She nodded and headed toward the concessions area.
Owen held out his arm to me again. “Shall I escort my pirate queen assassin back to her own ship?”
I laughed and threaded my arm through his. “I don’t think the food truck would float very well, but escort me, you may.”
He grinned, laid his hand over mine, and gently squeezedmy fingers. I curled my fingers into his and squeezed back—
I spotted a flash of silver out of the corner of my eye, so I looked in that direction. Pirate Queen Celeste was twirling one of her swords around in her hand again.
And she was watching me.
Celeste kept spinning her sword around in a smooth, lazy motion as though it was a baton instead of a deadly weapon. She realized that I was watchingher watch me and did an elaborate flourish with the blade before bowing low. The gesture was more mocking than not. Then she straightened up, slid her sword back into its scabbard, and turned to sign a little girl’s flyer.
Celeste didn’t look at me again, but I couldn’t help but feel like she was still aware of me, the same way that I was aware of her.
“Gin? Is something wrong?” Owen asked.
I focused on him. “Nope, nothing at all. Escort away.”
He led me away from the stage. I didn’t look back, but I would have bet that Celeste was watching us again—and that her interest in me was far from casual.
