Chapter 14
PARTIAL TRUTHS AND BANDAGES
RUNE
Something flickers across my chest—warm, but not solid. Not like the fingers lazily tracing the siren tattoos winding down my left arm. I keep my eyes shut, feigning sleep, because I already know it isn’t Elio or Otto hovering over me. And if it’s Tavi . . . well, this is about to get awkward.
Despite the short amount of time I’ve known her, I know whose touch it is.
There’s no mistaking the lightness in the way her fingers drag across my skin as if she’s picking a lock.
A brief cloud of honey and pear waft over me, causing my heart to stutter.
The longer I let her touch me, the higher the chance I’ll make an ill-timed tent with this blanket.
She’s not supposed to have this effect on me.
Ever so slowly, I crack open an eye, watching Odi as she grazes my skin with her feather light touch. The expression on her face is soft, like she’s lost in her thoughts and has no plans to ever come back.
Rose bud lips, slightly pouted. Dark chocolate waves spill over her shoulders highlighted gold by the morning sun streaming through the porthole window.
Almond coloured freckles dance across the bridge of her nose.
Then there’s that one freckle, slightly larger than the rest that sits above her right eyebrow.
A marking—a kiss from the gods when she was born.
Part of me doesn’t want to disturb this peaceful moment, yet there’s a ship that needs a captain and I have no doubt that Elio is shitting his pants knowing that while I’m down, he’s in charge. Well, secretly Tavi would be in charge, but she’d never admit it—not to the crew anyway.
My leg throbs with a dull ache, but the sharp pain I’d felt before passing out is now gone. Along with the delirious dreams I’d had while unconscious. Ones where Odi was straddled on my lap, her hips grinding into mine, fitting together like a lock and key.
There goes that tent again.
I crack the other eye open, meeting Odi’s gaze.
For a second, I hold her stare as her breath catches.
Her shoulder drops like a weight's been lifted, and her mouth turns up at the corners for a fraction of time.
Then it's gone, the look of relief—of hope—quickly replaced by the walls she so loves to hide behind.
With lithe reflexes, she pulls her hand away, standing effortlessly to her feet, but before she can move out of reach my fingers wrap around her wrist. Umber eyes snap down to my hand. A pinkish hue travels from under the collar of her blouse, spreading up her neck to kiss her cheeks.
I gently tug her towards me. “Odi—”
The wooden door to my room creaks, announcing someone’s arrival. It wakes Otto, who’s curled in the chair beside my bed.
Odi pulls out of my hold before she moves to the other side of the room next to my desk.
“Jellied octoblorbs—” Otto spurts out as he sits upright, his gaze snapping to mine. “Cap, you’re awake!”
Before I can answer, Elio steps through the doorway, his face full of relief. He’s quickly followed by Tavi.
“Rune, how are you feeling?” he asks, coming to stand beside my bed.
I try to sit up. The sheets cling, damp with sweat and salt, twisted somewhere around my legs. My body aches—but I know the fever has left me. “Why is everybody in my room?”
Elio’s hazel eyes dart towards Odi. “She said someone tried to break in the other night.”
I flick my gaze to Odi. She folds her arms across her chest and leans against the wall, brows slightly raised in defiance. She’s still convinced of the assassination attempt.
My shoulders lift and fall. “Since when do we trust the word of a pirate?”
Usually my choice of words don’t bother me, but this time when they slip past my lips they feel wrong.
Odelia might be a pirate, but so far she’s given no reason for me not to trust her—not since I caught her in the streets that night.
A pain tugs deep in my chest, the kind that made its presence known the moment I rescued her from the water.
Tavi’s brow knits together as she folds her black leather-clad arms across her chest, an evident scowl on her face. She’s not pleased. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
Elio pipes in, his weight shifting as he shoves his hands into his trouser pockets. “We should start an investigation.”
Everyone begins talking at once, their voices blending together in a frantic hum. For a brief second, I close my eyes and take a deep breath knowing full well that Odi is standing in the corner of the room watching my crew fuss over me.
Otto stands from his chair, the legs squeaking on the wooden floor.
“Are you hungry? Because I can bring you eggs five different ways real quick. I know you hate them but I did some research and I found that the yolk is really good for healing wounds internally so it would probably be really good if you ate some.”
I can’t help but smile, shaking my head softly before I turned my attention to them all. “I’d appreciate a moment to speak?”
“Sorry, Cap,” they murmur in unison.
“For starters, if someone is trying to kill me or Odelia, we’ll figure it out sooner or later. I’m not blind to the idea of someone trying to harm either one of us because they’re mad she’s on the ship,” I say with confidence.
Elio swings his arms out wide. “But Cap—”
I throw him a look. One that tells him I’ll hear his concerns later. “Secondly, I definitely could do with some food, but by the sea do we have something else besides quail eggs?”
Bear grins, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He heads for the door, throwing a glance over his shoulder. “I’ll make you the most delicious seafood boil, garlic butter sauce included.”
“Otto, wait,” I call after him.
He stops mid stride, spinning to face me.
“What got me down there?”
“Thrall squid was one of them, Cap. Not sure about the barbs, but you’d be wise to avoid them in the future. Nearly took you clean out they did.” Bear grins, but I know internally he’s not smiling.
I can see the fear behind his eyes and all too quickly guilt creeps its way into my chest. I’d been so sure that I’d be fine when diving into the unknown, that I hadn’t stopped to think what it might mean for those who’d come to rely on me—for those who were meant to protect me and I them.
Bear lingers by the door, hand resting on the knob.
I offer him a smile. “Thanks, Otto . . . for everything.”
“That’s what family does.” He returns the boyish grin, then the door clicks shut behind him, his voice echoing through the walls as he heads for the kitchens.
My thoughts suddenly return to the reason I’m cooped up in this space. The reason why I sacrificed my body to find the answers I longingly seek. “Did you get the key?”
Elio pulls it from his pocket, holding it up for me to view.
“That we did, Cap.” The sunlight catches it, glinting off the side of the polished metal.
It’s a flat, solid circle, with a wave down the centre.
I notice the way Odi’s eyes light up with excitement as Elio flashes the piece around.
She’s just as pleased as I am to have it in our possession, even if we’ve no clue how difficult it’ll end up being to assemble the pieces.
I’ll definitely be locking it away—for safety reasons.
With a gentle groan, I swing my legs over the side of the bed, being careful not to disturb the neat bandage work that can only have come from Otto’s hands. As I glance down, I realise that I’m utterly naked.
Everyone in this room is about to get an eye full.
I throw a glance around, looking for the pair of trousers I’d been wearing on the island. Odi’s necklace is still in the pocket.
Tavi rushes forwards, her white braid trailing behind her. “What are you doing?”
I grit my teeth as I try to stand. The pain is minimal but not absent. “Really Tavi, I’m fine. Otto’s a great doctor. We need to keep moving.”
She ignores my words, wrapping a sheet around my waist. Odi’s gaze is on me for a second before she looks away. While Tavi holds the sheet around me for privacy, Elio slips an arm under mine and around my chest, stabilising me until I find my feet.
The bandages are firm around my thigh, hip and arm. “Otto did well with these bindings.”
Elio clears his throat, throwing a glance across the room. “Actually Odi did most of the tending at the end.”
Odi?
For a second, I think Elio’s joking. Trying to get a rise out of me. But he’s not smiling. Something burrows its way into my chest finding a home right next to my heart.
She stayed with me?
Through the fever, through the sweat and shivering and gods know what else—I don’t remember half of it. Just flashes. Burning. The weight of the sea pressing on my lungs. And something cool at my temple. Gentle. Steady.
That was her?
The woman I roped to a bed. The one who spits fire every time I look at her.
I turn to face her, but her gaze is locked onto something far more interesting on the floor. So I don’t bother saying anything. Not yet anyway.
There’s a shirt and trousers resting on my night stand.
I toss on the shirt, and hot pain shoots up the back of my arm, and as I glance down, I notice the line of red ringed welts on my forearm from the thrall squid.
Whatever the other creatures were in that cenote, they got me good.
I take hold of the sheet. “I can manage, thank you Tavi.”
She nods once before retreating.
Dense air throbs through the room. It’s not the heat of the early morning, it’s the eyes. Both Tavi and Elio watch me, like I’m some fragile thing that’s about to fade away. I know they mean well. Yet the overprotection gets to be a little much at times.
Then there’s Odi. In the corner, as silent as a shadow. She’s not saying a word, but I can feel her. The way her eyes track me without moving. I need to talk to her. I also need to put on my pants.
I turn to my crew. “Is there any chance I could have some privacy?”
Elio scratches his head, his eyes darting between me and Odi. “Uhh yeah, sorry.”