Silence stretched for a few moments before Draevyn spoke again. “You saw this before I found you in Anchorage Cove.”
She nodded. “I can’t even lie; I think it’s the only reason I believed you in that alley. When you said you’d been under compulsion, I just knew. IknewSyrena had done the same thing to you that Naerysa did to Irah.”
Esmyra hadn’t realized there were tears in her eyes until one slid down her cheek. “Drae, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t you dare apologize,” he cut in, carefully pulling her close to his chest. “You had nothing to do with what was done to me.”
Esmyra pulled away slightly, just enough to look back up at him. “Naerysa tried to turn Irah against Kaelypso, and it didn’t work. But Syrenadidturn me against you, and I did horrible things because of it.”
Draevyn gently wiped her tear away with his thumb. “I wouldn’t say it didn’t work. You told me Irah stabbed both Naerysa and Kaelypso in their hearts. Clearly something must’ve happened.”
“I don’t think he wanted to do it,” she admitted. “The vision eventually changed andthatwas when they showed me my father. He was meeting with the other three gods of Rymelle. Irah, Villaem, and Vydenne were giving him instructions on how to lure Kae and Naerysa to Maerinys that day, telling them that war was coming.”
“Still, Irah betrayed Kaelypso. I would never fucking do that to you.”
“I know,” she admitted, smiling softly. “But I don’t think he wanted to either. When Cyrus agreed to help them, Irah looked horrified. It was like the god was counting on him saying no to save Kaelypso or at least buy her time.”
Draevyn’s brows furrowed. “The sea was your father’s home, so why would he agree to destroy its goddesses?”
“They offered him immortality. Eternal life.” A humorless chuckle slipped from her. “Little did he know it would be a cursed life.”
“There must be more to this,” he whispered, seeming as if his mind was wandering.
“Aye, there must be. And I intend to find out what it is.”
His hand reached for hers, interlocking their fingers before pressing his lips to her knuckles. “Then we’ll find out together, Wildfire.”
They shared a quiet moment like that, just the two of them in the aftermath of the night, until the smell of something cooking drifted up from below.
Esmyra’s stomach rumbled softly. “It seems the crew is awake.”
“Unfortunately, we can’t ignore them forever.”
She laughed, pressing a kiss to his jaw before untangling herself from him. “Alright, I suppose it’s time we face them. But I’m warning you, I will not hesitate to throw a dagger at Samwell if he’s cranky.”
“Noted.” He chuckled, pulling her close for a last squeeze. Then he whispered in her ear, “But the funny thing is he said the same thing about you.”
With a shared grin, they swung their legs over the side of the bed.
From below came the unmistakable sound of voices raised in laughter and shouting, the clanging of pans, and the occasional thump of boots on the floorboards.
Esmyra froze mid-step, tilting her head toward the stairwell. “They sound rowdy.”
Draevyn’s arm tightened around her waist before brushing his lips along her temple. “Of course they are. Chaos is our crew’s specialty.”
Our crew.
“Aye.” She gripped his hand and they crept toward the stairs, the raucous chorus of their crew growing louder with each step.
Esmyra and Draevyn descended the spiral staircase that wound snugly along the massive trunk of the tree. As they reached the bottom, the main room opened up like an enchanted burrow.
She scanned the space, and she couldn’t help but smirk at the absurdity of what she saw. A dozen or so of her crew were crammed into this whimsical little tree home. Broad shoulders bumped into shelves, and heads bent low to avoid the low-hanging plants that hung across the house.
It was almost comical, seeing them squish together, wide eyes peering at odd-looking objects, and hands clutching mugs of herbal tea as though it were a chalice of gold. The contrast between the rough, rugged crew and the delicate charm of Jenli’s home made her smile.
Gods, I’ve gone soft.
“I’ve been waiting for you to notice.” Kaelypso’s voice made her jump.
