He nodded, wishing—not for the first time—that the room was far bigger. “Agreed.”
“This must be more than a coincidence, right? You and me. On theArcadia. The last week before I transfer out of here, andyoushow up. Isn’t that strange?”
This was good. They could finally be clear with each other. But before he could ask her if she was working for Harrow, Abbie continued: “There are things I need to say, Gideon. And if I don’t say them now, I’ll always regret it.”
He frowned. “Huh?”
“I don’t care what your reasons were for marrying her—to get out of trouble, to rectify some scandal—I can help you. I’ll get you out of it. I’ve been saving up for years now, and… I have means. I can settle whatever debts got you into this mess.”
Gideon’s frown deepened.Debts?“What are you talking about?”
Abbie closed the space between them and took his hand. “You don’t have to pretend with me.”
He glanced down to find her fingers interlaced with his. “Abbie, what—”
Suddenly, she was pushing up on her toes.
And pressing her lips to his.
Whoa. Okay. This wasnotwhere Gideon had thought this was going.
He was about to pull away and apologize for whatever he’d done to lead her on—but there was a question burning in the back of his mind.
Would the curse activate?
Is it only Rune who triggers it? Or can anyone?
He cupped Abbie’s neck and kissed her back.
The seconds ticked by. Old memories from after the revoltseeped up. The two of them, together. But the images were hazy. Like a book he’d once read and all but forgotten.
Gideon felt nothing: no flaring scar; no excruciating pain.
It should have brought relief, but it didn’t. Because neither did he feel anything else. No unquenchable thirst. No fusing of two souls. Kissing Abbie was nothing like kissing Rune. The former only made him want the latter.
Is this how it’s going to be?
Had Rune utterly ruined him?
Enough.
Gideon took hold of Abbie’s arms and thrust her back a step. She opened her eyes, looking dazed.
“Are you the spy Harrow planted on this ship?”
Abbie’s brows knit. “What?”
“There’s a spy on board, searching for a witch named Rune Winters. They’re working for Harrow.”
“I…” She shook her head. “I told you: I ran away from all that.”
She seemed too stunned to be lying. But if it wasn’t her, who else could it be?
“Do you have any idea who the spy is? You said you spoke with Harrow the last time theArcadiawas in port.”
“She and I didn’t talk about work.” Abbie stepped away from him. “Did you not hear anything I just said? About you and me?”
Gideon pulled in a breath. He was being rude.
