Chapter 21
Chapter twenty-one
Drip. Drip. Drip.
A slow trickle of water landed on Thorne’s face. He blinked hard before squinting up at Marina’s fingers hovering above him.
“Marina, for fuck’s sake!” he yelled.
Marina’s cackle echoed through the small wooden house, light and carefree.
Gisela tried—and failed—to stifle a giggle.
“You think this is funny?” he asked Gisela.
She nodded. “Yeah. A little bit.”
He pinned her with the gentle weight of his body, his hands finding the sensitive skin at her waist until she broke, a breathless laugh catching in her throat. The playfulness faded as he stilled. He leaned down, his forehead brushing hers, his breath a warm ghost against her skin.
He drifted closer, gaze dropping to her lips, the space between them thinning—
“Sorry to break up the tender display, but the pub is open, and we need to get our asses there before all the good food gets taken,” Marina said, strapping her cutlass onto her breeches.
Silas emerged from the second bedroom, his steps lighter than usual. “Good morning,” he said heartily.
Marina smiled at her father, and this time, she didn’t turn away from him.
Breakfast at the pub was warm. Not just the food or the air, but the people of Aquamere too. Smiles followed them through the village. Laughter carried through the morning air like a breeze as children darted between stalls.
Silas was already swept into their games.
Gisela and Thorne settled onto a bench, content to watch.
Marina had already gone ahead to the docks, preparing the ship for their voyage.
From the corner of the square, two councilmen stepped out of the building, their voices carrying as they leaned against the stone railing.
“Vaughn still hasn’t reported in,” one said. “The King ensured he was prepared for this job.”
“I’ll post a notice for the position today,” the other said. “Might as well get someone more reliable.”
Thorne smirked, nudging Gisela. “We probably scared the shit out of him.”
Gisela huffed and leaned back, letting the thought drift with the wind.
“When all this is over,” Thorne said, wrapping his arm around Gisela’s shoulder, “we’re moving here.”
Gisela turned to him, surprised. “We are?”
Thorne shrugged. “If you’ll come with me.”
Warmth spread through her body. “Where you go, I go.”
Thorne pulled her closer, his lips lingering against her temple.
Their hands found each other without thinking.
Easy.
As if things had always been this way. Whatever lay ahead, it had to be worth this.
He traced slow circles on the back of her hand, fire gathering beneath his thumb.
Gisela answered with a gentle squeeze, her touch cooling into a fine mist of ice. The two elements didn’t clash. Instead, they wove together.
“It’s strange,” she murmured, watching the play of heat and frost. “How our powers blend like this, when they’re meant to be opposites.”
Thorne nodded, his gaze fixed on their entwined hands. “It feels right. Like we’re meant to balance each other out.”
Her fingers brushed his palm, sending a chill through him, and he answered with steady warmth curling around her hand. A quiet conversation.
Thorne tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Where you go, I go,” he echoed.
“Hey, you two!” Silas called out.
They turned to face him.
“Let’s head to the ship.”
Reluctantly, they stood and followed him down the path toward the beach, their hands brushing once more before they finally let go.
“Ronan!” Marina’s voice carried through the ship. “Ensure the ship is balanced and ready to set sail for tomorrow.”
“Yes ma’am,” he replied with a crooked smirk as he tugged the rope tight against the mast.
Her boots struck the deck in sharp, confident steps. “And Eamon.” She paused, wrinkling her nose at the floorboards. “Clean this shit up.”
Eamon muttered something under his breath but couldn’t hide the faint smile that crept across his face. “Aye, aye, captain.”
Gisela stepped onto the deck, watching the crew move in a productive rhythm around Marina’s commands. They listened, really listened. No hesitation or scoffing from any of them.
Just respect that was earned.
“Ah! Gisela, Thorne,” Marina called, spreading her arms wide. “Welcome aboard the Cascadia.”
Pride radiated through her voice and Gisela understood why.
The ship wasn’t beautiful in any polished sense—but it had a soul.
Its hull was dark oak, weathered and scarred, iron bands cinched around its sides like armor.
The sails were patched yet steady in the wind.
The air carried oil, sea brine, and sun-baked wood.
The last thing she noticed was the dragon figurehead with its jaws open in a silent snarl at the prow.
“The Cascadia?” Gisela asked.
“Renamed after my mother’s Primal.”
Silas blinked back tears, smiling at his daughter. “I’m going to look around myself, Marina. It’s been a while.”
Marina nodded.
“I’ve never been on a ship before,” Gisela said.
Marina grinned. “It’s amazing. I’ve never felt more at peace than when I sail.”
Thorne’s eyes landed at the dragon head. “Why a dragon?”
“Oh, that? My mother loved dragon stories. Said they represented strength, resilience . . . stubbornness,” Marina said, shooting him a pointed look. “Figured it suited the ship.”
She led them below deck, showing where they’d sleep and introduced them to the rest of the crew, who were ecstatic to meet other Mystics. It was strange to see the crew living so easily among one. They laughed easily with Marina, no fear or tension in their faces.
Hope took root in Gisela.
“There you are! I’ve been lookin’ for ya everywhere,” a man called.
Marina waved him over. “I want you to meet my second, Larz. Larz, this is Gisela.”
Her second-in-command looked like a classic seasoned sailor.
A long, neatly trimmed beard framed his wavy red hair, which fell just past his shoulders.
His skin was tanned and weathered, his face marked with scars that looked less like damage and more like a life lived hard.
Piercing blue eyes bore into Gisela’s, examining her as if she were some intricate piece of architecture.
He held out his hand to Gisela.
She extended hers, and he grasped it, guiding it to his lips.
“Aren’t you a pretty little thing,” he said with a grin, his voice deep and smooth.
Gisela smiled, caught off guard by his flirtation.
Thorne went rigid beside her, something tight pulling along his jaw. “Isn’t she?”
Larz appeared unfazed by Thorne’s blatant distaste for him, releasing Gisela’s hand with a slight bow. “And who’s this fine gentleman?” Larz asked, turning his attention to Thorne.
“Thorne,” he said, stepping in front of Gisela.
Larz’s grin widened, revealing a row of slightly crooked teeth. “Pleasure to meet you, Thorne. Any friend of Marina’s is a friend of mine.” He glanced at Marina with a smirk, eyes twinkling with mischief.
Marina threw a hand on her hip and shot him a warning glare.
Larz extended his hand to shake Thorne’s, but Thorne kept his arms crossed.
“Behave, Larz,” she said, her tone light but firm. “Thorne can get quite heated, so to speak.”
Thorne lifted a hand in a sarcastic wave, flames curling along his fingers.
Larz’s confident demeanor faltered.
Gisela gave Thorne an exasperated look. “Thank you for the warm welcome, Larz.”
“Ah, the pleasure is mine,” Larz said, winking. “Or at least, I hope it will be,” he added before walking away.
Thorne glared at Marina. “This isn’t going to work. I’ll hurt him.”
“You will do no such thing, flamebrain,” Marina warned. “He’s harmless. Ignore his antics.”
Gisela wrapped her arms around Thorne’s neck, rose onto her tiptoes, and pressed a kiss on his lips.
As they parted, the storm in his eyes stilled, and his shoulders finally dropped.
“You’re jealous.” She smiled. “Let it go. We need their help.”
“I’m not worried. He’s just pushing his luck.”
“Pub tonight, boys?” Marina called. “Before we set off tomorrow?”
Ronan rubbed the back of his neck, eyes turning toward land. “I have to make sure my grandmother’s all set until we get back.”
Gisela saw the fleeting look of regret flit across his face. She understood all too well what it was like to leave home.
“Liana will kill me if I don’t spend time with her and Isla before I leave, you know that,” Eamon called out from the front deck. “Woman is violent,” he grumbled.
“Fair enough,” Marina said, turning toward Gisela and Thorne. “One last hoorah?”