He felt a pang of sympathy and gave her wrist a gentle squeeze. “It might be good for you to go above in the morning. Let the wind brush your face. See the water’s beauty.”
She scoffed, her lips quirking in disbelief. “I don’t think so.”
Christian shrugged, releasing her wrist to rub at a spot of dirt on his sword. “It’s up to you. I’ll stay with you.”
She leaned against his arm, her blue eyes staring up at him with a mixture of admiration and adoration. “I love you.”
She was a tempting bit of innocence, and he could feel the warmth radiating off her like a fire on a cold night. “You should.” He was rewarded with a full, heart-melting smile.
Christian heard footsteps approaching and turned his head to see Landyn, Raven, Sage, and Marcus approaching.
Landyn paused before them with a solemn look on his face, announcing, “Demory is here.”
Christian’s body stiffened, and his jaw clenched. “What’s he doing onboard?”
Landyn shifted his position as a wave rocked the vessel. “Captain Fontaine said he paid for passage to England.”
Christian scowled. “He was in town. I didn’t expect him to be on this ship.”
“How do you know Demory?” Willow asked.
Christian and Landyn locked eyes, exchanging a loaded look.
“He was your father’s rival,” Landyn explained.
Christian nodded curtly. “Demory tried incessantly to outdo your father in everything—jobs, tracking, you name it—always vying for more prestige.”
“Why would he compete with father?” Willow wondered, confused.
Christian turned to her and explained, “John was trusted and respected. Demory wanted the same fame.”
“But Demory doesn’t live by the same code John did,” Landyn added. “He took shortcuts, used nefarious means to see his end. As a result, he wasn’t trusted.”
Sage frowned and asked, “Do you think he’s followingus?”
The room stilled as if the air had frozen. Even the horses seemed to hush in the silence.
“We’ll have to be on guard,” Landyn said, the words slicing through the air like a blade.
It was the last night on the ship, and Christian wanted to give Willow some fresh air and sweet memories instead of remembering an uneasy journey. He waited until it was dark, and the boat was quiet. Most of the crew was asleep, as were Raven, Landyn, and Sage. Marcus was keeping watch.
Christian leaned in and softly pressed his lips to Willow’s forehead, stirring her from her slumber. Her eyes fluttered open drowsily, and he smiled down at her. Gently grasping her hand, he helped her rise, grabbed a blanket from their mat, and led her to the stairway.
She hesitated at the bottom, gazing up.
He wrapped his arms around her from behind, whispering in her ear, “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She slowly climbed the creaky stairs to the deck.
When they emerged, she inhaled deeply.
Christian grinned. The scent of the salty sea air reached his nostrils and the cool ocean breeze fanned his face. The ship rocked gently, and Willow grasped Christian’s arm tightly.
He steadied her against him, patiently waiting until her breathing returned to normal before letting go. He spread the thick blanket over the middle of the wooden deck and then sat down, patting the spot next to him.
Willow took the seat, moving close to him. “I don’t like it up here,” she whispered nervously.
“Remember the shooting star I never saw?” he asked, ignoring her statement.
