“I doubt it.”
“I forgive you for the prison, Laziel. And the hit.” The bruise still marred my face, stretching inky black and blue across my cheekbone. It spread like a fault line, as if my flesh were starting to crack beneath the degenerative curse. “And you did an honorable job helping us find the trident pieces to forge. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without you.”
Laziel hummed in response. “You’re good, Caelyn. Very good.” He took another step down. “Sometimes too good.” And he descended down the mast to the main deck.
Wind whipped across my body, a welcoming reprieve.
Grunting sounded below, catching my attention. It didn’t take much anymore to startle me, but when my eyes caught the source of the sounds, all attempts to look away were unsuccessful.
Noctis circled Jun, long swords in each hand. His shirt was thrown to the ship's railing, the black tunic of thin fabric stripped off his body. Jun lunged first, his blade meeting a barrier of metal as Noctis shielded the hit. They went back and forth, lunging, striking, dodging.
Jun moved like lightning, swiftly flipping through the air, his motions smooth as freshly spun silk. He dove sideways, the sword slicing right before Noctis’s chest—a distraction—his legs wiping across the god’s ankles. Noctis hit the deck with a crash that rattled the entire ship, seagulls flying off startled.
I snorted, attempting to hold in the laugh, but the look of utter despair on his face made me crack.
You’re supposed to stay vertical in combat. Not horizontal,I sent down the bond, amusement making its way back to me.
Would you care to show me?
Even in my mind, Noctis’s voice held poignant, the stature of royalty that made my stomach flutter.
I needed the distraction—anything to steer my mind from the impending danger we retreated from. Guilt settled into me, haunting my thoughts in every silent moment. We sailed the opposite direction of the advancing Oceanwrought troops, on our way to awaken the titan with the forged trident that was stored in the locked chest inside the captain’s quarters. Although I knew we were useless in battle without the titan, the faces of the innocent villagers escaping would not leave my mind.It’s what keeps me motivated, I kept telling myself, even when I saw their bodies scattered dead across battlefields in my nightmares.
Noctis jumped to his feet instantly, shuffling around the hooded assassin. His back faced me, and I gasped. Inky blue peppered his skin, from the nape of his neck to the waistline. The same marks that covered my face.
You're covered in bruises.
As are you. Is that worry I sense?
Jun attempted a fake attack, swinging the sword over his head and shoving his foot toward the god’s torso, but Noctis caught on too soon. He snatched the kicked ankle with his free hand and twisted, shoving Jun face first into the wooden deck.
Well, that wasn’t very nice.
Noctis huffed down the bond.Neither was him knocking me on my ass in front of such a beautiful woman.
I spun and descended the foremast, determined to spar. Delight flitted across the bond from Noctis.
Have you ever been bested by one?I couldn’t contain the comment as I reached him. Our eyes met, and Jun looked between us both.
“Are you mind talking to each other?” he asked uncomfortably.
“No,” I quipped.
“Yes,” Noctis said at the same time.
Jun’s eyes narrowed.
“I’m… going to clean up now,” he muttered and walked away, returning his blade across his back.
I unsheathed the dagger from my thigh, the absence of the blade given to Torvryn weighing on me, and crouched in a ready position. Noctis followed, a smirk curving at his lips. Gods, I could get lost in the lilt of his mouth, the way his features melted when he looked at me as if his world began and ended with me.
He moved. And I was barely ready. I crossed my daggers above my head to block the onslaught of his blade. The clash rang, shaking my eyes at impact. With a shove, his weapon dropped to my side as I jumped out of its path.
What the hell?
He set the tone, so I would match it.
I lunged next, kicking out my foot and ramming my dagger into his blade. I shoved my shoulder into his abdomen, knocking the breath from his lungs with a whoosh.
