Page 86 of Pirate Witch
“He’s right,” I whisper. “People will start leaving their homes soon. We should take him somewhere peaceful, where he won’t be gawked at.”
At first, it’s hard to distinguish her nod from her trembling, but the moment she pushes to her feet, I know she’s ready. I help her stand, supporting her as we watch Cas lift Cooper into his arms. Her golden dress is completely sodden with Cooper’s blood, but she doesn’t seem to notice.
“What happened?” Elsie finally asks, as we start to walk toward the Lunar temple. “I know he went missing in the battle, but how did he…?”
She can’t even say the word. I bite my lip, wondering if it’s wise to go into detail when she’s still so raw.
Cas takes the decision out of my hands. “When Nos and I got there, theDeadwoodwas being boarded and Cooper was duelling his father over Val’s unconscious body. Castleman’s ship fired on us, which jolted everyone and in the process...” He pauses, clearly wondering how much to say. “His father’s sword killed him, and I ate the bastard for it. Nos and I feel responsible because he was holding his own until we got there.”
Elsie shakes her head. “He went bravely then?”
Cas nods. “Defending our captain. Val’s alive because of him.”
It’s selfish, all things considered, but I relax slightly at his words. Val’s alive. Likely injured, but he’s immortal.
If Cooper had been old enough, he might also have lived.
“Then his life wasn’t wasted.” Elsie rubs a hand across her face and for a second, her vulnerability disappears. The golden eyes of the witch who looks across the blood soaked main street hold a weariness that shouldn’t exist in someone her age. “I don’t blame you. You didn’t fire the cannons, and it wasn’t your hand holding the sword.” She sighs and looks back at me. “A wise woman once told me not to judge someone by the actions of someone else. Coop’s father killed him, not you.” She pauses, biting her lip as a savage glint flickers to life in her eye. “Vengeance goes against what my Goddess preaches, but I’m glad Everett Castleman paid for what he did.”
The sentence seems to shock her as much as it does me. Solars just don’t admit things like that, and I’m glad she didn’t say it around anyone else. My men won’t think anything of it, but no future Mother Solar would ever admit something like that.
Once again, I open my mouth to say something, but all the platitudes I could give seem meaningless. All I can do is hug her and pray that she’s strong enough to get through this.
ChapterThirty
NILSA
For most of my life, Coveton has been a bustling place. It isn’t a cultural hub like Ilyani, or a trading post like Port Evert, but there was always a buzz that ran through the streets. The snow often dampened it, but it was always there.
Today, watching the pyres of the dead burn on a beach just inside the salt wall, is the first day that I’ve felt its absence. Maybe the people of Coveton are still in shock from the scene they opened their doors to, or it could be a reaction to the imposing figures of the wrecked ships in Hardhearth Bay.
Whatever it is, I wish it would stop. I feel adrift without the constant hum of activity in my veins. My only relief comes when I finally manage to slip away from the endless task of preparing the dead for burial, and back to the room I share with my men. Most of them are out helping to clear the streets, but Val hasn’t woken up since Nos brought him back to be healed earlier. Mother Solar Sophie assured all of us that there’s nothing wrong with him, but I can’t help worrying. He lies motionless in the centre of the bed with Titan curled up against his other side. The mastiff looks up as I enter, but Val’s still out cold.
I don’t notice myself crossing to the edge of the bed until the mastiff leans over his master and nuzzles my hand, demanding pets. I oblige him with absent-minded strokes as I look down at the mage’s sleeping face.
This is the first moment since the battle that I’ve had a chance to just breathe. Fire pricks at the inside of my eyes as I finally let myself process what’s happened in the last twenty-four hours. Yes, we won. But the cost…
Elsie’s shut down. Her sunny smile seems to have died with Cooper. My hometown is a mess. Worse still, some of the high priestesses believe the wraiths are effective enough that we should bargain with them for their help in destroying the Eagle’s forces at Cawshome. They actually believe we should repeat what happened here, and Danika… didn’t disagree with them.
“You need to fucking wake up,” I growl at Val. “Because I’m so out of my depth here and…” I trail off, scrubbing at my eyes with my free hand. “You just need to wake up so I can yell at you for being so stupid and scaring me shitless and—”
A large, calloused, warm hand grips my forearm and drags me forward, pulling me off balance and onto the bed. I end up with my head buried in his chest, his arm over the top of me.
“Witch?”
I sniff, blushing at the sound of his voice. “Yes?”
“Shut up and get some fucking sleep. You look worse than I do.”
“Asshole.” I slap at his arm even as I cuddle closer to him.
“You love it,” he quips.
Did he just say…? Both of us freeze, caught off guard by the L-word. Blush stains my cheeks like I’m some teenager with a crush. I don’t dare to look up, because I know his insufferable smirk will be gracing his mouth again. If I see it, I’ll hit him, and he probably does deserve a rest after the beating he already took today.
Of course, Titan uses the moment to wriggle until he’s somehow lying over both of us, crushing us as he plasters Val’s face in slobbery licks.
“Fuck, I can’t breathe,” Val chokes out. “Cut it out, boy. Settle down, come on.”
