Esmyra stood still for a moment, clutching her broken wrist, watching as the mark of the sea dragons shone beneath the sun.
“That’s…new.” Draevyn’s eyes narrowed as he caught sight of it. “What is it?”
Before he could take a step closer, she snapped her arm back against her side, shoving it out of his sight. “It’s nothing,” she said sharply, and he raised a brow. She cleared her throat. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
And without another glance, Esmyra turned on her heel, walking toward the bow as the salty wind caught her hair.
She wasn’t ready to tell him everything yet. Not about knowing what happened with the gods all that time ago, andcertainlynot about the bond that tethered her and Kaelypso to their twins forever. She’d barely been able to admit it to herself.
So instead, with a bitter twist in her chest, Esmyra did what she hated most. What had somehow become her only refuge in recent weeks…
She ran.
CHAPTER 45
Esmyra
The sky was melting into shades of rose and indigo, the last bits of sunlight stretching across the horizon asValorcut through the waves. Esmyra stood at the bow most of the day, staring out at the endless water.
Footsteps approached softly, and Jak came to stand beside her. His arms were crossed over his chest while his eyes followed the same line as hers. For a long moment, neither of them spoke, only listening to the groan of the ship and the crash of waves.
“You look like you’re trying to find something out there,” he said finally.
“Maybe I am. I just don’t know what anymore.”
He blew out a breath. “You’ve been through hell, Captain. Anyone would feel lost.”
She gave a short, humorless laugh. “I’ve always known where I belong. I was just too stubborn to see it, and now it’s too late.” Her fingers tightened on the railing. “I used to think I didn’t know who I was because I wasn’t sure where I came from. But now I don’t even know who I am without it. Without the power.”
“Power or no power, you’re still you. That’s more dangerous than you think.” Jak winked. “Terrifying, really.”
My favorite scary lady of the sea.Esmyra remembered Ren’s wordsfrom their last night aboardThe Night Wraithtogether, and she let out a quiet chuckle.
“Aye, perhaps you’re right, Jaky.”
He shifted his stance, his shoulder brushing hers as the wind howled around them. “What happened to you after the cave-in?” he asked. “I’ve heard it from the Phoenix, but I want your side of it. I want to hear it from you.”
She kept her eyes on the horizon, jaw clenched. “Well, as you may assume… we found Maerinys.” A lifeless laugh escaped her. “Turns out I have a family too.”
“As long as they don’t replace us, I guess I can accept that,” he teased.
“Never,” she gasped out, shaking her head. “I have a twin, and her name is Syrena. She’s ruled over the kingdom since she was essentially a child. Raised by the people of Maerinys and her adviser, Azarian.”
Jak’s golden eyes flared. “Was he the massive ugly brute leading them?”
Azarian was there? Tits, she really did get lucky her crew came when they did.
“Aye. That was likely him.” She sighed.
They both turned to face the deck, resting their elbows on the rail as they leaned back.
“It’s a very long story, but…Syrena and Azarian are very bad people. Terrible, selfish beings. Even worse than us.” Her eyes slowly drifted to where Draevyn stood on the deck below, his silhouette cast against the dying sun. “All I could focus on was finally finding someone like me. Who understood what it was like to possess this power and the loneliness in it. I put my trust in them when I shouldn’t have, and it cost me everything.”
Jak’s stare followed hers, halting on Draevyn. “Maybe not…everything.”
Esmyra turned toward him, head tilting in confusion. “I’m sorry, what?”
He gave her a knowing look, one corner of his mouth twitchingup. “You didn’t lose everything. Not while we’re still here.” His chin tilted subtly toward Draevyn.
