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My eyes are locked on the crimson puddle, expanding closer and closer to my feet. Yet, it’s like they’re cemented in place. I’ve seen people die. I watched Sebastian kill repeatedly in the gauntlet, just as I’ve stood by my father during crown executions. The only one that’s ever gotten to me was that witch going overboard. It was like seeing my future play out before my eyes.
I’ve never used, nor have the intention of using sacrificial magic, but my mark makes me no better than her. I’m not sure why my mother gave it to me, but to everyone else in the realm, me and the witch I just killed will forever be the same.
Nothing has ever made my heart feel like this—hollow. I’ve never killed anyone before, but I just ended two in the same moment.
“Scarlet!” Smee grabs my shoulders, swinging me around to face her. I know she’s before me. I know she’s saying something, but I don’t hear it. Just as I don’t see her face. My mind is stuck on the image of blood seeping through wooden boards, knowing I did it. Honestly, I’m not even sure if Smee is really here or if I’ve imagined it.
“Breathe. It’s going to be alright.” She tucks me into her chest, putting her chin on top of my head. Her heartbeat… She’s real. The wards must’ve fallen when the druid died.
Shadows swirl near the door, forming into a man in a matter of seconds. Sebastian looks past us where his friend lies on the floor. Slowly, he inches closer to me and Smee and she smooths my hair. “My brother’s here. I called him. It’s over, Scarlet, I promise.”
It’s then that I realize I’ve wrapped my arms around her, and tear stains darken her shirt. When did I start crying?
Sebastian pries me away from Smee and clutches me against his chest, exchanging a look with his sister. “What happened?”
“The witch changed bodies. I was on my way back to get Scarlet when Lorian hit me from behind.” Smee reaches for the back of her head, lifting her fingers to reveal fresh blood. “I woke up and ran after him, knowing he wasn’t in control. Lorian would’ve never done something like that. I was too late. She used his magic to spell the door shut.”
“She was going to possess me.”
Sebastian stiffens. Without warning, he wretches me backward and presses his necklace to my face. It’s not the pendant he uses, but the chain. He does it in another spot as I look at him, my eyebrows flattening.
“What are you doing?” I ask, swatting at him when he goes for a third time.
“Making sure you’re you.” His shoulders ease before he hugs me again.
“Why would I not be? I just killed a man for gods sakes. She was going to use me to get to you. Do you thank everyone by shoving a chain at their face?”
He chuckles, still hugging me even though I’ve stopped hugging him. His lips press to the top of my head. “Just the ones I’m married to.” Sebastian leans back, lifting the chain that holds the stone around his neck up for me to see. “It’s demon ore. If she had possessed you, I would’ve burned.”
Taking a deep breath, I try to stop my hands from shaking. “I’m sorry about your friend.”
Sebastian smiles, cupping the side of my face and swiping a thumb over my cheek. “Lorian is fine. If she was going to possess anyone, he was the best option. The man has nine lives. Literally.”
My head tilts to the side, my eyes zoning out. “He’s not dead?”
Sebastian shakes his head. That should ease my nerves, but it does the opposite. I didn’t want to hurt him and I still don’t, but what if he remembers what he saw? He’ll know about my mark, he’d have seen it glow… Which will make me next on the plank.
Sebastian pulls me back into his arms, holding me to him. “Hey, it’s alright. You didn’t hurt him. He’ll be just fine. The witch is gone for good and just to make sure; we’re checking everyone on board.” His scent wraps around me, wood smoke and sea spray. “You’re safe, Scars. I promise.”
My chest shakes as the panic settles deeper. I don’t want to lie to him, but what choice do I have? I don’t want to die… Blinking back the tears, my arms tighten around his middle. It’s futile to believe promises will save me if he were to find out the truth. But hearing him say it fills me with a false sense of hope. He’s a man of his word, and maybe it’ll be enough for him to hear me out when the time comes.
My breathing steadies and the tension eases in my chest. The tightness that held my lungs in stasis dissipates in seconds. I let my head rest against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
“There you go,” he murmurs, brushing a kiss over my hair. “It’s going to be okay.”
19
Scarlet
Sebastianleadsmeoutof the storage bay, darkness rippling around us as he transports us through the halls of the ship. He reaches for something through the dark fog. His arm twists and draws back a wooden door, revealing a spacious room. Guiding me forward, he shuts it behind us, and the shadowy haze dissipates.
It’s not lavish, but well-appointed. A large poster bed is nestled against one wall, draped in deep midnight linens and fluffy furs. A clawfoot tub, similar to the one in my room back in Solaria, is mounted into the floorboards in one corner. The room itself is easily four times as large as the cabin I’ve been staying in, with most of the wall space shelves, enclosed in thick glass shutters.
Trinkets and oddities are scattered over the surfaces, memories maybe, or magical objects. Some shelves are crammed full of leather-bound tomes—most of them grimoires and spell books. He’s likely collected them from the witches he’s faced in his years of pirating. Others are full of amber bottles of various sizes and shapes. There are bundles of herbs wrapped in twine, along with a selection of glowing tonics and potions. It’s like a personal apothecary.
“Where are we?” I ask, stepping away from him to get a better look at the shelves.
He steps behind me, resting his hands on my hips. “My room.” He kisses my shoulder. “You’ve had enough excitement for one day. You should get some rest. The crew will have your room door repaired soon, but I thought with all things considered, you’d feel safer here.”
