Thisiswhat friendship feels like.
It’s different than with Brynne and Edmond, or even Fin. These three saved my life when I’m basically still their enemy. I know some part of it is because Weston would probably have Sig’s head if his bargaining chip is harmed, but in this moment, conspiring to hide something we endured together from Weston, it feels like more than that. It feels real, and something deep inside me doesn’t want to lose it.
The laughter in Sig’s expression disappears as her brows draw in and her eyes grow serious again. “We need to get backnow. Stay alert. We don’t know how many others are out there.”
We fall back into pairs and hurry through the marsh, back toward the portal.
My mind wars with itself after everything that happened tonight. My feelings toward Weston and his motives haven’t changed. Arguably, they are worse than before I set out on the shift tonight, now that I know he is using me. I still want to get home to Dane, even though I didn’t take the opportunity tonight, and I can’t imagine how he feels looking for me every day.
But I also can’t deny that I’m starting to grow fond of some of the Castaways, who clearly care enough about me to putthemselves at risk. How can I turn on them, simply because I have to turn on Weston?
Just before we reach the entrance to the portal, I stop short and quickly reach back to my waistband, feeling around for my dagger. I breathe a sigh of relief when I feel the hilt, still secure and not sucked into the mud and lost to the island forever. At least if I have to endure feeling uncertain about some things, I still have the familiarity and comfort of my dagger.
Please gods, don’t let Dawnlin take that away from me too.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Sunrise quickly approaches, and the edges of the sky lighten overhead as we step out of the portal onto the beach. I hadn’t expected the shift to last all night, and exhaustion hits me like a wave as we trudge through the sand. The mud has hardened on my skin and clothes, and I’ve done nothing but fantasize about the shower and scrubbing myself clean during our entire walk back.
Eyes trained on my boots as I stumble along the jagged rock, I almost slam into Sig’s back as she stops abruptly in front of me.
“Oh gods,” she groans, throwing her hands to her head.
“Oh gods, indeed,” Stassia says, her voice lilting and very different from Sig’s inflection.
I peek between them, following the line of their gaze to see what is causing the pause. My jaw slackens as I take in the scene on deck.
A few torches burn, a flickering glow casting shadows near the mainmast, but that isn’t what catches my attention.
Skin.
Weston’s glistening, bare skin, to be exact.
His hands grip the mast as he hangs above the deck. His forearms are taut, his biceps bulging as he rhythmically raisesand lowers his chest to the beam. The muscles in his broad back and shoulders ripple, and I can’t stop my eyes from taking in every inch of them. My mouth goes dry at the sight.
Stassia throws her arms out to the sides wildly, blocking anyone from passing her.
“Can we stay here just for a few minutes?”
Flutters fill my low stomach as we stand in silence watching. Hatred for him aside, anyone would be distracted by his hard curves, the way his body moves, and the feelings that stir at the sight of it. I know it isn’t just me, even though I hate the way I respond to him.
Stop it, Lennox.
Stassia makes a low grunt of appreciation and Auralie lets out a tiny giggle.
“This is going to be bad,” Sig says with a sigh. “He was supposed to be asleep.”
She pushes past Stassia’s arm, causing her face to fall into an exaggerated frown. He hasn’t seen us approach yet, his back still to us as we follow Sig, closing the distance to the gangway.
“How do you know?” I say, clearing my throat after my voice cracks on the last word.
“He only does this when he’s stressed,” Sig says.
“The last time was when you showed up,” Stassia says, a wistful smile on her lips. “Ah, that was a fun day to be on deck.”
Stassia’s comment is confusing. What about me showing up would make him stressed, and how did he even know? I was with Dane all day, and there was no way he was following me already. Dane and I hadn’t really talked about the possibility of us yet, so there would be no reason to capture me to use against him that early on.
“I’m sure it will be fine,” Auralie says. “We’re all back.”
