with an eye for a map. No matter how magical a realm, no matter how often things move within its boundaries, there’s always a map that can guide the way. Or at least there normally is. I don’t see anything of the sort. “How do you navigate?”
He gives me a long look. “If you’re thinking of escaping, I will remind you yet again that it’s an impossible task. Even if you could find your way to one of the islands that contain the portals out to the various realms, a full half of them are actively hostile to humans. Even down to the air, Evelyn. I realize you didn’t choose this life, but surely it’s better than dying.”
Of course it’s better than dying. But being free is significantly better than being actively conscripted into what is starting to feel like a cult. “Look, I won’t pretend I’m not considering escaping, but that’s not why I’m asking.”
“Lizzie.” The derisive way he says her name irks me. He’s dismissing a threat he really shouldn’t.
“Yes, Lizzie. This is serious, Bowen.”
He studies me for a long moment, and I hate that I can’t quite cover up my fear. At least it’s useful in this moment. His dark eyes go soft and he sighs. “Very well. Come here.” He pushes to his feet.
The sheer size of him is so damned distracting. No one should be that big. It’s rude, honestly. I almost smile before I remember why we’re having this conversation, and then my fear comes rushing back. It doesn’t matter what he says, but all information is worth having, so I rise and follow him over to the desk I clocked when I was in here earlier.
It was dark while we ate, but when Bowen waves his hand over it, the surface flares to life. It must be keyed to him. Bright colors swirl, finally settling into what appears to be a map. It’s mostly blue with islands scattered throughout, some in black and some in purple.
I point to one of the purple ones. “Why is this different?”
“Not all the islands are stationary. Some migrate in regular patterns. Some blip in and out of existence on their own schedule. Tracking them isn’t a perfect science, but we do the best we can. Right now, a full half aren’t present because of various factors of time and season and their own internal schedule.”