Afton shrugged with a haughtyharumph.
“Just try not to kill each other. Or at least wait until after we collect what we came here for.”
Afton puffed out his chest. “Please, you think she can hurt me?”
“Oh, I would bet my money on her, easily.” He hadn’t known Erinna for long, but he recognized that drive—a fire that refused to yield. She’d claw her way through dust and ruin if she had to.
Afton closed his spellbook with a loud snap. “We’re done here for now.”
Kane groaned and cursed himself. Great, they’d be back to code cracking for the rest of the day, and he hated being cooped up with the frustrated Minor Apprentice.
The deck was sprawlingwith people going about their own business. A bosun whistled and hollered in the distance, but Erinna was good at ignoring things that didn’t involve her. She had been trying for hours to make headway in her project. Her shirt clung to her body with sweat as she struggled beneath the midday sun.
She scraped a chisel across the wood, drawing strength from her frustration. She thought of Afton and his mere presence on the island. The memory of their conversation provided a spark of strength and energy. Her mind wandered to the captain—his infuriating smirk and cryptic answers every time she asked a question. Then she thought of her father and faltered.
Anger and guilt swirled together into a nauseating knot. His secrets, that deal he made with Kane, the curse that left him helpless. How she left him at home, trapped in a wooden coffin, hoping that no one would come for him before she returned.
He was fine, Erinna reminded herself. For now. According to Inez’s divination, her father would be safe for as long as she was on the island. It was the only hope she could glom onto.
Erinna shook her head and rammed the tool into the mast again. The force blistered her skin, rubbing her fingers and palm raw with use. The physical pain was much more welcome than the ones that sat heavy in her chest.
“Take a break, girl. It does neither of us any good for you to pass out.” Lila shielded herself from the sun. “Or get sun poisoning,” she murmured as an afterthought.
Erinna flopped to the ground, exhausted and defeated. A rough outline was carved into the wood, and a small indent had been painstakingly chiseled to provide a resting place for the dark stone. She couldn’t use a setting or prongs. Not if she wanted to use the witchstone’s full potential.
The tricky part was getting the stone to fuse with the wood. It could not be done any other way. The stone needed to accept its home somehow and notch itself into its resting place. At least, this was the optimal construction. Many devices had been made by forcefully shaping the stone and setting it into tools to provide arcane utility. In this manner, the stone’s capabilities were limited.
“Perhaps…” Erinna stood up again and pointed the tip of a knife at the center of the stone. It thrummed against the metal. Erinna wavered on her feet from fatigue. Just one more try, then she’d rest.
Before she could attempt anything too reckless, a strong arm wrested the weapon from her grasp.
Lila stared at her with wide eyes, and Erinna thought that for a moment she glimpsed the smallest amount of concern.
“You’re done for the day.” Lila pulled Erinna from her workplace, despite her protests.
“Just one more try,” Erinna pleaded, but swayed slightly on her feet.
Lila yanked her farther away from the project. Her mind still on work, Erinna didn’t notice Kane boarding the ship until Lila jerked her away to avoid a collision.
“Sir.” Lila nodded at him in respect.
Kane’s gaze fell on Erinna, lingering there for a moment before eyeing the mast behind her. Her failure. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and embarrassment gnawed at her stomach. “I—” She started to explain, but Kane simply shrugged. “At least you’re making progress.”
Erinna couldn’t tell if he was being genuine or facetious. “Don’t mock me,” she grumbled.
“I’m not mocking you.”
“I know it’s not working.” Erinna couldn’t keep the confession from rolling off her tongue. Even Kane looked shocked at how quickly the conversation was devolving.
Strong hands landed on her shoulders and started to push her away. “I think it’s time for a break, and perhaps an extra cask of ale at dinner.” Lila steered Erinna back to the campsite before she could pick a fight or start wallowing in despair.
“Don’t worry, we don’t have high hopes,” Lila continued. It was clear that Lila didn’t mean for it to be a complete insult, but the words stung all the same.
Erinna jerked herself from her grasp. “Just give me something else to do for the rest of the day,” she grumbled and started again toward camp.
It had already been three excruciating days since her life was upended, and she had nothing but damage to show forher labor. Erinna had been too confident and cursed herself for poor thinking. There were only a handful of times that Erinna wished she had some drop of natural Talent. She would prefer summoning or even transmutation. She would pray for a fraction of her father’s power. Anything to help her feeluseful.
Erinna paused her spiral to take in a breath, steeling herself against rising hopelessness. That kind of thinking was dangerous.
