She gripped her bicep at its top, almost by her shoulder, no doubt restricting the blood flow to a deep gash that ran from her forearm almost up to her fingers. She grinned through the pain, but Eira could see from the bulging muscles in her jaw just how tightly her teeth were clenched. Alyss was already working on mending the wound. Judging from the thin scars and deep pockmarks, she had been for some time.
“…be a hero,” Ducot was saying as they approached.
“What can I say? Being the center of attention just comes naturally to me.” Noelle leaned back into him as Alyss continued her work. She rested against one of Ducot’s thighs. His arms were wrapped around her shoulders as if he could protect her from the pain.
“Well, make it stop coming naturally.”
Noelle reached up and took his hand, guiding it to the forearm that Alyss had already healed. She ran his fingers over the flesh that was now raised and gnarled. The faintly glowing dots on Ducot’s brow tipped upward in the center.
“My love…” he whispered. It almost stopped Eira in her tracks. She knew the two of them were close…but the way he spoke was with a whole different level of intimacy and understanding. It made her chest squeeze and her hand tighten slightly around Cullen’s waist.
Noelle reached up and cupped Ducot’s cheek. “Now you’re not the only one with battle scars. We can both be ‘monsters.’” The way she said the word betrayed that it was an echo of something he probably had uttered in quiet confidence more than once.
Eira had never seen Noelle look at anyone the way she looked at Ducot in that moment. They loved each other. Unlike Eira, Noelle had moved slowly, and with purpose. Ducot hadremained steadfast at her side. They had worked through issues as they had arisen. Eira hoped that they were the ones Alyss was using as the muses for her story. They were the ones getting it right.
Maybe Eira could look to them as well. She was clearly more ready to start crossing lines again and exploring feelings than she’d previously thought.
“You will never be a monster,” Ducot murmured, and kissed Noelle’s temple.
“I’m quite all right with my enemies thinking I am.”
He chuckled.
“Eira.” Olivin was the first to notice her approach. He stopped pestering his younger brother and stood. “Are you all right?”
She nodded. “I’m fine, just tired.” Perhaps it was due to the thoughts of relationships being fresh in her mind, or the tingling of her lips, but Eira had never been more aware of how close Cullen was to her. Of how tightly he was holding her. Part of her wanted to push him away…and the other part wanted to hold him tighter.
It was a reminder that, despite their patience and understanding, she needed to dedicate as much time to sorting out her heart as she was to her magic.
“What happened to you? To the whole ship?” Eira asked. “I was in Adela’s cabin the entire time.”
“Was she keeping you safe?” Lavette asked. No matter how much chaos unfolded around her, she was ever astute. Always looking for new information and important details. There was a time Eira might’ve found it annoying, but she’d begun to admire the other woman for it. Never missing a beat and always keeping her footing was a goal of Eira’s.
Eira didn’t see the point of lying. “I was helping her keep the ship together.”
“Adela let you helm theStormfrost?” Ducot’s words were still soft, but no longer with tenderness. He was clearly struggling to sort out meaning that Eira had hardly had time to parse herself. Wonder and awe mixed with horror.
“It was just helping her thicken the ice on the hull,” Eira backtracked slightly. But Adela had said…Until I return, she’s in your hands.
“I see.” Ducot seemed unconvinced as well, but a commotion from the circle of pirates behind them interrupted the conversation.
There was a burst of cheers and then a frenzy of movement. The pirates descended on whatever was in their center. The mass of people shifted—a tangle of limbs, grabbing and pulling—and when they retreated, a man was revealed.
He had been stripped naked and bound with a thick line of rope. Raised markings—as much scars as tattoos—covered his shoulders, intricate line work that reminded Eira almost of Lightspinning, but the shapes were different. These weren’t layered circles and delicate lines, but harder shapes. They looked like the runes from the coliseum and the gate had been imprinted directly onto his body.
He glared up toward Adela. And the pirate queen, in turn, looked back to Eira with a slight smile dancing across her lips.
“I think we shall leave it up to her,” Adela announced. Everyone fell silent.
“Her?” one of the pirates asked, flabbergasted.
“Yes, she was the one who was the steward ofStormfrostduring the attack.” This announcement caused murmuring between the pirates. They shared uncertain glances that were turned back in Eira’s direction.
She stood a little taller.
“This is a lutenz of Carsovia.”
Varren sucked in air behind her as Adela spoke.
