“At least he’ll fix us up afterward.” Grimacing at the taste of iron at the back of my throat, I reach for my canteen. “It’s going to be fine, Sol. Stop worrying.”
My eyes flit across the deck again. Selene kneels beside Esme, a pale, shimmering curtain of hair shielding her face and glinting in the light from the sun as Esme gestures to something.
Moonlight personified. That’s what she looks like. Softness and steel.
Hala’s priestess.
When she looks up, I rip my eyes away. Sol’s ruby eyes are evaluating me a little too closely, and my voice comes out harsher than I expect. “What?”
“Don’t get attached.”
Irritated, I sit upright, swinging my legs over and resisting the urge to clap a hand to my forehead as a headache threatens.“Gods, Sol. I’m notattachedto her. I’m not entirely sure she isn’t planning to kill us as soon as she steps offVolatus. She needs to be watched, so I’m watching her. For safety.”
Sol folds his arms, unbothered by my rant. “You know Petyr wants her for something. I’m just saying, don’t get attached, Cal. He has a habit of breaking his toys, even if he doesn’t mean to.”
Unease stirs in my gut. “I told you, it’s not like that. But she could change everything for us. He’s not going to do anything rash. He’s too self-serving for that.”
Sol breathes in. “I hope she can. For your sake, if nothing else. But… you know this isn’t likely to end well for her. Even if she can fix the Never, what then?”
I force myself to keep my eyes on him. “It doesn’t have to be like that. Perhaps… perhaps there is a chance for us to do better.”
We don’t have to repeat the past. My breathing steadies. “If she is the last, then she’s important. More than she realizes right now. She has no idea what happened on the day of the Shift.”
His voice lowers. “You think? How in Ellas is that possible? How could shenot?”
I shrug, letting my gaze wander. “She wasn’t there. If she were, she wouldn’t be here now. And the only people who leave Asteria are on this ship.”
“So when we get to the Never—”
“We’ll see how she reacts,” I say quietly. She turns as Riordan joins them, saying something that has Esme throwing her cloth at him. “If she knows something, maybe we’ll find out.”
Sol follows my gaze. “I still don’t like it.”
My lips twitch. “You don’t like anyone that isn’t Matthias. Take it easy on her.”
“I like people,” he protests. Pauses. “Sometimes.”
Leo’s voice calls, and both of us turn. I sit up as the boy bounces up to us, his grin stretching his flushed cheeks wide ashe looks between us. “Merrick said that I could leave lessons early. Can I help you with anything, Sol?”
“No,” Sol says abruptly. “Go and help Riordan with the count. I need to talk to Callan.”
Leo wilts, and I sigh as he turns, shoulders slumped. My response is dry. “What were you saying? Be nicer to him, Sol. He wanted to helpyou. Again.”
The hero-worship hasn’t gone unnoticed by any of us. But Sol refuses to engage.
Sol shakes his head. “I’ve got nothing at all against the kid. You know that. But I’m taking my own advice, Cal, and you should too. Don’t get attached. It’s dangerous. Matthias gives me enough chest pain, and so do you. Besides, we need to talk about the drops. How are we going to manage with our stowaway?”
“Solomon.” I press my hand over my heart, my voice raising. “I didn’t know you cared—”
“Shut up.” He yanks a cloth from his pocket and tosses it at me. “Your nose is bleeding again.”
Fuck.
Chapter thirteen
Selene
Callan Edgeborn is a lazy, irritating, confusing eejit.
