Page 154 of Fallen Stars

Adrian allowed the news to register, to thud into his chest. “I’ll never be able to see out of it again?” he repeated.

Elara bit her lip, shaking her head. “I’m so sorry.”

He let out a long stream of breath, feeling the smooth cloth over his eye once more. Beneath, the wound was no longer aching, as though his titan magick had taken the pain away.

“Cheer up. You’re a real pirate now,” Isra said, tone light.

Adrian didn’t laugh. “And where the fuck is Scorpius?” he said instead.

Elara looked at Enzo who answered.

“Fucking coward escaped my flames the moment he saw what you really were. The moment he saw you’d awoken. He slipped into the ocean, and we were so busy trying to save you that we couldn’t give chase.”

“So he’s still alive?” Adrian’s voice was but a growl.

Elara nodded.

“Good. Because I want to kill him myself.”

No one responded though Eli still had that infuriating smirk on his face as he cocked his head.

Adrian thought about the events he’d missed when he’d been out cold. “Santi? The others? Did they make it?”

“Santi and a few others got out alive as far as I know,” Elara replied. “Their rowboat got well away from Scorpius.”

Adrian nodded, swallowing as tears threatened to prick his one good eye.

“Hey,” she said softly, nudging him. “We’ll find them. All of us will help. You’re part of the pride now.”

Adrian rolled his eye, shooting a look at Enzo. “Gods,” he groaned. “I’d rather have died.”

“That’s the spirit!” Elara grinned, pulling him up. “You need to rest, but luckily, you’ll have a few days to do that since we’re changing course. Now that we have Eli, we’ve no need to go to Concordia.”

“Where are we going?”

“To Kaos, for reasons Eli says he’ll explain later. Now, I think you need a strong dram of firewhisky and some food.”

She hauled him up, Adrian swaying slightly on his feet. “Merissa’s started preparing dinner. I’m going to help. Will you be okay by yourself with them all?”

Adrian nodded. “I lost an eye, fought off a behemoth, a Star, and death. I think I’ll be okay with a few of your friends.”

Elara patted his cheek. “Rest. I’ll be up soon.”

The room was quiet, only the sound of cutlery against plates as Elara ate her fish and potatoes. She’d cooked them well, dashed in rock salt and fried, then seasoned with sun-warmed tomatoes, garlic, and lemon from the stores in Eli’s ship. The meal was so good that she reached for her third piece of bread to mop up the sauce, ignoring the suffocating silence. Her eyes flicked worriedly to Adrian. The pirate had already knocked back a few drinks and seemed to be drinking himself into a depression. It was absolutely understandable. He’d lost an eye and his crew, had newly awoken to an entire life he never knew he’d led. As she went to say something,she heard a bang of cutlery and looked up, Isra standing.

“Enough of this,” the seer said, yanking the rum out of Adrian’s hands.

His eye widened. “I was drinking that.”

“Rum makes you sombre. And you need a distraction.”

“I’m perfectly fine.”

Isra threw Elara a desperate look.

“Erm, yes!” Elara added, standing. “Adrian, now is a time for celebration. You’re alive. You’re a titan. Scorpius ran fromyou.”

She glared at Enzo to say something. Her love rolled his eyes, standing too. “A shot of flamespirit will do you good,” he said, walking out of the door to the galley.

---