“Of course,” I said, straightening in my chair.
She glanced between us, then abruptly stood up. “Well, if there’s nothing else, then I need to make sure everything is in order.”
“Wait…” Oz tensed, and then he slammed his mouth shut as if he hadn’t meant to speak. Shuffling his feet, he studied an indistinct spot on the floor. The rest of us stared at him. Calem had to bite his lip to keep his smile from claiming his entire face, and Kost’s eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline. Never before had I wanted to leap from my chair and give Oz a hug as badly as I did in that moment. When we’d been out together in Ortega Key and he’d been shy around the ferryman’s daughter, at least there’d been something—food—for them to bond over. Something to smooth the embarrassment and awkward, stilted conversation. But now…
“Yes?” Isla prompted when Oz didn’t add anything further.
He refused to meet her gaze. “What about…rations?”
I winced just as Calem let out a bark of a laugh that he tried to disguise with a cough. Noc threatened to murder him with his stare. Isla blinked. Slowly.
“We have plenty of food for the journey, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Good. I mean, no. I mean, yes, that’s good. But I was offering my help. In the kitchens. You know, if you need it.” Sweat developed along his hairline, and he wiped it away. “Not that I’m suggesting you need my help. You’ve clearly got it figured out.”
Isla snorted. “Clearly. Anything else?”
Oz shook his head violently. “No.”
“Are you positive? Because you have a habit of stopping me every time I’m going to walk away.”
“There’s nothing,” he muttered, ducking his head. “Really.”
“Sure,” she drawled, a wicked smile tugging on her lips. “I’ll be back in a bit to discuss our route more in depth.”
Calem exploded into howling laughter the moment the door closed, and Oz’s shoulders slumped forward. Kost only rolled his eyes before once again turning his attention to the maps.
“Oh, Oz,” I said, voice soft.
“I’m fine.” His brittle, forced laugh was far from assuring.
“Keep up with the antics, and we’ll have a ‘training’ session that will not end well for you.” Noc leveled Calem with a glare, and he threw up his hands in mock apology. Still, there was no hiding the mirth in his eyes.
“It’s fine, I promise.” Oz rolled his head from side to side and let out a sigh.
“Honestly, I don’t know why you’re laughing so hard. These days, Leena is the only one who puts up with your antics, and we all know she’d never act on your half-hearted advances. Perhaps you’re losing your touch.” Kost tipped his head upward, just enough so I could catch the glint of mischief in his green eyes.
“It’s true,” I said with a mock sigh. “What’s the problem, Calem? Can’t find it in you anymore? Maybe someone has already stolen your attention?”
Noc’s brows rose as Oz chuckled.
Calem waved me off and reclined in his chair. “Hardly.”
“Sure,” Kost responded, clearly unconvinced. He abandoned the maps and glanced toward the door Isla had indicated was full of cots. “That aside, I think I’ll take my leave for a bit.”
“Since we’ve got time, I’ll shadow walk back to Hireath and check on the recruits,” Oz said. “Need to make sure Emelia, Iov, and Raven are getting on fine.”
“I’ll come with.” Calem pushed out of his chair. “I’m not tired, and there’s nothing to do around here.”
“Good idea,” Noc said. “Check in on the assassins. See if…” He glanced toward Kost, then let his eyes fall. “See if there are any new developments.”
New developmentsclearly meaning any word of Gaige. A rock formed in my throat, and I forced it down with a hard swallow. Kost managed a tight nod and then hid himself away in the sleeping chambers.
Oz looked after him as if he wanted to follow, but instead shook his head. “I’ll also let them know we’re on our way and where we plan to anchor.”
Just then, a knock sounded at the door, followed by a gruff voice announcing the arrival of our trunks. Noc strolled over and let a stout sailor in. He yanked a heavy trunk into the center of the room and then took off without a word, leaving us to sort through its contents. Mainly, enough clothing to get us to Lendria. I pulled out a thick indigo coat and wrapped myself in it. As I sank back into the chair, the weight of the days’ activities—meeting with the royal family, my night with Noc, taming the Vyprale—caught up with me, and my eyes slipped closed. Better to sleep while I could, because the moment we returned to Hireath, we’d have to focus our attention on Yazmin, Varek, and Darrien.
Twenty-Five
