AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sebastian studies me for a long moment, but when he finally speaks, it’s not me he talks to. It’s Smee. “Take her to the mess hall and keep her mind off it.”
His sister’s face falls, but she doesn’t protest. Her arm snakes around mine, linking at the elbow as she leads me to the companionway without a word.
My body feels numb… It’s like a piece of me died along with the witch. Innocence, maybe? Or perhaps it just made me finally understand how real the threat is.
18
Scarlet
Webarelymakeitbelow deck and into the mess hall before I push away from Smee, beelining for the closest trash can. Bracing over the metal edge, I lose my breakfast.
“Don’t worry, princess. The first time is the worst. After that, it’s significantly easier to watch, I promise,” Smee says, wrinkling her nose as she peers into the trash. Her hand smooths over my back, hovering over my mark through the linen shirt. If she knew what was beneath it… I’d have joined that woman today.
“I hope so.” I feign strength, collecting myself, and Smee nudges a flask toward me.
“It’s fairy wine. It’ll settle your stomach. Wait here,” she says, leaving me for a moment to rummage through an only crate.
I take a swig from the flask, letting the sweet liquid drown out the sour taste on my tongue. Closing my eyes, I try to calm my racing heart. They don’t know… I remind myself. You’re safe.
Smee clucks her tongue, drawing my attention back to her as she twists a deck of cards between her fingers, holding them up for me to see. “Ever played?”
“I guess that depends on the game.”
Her brown eyes narrow as if I’m speaking in a foreign language. “You say that as if there’s more than one.”
“Because there is…” Arching a brow, I take a seat at the closest table, and she slides into the chair across from me.
“But there’s only one right one.” She winks, making me chuckle as she starts to mix the cards up. I’m not sure what game she’s setting up. I’ve played many, but not once have I seen someone separate the deck by color after placing a few face up, in a coffin shape.
Surely, she’ll explain… right?
Smee shuffles the two stacks, keeping the colors apart. “Do you want to be red or black?”
“Surprise me.” Apparently, that was the wrong answer.
Her brow arches, sassy as ever, while she hands me the red stack. “I suppose red fits you. It’s Solaria’s color, after all.” Smee adjusts the coffin cards, which are a mix of red and black numbers and letters.
“What game is this?”
“King’s Coffin. It’s an outer realm thing.”
By that name? Yeah… I’d say it is.
Smee points to the cards face up on the table. “Each card is a nail in the coffin. Your job is to make all the nails turn your color. When it’s your turn, flip the top card of your deck. You can either lay it over its matching counterpart on the table—try to turn the black numbers red—or discard.”
“So, if red is Solaria, then the black cards are the rebels, like the Jolly Roger’s flag.” I trace the ship design on the back of the cards with my finger, waiting for her to make the first move.
Smee nods, picking up the first card on her deck and placing her black two over my red one in the coffin. “One nail in.”
“Can I change it back?”
“Of course, but only if you have a two.” She flashes a wicked grin. “I’ll have you know, I’ve never lost a game, and I have no intention of letting you win out of pity.”
“Pity? Why would you pity me?” I draw a card. It’s not a match, so I set it aside.
“Because anyone with eyeballs can see you’re not a killer, Scarlet. You stared at that witch like you could save her with empathy alone, but it’s okay. You’ll harden up with time. We all did. It’s inevitable, and the more you see of their wicked ways, the more you’ll want to float them yourself.”
I purse my lips. Maybe I should’ve gone below deck when Sebastian warned me to…
