A storm was brewing.
She quickly found the man who had let them board theHarbinger—a hulking figure with a weathered, tan face and long, sandy hair. “Captain, you need to get the storm canvas up. Tell your men to reef the sails, and fast. A storm will be here soon.”
His eyebrows shot into his forehead as he wiped the sweat from his brow. “Are you sure, miss? The skies have looked clear all evening,” he said skeptically.
“Just trust her, brother.” Aidan came up behind the captain and smacked him heartily on the back with a grin, that familiar twinkle in his dark eyes that always appeared when on the cusp of danger.
Sure enough, the next two hours had the ship rocking precariously on the rough waves. Night had fallen, and the sky was tinted green as the storm descended upon them. The ship creaked and snapped with exertion from the wind whipping against it, its howls like phantom wolves on the dark waves. It had already been difficult to safely navigate through the shallows and hidden rock barriers without sunlight to see, but now it was downright impossible. Or, it would’ve been, if Kai weren’t present.
Kai was easily able to keep the worst of the storm at bay. She stood at the bow of the ship and controlled the waves so they wouldn’t capsize the boat, carefully easing the vessel around any obstacles in their path. She smiled as she listened to the baffled crew scrambling about on deck, stunned at their “luck.” If they only knew.
As Kai quelled another wave rushing toward them, something caught the corner of her eye. A silhouette of a man leaned against the helm of the ship to her right. He had definitely not been there before, and she didn’t think he was one of the crew members.
She turned her head to get a better look. He wore a long black cloak that billowed behind him in the strong wind. His hair stuck out like a beam of bright light against the sky, and his face was almost as pale.
He was looking right at her, the edges of his mouth twisting upward.
Kai glanced around, keeping half of her attention on the dark ocean as she scanned to see if anyone else noticed this strange man.
“They can’t see me, if that’s what you’re wondering,” he said as he casually strode to her, his hands in the pockets of his trousers. The rich, silky sound of his voice hit her, and a woody scent filled her nostrils.
“Who are you?” she asked warily, calming several waves she sensed approaching the side of the ship.
“A spectator,” the mysterious man answered with a smile. He was only a few steps away when he began slowly circling her body. “So, you and the otherelementals,” he strung out the last word, enunciating every syllable, “have finally woken from your little nap, hmm?”
Kai furrowed her brow but stayed silent. He felt…different to her. Wrong, somehow. Unease built in her chest, putting her senses on high alert and making her heart beat faster. This man shouldn’t know who—or what—she was.
“Not in the mood to chat?” He stopped in front of her, so close that all she could see was the deep black of his eyes. She felt like she was swimming in them. “That’s fine, I didn’t come to talk.”
His hot breath cascaded down her cheek, and a finger lightly grazed her neck. Her entire body screamed to get away, but she couldn’t move. It was as if she had lost control of her own limbs, was trapped inside her own mind, and she’d never felt this—this helplessness before. How could someone be powerful enough to do this toher?
Something tugged on her thoughts. It was murky and distant, like trying to see to the bottom of a river. For a moment, she had the feeling she was forgetting something important.
Without warning, a large wave crashed into the ship, almost knocking her to her feet and causing her to break eye contact with the stranger. Distantly, someone called to her.
“Oi there, you alright?”
Snapping her head toward the voice, Kai squinted through the dim fog to see one of the crew members standing halfway across the ship, looking at her curiously. He didn’t appear to be aware of the pale man standing inches from her face.
“I’m fine, thank you,” she called out. She had to get a handle on the storm before it capsized the ship. Turning to the man before her, she hissed, “What did you just do to me?”
He smirked. “You know, that was easier than I expected. Aren’t you an all-powerfulelemental?” he jeered. “You didn’t even put up a fight.”
Whowasthis man?
Kai knew he was no apparition. She felt his touch, smelled the intoxicating fragrance coming off of him, saw his chest move as he breathed. But how had he gotten on the ship? And how was she the only one who could see him?
And this…power he had over her mind was unlike anything she’d felt before. It terrified her.
“You need to leave,” she growled.
“Oh, I will. But first, let’s have some fun, shall we?” Quick as lightning, his hand reached out and grasped her jaw. She struggled against his hold, her pulse pounding in her ears as she summoned water to her fingertips.
“Stop,” he commanded.
His eyes bored into hers, and with that one word, her water receded. The depth of his gaze was pulling her under, drowning her, stealing all the resolve from her spirit.
“Good girl.” He cocked his head. “You might have once been the most powerful in the realm, but let’s make one thing clear:your reign is over.” His lips curled up, his words wrapping around her like a noose. “And this is just the beginning.”
