64. Zai #2
Cold indifference settled into Lark’s delicate features. “You planned to abandon us.”
“It wasn’t like that.” Despair cracked through Tera’s voice. “I was going to tell you.”
Lark lifted a brow. “When?”
“I can make the same deal for all of you!” The frantic words tumbled from the captain. “I can make sure you’re granted the freedom to go home and reclaim your real lives.”
Around us, faces hardened. Sashiva’s eyes narrowed. Mara turned her chin up and huffed. Jorgen shook his head, arms crossed.
Lark gestured to the people around her. “We have all the family we need right here.”
Grunts of agreement rippled through the group.
“You’re all fools.” Tera’s voice cracked. “Nothing but blaze-wretched dross-waste, the lot of you. Living like hunted animals, scraping by day after day. I can’t stand this pitiful excuse for a life!”
Flint pulled a dirty rag from his pocket and crouched beside her. “That’s enough of yer filth.” He stuffed it between her teeth, muffling her protests. Straightening, he crossed his arms with a satisfied grunt. “How’s that for a pitiful life, cap’n?”
Jeers erupted from the crew, hands smacking Flint’s shoulders in approval.
Kestrel’s voice drifted from the shadowy outskirts of the clearing, bright with forced cheer. “Absolutely adore this beautiful moment for all of you, but if anyone’s got some time to spare, I’d love some assistance over here. Nothing urgent, you know, just a little bound-in-metal-situation.”
I instantly moved toward him, but Flint surged past with surprising speed.
“Abyss take me, Kestrel! I’m sorry.” The gruff pirate dropped to one knee beside him, weathered hands hovering over the restraints. “Should’a never let the Capt’n put these on ya in the first place.”
Kestrel flashed a grin. “Absolutely no problem at all! It’s all done and dusted—if you could just get the metal off, that is.”
“Need to heat it again, but ye won’t feel a thing, I swear it.” Flint’s fingers twisted through precise patterns, heat radiating from his palms. The metal glowed orange, then softened enough to peel away.
Kestrel rubbed his freed wrists, eyes wide with genuine wonder. “You’re right, I didn’t feel anything!” His hand squeezed the larger man’s shoulder. “Flint, my furious friend, you’re nothing short of an expert wielder!”
Flint scratched his neck as he rose—somehow making his towering frame smaller before Kestrel. “Aw, it ain’t nothin’. Not compared to…”
He trailed off as his attention swung toward me, scarred features twisting with something like regret.
“Zai.” He cleared his throat. “The cap’n told us you’d gone and betrayed us, turned traitor for the Dual Wielder. But it’s pretty scorching clear now who the real traitor is.” He glared at Tera.
Around us, crew members murmured in agreement, guilt flickering across their faces.
Mouthy Mara stepped forward, scratching at her jaw. “Sorry we crackin’ near roasted yer balls off back there. We’re proper char-touched fools.”
“Aye.” Sharp-Eyed Sashiva’s gray eyes met mine, steady and unflinching. “You’ve always been straight with us. We should’ve known better.”
Warmth bloomed in my chest. “There’s nothing wrong in trusting your captain and following her orders. I respect that.”
Kestrel bounced on his feet. “Aww, how delightfully touching! Does this mean we’re all friends again? Because I’m absolutely bursting with ballad ideas about this whole magnificent mess!”
“No singing,” I huffed. But I couldn’t hide the smile tugging at my lips.
Flint jerked his chin toward Tera’s bound form. “Let’s get the cap—I mean, the former cap’n aboard the ship an’ sort out what in the scorchin’ abyss we’re gonna do with ‘er.”
He seized Tera by her coat collar and heaved her upright.
She grunted behind the gag as he dragged her toward a dangling rope.
The crew hauled her up, then climbed after themselves.
Their bickering voices drifted back. Jaded Jorgen suggested they dump her at Gravendale Keep while Mouthy Mara argued for the border camp instead.
Kestrel wandered to the edge of the clearing and picked up his cookbook, dusting it off. Beaming, he hugged it to his chest. As he headed back, he offered me a wide grin and cheerful salute before climbing up one of the rope ladders.
Lark lingered in the clearing, her gaze settling on me. “Coming?”
I glanced over my shoulder at Lora, still looming over Erion’s body.
Her arms angled out before her, fingers curled as if preparing to defend against another strike.
Her narrowed eyes stayed fixed on us, but no fear gleamed in those dark depths.
No hatred either. Something else etched deep into her features.
Pain. Not the physical kind—my bolster made sure of that. She was hurting on the inside.
My chest squeezed tight as shame and regret slithered through me. I’d caused this.
I shouldn’t care. She was of the Moon Queendom. An enemy. But when I’d been hurt, she’d carried me to safety and healed me, despite having nothing to gain. When someone was in danger, she never hesitated to risk her own life.
She was a pure-hearted protector. I was a self-serving coward.
The urge to drop to my knees before her slammed into me—to bare my chest and beg her to drive her ice straight through my heart. But that would leave her all alone with her agony, and no one to bolster her broken body. I couldn’t abandon her like that.
I glanced back at Lark. “I’m staying.”
An approving smile flickered across her lips. “Seems like you’re finally learning to see the stars.” Her chin dipped in a respectful nod before she followed the others up the rope ladder.
Lora stared at me like I’d crawled out from beneath a rotting log. I eased forward, closing the distance between us.
Her arms jerked up. “Don’t you dare come any closer!”
Slowly, I lifted my hands, as if calming a wild animal. “Lora, I…” The words tangled in my throat. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“What, you didn’t mean to kill him?” Cold mockery laced her voice. “But you did. He’s dead because of you, whether you meant for it to happen or not.”
The words rammed into my chest, too similar to my brother’s accusation. Scorching abyss, why did I keep killing innocent people?
Because I was a ruthless destroyer, that’s why.
No.
Grinding my teeth, I shoved all the guilt and self-loathing aside. I was done feeling sorry for myself.
Sure, it was true, I had caused this, even if I hadn’t meant to. But wallowing wouldn’t change anything. I couldn’t bring Erion back, but I had to do something. Anything to ease the devastation carved into Lora’s face.
Obeying her demand not to come any closer, I planted my feet. “Lora, listen—”
“No. You need to leave. There’s nothing for you here.”
She backed around Erion’s body, hands still raised in warning. Darkness curled around her legs like inky claws, reflecting the storm raging inside her.
The instinct to reach for her tore through me. But she’d probably freeze my fingers off if I dared touch her now. I’d have to weave each word with deliberate precision.
If she killed me, so be it. Lights above, I deserved it. But something stubborn inside whispered that maybe, just maybe, I might actually be able to help her through this.