Page 13 of Suffer No Fools
Tovey shook his shoulders at the mention of the undead. "Glad we weren't there."
"Is it an army?" Stan asked.
"I don't know," Hugo said. "I only know of two places where she keeps them, but there could be islands full of corpses. When weavers die on Stony Eel Island, their bodies aren't returned to their families in Hearthstone."
"That's ... awful." Tovey glanced up at the empty plate. "I'll take this back to the galley, and then I promised Vadim I would evaluate the twins' progress with their air weaves."
Stan withheld a sigh. He thought Tovey would be the one to approach Hugo with their offer to show him joy.
"You coming?" Tovey glared at him as he hopped to his feet.
"I have nowhere else to be," Stan said. "Do I?"
"Trin's working with Jermain." Tovey shrugged. "I thought you might want to help, since you were so good with helping Niall."
"I helped Niall with air weaves, not earth."
"Well, then. You can help me with the twins, too."
Hugo surprised him by standing when he did, almost brushing against his shoulder as they both walked toward the door.
"Klaus said I might watch what's happening on deck from the stairway. If nothing else, I can see Hannah and Klaus in the crow's nest."
"It won't be long before we're back on Aquarion," Tovey said. "Then, you'll be able to train with the others."
Once they were on deck, safely out of earshot from Hugo, Tovey turned and cursed him out before all the gods and monsters in the world. "Together, Stan. We said we'd be together."
"Did you think I was going to jump on him the moment you left?"
Tovey stared at him with the same righteous indignation he'd had when he'd let loose his stream of curses.
"You did." Stan answered his own question.
"Can you blame me? You've been making heart eyes at him since that first night."
Stan seemed to remember Hugo staring at Tovey so long he'd had to snap his fingers to get the emperor's attention. Yes, he'd kissed Hugo, but so had Tovey, at the same time.
"You can kiss him on the mouth next time," Stan said. "It doesn't matter to me."
Tovey uttered another strangled curse. "That's not what I'm saying!"
"Then what?"
Tovey met his gaze, and Stan refused to look away. He didn't want to blink, lest he miss some important tell. Tovey looked away first, with another "Gods damn it all," thrown in for good measure.
"Wash day is coming up," Tovey said, his voice so low the breeze almost overpowered it. "Once we're all cleaned up, I'm going to braid his hair. I told him you might give him a massage at the same time. We can ask him then."
Stan didn't mind the wait as much as he worried Tovey would postpone the offer, even then. He studied Tovey as closely as he examined the boards at their feet. "I'll do anything you want."
Tovey met his gaze again, and Stan saw the vulnerable and sweet air weaver he'd missed. "You would. That's why I have to let you go."
Fuck's sake. Stan thought he was getting somewhere with the man, and then he said shit like that.
Tovey was already deep in conversation with the twins at their air stations when Stan walked past them. He found Jermain and Trin on the navigation deck, standing at the point of the prow.
"Why aren't you watching Hugo?" Vadim asked when he approached the wheel.
"He wanted to come above deck, too." Stan looked back over his shoulder, but the stairway to the hold was vacant.
