“I just?—”
“I’m tired of you always butting in where someone doesn’t want you,” Noelle snapped.
Eira could no longer stay quiet. “Noelle, I know you’re hurt but you’re not being fair to Alyss.”
“Yes, Eira, take her side. The two of you are always inseparable after all.” Noelle rolled her eyes.
“This isn’t about sides. It’s about you misplacing your anger,” Eira said.
“Eira, I’m fine, you don’t have to defend me.” Alyss held up her hands in a gesture of forfeit.
Noelle rolled her eyes at Alyss. “There she is, backing down again.”
Alyss looked into the shadows of the hold. Eira almost wished Alyss would get mad and rage right back. She had to stand up for herself.
But Alyss said nothing and Noelle continued. “Can’t even defend yourself. Great, we’rescrewedwhen it comes to the pirates, then. Why don’t you try and talk them through not killing us?”
“Noelle,stop.” Eira’s voice was firm, borderline harsh. Lavette and Varren were uncomfortably looking anywhere but the conversation. They clearly knew this squabble wasn’t their place to get involved. Cullen seemed too glassy eyed and exhausted to do anything. “Just because you feel wounded doesn’t give you permission to attack others.”
“You’ve no idea what I feel.”
“Betrayed by a man?” Eira scoffed. “I think I knowexactlyhow that feels.”
That softened Noelle. “It’s not…”
“The same?” Eira could almost hear the two words unsaid and spoke them anyway. “Right, Ducot misleading you a bit about his history really isn’t the same as your first love making a mockery of your affections.”
“I’m sorry,” Noelle said so softly that Eira could barely hear.
Eira should have stopped there, with that, and let it be. Noelle had clearly understood the point. She’d struck a personal note, as Noelle had been there that night when Adam had unleashed his cruelty on Eira.
But Eira didn’t stop. “Or the second lover killing your brother. Or the third stealing into your bed the night before you see him dancing with the woman who he knew he was engaged to.”
“What?” Lavette’s soft gasp was the only thing that could jolt Eira from her tirade. Eira looked over at her and Cullen, a cold horror seeping into her. Even if Lavette suspected…or knew…that matter should have been handled with far more tact. Lavette’s eyes darted between them but landed on Cullen. “Is this true?”
“I… It… Yes.” He lowered his eyes, looking as pathetic as he’d been when he’d come to Eira after the ball. At least he didn’t deny it.
Lavette’s expression was a mix of disgust and horror. Eira hadn’t been expecting it, but the woman turned back to her with almost an apologetic look. Rather than being angry with Eira, she seemed…sympathetic.
“Alyss, I’m sorry,” Noelle blurted loudly. It was painfully obvious she was trying to shift the topic. “Eira was right. I was just…seeing red a moment.”
“Firebearers can be a bit volatile,” Alyss said with a forced laugh.
“I’ve heard that,” Varren jumped in, too, trying to iron the tension from the air. “Fascinating to see it play out.”
It didn’t matter. The rest of them could say or do whatever they wanted. But Noelle still shifted uncomfortably, oscillating from rage and awkwardness. Lavette’s gaze was boring a hole between Cullen’s brows, as though she were trying to extract every last memory from his mind with excruciating precision. Cullen, for his part, wasn’t offering denials, or trying to defend himself.
Eira sighed. Lavette deserved to know, didn’t she? Even if she did, was it Eira’s place to tell her? And even if it was her place…it shouldn’t have come out like that.
“Lavette, I—” Eira didn’t get a chance to finish. The hatch above them opened, revealing Pine. A terrifying smile crept across his lips.
“Good, the lot of you are already awake. Adela is wanting to see you.”
6
Noelle was a blur as she crawled over to the hatch and stood. Pine had to quickly lean away, nearly toppling back, or else be headbutted. “Where. Is. Ducot?”
“He’s—”
