Page 72 of Fearless

“And then blamed her failed attempts on the ‘constricting dress,’?” Kai adds with a punch-worthy smile. “Trust me, I remember. The moment replays every time I close my eyes—”

“All right, that’s enough,” I huff. “Remember this conversation when I suddenly push you overboard.”

“Oh, you can try, Gray,” Kai mocks with a crooked grin. “But don’t blame your constrictive sleeves when you aren’t able to.”

Kitt’s laugh nearly drowns out my words. “That’s it. I’m getting on this damn boat.”

I step out onto the plank, forcing my gaze ahead and not on the raging water beneath me. The voices behind grow muffled by the lapping waves, but Kai’s stands out, even among the sea. “Take care of yourself while I’m gone. Get some rest. Promise me.”

“I promise,” Kitt returns quietly. “I would ask you to ensure Paedyn does the same, but I already know you will.”

My heart quickens its pace as I step onto the ship’s deck. Several seconds pass before the Enforcer follows, wood groaning beneath his boots. As I lean over the rail, Kitt’s gaze finds mine from the dock below before he offers a mouthed “good luck.”

“Kai!”

The shout rings through the air, carried on the wind. Kai whips around, scanning the wall of Imperials on the other end of the dock where a tangle of limbs attempts to break through.

“Kai! Wait!”

But he does nothing of the sort. Instead, he’s striding toward that familiar voice, shoving Imperials aside to reach the lanky boy.

Even from this distance, I can see the tears brimming in Jax’s eyes. He stands there, panting before his brother. And when he opens his mouth, the choked sob that escapes it makes my breath catch.

“Don’t go,” he begs Kai. “Please don’t go. I might never see you again—”

A hiccup cuts off his words at the same moment Kai wraps his arms around the boy, holding him tight. He’s saying something I can’t hear, something that is likely meant to be a comfort.

Jax squeezes his eyes shut as he grips the back of Kai’s shirt in his fists. “My parents never came back,” I hear him say, voice breaking.

A piece of me shatters at the sound of it, at the grief already filling his voice. Jax has lost so much, so young. And I am watching him beg Kai not to be the next person he mourns.

Sniffling, Jax lets himself be pried away from his big brother. More hushed words are exchanged before Kai ruffles the boy’s hair for what may be the last time. Then he turns slowly, solemnly, and strides back to the ship.

Shoulders tight and silence heavy, Kai joins me on board.

The Enforcer nods to the awaiting crew while I manage to muster up a smile. Chaos ensues shortly after our acknowledgment of them, as men and women begin bustling around the ship. Orders are shouted suddenly, setting every person into motion with a different task to complete.

With a subtle hand at my lower back, Kai guides me to the head of the ship where we watch the sails unfurl above us. Just the sheer amount of cloth would have Adena gawking. And I cling to that thought, that image of my smiling A.

My gaze travels to the large man at the helm, his hand gripping one of the many spokes adorning the massive wheel. His hat, attire, and shouted commands tell me that this is our captain for the journey to come. He looks weathered by the sea, and that alone is a comfort. Perhaps we have a chance at survival after all.

Thick ropes dangle from every corner of the ship, swaying from the masts towering over us. I’m in awe of such structured mayhem. It takes every scuttling crew member and their seemingly unimportant tasks to persuade the vessel into gliding across the water.

Of course, the Gusts on board certainly aid in the ship’s quick pace. They guide chilling blasts of air into the sails, all while Teles hold down ropes and rigging with nothing but their minds. My gaze wanders over each soul attempting to coax the sea into something tamer, right down to the Hydros leaning over the railings, trying to smother what waves crash into the hull.

When the ship starts moving, my attention falls to the dock that slowly begins slipping away from us. My knuckles grow white around the wooden railing with each second the wind takes me farther from solid ground.

“You’re going to be fine, Pae,” Kai murmurs beside me.

“Right,” I say distractedly. “I know.”

“Is that why you’re giving yourself splinters?”

Dragging my gaze from the distancing dock, I look down at the hand I’ve clamped around the railing. “I’m just… nervous.”

He leans his forearms on the rail. “You usually are around me. Don’t hurt yourself over it, darling.”

I turn to face him with a scoff. “I’m nervous about the journey, you prick.”

---