I tore my gaze from Roan to meet Kidd’s curious stare. “Aren’t you needed above?”
His head shook, a knowing smile curving his lips. “Storm will pass soon, worst of it has already hit. Cap’ wouldn’t have let me help bring them down if he thought I’d still be needed up top.”
I shivered against the chill of Roan's body, a hand running over the hard planes of his chest to where his heart beat slowly against my palm. “He’ll be alright? They all will?”
Kidd nodded. “Once they warm, they’ll wake.” His gaze drifted to Roan, a surprising fondness softening his griseled features. “Would’ve been an awful thing for the sea to steal one of its own. Not even I think the Goddess would’ve been so cruel to let it take him too early.”
Humor lit his dark eyes. “Nor do I think you would have allowed it.” I shifted as his brow rose. “Cap’ said he offered you two a place aboard the ship.”
“He did.”
“And?”
My nose wrinkled, “And?”
The large man let out a sigh, one akin to that of a disappointed parent. For a moment he reminded me so much of Merle, the exact inflection of it so like when I would come home too late after a night of drinking. As though I should know better. His attention shifted to Kairen, then Rena, before drifting back to me. “These two are earth and fire through and through. Their blood flows through the dirt and sings within their bodies, butyou,”his gaze was knowing, “you crave the sea. It calls to you, doesn’t it?”
I was silent for a long moment, perhaps a touch too long and he spoke once more. “Solerian or Luanthian, it doesn’t matter. When the sea calls to you, there’s no ignoring it. Like a siren hidden among the waves, it always draws you back.”
“What does that mean?”
He shrugged. “Suppose that’s for you to figure out.”
Silence settled over us and soon his snores filled the cabin. Yet sleep would not come to me, not even when the candle upon the wall burned so low, hardly any light remained.
“Syra?”
His voice was ragged and pained, but relief sang through my heart as I sat up. My chest pressed to his skin as I breathed, “You’re awake.”
His mouth twisted in the dim light, eyes adjusting to the darkness. He leaned closer, eyes flitting to where I was pressed to him. “Are we naked right now?”
I flushed, quickly pulling back, but his hand shot out tugging me back to him, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. “I need the warmth, little menace. Would you deny a man nearly frozen to death a bit of heat?”
“I’m wearing undergarments,” I muttered, words prickly with the embarrassment that flushed my body. “And I’m starting to thinkyouhave a wish to meet the Goddesses far too soon, Captain. I grow weary of your continuous near-death experiences.”
He let out a low sigh, his breath warm against my lips. “The only Goddess I wish to be in the presence of already has her body pressed to mine.”
I flushed even as the aggravation still simmered in my blood. “Flattery will do you no good right now.”
“What about a kiss?” He murmured, hand lifting to tuck my damp hair behind my ear. His hand curved around my neck, thumb brushing the soft skin of my jaw.
“You threwyourself overboard, Roan. Do you have any idea how terrified I was?”
“I’m sorry.”
Those two little words broke the already fracturing anger in my heart, my fear instead leaking through the cracks as tears formed in my eyes. “Why in the Nine Hells would you do something sostupid?”
“It was the only way to get to him, my magic was depleted and the water was too chaotic. I couldn’t sense him below the surface and I took an oath to protect Kairen the same way I did you and Bran.” He paused for merely a moment, eyes dancing with sadness as he brushed the tears from my cheeks. “Even if I wasn’t oath bound to him, I would have done the same. He’s a brother to me, even if he’s been such an ass.”
Head falling to his chest, I felt the steady beat of his heart, heard the sound of life there and let it comfort me. A low, annoyed noisesounded in the back of my throat. “I swear I’ll break you from every ridiculous oath you’ve made, Roan Delmar.” I glanced back up, his hand smoothing over my hair, his eyes soft. “Sopleasejust stop nearly dying on me.”
His lips curved. “I’ll do my best.”
“You two aresickeningly,disgustinglysweet.”
I jumped at the sound of Rena’s voice, her hazel eyes fixed upon me in the dark room. My question came rushing out. “How are you feeling?”
“Oh don’t fret over me now,” she snipped as she waved a hand weakly. “Go on pretending as if you’re the only two in the room. Just please if you plan to dootherthings, find a different space.”
