The door creaks open and Odgar peeks in, a lantern casting a shadow on his face. “Carys,” he says, shock lacing his voice. He sounds distant over the roar in my ears.
“Don’t come in!” I shout.
The infuriating man steps into the room, closing the door behind him and hanging his lantern on a hook on the wall.
“I said stay away! Water’s not helping. I tried. I tried …” I nod toward the cask as sobs quake in my chest. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to swallow the tears, to pull myself together. “Leave!Please.”
I keep my eyes shut until I feel him close by. He’s on his knees in front of me, his hand reaching out to my face. Lurching to my feet, I quickly back myself against the wall and press into it. I concentrate on keeping the heat within me. But it’s burning. Blistering. It’s not supposed to be this way. I wish I could phase through the wood and into the ocean. Perhaps that’s the solution. Perhaps I should submerge my entire body—to sink to the bottom of the sea. I’d never be able to use my powers again. Everyone will be spared.
“Carys, if you keep trying to hold it in, you’re going to implode,” Odgar says as he rises from the floor to approach me.
“If I release it, I’ll burn down the whole fucking ship!”
“I won’t let you do that. Just trust me.” He holds his hands out to me. “Place your hands in mine. I can take it.”
“You’re mental!”
He chuckles. “So I’ve been told.” His large hands are still held out, palms up, waiting patiently.
“I’m going to hurt you.” I sound like a whining child, but I’m desperate to get away from him while he insists on only getting closer. I’m helpless! My brother’s screams echo in my memories. The blast of fire is so vivid in my mind, as is the guilt, the agony, and grief.
“Dammit, Carys. Give me your hands before you detonate.”
Closing my eyes again, I slam my palms against Odgar’s. I expect him to go up in flames, foreverythingto go up in flames. Instead, a cool sensation streams through me. The fire doesn’t immediately dissipate, but it dies down to embers. I open my eyes to a pained expression across Odgar’s face—his teeth areclenched and sweat beads on his skin. Steam rises from our hands, wavering in the air.
“Odgar—”
He pulls me against him and wraps his arms around my body, holding me tight as the coolness of his magic surrounds me. Slowly, the overwhelming burning begins to wane. I press my face to his chest and relax in his embrace, tuning into the strong beat of his heart, and each steady breath he takes. I remain there in his arms until my teeth begin to chatter and I start to shiver.
It’s only when I lift my head from his chest that his arms relax and he releases me. He steps back and takes my face in his freezing cold hands. “Better?”
I nod against his hands and swallow, my mouth as dry as parchment. His nightshirt is charred in places, holes large enough to peek through to the tattoos along his torso and arms. His cheeks are red, eyes watering. My breath seizes in my lungs.
When I speak, my voice sounds arid. “You are either brave or foolish.”
He smiles wearily. “Why not both?” He lets his hands fall as his eyes drop from my face to the rest of me. I dare to glance down at myself. The hem of my nightgown is singed, charred holes scattered over the rest of the garment, just like Odgar’s. “When we get to Erleya, we should see if there’s a Mage who can charm some of your clothing,” Odgar says. “So, they don’t constantly burn right off you.”
My heart pounds at the thought of being back in Erleya.
“You need to release some of that pent-up magical energy, immediately. Get dressed. Just a light gown and some boots. I’ll be right back.”
A while later, I’m climbing down a rope ladder against the side of the ship. “This is ridiculous!” I call down to Odgar who awaits me in a rowboat below.
“Well, do you have any better ideas,revna?”
I huff with annoyance. Above, Seth is stabilizing the rope. “If you’re afraid of heights,” he calls down, “just keep your sight level, or up here. I’ll let you know when you’re almost at the bottom.”
“No, I’m not afraid of heights. I’m afraid of—” My gaze sweeps behind me, over the water. I can still remember the burn of it in my lungs. My heart races, but I keep moving.
Until my feet hit solid ground … or well, the swaying bottom of the boat. Gods, this may be even worse than the bloody ship. I plop down nonetheless, and the boat rocks furiously, causing Odgar to grab on to the sides.
“Careful,” he says with a smirk. “I’d hate for you to fall in after taking an eon to get down here.”
“Shut up.”
He grins and grabs the oars, beginning to row away from the ship. I watch in silence as the ship grows smaller and starts to disappear into the dark of night. The thought of water filling my lungs and stinging my eyes returns to my mind and the panic ratchets up.. “Why in hells are you sailing so far away?”
“I’m attached to that ship. I’d rather not see it go up in flames.”
