Odelia whimpers, her brow knitting together. No doubt, even in sleep she’s tormented by the blood on her hands.
I rub the smooth shell between my fingers, my gaze never leaving her sleeping form. I can’t trust her—tide damn me—I don’t even know if I trust myself at this point.
I’ll have to answer for my decision to follow the map. Elio and Tav’s doubts are heavy burdens to bear. But the grief of my mother’s absence is heavier.
Milky pinks and buttery yellow light washes over my skin. I definitely nodded off for a few hours in the night, but when I woke I was relieved to find Odelia still fast asleep on my bed. Her position changed. No longer is she backed into the corner like a trapped deer. She’s curled tightly in a ball in the middle of the bed, her walnut waves sprawling around her.
Without making a sound, I ease myself out of my chair, not bothering to stretch my aching limbs from being cramped all night. I definitely need a dip in the ocean. My skin is practically shrivelling with every passing second.
Quietly, I unlock the door and head out onto the deck, where I come face to face with both Tavi and Elio—and most of the crew. My shoulders drop, unease filling my stomach with heat. A captain's job never ends.
I clear my throat. No need to shout—they're already watching me with sharp and eager eyes. “I have decided to take us on a different course. The pirate—Odelia has a map. One that leads to a cache of the ocean’s relics and treasure.”
Both Elio and Tavi remain stiff. I don’t look at them, but from the corner of my eye I see the way their hands twitch. This isn’t the path they’d choose, but they’d walk beside me regardless.
“We sail for an island called Twin Serpents,” I say. The words drop heavy. “About four hundred knots off the Emerald Coast. If the winds hold, we’ll make landfall in two days.”
There’s a beat of silence. Then the murmuring starts—quiet, but sharp around the edges. Not all of them like the plan. I can feel it in the shift of their weight, the way a few cross their arms or glance sideways at one another.
They don’t trust her—they shouldn’t.
I push up the sleeves on my linen shirt. “Find the rest of the crew, and hoist the sail.”
A few of the crew mutter under their breath but theystep into action.
Early morning wind dances across the deck, and I turn without another word. They don’t have to trust her. They just have to follow orders.
For now.
Elio takes a step towards me. “Rune—”
I stop, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You know your orders.”
Tavi spins on her heel, marching away, and soon Elio follows.
As I approach my quarters again, I’m careful. There could be a chance Odelia is hiding behind the door, ready to gut me with a makeshift weapon. Yet, when I open it I find her sitting up in the middle of the bed, rubbing her eyes.
I lock the door behind me and lean against the frame. The wood groans under my weight. “Glad one of us got some sleep.”
Odelia stretches, reaching towards the skies. I feel my chest tighten at the simple act. She’s all doe eyed, and sleepy. It’s probably a trap, a way to make me drop my guard before she launches off the bed and stabs me in the eye.
“Your bed is quite comfortable. Is the chair not?” her voice is almost a purr.
A grin steals across my lips. “Oh, the chair is fine, but the smell coming from you is what kept me awake.”
Her brow knits together in the middle, eyes squinting. “Ass.”
I shove my hands into my trouser pockets, as I stroll towards her. “Tavi will bring you a bucket of hot water and a change of clothes—andsheets. Once we’re on the open sea, she will untie you. But if you make a problem, I’ll throw you overboard without a second thought.”
Odelia looks up at me from the bed. “Captain Rune—offering a pirate clean clothing? Watch out, your crew might think you’re getting soft.”
A huff escapes me as I take a few steps backwards towards the washroom. “Let’s just say I don’t need the monsters to smell us before they see us.”
KEEPYOUR FRIENDS CLOSE
7
ODELIA
