Page 17 of A Promise so Bold and Broken

He kept her gaze for a moment before nodding once, then bridged the distance to Ardow and Venko with a few long strides.

“You’re coming.” Merrick’s demand rumbled through her, and her eyes widened when Venko dared glare at the Fae and shake his head.

He must be braver than she’d thought.

But Venko didn’t stand a chance as Merrick let out a low growl, his hand clamping down on his arm, nearly lifting the man off his feet as he started dragging him toward the small boat.

“Let me go!” Venko looked like a child, his fist whirling in the air around Merrick—who only appeared bored as he dodged it—and dug his feet into the wooden planks of the deck. “I said, let me go!”

The crew stormed forward, but after a glance at Merrick’s face, the men froze.

One by one, they backed away, keeping a safe distance as Merrick determinedly set Venko down in the small wooden boat.

Ardow’s eyes were cast down as he passed her and quietly gripped the railing to haul himself into the vessel.

She fidgeted with the daggers in her waistband as she shot a final glance at the ship, and she nodded when the captain who had kept them fed lifted his hand.

“Lessia?” Merrick’s voice was soft as he called to her, and when he reached out a hand, she took a shaking step toward him.

As she reached him, she didn’t let herself look down into the wild sea, instead keeping her eyes on the small bench Merrick guided her to.

The rushing of water filled her ears as the crew lowered them, and she didn’t move as drops of saltwater kissed her face once they cut the ropes, and the waves immediately took them away from the trade ship.

ChapterFive

The boat wasn’t as vulnerable to the waves as Lessia had feared, moving smoothly over the choppy water.

It was challenging to steer, though, and every time she switched with one of the males to row in the direction Merrick pointed toward, she couldn’t focus on anything else but pushing through the water, keeping her eyes on the thickening mist around them.

Lessia gripped the wooden oars tight when a current threatened to pull them from her hands, letting out a wheezing exhale when she managed to push through.

“Do you want me to take over?” Merrick slipped onto the wooden bench in the stern, shifting the boat’s weight but helping her get a better grip against the water fighting her strokes.

Shaking her head, she forced another strong pull.

It felt good using her strength.

If nothing else, it kept all the thoughts and worry inside at bay.

“Those lazy humans are passed out back there,” Merrick sneered.

She shrugged as she let a wave hit the boat before pulling another stroke.

Neither Ardow nor Venko had been very helpful when it was their turn.

Even Ardow, with his Fae blood making him stronger than most humans, had almost let the oars slip out of his hands, and she was certain Venko’s muttering and venomous glares were the reason.

But there wasn’t room in her to pity him.

Not with everything else going on.

Although she’d been on the receiving end of similar stares, so she understood why he’d barely been able to move the boat a few feet forward.

“Where are we going?” she dared ask when they’d both been quiet for a beat.

Straightening his cloak, he captured her eyes. “Midhrok.”

The confusion must have been evident on her face because he continued. “It’s the land between Havlands and the next realm.”

---