Page 45 of Sea and Sky
Gavin nodded for Damon to join her. She probably didn’t need protection, but he wanted to make sure no one messed with her, though he had a feeling she could take care of herself.
Gavin went to the door and pulled the tassel to ring the servants to bring food. Kyler hadn’t moved from the bed.
Kyler clung to the bed cover like his life depended on it. Like if he let go, he’d drift off into the waves rocking the ship.
“I’m sorry for—” Kyler started, but Gavin took the two strides to the bed and scooped him up.
“No need to be sorry for anything. I knew you were a pirate. That you stole. That…” What? Kyler had been violated against his will? Repeatedly. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t pity me.” Kyler pulled away from his arms. “I’m alive. And right now I have a dragon prince at my disposal, a dinner coming I don’t have to pay for, a bed for the journey, andtwofavors to look forward to.”
“How do you stay so optimistic?”
“I don’t think about my life. I live in the now because if I remember the past or try to really think of a future… well, it doesn’t go well.” Kyler picked at the skin around his nails. “I do what I can to survive. And most of the time, that’s going with whatever Vex says.”
“But you’re not with him now.” Gavin hadn’t really understood the agreement with Vex.
Kyler fiddled with his palm, the one with the binding spell. “The binding allows me my freedom at port after I play a game of find the jewel. I can do whatever I want. Because.” He hung his head. “I promised if he allowed me that, I’d do everything he wanted me to do on the ship. I used to fight him over everything. It made his life hard, mine even more so. But when he discovered I got so sick I almost died when he didn’t let me shift for a few weeks. We came to an agreement.”
“A half freedom for a half-life.”
“Better than no life.” Kyler’s stomach growled as someone knocked on the door.
Gavin pushed it open and took the tray with thanks. Kyler followed him to the table bolted into the floor in the center of the room. They sat and Gavin passed out the food. Nothing fancy, a bit of jerky, apples, bread that had already seen better days. But Kyler ate it all like it was one of the best meals he’d had in his life. Maybe it was.
“Are you sure you don’t need to shift?”
“I’ll be fine,” Kyler answered with a mouthful of roll. “But maybe I should swim in the morning, during the day, so you can keep an eye on me.”
Gavin nodded. He liked that idea a lot. Perhaps they could practice the mer kiss. “Will you be comfortable sleeping in the bed with me?”
Kyler swallowed. “Yes… My body isminewhen I’m with you. I—”
“I’ll never take advantage of you.” Skies, Gavin hated knowing what had happened to Kyler. “I wish I could make it up to you.”
Kyler cocked his head like a puppy. “Why would you need to make it up to me? You’re not the one that—” He shook his head. “For a few weeks, I won’t have to worry about anyone—”
“But you being merfolk would still be a secret had you not joined me on my mission.”
Kyler’s mouth opened, then closed. “You’re nothing like I imagined a prince would be like.”
“I don’t think either of us is what the other imagined.”
“How did you imagine merfolk? What did you think someone like me would be like?”
Gavin slid his chair back and got more comfortable after the meal. “I don’t know. I imagined merfolk would move like a dancer, which you do. But your voice isn’t ethereal.”
“It is in the water. I can’t speak when my gills are above water. I can’t breathe either, which is damn inconvenient.”
Gavin snorted. “I can imagine.”
When Kyler yawned, Gavin decided it was time for bed. He pulled Kyler’s chair away from the table. “Come, let’s get some sleep.”
“Can we sleep in?”
Gavin dropped a kiss on the top of Kyler’s head. “We’ll see.”
Chapter 20
