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Without another word, he walks past Smee, still shirtless, and she gives me a knowing look.
“Don’t,” I say, holding a hand up and closing my eyes. I don’t want to see the judgment in her stare.
“Oh yeah, he’s dead to you alright.” She laughs and her boots click against the floor.
Heat floods my face. I clear my throat and smooth my hair, unable to form a response.
15
Scarlet
Thewitchmarkburnslike fire on my back. I grit my teeth, my knuckles going white as I grip the edge of the built-in cabinet below the mirror.
“Fuck…” I breathe, but the sensation is over quickly. With frantic movements, I undo the buttons of the black linen shirt I’m wearing and pull it down enough to see between my shoulder blades in the mirror. The twin circles have returned, an inky black marring my pale skin—a reminder of the monster I could become and that others would condemn me for on the spot.
What am I going to do? I shake my head and yank my shirt back into place, exhaling a shaky breath. Before I can fully process my predicament, there’s a sharp rap of knuckles on the door and I startle.
“Scars?” Sebastian’s gruff voice filters through the wood. Every nerve sparks at once until I remember that he heard Eva call me that before we left Solaria. “May I come in?”
My heart leaps at the sound of his voice, warmth flooding my veins. I smooth my hair and clothes, checking to make sure he won’t suspect anything, then answer the door. He’s in loose trousers today. Not the usual leather I’ve seen him in prior. His hair is wet like he’s just come from a bath, slicked back with his fingers. Two plates are balanced in his hands and the aroma wafts over me and my stomach rumbles in response.
“I thought you might be hungry,” he says, nodding at the food. His gaze lingers on me, a flicker of concern in his pale eyes. Concern that he has no idea how much is warranted.
I force a smile and let him in. “Starving, actually.”
We sit on the edge of the bed, shoulders brushing as we eat. The contact ignites sparks along my arm. I glance at Sebastian out of the corner of my eye, watching as he scoops a bite onto his fork.
He pauses, eying me in return. “What is it? Is everything alright?”
Heat floods my cheeks at being caught staring, but my guts twists. He’s so intuitive—more so with the bond—how am I ever going to keep this from him? I shake my head, focusing on my meal. “Nothing. The food is delicious, thank you.”
“Hmm.” He doesn’t sound convinced but lets it go, turning his attention to his flask. He unscrews the cap, and the scent of sweetness and berries catches my attention. Fairy wine. My mouth waters at the memory of its taste. Sebastian lifts the flask, offering it to me. I reach to take it, but he pulls it back slightly.
“Sparingly, please. I don’t think I could be the ‘perfect gentleman’ as Zephyr calls it if you end up naked and bent over a bed again. Not after earlier.”
My cheeks flame. Poor Smee… She shouldn’t have had to walk in on that.
“Rule number one,” I say, letting him know I won’t let it happen again.
He chuckles, taking a swig himself, and then hands it to me. “I’m pretty sure rules just sound like challenges to you.”
My lips twist into a sly grin as I let the sweet, berry-filled wine slip down my throat. Heaven in a bottle…
With every bite and sip, the ache in my stomach eases. The tension in my shoulders lessens like I’m not trying to hide half of who I am. For a few moments, I can forget about the mark and what it means. I can simply be here with him, soaking in his presence and the peace it brings.
If only it could last. From here on out, I have to get creative. There’s got to be a way to hide my mark with a coven. I just have to figure it out.
I set my fork down, staring at the remnants of potatoes on my plate. The worry begins to creep back in, dark tendrils that slither into my mind and wrap around my thoughts.
Sebastian sets his flask aside, giving me his full attention. “What’s wrong? For real this time.”
I hesitate, unsure of how much to reveal. But I can’t hide the truth from him forever, no matter how much I might want to. I just won’t be revealing it tonight. “How long until we reach Mortys?”
His gaze drops, a furrow appearing between his brows. “There’s been a change of plans. We’re altering course for the Western Isles instead.”
“Why? What happened?” Alarm trickles down my spine as my mind races with possibilities.
“One of the villages was attacked,” he says grimly. “We received a distress call. They need our help. Once everyone is done eating, we’re dropping the sails. We’ll be there in a few hours.”
