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“You didn’t happen to bring any rum back with you from the good old days, did you?” I was only half-joking.
To my surprise, he reached into his satchel and produced a flask. He tossed it to me.
“You bastard,” I smiled wide, chugging a big mouthful. “Never thought I’d taste that again. It’s just not the same here.”
We kept on about things as the girls awoke. We watched them on the shore as they chattered and prepared themselves for the day ahead. Then we climbed up onto the boat.
“You can’t hold her back, you know. Even when you want to protect her.” Milo’s voice made me look back over my shoulder at him as I went to pick up a rope. He’d better not be trying to give me some heart-to-heart shit about Serena. Not after all he’d caused with Katrina.
“Shocking words coming from you, mate.” I cocked my head, dropping the rigging in my hand. “You of all people know what it’s like to lose your lass. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t do anything to keep that from happening again.”
“I would. I did. I tried that. I tried to keep Katrina from Cordelia so she wouldn’t get hurt. And the trust I lost in her wasn’t worth the false sense of security. I was wrong to try to make that decision for her. And it’s the same with Serena. She’s going to do what she thinks she must, and it’s not our place to try to hold them back.” He narrowed his eyes at the two girls chatting yards away as the wind swept through their hair. “They’re both as untamable as the sea. And isn’t that always what you’ve loved about the sea?”
For a moment I thought on his words, letting them digest as I stretched my jaw forward to relieve the tension I was holding. “I’m not going to hand her over to Bastian if that’s what you mean.”
“Of course not. But I mean, if her destiny is to face him once and for all, to get back the power that’s rightfully hers, do you think you should try to keep her from that?”
I offered a lewd gesture and an eye roll, because it was the only way I could keep from letting him see how deeply his words sank into my conscience. I knew Serena deserved to be restored to the fullness of her power, but surely she could stand back while I did it for her. Because one thing I was sure as hell of—I wasn’t trading her for Katrina’s mom in a million years.
I looked for a way to change the subject quickly and my gaze landed on Milo’s tattoo. “That’s new.”
“A little token from Bastian in the past. You still have yours?” Milo asked with a nod.
“It’s not going anywhere.” I reached up instinctively to feel the skin over my collarbone. The inked sea beast curving along it and around to the nape of my neck tattoo on my body had remained dormant for all these centuries until I’d started hearing Bastian’s voice through it again on this goose chase. It was our seal—like how he’d taken Katrina’s voice—to prove our bargain. Only the bargain was my father’s, and I was the pawn piece between them.
“What about the sun thing around it? Don’t recall that one.” I noticed his arm marking bordering the intricate map. It seemed less like ink and more like a shining inlay of metal.
“It’s a long story. But it was supposed to dampen the effect of Bastian’s mark.” Milo blew a puff of air through his lips and squinted in the sunlight. “Some legend from an island I found. The sun protects them from inner darkness. And they wanted to keep Bastian’s darkness from finding them.”
““Did it work?” I raised an eyebrow.
“I certainly hope so.” He looked back at Katrina and Serena, who seemed to be finishing up their conversation as they waded into the surf to come aboard. “Anyway, the sails are set for now.”
I gave him a nod, watching him stride across the deck to help the girls up, but not before he stopped and turned around once more. “Bellamy.”
“Aye?” I called.
“You’ve covered my arse more times than you should have. Don’t think I won’t have your back in whatever comes next.”
“Savvy, mate. I’ll hold you to that.” I joked with a finger pointing toward him.
Once the girls were on board, Katrina looked concerned and whispered something to Milo. I watched him follow her to the cabin hatch. Making my way to the helm, I glanced over at Serena, who was eyeing me with a look of seduction or disdain, or maybe both, as she leaned on her elbows over the boat’s edge. With a wink, I took the wheel.
38
Burn
Milo
"What did you want to tell me?” I asked Katrina.
“I’d rather talk inside,” she said, ushering me into the cabin. There wasn’t much room, but we made our way around old fishing gear and nets cluttered around the sink area to the farthest area back, where two little sofa-like cots lined the sides of the cabin walls.
I tripped on a net we stepped over when a lure snagged on my pants. I stumbled and caught myself with a mutter. “My ship would’ve never been in such disarray.”
Katrina laughed. “Already lost your sea legs?”
“Ha, not quite,” I smiled, leaning my arm on the wall just above her head. “Just distracted by a pretty mermaid.”
