“What’s truly insufferable is my sister and best mate,” he says. “They’re like animals in heat.Loudanimals in heat.”
That pulls a small laugh from me.
Odgar’s lips curl into a smile as he keeps his eyes on me. I hold his gaze as chatter among the ship’s crew continues around us, as waves lap steadily against the boat and birds occasionally call out from above. The steadiness in his gaze tempts me to look away, but I stand my ground, confronting the pull between us.
I’m unable to discern between the desire for quick gratification and something more meaningful. I can’t trust my emotions or my intuition—they’ve never been the most reliable.
“What are you thinking about so hard?” Odgar asks. “I can almost see smoke coming out of your ears.”
“The way you’re looking at me,” I admit.
“What of it?”
“I don’t like it.”
He laughs, and the deep rumble resonates in my chest, spreading through my insides as if fueled by my own flamewielding. “Why not?” He steps a little closer, one hand on the taffrail, and I step back.
Briony makes a swift escape somewhere to my left and I’m tempted to follow her, but Odgar’s persistent gaze pins me in place. “Because … it’s complicated.”
“What’s complicated?”
“I am.” I step back.
“I don’t mind.” He steps forward.
I step back again and his eyes sparkle, like flecks of gold swimming in the purest sapphire gemstone as he pursues me. His lips are firmly together, but a smile fights hard to break through and eventually wins. He’senjoyingthis.
With another step away, my back hits the rails again, this time in the corner of the stern. I let out a disgruntled huff.
Odgar grins, his teeth gleaming in the sunshine a moment before a cloud passes overhead and hides the sun. “Looks like you have nowhere to run.”
I glance over my shoulder at the water starting to lap more fiercely below. The sails flap loudly in the winds that pick up. “I could go overboard,” I say, fighting to keep my face neutral.
He tilts his head down to me, his braid slipping onto his shoulder. “I’ll follow you even into the depths of the sea,” he says.
I’ll love you even in death—oh, Callum.My heart hiccups and my throat swells. “Don’t say that.” The wind picks up even more, carrying my voice away as it whistles across the ocean. The sails crack like a whip and Odgar’s gaze diverts from me to the sky.
I follow his line of sight to the dark clouds billowing toward us. The waves grow choppier, higher. The first drop of rain falls right into my eye, and I blink rapidly just before the sky opens to unleash a torrent.
Shouts carry across the boat, everyone scrambling to close the sails and do … whatever else needs to be done on a ship in the midst of a storm.
Odgar shouts something at me that I can’t make out over the din.
“What?” I yell back.
He wraps his hand around my bicep and pulls me, swinging me away from the rail, away from the water that splashes into the vessel. Not that it would make a difference with the sudden downpour. “Get below deck!” Odgar shouts. “And hold on!”
I nod and run for the stairs, my boots slipping on the slick wood. My chest tightens as I turn back to lay eyes on Odgar. He’s still standing there in the downpour, watching to ensure I make it below deck. “Be safe,” I shout over the commotion.
I rush below and into my cabin as the boat rocks violently. Begging my guts not to upend themselves, I swallow again andagain. Crates and barrels slide. Something clatters to the floor as it falls. I pitch forward with the next rock of the ship and land on the cot. My heart hammers wildly as I sit up and hold on to the underside of the mattress.
The howl of the wind and the shouts grow louder above deck, but all I can think of is that Odgar could die out there. Hells, we couldalldie—even us taking shelter below. Perhaps there’s something I could do. Anything.
I push myself off the bed and rush for the door, but as I reach toward the latch, the door flies open, making me jump.
Odgar barrels into the cabin and shuts the door behind him. “Where did you think you were going?” His voice cuts with surprising sharpness.
“I was coming to help!”
