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She wiggled her brows at the sight of Jaiel, and a wide smile split her freckled cheeks as she skipped a few steps ahead of her escort and hooked arms with me.
Fuck. I would never hear the end of this …
"I can't believe you didn't tell me he would be accompanying you! Didn't want me to know how much fun this mission was going to be?" She winked. "How did you arrange it, though? I swear, the girls have been trying since he started shaving, but they've never actually won! Was it the Arbiter's Medal? If so, everyone is going to want one even more now —"
I held my hand out to shush her and cast a worried gaze over my shoulder. Jaiel was strolling along undisturbed, whistling to himself and staring out over the ocean.
As I stared, a young man with pincers protruding from his jaw gestured rudely at him, but Jaiel just looked in the other direction.
Huh. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was intentionally avoiding the glares from all those he passed.
No. That would be ridiculous.
Shaking it off, I turned back to Lynn. "Look — nothing is happening between the asshole prince and me. I have zero interest in him. In fact, if Lady Frexin wasn't pushing so hard, I would have declined the mission because of him!"
Lynn nodded, but her lips were curled in a smug smile as she stared at him over my shoulder. "I'm sure you would have. Just like I would turn down plum pie."
"Gods! I don't need another distracting lover, Lynn," I said, groaning. "Remember Tye? And even if I wanted some fun right now, I couldn't. We're on this mission together. You know the rules!"
"Rules schmules." She winked. "Sometimes you need to live in the moment, Kaiya. Otherwise, when you're old and alone, you'll look back over your life and regret putting everything into your work." She paused. "Other things are important, too, you know."
We'd reached the ship, and I sighed as I looked down at my concerned friend.
"I'm different from you, though, Lynn," I said, softening my tone. "When I lay there dying in Karemi, my biggest worry wasn't about 'not living.' It was about not fulfilling my purpose." I shifted my pack on my shoulders. "I need to go out and find those relics before they can hurt more people — people like my aunt and Eli. Finding and turning those evil things over to be put away in the vault — that's what I live for." I looked up at the ship looming ahead. "Besides, you know how hard it's been for me since Frexin sidelined me! I need the work."
"Okay." She sighed. "I'll drop it … for now. But don't forget to take care of yourself out there. Okay?"
"I will."
Satisfied, she passed me the pack she'd been carrying. "Lady Frexin said she packed this herself."
I took it and peeked inside, grinning at the additional gear, weapons, and heavy purse. She must be truly worried to have sent me a care package!
I shook my head. That woman acted tough, but she was a softy deep down.
"Tell me you brought contraceptives just in case you meet someone who does catch your fancy," Lynn said.
Gods. She wouldn't let up!
Sighing, I nodded. "I'm on the monthly dose, and I took it last week."
"Excellent." She winked. "I expect a full report when you return."
I shook my head and pulled a letter from my coat pocket. "Could you mail this? I need to let Aunt Grace know I'll be gone for a while and won't make it to Gleyma to visit her next week."
Lynn nodded and slid it into her pocket. "You'd better not be gone too long. I refuse to tell your aunt you're going to miss her wedding!" She shuddered. "You remember it's in four weeks, right?"
Nodding, I gave her a quick hug. "I do. You're the best, Lynn. And I expect an update on your lover when I return."
"Deal." She pursed her lips, thinking for a moment. "You know what? If you admit there's at least a smidge of chemistry between you and Jaiel, maybe I'll introduce you when you get back."
"Never!" I hissed as Jaiel and the escort finally caught up.
Shooting her one more glare, I turned my attention to the ship.
It was bigger than anything I'd been on before, the gangplank alone rising at least as high as a small house. Dozens of cannon-holes winked from the hull, and the strange green wood glimmered in a way I'd never seen wood do before.
"Get out'a here Roain," muttered a slim man with vines twisting around his body, carrying a large crate. As he passed Jaiel, he bumped him with his shoulder, then turned and spat at his feet before storming off.
