Swallowing past the sudden lump in my throat, I nodded. “Nobody should have to suffer what you have.” Displays of emotion weren’t really my thing, so I eyed the destroyed cage. “However, it occurs to me that if anyone comes to check on you, the jig will be up.”
“The sons are deep in their rum by now. They have never checked on me after sunset, and I will give them no reason to do so this night. If they do, I will handle them.”
She sounded fierce, but she was tiny. And after all she’d suffered, I didn’t want her to get hurt fighting for us.
“Where is Oannes?” I asked. “Do you think he’ll help, too?”
“He circles these waters endlessly, as the curse compels him.”
“So, if he shows up during our escape....”
“He will not harm you. My friend is not beyond reason, and he will help me keep the sons busy while you flee.”Anunit’s expression became all fire and no warmth. “And we will punish them for what they have done to us.”
That was as close to a plan as I was going to get.
I thanked Anunit and made my way back through the ship. The corridor was still empty, the fishmen’s scent concentrated near the bow where the night shift manned the sails. I climbed through the sick bay porthole just as Rust’s snoring hitched.
I froze, one leg still dangling outside.
His breathing evened out.
Exhaling slowly, I climbed the rest of the way in and slipped back into my hammock without a sound. The bloodstone pulsed against my thigh, steady as a second heartbeat, and for once, the rhythm didn’t unsettle me.
I had a plan. It had more holes than a training dummy, and the alpha was going to skin me alive for not waking him first, but it was a plan, and every cell in my body itched to put it into motion.
Mack shifted in his sleep, and his hand dangled between our hammocks, fingers loose and instinctively reaching in my direction.
I stared at that hand, my chest aching with everything I couldn’t say.
Then I closed my eyes and thankfully didn’t dream at all.
GUT THE FISH AND THROW HIM OVERBOARD
Ziara
Iwoke to the slap of waves and the stench of brine.
For one disoriented moment, the fear that I was back in the den as the dragon flooded it was like a bucket of water thrown in my face. But the hammock swaying beneath me and the foreign sea salt on my lips snapped me back to reality. Pale dawn light crept through the portholes, gilding the sick bay’s grime in shades of gold that it absolutely didn’t deserve.
I sat up, pulse quickening, and found the alpha already awake.
He stood by the starboard porthole, arms folded, watching the horizon with the stillness of a predator sighting prey.
“Mornin’. Is everything okay?” I asked.
His nod was sharper than a blade.
I slid from the hammock and closed the distance between us, trying to muster up the courage to reveal everything I’d discovered last night. “How far out are we?”
“Close enough to see land.” His voice was flat. Controlled. He clearly hadn’t forgiven me yet, and I really didn’t want to dig this divide between us any deeper.
Rust stirred in his hammock and cracked one eye open. He spotted me and frowned before settling his feet on the floor.
Mack sat up and ran his hands through his curls. He caught one glimpse of me and looked away so fast you'd think I was Medusa.
I had a lot of damage control to do if I expected the team to listen to me, and my window was closing. I had exactly as long as it took for the alpha to give his first order of the day before my intel and plan became useless. If I didn’t speak up now, I’d likely chicken out again, and we’d walk into the slavers’ trap blind.
“Alpha.” I swallowed, wishing my voice sounded a little steadier. “I have a report.”
