Page 134 of Storm and Sea

“And if someone had jumped out and come after him, would you have stayed in your hiding place?” Atreus asked accusingly.

Nephi pointed at him with a wink. “Exactly. Sorry, little brother. You and I may be on speaking terms now, but I’m nowhere ready to take a knife for you. Survival of the fittest.”

“I care about you too,” Nyel said, rolling his eyes.

“I’m just being real.”

“Well, at least we can count on you for that since, clearly, we can’t count on anything else.” Atreus bit back.

“Correct again, Bluey.”

“Stop calling me that. I’m not even completely blue.”

“Blue-Purply doesn’t roll off the tongue,” Nephi said, picking at a stray nail. “So what’s the status on food?”

Atreus sighed, but Nyel was glad to see him relax somewhat.

“Nothing you’d like. I have some cans of sardines, and that’s it.”

“I’ll eat that.” Nephi said, “I’m only half Sireni, remember? I rather enjoy the flesh of the once-living.”

“Don’t say it like that,” Nyel cringed.

Atreus stood and dug around in his corner of possessions before tossing a couple of cans at Nephi. “There.”

“You should host more often. You have such a knack for it,” Nephi deadpanned, making quick work of the lid. Nyel cringed at the sickly smell of flesh and salt.

As the trio sat around the dying embers, Nyel realized something. “I think this is the first time the three of us have spent time together.”

They were quiet again.

“It’s uncomfortable,” Atreus said.

“Let’s never do it again,” Nephi offered.

“Agreed,” Atreus replied quickly, and that was that.

Nephi groaned as he stood, stretching. “I’ll take the first watch; you two sleep.”

“Watch?” Nyel asked, eyebrows knit in confusion.

“What? Do you really think there aren’t hunting parties looking for you right this second? Even on this deceptively peaceful island, we have to be vigilant.”

“Nobody is hunting us. Marina won’t tell anyone,” Atreus said, but he didn’t sound certain.

Nephi laughed mirthlessly. “And you actually have faith in that human?”

“I —I do.”

“Then you’re a fool. They’re lying, two-faced creatures with a love for killing anything that’s different.”

“Sounds like someone else I know,” Atreus said, eyes heavy on Nephi.

The two males stared each other down, the tension crackling worse than the fire. Nyel was half-standing, ready to break up a fight, before Nephi laughed.

“This world makes monsters of us all. Still, I won’t be the monster that gets its throat sliced while it sleeps. I’m keeping watch.” This time, Nyel definitely didn’t imagine the snarl as Nephi glared at the dying embers. “Douse that. We don’t need it, and it’s giving us away.”

“Like hell. I’m not putting Nyel in the dark where he can’t see. And I’m not sleeping with you around,” Atreus hissed. Nyel tensed, waiting for Nephi’s anger to flare, but a sly grin once again slid across his brother’s scarred face.