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“I’ve been gone a week.”
“And she’s your mother,” Wyn laughed. He turned towards Ayda, who was standing in the middle of the main deck and looking shell-shocked. “Ah! Where are my manners? Welcome, again, to the Barufakr, young lady. My name is Wyn.”
“Hi,” Ayda squeaked. Her eyes were wide as she kept turning around to look at all the different elements of the ship. “I’m Ayda.”
“Don’t listen to a word he says,” Hùisdean rolled his eyes. “Wyn is my brother, Ayda, and if you thought I was a pain in the ass…he’s the one taking us to Lerwick.”
“Charmed!” Wyn gave a little bow to Ayda.
Hùisdean immediately noticed how her cheeks flushed and debated pushing his brother overboard.
“All right, all right.” Hùisdean gave his brother a slight shove. “Get us out of here and on our way home. We have a curse to break and thirteen hours until we get to Lerwick.”
Wyn clapped his hands and jogged towards the ship’s wheel, disappearing behind one of the masts. Hùisdean turned around to address Ayda, but she was already on the far end of the boat. She looked over the stern as the ship slowly started to move.
Hùisdean leaned against the railing, watching Ayda as the sea air whipped her braid around her head, causing some tiny hairs to come loose. He closed his eyes and turned towards the wind, inhaling the salt and brine of the sea. Tiny sparks of magic erupted across Hùisdean’s skin, the little bit he had left, giving him goosebumps from the top of his head to the tip of his toes. Shetland was calling.
I’m coming.
Chapter Six
“Ayda!” Wyn called out over the sounds of the sea. Ayda turned around. The winds were icy on the northern seas. “The tea is ready!”
Ayda nodded to signal that she'd heard him. Wyn nodded and gave her a mega-watt smile, disappearing back below deck. If Ayda's brain worked normally, she would've immediately noted how attractive Wyn was. He was tall, with long black hair that nearly reached his waist. Based on the way he carried himself and maneuvered around deck, Ayda wagered he was a marksman and a damn good sailor. She was correct on both fronts.
He was related to Hùisdean, except while Hùisdean looked more like a summer elf, Wyn looked like dark forests and frosts. Ayda forced herself to take a deep breath and followed Wyn downstairs.
Why are you acting like a coward? You can work with Hùisdean and make it out with your pride intact.
Ayda stepped into the main captain's quarters and was met with pleasant warmth. She hadn’t realized how cold she’d gotten and rubbed her fingers together.
“Come on in. Warm up. If you aren’t careful, the sea air will chill you to the bone in minutes.” Wyn smiled and started pouring Ayda a cup of tea.
He was seated at a long wooden table and started pushing maps and books out of the way to make room for Ayda's place setting. Hùisdean was sitting on the other side of his brother, not making a sound and staring intensely at Ayda. The cabin was as gorgeous as the rest of the ship, with the crown molding carved with the popular Broa style.
There was a massive fireplace with a mantel carved to look like dragons were holding it up, continuing the motif from the ship's bow. Ayda did her best to ignore the massive bed on the right, covered in black furs. It looked like a bed fit for a Viking king, and combined with the magical undercurrent in the room, Ayda didn't need to get any more distracted.
Or do you have any more compromising thoughts about that infernal elf?
“Thank you.” Ayda smiled gracefully at Wyn and sat down, accepting the cup of tea. It smelled like cinnamon and honey but burned like whisky when she sipped it. “Oh, gods,” she sputtered with a small laugh, “you should've warned me.”
“I may have neglected to tell you it's a special blend.” Wyn's smile was equal parts mischievous and welcoming. “An elven specialty.”
“Don't listen to a word he says.” Hùisdean rolled his eyes. “He says that to all the girls. It's cinnamon tea with whisky in it. It's hardly some special elven cocktail.”
Wyn playfully shoved his brother. “As if you haven't been looking at Ayda like you want to show her your special elven—”
“That's enough.” Hùisdean snapped his fingers, and Wyn clamped his lips together. Wyn was unbothered by this and nearly fell backward in his chair, making a mumbling sound that Ayda assumed was laughter.
Hùisdean grunted under his breath and poured himself another cup of tea. Ayda bit the inside of her cheek, trying not to be charmed by the brothers’ antics. After Wyn recovered, he flicked Hùisdean’s ear and gestured wildly to his mouth.
Hùisdean sighed, “Fine. But I have half the mind to keep you like this until we get home.” He snapped his fingers again, and Wyn snorted.
“Ha! I wouldn’t take you home if you left me like that.”
“I can still navigate a fucking ship, you moron.”
“So, Ayda,” Wyn turned his attention to her, ignoring his brother entirely, “have you ever been to the Shetland Islands before?”
