AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Zephyr isn’t an option. He’s been trying to prove Scarlet’s innocence from the start, and he’s definitely not been silent about how he likes this new, married version of me.
Nelvin is... Nelvin. He’s a pain in my ass at all hours of the day, but he’s like a little brother. Though he hasn’t exactly been hushed about his opinions to see Scarlet go overboard. At the same time, he’s loyal. I’ve seen him tortured by blood witches on a heist gone wrong and he didn’t so much as peep. They wanted to know where I was, and the man has the scars to prove just how unwilling he was to tell them.
Lorian, I’m not sure. He’s never given me reason not to trust him and if he had intentions, I feel like Zephyr would know about them. But would he tell me? Zephyr and I are close, but if it came down to protecting him or me, I’m not sure what he would choose. Their bond changes everything.
Now that I know what it feels like to be bonded or mated to someone, I’m not sure I’d choose him over Scarlet, and we’ve been married for just a flicker of time compared to their years together.
Then there’s the fact Scarlet stabbed him. He was possessed, but Lorian might hold some sort of malice over it. It took one of his lives. They’re sacred to him.
Only his familial line of druids and mages have nine lives, and each one gives them their strength. Each time they come back from the dead, their gift or innate ability changes. Before, he was able to use magic to enhance his fighting skills. Now, he has to figure it out all over again. It could be something entirely different.
It’s the equivalent of being a king whose castle just burnt to the ground. You’re still you, but you have to start at the ground and rebuild everything you worked so hard to create before.
I’m not sure I can think about Smee doing this. She’s the only true family I have, and we’ve always had each other’s back. Not to mention I just handed her the ship... Out of the four of them, she’s been the most adamant about floating Scarlet and I can’t overlook that.
“I need to know what happened,” I say, my tone becoming serious. “I can’t trust anyone right now. So, you’ll be staying in here with me until I know who else was involved with taking you.”
“In your bed?” Her eyes widen, and she looks as if she’s about to argue.
“Unless you plan to rough it on the floor, yes. In my bed with me.” I arch an eyebrow, daring her to protest.
She smooths her hands over the blankets, and for the first time, she’s hiding even her emotions from me, keeping her face blank. “What do you want to know?”
“For starters, who was there when you were taken? Did you see anyone? Was it just the men on the deck?” I shrug, trying to force myself to ask in chunks. I have dozens of questions but asking them all right now would just overwhelm her.
“Just the men from the deck. We didn’t pass anyone on the way up to the deck except the mess hall.”
Cocking my head, I try to think of who I saw there. I wasn’t far behind them. “Did they say anything that would hint at who else was in on it?”
She shakes her head. “No. Nothing.”
I drag a hand down my face, pinching my fingertips to try to ease some of the tension. “Alright. Thank you for telling me.”
“I wish I had more to offer, but...”
Standing from my seat, I wring my fingers. They still tingle, the nerves frayed from the vibrations of the tattoo gun. “You should get some rest. You’re safe in here. I’ll get this stuff to Nelvin and be back soon.”
I step back, looking her over one more time. Her white hair is mussed, draping over her shoulders. It’s so long it nearly comes to her hips. The marks around her wrists and ankles have mostly faded, but I reach for the salve anyway, lifting her wrist to apply it before she can protest.
“I feel like I’m going to have to stock up on this stuff. It’s like you’re a magnet for bad omens.” Releasing her wrist, I move to her ankles, letting the magic do its work. It’s another one of Jordi’s experiments, and though it can only heal minor wounds, it’s come in handy.
“Stay here, okay?” I step toward the door.
“I have a choice? I thought I was your prisoner.”
A smile tips my lips as I turn to face her one last time. “You always have a choice with me.”
Her cheeks flush, breaking through his mask, and I step outside.
31
Scarlet
Thedoorcreaksopenon its hinges and Sebastian steps inside his dimly lit quarters. I couldn’t tear my eyes away if I wanted to... Every part of me is drawn to him, from his chiseled jawline to the roguish curve of his lips.
His mussed hair falls effortlessly over his forehead, just above his eyebrows. The dark color of it only makes his bright green eyes stand out more. Then there are the slow, steady paces of his footsteps, like a drum echoing through me, swallowing up the distance between us. His gaze is almost obsidian, the colored rings mostly drowned out by blown pupils.
I feel my heart skip a beat. All he has to do is enter a room, and his presence commands the attention of everything and everyone within it. An undeniable attraction buzzes between us, electric yet unspoken. Trying to respect the fact that I subject him to everything I feel, I clear my throat and force my eyes away. Especially since—as he put it—lust is the worst, and that’s exactly what I feel pooling inside me.
