Page 48 of Crown of Serpents

“You have risked your life to save me from that serpent. Kleos told me what — who you are and that you were held hostage aboard this ship ... You could have escaped when the sea creature attacked, you could have let the serpent kill Perseus, but you stayed ... you helped us. So, I want to help you too, if you let me.”

Medusa opened and shut her mouth, but no sound escaped.

“I need to clean your wound and apply this salve,” Andromeda continued, “but I should warn you, it will burn like hell.”

Medusa nodded. “Go ahead.”

Andromeda carefully cleansed the wound with alcohol. Medusa yelped, instinctively clutching the girl’s arm. The sting was excruciating. A trickle of blood welled up where Medusa's nails had dug into the princess’s rich brown skin, but Andromeda didn't flinch. As soon as she realised, Medusa let go of her arm and dug her nails into the cot beneath her instead.The princess’s focus remained unwavering as she meticulously cleaned the wound, removing the yellow pus and applying a poultice that smelled of sage and honey.

When Andromeda retreated with a satisfied smile, Medusa breathed, relieved that the ordeal was over. “Thank you, Princess.”

Andromeda's gaze dropped, a flicker of pain clouding her bright eyes. “I'm not a princess anymore,” she murmured before turning and slipping out the door.

The door closed quietly behind her.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Andromeda instantly recognised the heavy footsteps on the wooden ladder behind her. She paid him no heed as she scrubbed the floor on her knees, the rhythmic motion a balm for her restless mind. Ever since they'd left Joppa, she'd kept herself busy, tending to the wounded and maintaining some semblance of order on the ship. It was an illusion of belonging, a way to distract herself from the gnawing worry about her kingdom's fate.

Kleos interrupted her moment of blissful quiet, “I’ve been looking for you.”

Andromeda sighed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. The warrior seemed determined to take her under his wing.

“What can I help you with, Kleos?”

Why couldn’t he leave her be? Something about this man stirred a simmering anger within her. If only he would leave her alone.

“I … nothing,” he stammered, “just wanted to check on you … see how you’re settling in.”

He probably meant well, but Andromeda didn’t care. Not while her kingdom’s fate hung in the balance because this crew of self-proclaimed „heroes” had decided to interfere with the sacrifice. Ever since they had left to sail back to Seriphos, Andromeda had agonised over what had happened in her kingdom after her departure. The serpent was slain, so had that stopped the attacks on merchant and fishing boats? Or had Cetus’s death merely stoked Poseidon’s fury?

“I’m fine,” she snapped, clenching the rag in aggravation.

“Good.”, Kleos replied awkwardly. After a few moments of painful silence, he added, “You know, you don’t need to do that.”

“I don’t mind. The floor was dirty, and I like to be useful.”

“Well, if the princess of Joppa is scrubbing the deck, I might as well join her. Let me get another bucket.”

He crouched beside her, armed with a second bucket, and took the rough brush she had discarded next to her.

“There’s really no need,” Andromeda protested, trying to reclaim her brush from his rough hands. But as her arm brushed against him, his eyes fell upon the claw marks left by Medusa. His demeanour shifted, the playful facade replaced by a deep frown full of concern. “What happened to your arm?”

“It’s nothing.” She pulled away, but it was too late.

Murder danced in Kleos’s eyes. “It’snotnothing, and I know for a fact that you didn’t have those marks when you boarded this ship. So, I ask again: What happened to your arm? Who did that to you? Has one of the men —”

“Why do you care anyway?” she had had enough of him doting on her.

“Why do I care?” Kleos echoed, incredulous.

“Yes. What’s it to you?” Andromeda barked, glaring at him. Something about this man ignited a fury within her she'd never known before. She had never raised her voice like that atanyoneback in Joppa.

Yet, the stubborn idiot did not back down. “Well, I didn’t go through all this trouble to save you just for one of the bastards on this ship to lay a hand on you. Tell me who did this, and I'llmake sure he never touches anyone again.”

“No.”

“No?” Kleos blinked, perplexed by her refusal.

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