Page 16 of A Promise so Bold and Broken

“And when will we get the honor of meeting this almighty Fae?” Ardow sneered.

“Right now,” Merrick snarled back. “And rein in that attitude of yours if you care for your life. I’m much more forgiving than Raine, and I’m already this close to ripping your damned head off.”

Lessia couldn’t stop the small snort that left her, and when Merrick turned to her and his dark eyes twinkled, the anger that had clawed so sharply at her lessened.

“Is he here?” she asked as she pulled at her tunic—a habit she’d probably carry for the rest of her life, even though only angry scars now covered her left arm.

Merrick shook his head, a muscle in his jaw twitching. “The captain of this ship doesn’t have a brave bone in him. He will not take us farther… not where we need to go. We’ll have to take a rowing boat from here.”

“To where?” Ardow broke in, the loathing in his voice so palpable she could taste it.

Lessia tensed when Merrick’s furious gaze focused on Ardow, and she rose to her feet when the Fae took a step toward her friend. “Let’s just go.”

She might be angry at Ardow.

Livid, actually.

But she couldn’t let Merrick kill him.

And based on the whirring sounds building in the cabin, that was exactly what Merrick had planned, but as she brushed past him toward the roaring wind above, she felt him fall into step with her.

Fixing her eyes on the gray sky as she ascended the stairs, she watched as raging clouds revolved around the ship, but when she took the first step onto the deck, the wind was warm and the air tinged with the humidity she’d known from Vastala.

To the east, an impenetrable mist hovered, not a single island or part of land in sight.

And to the west there was only water stretched out as far as her sharp Fae eyes could see.

She almost opened her mouth to ask Merrick the same question Ardow had, albeit she would have done so less rudely, but when he stormed past her, barking at the crew to hurry up, she pinched her lips.

Merrick seemed on edge, and with the strange kind of friendship they’d formed the past months, she knew now was not the time to push him.

Behind his rigid stature, the crew fought against the wind to hoist a small boat over the railing, all the while screaming orders at each other not to fall overboard.

A shudder went through her when she looked out over the sea, over the choppy waves crashing against the stern, and Lessia pulled her cloak tighter.

Wherever they were going would be wet, and while the temperatures here had picked up from the freezing winter in Ellow, the wind would ensure they weren’t comfortable.

“Venko, please.”

Lessia spun around when Ardow’s pleading voice floated toward her, and she found him pulling at Venko’s hand, tears streaming down his face.

“No.” Venko pulled his hand from her friend’s. “I’m staying.”

“Please,” Ardow begged, and a small piece of her heart cracked at hearing his voice waver.

She clenched her hands, unwilling to let the feeling fester.

She couldn’t go down that road, because if she did…

Hot breath hit her ear as Merrick leaned in behind her to whisper “He knows too much, Lessia.”

Her forehead creased as she turned her head to look at him, and Merrick continued. “He knows where we’re going… and he knows who you are. We can’t leave him here.”

She slowly turned back toward the two arguing men, realizing Merrick was right.

Venko couldn’t stay behind.

Looking up at Merrick again, she swallowed.

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