With a disoriented shake of my head, I released them.
The ship came instantly to life. It lurched forward, and the wind curled once more through the gunport beside me.
Lachlan only glowered. It looked like his teeth were cutting into his tongue. “Get up.”
“What time is it?”
He was already moving. “Quick.”
We were tucked into a far corner of the deck, where few crew slept, but we both moved as stealthily as we could along the wall of the ship’s hull, toward a bank of doors.
“Hide there,” he whispered, pointing to a narrow space between the cannon and hull. I ducked down, grimacing from pain, as he pulled out the key he’d taken from the sailor we’d thrown overboard. He put his ear to the first door. “What the hell happened?”
Confusion rushed me. “A dream… I think. Maybe from the nepenthe.” But it had felt like more than a dream. I’d never occupied another’s body in a dream before. I’d been able to taste the foul water and smell the mildew and dank stones. Perhaps my own mind was punishing me. Illustrating stories I’d been told in harrowing detail. Forcing my consciousness into Eusia’s body. Making me look upon my father’s face when I wanted nothing more than to forget it.
Lachlan knocked gently on the door. When no answer came, he forced the key into the lock. It gave way with a loudclickand then he urged me inside, where he fumbled with the lantern.
It was a small cabin, with only a narrow cot against the wall, a porthole, and a few hooks beside. In the corner was a small shelf where a wash bucket, soap, and razor sat. It was less than half thesize of my dressing room in Fort Linum. The sky framed by the porthole was grim and moonless.
As Lachlan hung the lantern on its hook, I heard collective mumbling coming from the deck above. The group spoke in unison, but I could not understand their words. A smattering of claps followed.
“Lachlan…” I lowered myself to the cot, knees feeling suddenly weak. “How long did I sleep?”
“Not long at all before you stopped the ship.”
“What time is it?”
Slowly, he turned toward me, a mix of remorse and resolve fixed upon his face. “Our goal was never to stop the wedding, Imogen. The wedding needed to happen to prevent a war. All we need is Halla.”
It felt like my ribs had snapped and punctured my soft heart. I took a moment to find my voice. “Iknowthat. But I… I thought…” I fisted my hands, as a stinging anger began to encase my hurt. “It doesn’t matter what I thought.” I swallowed around the knot in my throat. “You’re a shit, you know.”
Lachlan nodded somberly. “Yeah, I know.”
He’d married her. I struggled to take in a breath, struggled against the brutality of my despair. Theodore had done just as I’d told him to. It was for this reason that I’d taken that draught and severed our bond—so that he might do his duty without me pulling him off course. Because it was right and good. I’d anticipated it would hurt, but this was so much worse than my imaginings. I’d not expected the absolute misery, the betrayal, the searing fury over him doing precisely what I’d wanted.
Lachlan adjusted his coat and said carefully, “You can’t kill her.”
I reared back at his tone. “I beg your pardon?”
He lifted his hands defensively, as if he were wholly innocent of being a right bastard. “Shockingly, you’ve proven to be somewhat untrustworthy in the short time we’ve been reunited, so Ifeel compelled to make it clear that you cannot, under any circumstances, kill the princess of Obelia.”
My mouth pinched. “I have no intentions ofkillingher. I need to learn what she knows about Eusia and her mother.Weneed her to get to Agatha. Why in the bloody Gods would I kill her?”
Lachlan shook his head and absently reached into the pocket of his uniform coat. He pulled out a hunk of bread and tossed it at me. “Oh, I’m not implying you’d do it on purpose. I think you’re more likely to get mad and do it without thinking.”
My cheeks went hot. Crumbs flew over my lap as I tore off a bite of bread. “Fine. I won’t kill her.” The quiet turned uncomfortable as I ate my bread, so I tried to fill it. “How did you know this was the right cabin?”
Lachlan took a knee and relaced his boots. He adjusted the dagger at his waist. “While you slept, I watched the other officers take to their cabins. No one came into this one and I remembered that the manyoukilled on the forecastle was an officer.” He pointed to the officer’s pin on his lapel.
Affronted, I straightened. “Don’t sayyoulike that. You drew your dagger too.”
“Like any well-trained soldier, I made a thoughtful decision to pull my blade. I considered all the possible outcomes.” Lachlan eyed me and raised his dark brows questioningly. “Did you?”
I took my last bite of bread, gnawing on it with downcast eyes. I hadn’t been thoughtful in my attack of that officer at all. My body had moved faster than my mind. Despite how I’d been so determined to shore myself up and keep myself in line, Lachlan was right. I’d already proven, once more, that my lack of control put everyone in danger.
“All right.” I met his eye. “Then we need to make a pact.”
Lachlan cocked his head, eyes narrowing with caution.
