Page 28 of Tik-Tok

North gasped, her hand cupping her mouth. “Why would you do that?”

He gave her a wolfish grin. “I’m a masochist. Couldn’t you tell?”

“Tik-Tok,” she said, exasperated.

“Celyna—the sea witch—told me I needed to do it if I wanted the portal. Every year she has a vision of what will bring me closer to opening it, and a few decades ago, it was to remove my arm.”

Her scowl deepened. “And this year it was to steal me away?”

“A task I gladly accepted—I’d rather keep the rest of my limbs.” He continued opening and closing his fist.Click click click.“We’re getting off track, my star. You wanted to know why I looked after you?” He paused, meeting her gaze. “When I was bleeding profusely, when my arm was infected, when the wound was finally healing but not yet well enough to replace, no one helped. A healer, yes, but only enough to keep me alive. My crew was new at the time and things were … uncertain.”

“You—”

“Shh,” he admonished lightly. “I don’t want whatever pity you’re about to give. I’m only telling you this so you know that I understand. I know what it’s like to suffer when you have no one you love to comfort or care for you. Besides, there’s powerful magic built into the arm, so it worked out rather well in the end despite the fortune I had to give the Tinker Witch who made it.”

“Well, then.” North’s eyes took on a slightly softer edge. “Thank you. For saving my life.”

“You’re welcome,” he said with a shrug.

“Even though I wouldn’t have been stabbed at all if it weren’t for you.” She cleared her throat, taking on a forced arrogance.

“Cheeky,” he huffed.

North shifted slightly and he could feel her eyes on his arm. “Can you feel with it?”

“Of course.” He ran his fingertips over the woolen blanket, feeling the roughness of the thick fabric. “It’s the same as a real arm, only flashier.”

“And magical,” North added and her stomach growled. “I think I’ll take you up on the food now. Something hot. And it had better not taste like what you’ve been giving me on your ship.”

Tik-Tok chuckled softly and rose to his feet. “Anything else, my lady?”

“Clothes.” She tugged the blanket higher. “Nice ones. And if you don’t get me the axe you promised, I refuse to step foot back on that awful ship.”

“Now, now.” He took her chin gently and turned her to look at him. “Say what you want about me, but leave my ship out of it.”

“Food,” she demanded, shoving his hand away with what might have been a smile.

Tik-Tok bit his lip to keep himself from laughing and left the room to find the innkeeper. Such spunk, even now. Idly, he wondered how far she would push her demands—how far he would let her—and it spurred something in his chest. Such a difficult little star.

Hisdifficult, challenging, spirited little star.

Chapter Twelve

North

A sharp axe sliced clean through his neck—blood sprayed into the air. North couldn’t see the victim’s face, but by his short, stocky build, he was a dwarf.

An ear-shattering scream screeched from behind her, and North whirled around, finding Rizmaela watching in anguish, tears flooding her eyes.

North peered down at her hands, where her fingers tightly gripped the axe, her skin coated in bright crimson.

North’s eyes flew open and she jerked forward.

“Are you trying to reinjure yourself?” a deep voice rumbled from beside the bed, his hands holding her by the shoulders.

Tik-Tok.

Taking a deep swallow, she slowly leaned against the headboard as he took his palms from her skin.

---