Someone close by screamed and screamed.
Suddenly, someone held her in strong arms and rocked her like a babe with her head tucked beneath his chin while he stroked her hair. His heartbeat pounded against her cheek, soothing her and blotting out the voices as he hummed a soothing lullaby in alanguage she’d never heard before. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the comforting scent of sea brine and warm leather that was uniquely Kalder.
Cameron trembled at the thought of how they must appear. Her in her Seraph form, white wings draped limply over the wooden deck while she lay sprawled in Kalder’s lap.
It was scandalous.
But he said not a word as he held her while the others stood in a circle around them. Even the water witch, Strixa, was there in her human form.
“Are you better, poppet?” Kalder asked in the gentlest of tones.
“Who was screaming?”
“You were.”
Stunned, she lifted her head to look up at him for clarification. “W-w-what?”
“Aye.” He cupped her face in his warm hand and brushed his thumb over her chin. “You said they were tearing you apart.”
“I don’t understand. Are we under attack?”
Kalder shook his head, then looked over to Thorn, who’d also come out to stare at her. “Why is she in this form while her brother didn’t change at all?”
Thorn’s features paled. “I’m not sure you’re going to like the answer. Most of all I pray I’m wrong.”
“What do you mean?” Kalder had yet to loosen his grip on her.
“There’s only one reason I can think for any of this.” Thorn glanced over to the captain. “And you can correct me if you think I’m wrong. You know Vine better than I do. But it suddenly occurs to me why she’d free Kalder’s brother and send him here. If I had to layodds, I’d say it was Muerig’s blood she fed to the Jacks, and a binding spell that holds them here. One that won’t let them both stay on this side of the veil.”
Thorn passed a stern, harsh look to Kalder. “I’m going to bet, Mr. Dupree, that she will require you to make a choice on who to send back to her. Miss Jack or your brother.”
6
Kalder glared at Thorn as fury filled him. “I can’t make that choice!”
How could he send either his brother or Cameron to suffer at the hands of Vine?
Thorn sighed. “I know, lad. She’s the worst sort of bitching-troll to ever lay a trap, and you fell right into her snare. For that, I am sorry. Misery most foul is what she peddles as her stock-in-trade. And you are her primary fare.”
Paden cursed under his breath. “This is all myfault. She’d have never known about Cameron had I not fallen into her hands.”
Thorn laughed. “Evil comes for us all. Sooner rather than later. Doesn’t matter how or what we do. None are immune. So get off the cross, brother. Someone needs the wood.”
“He’s right about that.” Devyl let out a fierce sigh. “The gates are going down. The Malachai is rising. Vine is menstruating—”
“Du!” Mara snapped fiercely at her husband. “I can’t believe you just said that!”
“She’s your sister. Are you going to deny it?”
“Wintering isn’t the same asthat.”
“So say you. Having been married to the witch, I beg to differ. Never could I tell the difference between them. Both conditions lead to the same degree of bitchiness and infestation. Besides, she’s the opposite to most women. She’s only kind five days of the month… if that.”
Rolling her eyes, Mara cleared her throat and turned back toward Paden. “At any rate, what my husband is attempting to say poorly is that you don’t shoulder any of the blame. My sister’s moods are her own, and there’s none to blame for them, except Vine. Same for the Malachai. The world’s been topsy-turvy since the gates fractured. It’s why we’ve all been brought together in this quest.”
Thorn nodded in agreement. “I’ve been chasing the devil since before your ancestors were born. And before that, I led my army for him. The one thing I can tell you is that sooner or later, when you dance with darkness, you will succumb to it.”
“So it’s all me own fault?” Kalder’s tone was icy and lethal.
