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Sophie gasped. "Kai, that is treason." She looked truly aghast at such a suggestion even knowing what the king had planned for his son. It occurred to Wren that they might not know that he had been willing to kill Kai to take the power for himself. She tucked away that information for later, filing it under the same category as how she survived.
Kai only shrugged. "He has forfeited his rule, as far as myself and Richard are concerned. Richard stayed behind to make sure our father did not try something desperate, but when we return we will overthrow my father."
"And then?" Wren asked.
"Then we will send word to Crishaven and notify them of our mutual enemy." He said the words matter-of-factly as if he did not care what he was implying.
"You mean us to go to war," Amelia said just as calmly.
"I see no other option for fighting a power hungry royal with a formidable army at his disposal. Do you have any suggestions, Captain?" His voice was cold when directed at the other woman.
"Quite. Why doesn’t our resurrected and more powerful goddess simply take her power back and or dispose of the problem without risking thousands of lives." Though her words were pointed, she did not rise to the bait of Kai's tone.
"She has done enough," he growled back at the Captain.
"Shecan speak for herself." Wren threw back at him. He seemed prepared to argue with her before he thought better of it and gestured for her to continue. "I agree that Haradon is a more imminent concern and while my magic feels different and more accessible, I still have not mastered it. Wesley immediately accessed my magic and showed a level of control I have only just gained. I need more time before I can face him. I think Kai's plan is likely more pragmatic in the meantime."
Amelia did not say what she thought about Wren's interjection one way or another. She struck Wren as a woman who rarely wasted words. "Well, then, we shall continue on our course. We will arrive, if our current speed holds, within a day." She stood from the table smoothly. "I will retire for the evening. Good evening everyone. Welcome aboard theGinsburg, Miss. Blackwood.” With a nod to Wren, she removed herself from the dining room leaving Wren curious about how such a woman came to be.
The room felt suddenly too small and she was made uncomfortably aware of the silence surrounding the remaining four. There still was much to be said and yet she wasn’t ready to give voice to the words.
Maxon cleared his throat and stood significantly less smoothly than the captain had. "I think I will also retire." He left awkwardly, bumping into a wall on his way. Wren smiled at the awkward man who had clearly spent more time around books and philosophy than people.
"You can stay with me, Wren," chimed practical Sophie. "Though you are a terrible blanket hog." She smiled at her friend's admonishment and took her hand in hers, squeezing it lightly.
"I do think it might be best to retire, if that is okay with you both." No one objected, and she noticed that ever since she had corrected him, Kai had been painfully silent. With a murmuredgood night,Sophie took her to her quarters which were barely big enough to fit them both comfortably. Sophie, in her infinite goodness, did not ask Wren any questions, but merely allowed her the peace to lie down and close her eyes.
Chapter 41
Sleepcameandwentquickly that night, passing Wren by after only a few hours. Sophie lay soundly sleeping next to her, the ship giving the occasional creak in protest to the gently flowing waves beneath it.
Wren silently removed herself from the bed, careful to gain her footing and not make noise so as to not wake her friend. She crept out of the dark cabin and felt her way along the stairs till she could finally feel the soft ocean breeze and breathe in the salty evening air.
Moving to the side of the ship, she breathed in deep and looked up at the stars illuminating the deck and the immediate sea around them. Being alone with only the stars and ocean for company she felt more at peace than she had in quite a while. She had been through trial after trial since being pulled to this world and yet under the open sky, it felt like she belonged. Perhaps it was the remnants of her power calling out to her, but there was beauty in this land and for the first time since she made her choice she was glad she had chosen to live.
She had been so engrossed in her thoughts and the world around her, she hadn’t heard the footsteps approach before he was standing next to her, arms resting on the ship’s edge, staring out at sea. “If you want to be alone, I understand. I couldn’t sleep and when I saw you come up, I thought…” She had never seen Malaki Blackwood hesitate. “I wanted to apologize to you for speaking for you. I know you can speak for yourself, it’s just that I failed you once and I am finding it hard to…” He cut himself off, unable to find the words he required.
She turned her head to him. The moonlight shining down illuminated his dark hair, half now pulled up into a small bun. It held a tinge of blue in the light and the change only increased the brightness of his blue eyes. He seemed so unsure around her since she had been back, but then again she also felt unsure. She didn’t know where they stood, but she was willing to take her time and find out if she had that long.
“You seem different.” He studied her before he withdrew his gaze back to the sea. She realized then that she had never replied to his earlier confused apology.
“I feel different,” she said as if she were talking about the weather. Silence stretched between them before she finally said, “That’s what he wanted, you know. For you to feel like you failed me, to be unsure in your judgement, to be less than you are.” She could see him close his eyes tightly still facing out to the ocean.
When he opened them, he did not turn back to her, he only said, “Then in that he did succeed.” The words were pained, but also laced with anger. Not anger at Wesley, but anger at himself she realized.
“No, he did not,” she answered quietly, turning to look at him. “You have something in you that he will never be able to understand. You choose kindness when you could choose to be selfish. You live for others under the guise of living for yourself. I see you, Malaki Blackwood, and it is a hopeful sight to be sure.”
He did look at her then, not saying anything. He seemed to be studying her face looking for any trace of a lie. “I’m sorry.” The words were a near whisper. “I’m sorry I was a fool, and that I didn’t see him for what he was.”
“If you are a fool, then I am an even bigger fool. He tricked us all. He was a very good actor,” she answered.
“I only ever wanted to give you what would make you happy,” he said, looking back out to sea as if the truth was too much to witness.
“Then you should have asked me what would make me happy,” she said with conviction.
There was one truth she had taken from her experience and that was that she would be strong enough to decide for herself. She would be responsible for the paths she walked down. Wren knew she would be stronger than she had been before, but she also wouldn’t shut out love and kindness because those things also made her strong.
“I’m sorry for everything that has happened to you, everything that has been taken from you. I will always be available to aid you or make amends in any way I can.” His voice was hoarse with earnestness and it warmed her heart.
