“Think you could make me a little knife with that?” he says, jumping back down to the ground.
I’m not as practiced with it as my bow, but after a few moments, I manage to craft something with a sharp edge. Dayton takes it from me and cuts open the tops of the coconuts. “Drink.”
I hadn’t realized how parched I was until the liquid slid downmy throat. It’s slightly sweet, with a nutty undertone. As soon as I finish one, Dayton hands me a second, which I take eagerly.
“We should keep going,” he says, then continues into the jungle.
I keep following him. It’s uncomfortable, the humidity coating my skin with sticky sweat, and although my clothes have dried, they’re salt-crusted and stiff. I just know my inner thighs are going to be raw and red tomorrow.
But it’s also beautiful. The jungle is alive with bright blooming flowers and the symphony of chirping birds … which I can hear clearly because Dayton has barely spoken two words since we’ve left the beach. I walk up beside him.
“Is everything all right?”
“Yes.”
“Day?” I grip his arm and he whirls around to face me.
“Why didn’t you go below deck when I asked?”
“I wastrying,but I got knocked over!” It suddenly comes back to me: the words he spoke right as the storm hit. How heloathesme. “Do you regret jumping in after me?”
“No, of course not.” He runs a hand through his hair. Something’s clearly still bothering him. “Just drop it, okay?”
“Look, I know this isn’t ideal, but we’ll find the ship again. We’ll get back to the crew and … and your mate.”
“I might not even have a mate anymore,” Dayton snaps, then continues into the jungle.
My stomach sinks. What does he mean? What happened after I passed out? “Dayton, wait.”
I rush after him, and we break out of the treeline onto a rocky outcrop overlooking the island. The vista stretches before us. Below, the lush greenery meets the glittering ocean. There’s not a single ship on the horizon.
“What do you mean, you might not have a mate anymore?” I ask.
He shakes his head, avoiding my gaze. “I mean, we have no idea what happened to the ship. No idea where they are.”
A warm breeze tousles my hair, and I step closer to him. “Can youfeelher?”
“What do you mean?”
I place my hand on my chest. “I can feel my mates in my heart. Even Kel, despite not completing our mate bond. I would know if they were dead.”
Dayton shakes his head. “I don’t think it works like that for me.”
It makes me sick to help Dayton strengthen his bond with Wrenley, but he’s clearly worried about her and it’s my fault they’re separated now. I step closer and guide his hand over his heart, but when I move to pull away, he keeps my hand cupped in his. My fingertips graze his sculpted chest.
“Tell me what to do, Blossom,” he rasps.
“Close your eyes,” I whisper. “Mine is like a warmth beside my heart. My mates flicker in the flames.”
He tilts his head, and his lips brush my hairline. “I don’t feel anything—”
“Just think about her,” I say. “The feel of her. Make a shape in your mind.”
“Mmm-hmm.” He presses his hand on the small of my back, drawing me closer against him.
My eyes close. “Imagine your heart is an arrow. Where does it lead you? Where is it guiding you?”
His other hand tightens around mine, and I feel the vibrant beat of his heart. I breathe in, getting lost in the intoxicating scent of his salt and sunshine skin. I squeeze his hand and he instinctively draws me closer, my heart beating in a wild tandem with his own.
