I couldn’t help myself. A smirk lifted the corner of my mouth. “Dreams of me, wife?”
“Ha! You should be so lucky.” Sofie rubbed at her eyes. “You knew the sorceress took your brides’ lifeforce while they slept. You must have guessed she was dream-walking, trapping them in their dreams until she could overpower them. But you didn’t say that. Why?”
Was that disappointment I felt? She wasn’t even angry with me. She sounded as though this were a common and trifling occurrence, as if I’d forgotten to buy more jam for her breakfast while we were in port.
Actually, knowing what I did of Sofie, she’d probably be more wrothful if I’d done that. No, instead, she sounded wholly unsurprised I hadn’t told her.
“I guessed it was something like that,” I murmured. For once, I was unable to own up to my actions and had to look away.
I was so used to hiding the extent of my own magic for strategic reasons that I hadn’t thought to tell her the truth. There was a reason all the brides shared the captain’s cabin with me, even if Amarylis was the only wife to ever share my bed. Now, I just felt stupid. My magical skills had never been the right kind to offer much protection while the brides dreamt.
But Sofie—if I had told her,shewould’ve known what to do. And as it turned out, she figured it out on her own.
I’d gotten lucky this time. But skill was so much better than luck.
Sofie sat up, stretching, then pulled the blankets tighter around her.
“You’re cold?” I asked.
“Too little sleep.”
I stood from the floor, crossing the cabin to retrieve a blanket from my own bed. “Here,” I said, trying not to drape it over her, the way my instincts bade me to. That would be too caring, and caring for her was a dangerous thing, for so many reasons.
“You didn’t answer my question,” she said, frowning down at the blanket as if providing it were some veiled insult. “Even if it was nothing but a guess, why wouldn’t you warn me?”
“Superstition?” I rubbed at the back of my neck, abashed at my inability to abandon my lies. “I didn’t want to invite her into your dreams. You might dream of her after the suggestion of meeting her there.”
“She’s been in my dreams many a time,” Sofie said nonchalantly. “From the night you forced me to marry you, I think. I’m fine.I’m fine,“ she repeated when she saw what must’ve been abject fear on my face.
“So I was right,” she said after a beat. “How many died from her spirit invading their dreams?”
Curse this morning light, my head was throbbing. I busied myself adjusting the curtains, trying to block out the sliver of now fiery orange light that revealed far too much. Nothing I did seemed to keep the sunrise from infiltrating our cabin.
Mycabin. I was captain here.
“Four,” I answered, my voice rough. “Four were taken while they dreamt.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? You think I can’t handle myself?” Sofie demanded, the traces of sleep leaving her voice. “A fairy godmother of Elchion can handle a little dream magic just fine, thank you.”
I kept my back to her.
“I know you can handle yourself,” I said quietly. “When it comes to magic, I’m used to feigning ignorance.”
“Why?”
“Because it surprises my enemies. And because I didn’t go to a fancy magic school, or properly apprentice. And also because I’m used to hiding the truth about the Bride—about what she can do—to win over new wives to the cause.”
“Notice that I figured it out for myself, and yet I haven’t run away screaming into the night. Not even once.”
“It’s true. You haven’t.” I couldn’t quite bring any levity into my voice.
“I’m fine, Jax, really. The Bride can try me all she likes. She’ll just wear herself down. Protection spells are second nature to me—better ones than would’ve been taught in the Bride’s day.”
I hesitated, still not able to look at her.She’s fine. Sofie is fine.But no matter how many times I repeated it, my heart still pounded. “I think she gets stronger, the closer we get to the Isle.”
“Then I’ll be ready for her.” She sounded so confident. So sure of her abilities.
I stalked back to my bed, wishing the light away as I settled back into my bunk. The soft rustle of blankets suggested Sofie did the same.
