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I want to scream, to shout at him, but I can’t. The only thought consuming my mind is that this man, this infuriating and intoxicating man, is dying and I have to choose to either save myself or him. I can’t do both. If I use my magic to heal him, I won’t have enough left to control some sea creature to take me to land.
“I should let you die,” I say, my voice barely audible above the waves as I glare a trail from his wound to stormy green eyes.
Bloodied brows raise, and a weak smirk tugs at the corners of his lips. “Aye. You should.”
“Fortunately for you, I’m not the vile creature you believe me to be. Bite down on something.”
Sebastian’s eyes widen, his gaze still sharp despite his pain. “Scarlet, I—“
I cut him off, “Don’t. Don’t sit here and try to convince me to go. Not now. Not after everything I’ve been through.”
His dark hair falls in front of his forehead and his lips are parted as if he wants to say something but can’t. Instead, he lifts his flask to his mouth, bites the cork and pulls it free, then takes a long sip.
“I see you’re as stubborn as ever,” Sebastian grumbles, watching me warily. He takes his belt off, ripping it through his pants loops with one hand, and doubling over the leather strap before placing it between his teeth. Those stormy green eyes watch me intently as I look him over.
“You’ve got no idea.” I unbutton his shirt, moving his hand out of the way so I can gently tear the fabric from around the coral. My fingers hover over the blue structure, like stone in a way, but more porous. I hesitate a moment before I grasp it firmly.
“Ready?” I ask. Sebastian nods, his nostrils flaring as he breathes heavily through his nose. “On the count of three. One. Two.”
I yank hard, careful to pull at the same angle it embedded into him at. Sebastian cries out, his hands gripping his stomach. I drop the coral to the deck and blood splatters into the water.
Sebastian winces, shaking his head. “There’s no way in. The companionway is blocked.”
“Yeah, I figured that one out. We don’t need to go down there, though.” I mumble a spell under my breath to make him lighter. “Come on, let’s get you to your room. It’s better than staying out here,” I say, guiding him as slowly as I can toward the door.
The ship rocks as we carefully make our way to the captain’s quarters, the sound of rain and wind howling around us. Once inside, I lay Sebastian down on his bed, my mind racing as I scan the room for anything that might help.
“Stay here,” I tell him, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’ll find something to stop the poison.”
Now that the coral is gone, I can see the darkened veins around the wound, almost purple in color. It’s a sure sign that the poison is in his bloodstream.
“Scarlet...” His voice is weak, but it draws my attention, anyway. “Stop... Just lay with me, please.” His breaths are weak, his tanned skin almost pale in the dim lantern light. “Please,” he repeats, gripping my wrist. “I don’t want to spend my last moments watching you worry. I’d rather just hold you.”
Snatching my wrist away, I shake my head. “No... I won’t. You’re not dying today.”
I can’t help but notice the tension in his jaw and the beads of sweat forming on his brow. His breath comes in shallow, uneven gasps, and I know I don’t have much time.
Sebastian groans as I whip away from him, frantically rummaging through his makeshift apothecary. My hands shake as I search, but I can’t find anything on this shelf that can help him.
There’s nothing to stop the bleeding or speed up his healing—my breath hitches as my eyes lock on a small pouch filled with dried yarrow leaves—an herb known for its blood-clotting properties. My heart leaps, and I hurry back to Sebastian’s side.
“Here,” I say, holding out the yarrow. “Chew on these. They’ll help slow the bleeding.”
He raises a skeptical eyebrow but takes the leaves without protest, wincing as he chews. The metallic tang of blood fills the air, mixing with the scent of damp wood and salty water. My stomach churns, but I force myself to focus.
With the immediate crisis under control, I focus my attention on finding a more permanent solution. Pulling grimoires from the shelves, I flip through their pages, looking for a spell that might save Sebastian without too much of a payment in return. I know that’s asking for a miracle, but there’s got to be something in here. Even if it’ll only help him heal faster, just enough for his body to take over the rest.
“Scarlet,” he grits, as if he’s reading my mind. “Don’t fucking dare.”
“You can’t condemn me if you’re dead, can you? And that’s exactly what you’ll be if I don’t do something.”
Looking for a spell isn’t an easy task; many of them require sacrifices or ingredients I don’t have access to. But then, just when I’m about to give up hope, I find it. There’s a healing spell that will draw on my soul, but only as long as I keep the spell going. I can stop it before I deplete it, avoiding any permanent damage to myself. But it’ll help him heal without using sacrifices—not that I’d have access to anything to do one, anyway.
He spits the leaves out as his eyes narrow into slits. “You’re not using blood magic on me.”
“You’re right. I’m not,” I say, bringing the book with me. I set it down on the bed as he watches every move I make with rounded eyes.
I press my hands to his stomach over the wound, and he cringes at the pressure. My mind spirals, desperate to block out every warning bell ringing in my head, but I stay the course. Reading the scripture aloud, Sebastian tries to move, to stop me, but he’s weak, and I’m able to hold him in place.
