Turning my head, I caught sight of the creatures lounging atop their rock. Enormous serpent heads watched us, anchored to the decaying body of what might have once been a woman. Her sallow eyes locked on mine as she sang, tattered dress hanging from her emaciated form.
She was a keres. To my eyes, she appeared a twisted monster. Seth glanced toward her, eyes glazing over. An expression of unbearable desire andneedtook over him.
Fighting against her song, Seth snapped his head away and stared at my face before pushing me against the wall beneath the wheel. My head struck the wood, and he kissed me again, sliding his tongue into my mouth. His hands traced down my back to my thighs, before rising again.
I released an involuntary moan as he grabbed my thigh and pulled it around his waist, fingers digging into my rear. I hadn’t thought it possible to be consumed by fear in the middle of a life-threatening sensation, yet also desire nothing more than for him to rip my clothes off and take me right there.
Seth lifted my other leg, and I wrapped them around his waist, oblivious to everything save his lips against mine.
Unease twisted in my heart. Nostalgia intertwined with it, causing my breast to pulse with painful beats. Seth tilted my head, running kisses down my neck toward my breasts, parting the laces of my tunic with his teeth. The pleasure from his touch vanished when I saw the water.
Terrible darkness lurked beneath the sea, consuming my attention.
The Empty. It hid beneath the waves. If we sank, or someone fell overboard. . . My eyes shot up, meeting the keres’ as we sailed past.
Everyone who touched the Empty turned to dust. So who were they, the sallow-eyed wraiths who beckoned us to give up? Something. . .familiarshone in her sunken eyes. An overwhelming wave of sympathy and grief tore through my heart.
It almost felt like. . . like she was begging me to save her.
Our connection snapped. The ship surged past her.
Eleos cursed, and I looked up sharply. Something slammed into the hull, shaking the boat. I lost balance and hit the deck, grabbing for something to hold onto. Seth caught me first, and we rolled over each other until his back slammed into the railing.
I landed beneath him, and he stared into my eyes with fiery desire. Not merely lust—something deeper lurked within.
Extending his hand, he gritted his teeth, focusing on me as he held his spell. Grabbing the sides of his face, I forced him to look at me, and only me.
“Godsdammit.” He cursed. “I didn’t want to fall for you.”
“Neither did I,” I gasped.
The ship lurched, and the song ceased abruptly. Powerful wind tore into the sails, propelling the boat through the water. Seth panted and sat up, blood dripping down his arm.
“Are we in one piece?” He asked, voice hoarse.
“For now,” Eleos gripped the wheel, knuckles white. “If you hurry to patch it.”
Snapping from my reverie, I raced to the mast and sawed through Percy and Seraphim’s bonds. Dazed, Percy stood, wobbling on his feet as he ran for the stairs. “Oh gods. Where am I?”
“Hull. Hole.” I managed.
Shaking himself out of his stupor, Percy flew down the steps, cursing when he noticed the damage. A rock or reef must have torn through the side—a thin webbing of blood sealed the gap, preventing the sea from spilling in. Grabbing a plank from the corner, I slammed it against the wall, waiting for Percy to nail it into place.
Seth followed us downstairs, face twisted in concentration as we made desperate repairs. Falling to a knee, he lost the magic, and I stepped back, hoping our makeshift attempts had been enough.
Water trickled through the edges of the planks, but the worst had been pushed back.
Breathing out, I grabbed a rag and stuffed it around the edges, hoping to slow the tide.
“Whew,” Percy doubled over. “I don’t remember much, but considering Seth is alive, and not at the bottom of the sea, I imagine you just made him averylucky man.”
I glanced at Seth, cheeks flushing when I met his gaze. All this time, I’d thought he wanted something fun, something fleeting—nothing more. But that kiss had revealed the truth.
I expected to see relief in his eyes. Relief for the tension between us to finally have been released. Instead, I glimpsed deepest sorrow. Regret.Grief.
We’d survived the Lethe, but Seth looked at me as though he’d just lost me.
32
