Page 24 of Ship of Shadows
Leoni cut him a glare, then turned her gaze to me. “I can and I will. This is your stupidest idea yet, and you’ve had some truly wretched ones.”
I sighed. She wasn’t going to back down, and in truth, I didn’t want her to. “I could use a friend.”
“How about two?” Driscoll stepped forward.
“Fuck me,” Bastian muttered. “This is turning into a circus.”
I shook my head. “No, you can’t come. You need to return to the earth court. Liliath needs you.”
He waved away my words. “She doesn’t need me. That’s the problem. She has no use for me.” He fingered the round silver pin on his shirt that signified his role in the earth court. “Gave me some stupid role as ambassador because I have no skills. I mean, I’m very good looking, obviously, but I’m ready to be more than a pretty face. If I go on this journey and help you rescue your brothers, I’ll finally be taken seriously.”
“But you’re going to miss her wedding. She’s one of your closest friends. Surely you wouldn’t miss such a momentous occasion?”
He tugged at the collar of his shirt. “This is just between us, but Liliath is already married.”
“What?” I screeched, and Bastian stuck a finger in his ear, which I ignored.
“She and Penn wanted something private, personal, to them. So they had an intimate little ceremony a few weeks ago. I already saw her get married. This big one is just for show, a chance to assure all the courts that Elwen is no longer weak, that we’re an asset to the rest of Arathia.”
That was so damn romantic, and I loved that Liliath got the wedding she wanted. I sighed. “This is going to be dangerous, Driscoll.”
He clapped his hands together. “Well, good thing I have all you fine people to protect me. Let’s get going.”
“Yes, please,” Bastian said, annoyance lacing his words.
I looked at Leoni and nodded, then we both turned and stuck out our hands toward the waves.
“How are we getting to the ship, exactly?” Driscoll asked, letting out a nervous laugh.
Bastian eyed the water rising before us, throat bobbing before a mask of stone slipped over his face. If he was terrified, he was doing his best not to show it.
Leoni and I commanded the wave to lower down and slip under our feet, and it gently cushioned us as we were lifted into the air.
“Oh no, no, I don’t like this.” Driscoll’s eyes shifted back and forth as we rose higher and higher.
It took all my concentration to keep us safe in the wave’s grasp, the storm fighting for its attention. The wave tugged for control, wanting to break free, but I pulled it back under my command. Bastian’s face had gone pale, his body rigid next to mine, and it felt cruel to be so delighted that this, at least, had been real—his fear of the ocean. I didn’t know how the most notorious pirate to ever exist was scared of the sea, but in this moment, that fear etched itself into his tensed body.
The wave rode under us, water soaking through my clothes. I didn’t think I could get any wetter, but it didn’t bother me.
“Oh, not my boots,” Driscoll whined, looking down at the soaked suede.
“Who wears suede in the water court?” Leoni asked, her hands still out as she helped command the wave to take us to Bastian’s ship.
“Someone with a sense of style,” Driscoll retorted.
“Will you both shut the bloody hell up?” Bastian asked.
For once, I agreed with the pirate.
“Someone’s testy,” Driscoll muttered under his breath.
Spirits below, I just wanted to get to the damn ship.
The storm whirled around us, water pounding at our wave, rain pounding down, wind pounding us. We were being battered at every angle. Finally, the ship appeared through the heavy curtain of rainfall, and I raised my hand, commanding the wave to spit us out right onto the slick deck where we landed.
We were here. We’d arrived at the pirate lord’s ship, and I could only hope that I wouldn’t come to regret this.
Chapter Twelve
