“Well, either way, we’ll leave him enough to buy or build a new one if that’s the case. I steal from my father because I want to help my people, not because I actually like stealing. I’d never leave someone high and dry out here, even if they don’t realize who I am.”
I nod with an appreciative smile. I respect him and all that he does, even if it puts him in danger.
We tiptoe down the hall and stairs, thankful it’s early enough that the tavern is completely empty and silent. The door creaks as Alex opens it, and we all freeze, worried we’ll get caught, even though we technically aren’t doing anything wrong. Yet.
A thrill courses through me at this new adventure and the thought that I might soon meet Kyros, the sun god . . . my real father, though I’m not sure I’ll ever really wrap my mind around that. It’s altogether terrifying and exciting. I only hope he will answer all my questions, unlike my adoptive father, who won’t even tell me about my mother, whom he supposedly loved.
Keeping to the darkest shadows, we follow Alex as he leads us to the boat he thinks will best serve us.
As we walk, I can’t help but wonder what binds Kyros to the isle. Surely, as a god, his power could free him? Something must have been done to him. Echoes of the screams I heard in mydreams make me shudder. The salty air has a crisp quality to it, and I pull my cloak tighter around myself.
“Here we are,” Alex whispers, directing our attention to a modest fishing boat. It’s not too large for him and Kian to handle, but also big enough to carry another traveler if needed.
“Remind me again why we need to be here at the crack of dawn?” Sera grumbles.
“Fishermen start their days early,” Alex explains as he works to untie the small vessel. “The last thing we need is for a horde of them to come after us.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” she says.
“Trust me, Spitfire. I’ll get us where we need to go.”
She huffs and walks closer to me, her arms crossed in front of her. “I don’t have a good feeling about this, Rae,” she admits.
“It’s going to be okay. Kian will pay the fisherman far more than it’s worth.”
“That’s not what I meant,” she says, looking off into the distance. “Something is off.”
I rub her shoulder in an attempt to be reassuring. “I trust Kian and Alex. They’ll get us out of there safely.”
“I hope so.”
Almost surprisingly,we sail out of the bay without a hitch. Everything goes smoothly, and I thank the gods for small mercies.
The sun starts to rise, but we’re far enough away that we don’t see another soul.
I can’t help but admire the way Kian draws the sails taut, adjusting them to catch the wind just right. His muscles strainand swell with effort, and I long to run my fingers over them, to memorize the hard cuts and edges. Watching him work is putting all sorts of naughty thoughts in my head, and I squeeze my thighs together.
“Stop eye screwing your husband,” Sera teases from where we sit at the stern.
I giggle. “What? I can’t help it.”
“Sure, you can’t.”
I nod in Alex’s direction, where he’s steering at the helm. “Alex is pretty nice to look at too.”
She gives me a murderous glare before sighing. “He might be pretty, but he’s an ass.”
“An ass who saved your life,” I retort.
“True,” she admits. “I don’t know what it is about him, but he drives me to insanity.”
I shake my head. I know why, but I’m not going to force it on her. She’ll either discover it when she’s ready, or she’ll move on. It will be her choice.
We sail for hours, the sun beating down on us, and I bask in its warmth, playing with the sunlight as it spins in ribbons from my fingers.
“That’s so beautiful,” Sera says with awe. “I don’t think I ever really thanked you for saving me out there. It wasn’t just Alex, you know.”
“It was nothing,” I say, trying to brush her off. “I had to do something. I’m just glad my power revealed itself when it did.”
