Chapter 44
Emellie’s interior smells of wet wood and cinnamon.
Beds are built into the hull of the ship, held by metal beams. They are all neatly made with white sheets and gray quilts. A small galley is set up in a corner at the far end, where Conred prepares the tea and rolls.
I sit at one of the two square tables and enjoy the cinnamon scent wafting from a batch of freshly baked cookies on a tray.
“Would you like one?” Conred asks, cocking his head at the cookies on the counter as he prepares the tea. “Beka makes them. He’s the quiet one with the nick in his ear. He’s a good chef but an even better baker.”
Conred approaches the table with a tray of rolls in one hand and a steaming pot of tea in the other.
“That’s all right.” I reach for a sweet roll. “This roll looks incredible. I’ll have to tell Beka I’m a baker, too.”
“Are you?”
“Yes—well, I’m more of a baker’s apprentice,” I explain.
Conred bobs his head as he picks up the teapot and leans over to pour the hot liquid into two tin mugs. As he does, a gold chain falls from his neckline. Attached to it is a pendant shaped like a C with a pearl embedded in the center of the letter.
I can’t help but gasp when I see the necklace. It looks so similar to mine.
Oh, how I miss my necklace.
Conred catches me looking at the bauble.
“Pearls make me think of home,” he comments with a wistful smile, sliding one of the mugs my way.
I lean in to get a closer look. “Me too. Your necklace is really nice.”
“My father made jewelry with pearls. He made this for me.” Conred fingers his pendant.
“He traveled a lot selling his jewelry. It used to make me sad when he wasn’t around.
” He sips his tea, a dejected look clouding his vision.
“But sometimes I wonder if he’d still be here if he had been traveling during the attacks. You know?”
“I completely understand.”
“But I’m grateful to be with Solyen,” he tosses in quickly. “He looks out for me, and it’s nice to be out at sea.”
“I’m glad he’s provided a great life for you.” I bite into a sweet roll as three bells on the ceiling give a light jingle. “What are those for?” I ask, pointing up.
“Those just let us know when the waters are getting too choppy,” Conred answers. “Light chimes are good, means we’re smooth sailing. But if the bells get loud or ring too quickly, it means the waters are getting rough…or that something is attacking the ship.”
The door of the cabin swings open, and Thane appears in the frame, dripping in black per usual. He looks from me to Conred, and I assume he doesn’t see Conred as much of a threat because he doesn’t glower.
“Oh, hello.” Conred smiles, looking from Thane to me, then back at Thane again. “Would you like to join us? We’re just having some tea.”
Thane gives a simple nod, and Conred scurries to the galley to collect another mug.
“I don’t believe I caught your name.” Conred places the mug down in front of him, pouring hot tea into it.
“Never offered it,” Thane mutters, picking up the mug.
“Oh.” Conred flushes as he drops down in his chair.
“Don’t let his asshole-ish ways get to you.”
Conred laughs nervously. After composing himself, he says, “I’m curious why you all want to go to The Shallows so badly. Most people steer clear of that area.”
“There’s something on the island we need,” I inform him.
“What? Like treasure or something?” he asks eagerly.
“That…among other things.” I glance at Thane. He’s chewing and ignoring us both.
“Well, you all are very brave, I’ll give you that. I’m already shaking thinking about how close we have to get to that island. Sort of wishing Solyen left me in Gadonia for this trip.” He lets out yet another nervous laugh while staring into his teacup.
“You should be scared.” Thane licks his fingers before lifting the rim of his mug to his lips and taking a gulp. “You’re a child. You don’t belong anywhere near The Shallows.”
“Well, I’m in my sixteenth year, so I wouldn’t say I’m that much of a child,” Conred objects with a collapsing smile.
Thane sighs. “Why don’t you ask Solyen how much longer we have?” His question is more of a demand.
“Uh—sure. I’ll do that.” Conred gives me an uneasy look as he stands. “Be right back.”
When he leaves the cabin, I slap Thane on his upper arm. He doesn’t even flinch. “Why are you so mean to everyone? He’s being really nice and accommodating to us.”
“Too nice, if you ask me.”
“There is no such thing,” I counter.
“In my world, there is.”
“Some people are just nice and want company. I wish you’d stop making that out to be a bad trait in people.” I fold my arms. “Besides, I feel sorry for him. He seems to be the youngest one on this ship. He probably can’t relate much to the rest of the crew.”
Thane studies me a moment before polishing off his tea and placing the cup down. Then he digs into the pocket of his leather pants to pull something out.
“I needed him to get out so I could give you something. Hold out your hand.”
I shoot him a wary look. “Why?”
With an agitated sigh, he reaches for my wrist and turns my hand over so my palm is facing up. “Close your eyes,” he commands, and I do as I’m told—which is a first.
He carefully places something in my palm. The object snakes into my hand until I feel something unusually hot hit my skin.
“Open them.”
When I see what it is, all breath escapes me, and tears instantly prickle in my eyes.
“My necklace,” I gasp. I whip my gaze up to meet his, stunned. “How did you— I mean, where did this—”
“I took it back.”
“What do you mean?” I stammer.
“The day we left Meriva, when you made a stop in the refugee center,” he begins. “I went to the pawn shop and spoke to the owner. Told him to give it to me or I’d cut every single one of his fingers off.”
“Oh my gods, Thane. Seriously? He’ll remember my face.
He’ll probably think I set him up.” I don’t want to laugh, but I can’t help it.
I’ve clearly been hanging around him for too long if I find threat of dismemberment deeply romantic.
Then something dawns on me. “Wait a minute. How did you even know which pawn shop I went to?”
He gives me a knowing look.
“Of course you followed me that night.” I scoff. “You are quite the stalker.”
He shifts in his chair. “I told you, I had to make sure you were serious about going to the temple. After hearing that it was a gift from your mother and seeing you go to the refugee center, I suspected you were an orphan. But then hearing what you said in Frevella’s cave about the attacks in your kingdom…
” He shook his head in disbelief. “Selling something that important just to hire me proved that you really wanted this journey to happen.”
“Oh.” I drop my line of vision to the necklace. “I didn’t think you were listening when I first told you it was my mother’s.”
He shakes his head with a lopsided smile. “I wouldn’t be any good at what I do if I didn’t listen to the important details.” He studies the necklace as I finger the gold ribbons. “I’m always listening to what you have to say, Zaira. Your opinions matter more to me now than I want to admit.”
I blink my tears away, smiling at him as I curl my fingers around the pendant. “Thank you, Thane.”
He nods, then stands as he reaches for the necklace. “I’ll help you put it on.”
I let him take it as he circles my chair. As he brings the chain down, the pendant lands on my chest. It’s still hot, so Analla must be alive. I take that as a small comfort. The familiar feel of it around my neck makes me want to cry. When he clasps it, he walks around me and sits again.
“If you’ve had it all this time, why did you wait so long to give it back?” I ask.
“Wasn’t sure if I wanted you to know that I followed you that night.”
“You mean you didn’t want me to consider you some kind of stalker before I actually got to know you?” I tease.
He cracks a smile. “Guess you could say that.”
He leans in so close that I can feel his breath swim across my skin. I lower my eyes to his lips as he grabs my hip and his fingers dig into my waist.
“Any regrets?” he asks in a low voice.
“About last night?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t know yet.” I pause. “You?”
His lips press to mine, and he kisses me lightly. “I don’t know yet, either.”
He kisses me again, drawing me closer and coaxing my lips farther apart.
My knees slide between his legs, and I clasp his face in my hands, moaning as his fingers drag up my spine.
Before our kiss can deepen, the bells on the ceiling ring loudly.
I pull away with a gasp, looking up as they thrash back and forth.
“What the…?” Thane stares up, breathy and confused. Something hard slams into the boat, and we teeter sideways. He catches us, and I cling to him as the mugs fall on the wooden floorboards.
The door of the cabin bursts open, and Rynthea appears with her scythesword in hand, eyes wide with alarm. “Thane, get out here! Now!”
“What’s happening?” I call as Thane hops up and snatches out one of his swords.
“Something is attacking the ship!” she yells.