There was only a drop of guilt within me for Darcke’s ship. She’d been kind to me, after all. But the shame was overshadowed by the roaring rage that rolled off my second, making it impossible to read any other feelings he might have coursing within him.
An excited squeak went through the golden oak when we came within ten feet, and I braced myself around the mast, holding on to Darcke’s eyes. His small smile was the only warning before his ship flew to the side in a blur of black.
“Fuck,” I cursed as I realized what would happen.
The rope leading to Darcke’s anchor stopped Envis, and I was thrown into the bow, a groan leaving me as the railing smacked my forehead so hard my vision went out for a second. Then Darcke’s ship moved again, whipping around until she slammed us against Torden’s vessel, trapping us between the two.
I lifted my hand to my forehead as the shade from their sails fell over the deck, grumbling when Envis purred happily, quite pleased to be floating between the two warships.
“I thought you were on my side,” I muttered as I used my other hand to try to stand.
Then I was in the air before I was slammed down on my feet so hard my teeth rattled.
“You’re bleeding,” Darcke growled.
Good to see you too.
“It’s your fault.” I didn’t look at him as I searched my pockets for something to stop the blood running down my temple.
“Debatable.”
I recoiled when Darcke’s hand brushed my cheek.
“I’m just making sure it’s not deep,” he said.
I didn’t know what was worse, the whispers rising behind us or the gentleness with which he tipped my face up.
“I thought you were angry with me,” I said, trying to keep my eyes unfocused as my second ripped off a piece of his tunic and pressed it against the wound. “I couldn’t sleep because your emotions were so strong.”
“Is that why you stayed away?”
I swallowed when his eyes went between mine.
“No,” I replied quietly. “That’s not why.”
He opened and closed his mouth a few times, but as the people who’d run to the bow returned and curious gazes went over us, he took a step back. “You’ll be fine. It wasn’t too bad.”
“Great,” I said as Ivren, Viljan, and Fedic came into view on Torden’s ship. “I should…”
“Yes.” Darcke had already turned to Torden’s ship, elegantly heaving himself over the railing before walking over to Torden and Borje where they sat on the side of the ship.
The three warriors looked entirely out of place as initiates began dancing on the deck, their hands weaving toward the sky. Borje offered Darcke a large cup of ale, and my second’s throat bobbed as he swallowed several deep gulps.
“You’re staring.” Vero came to the edge of Darcke’s ship.
“No, I am not,” I replied.
She let out a low laugh when I inspected the railing I’d crashed into.
“Your ship is fine.” Vero gestured for me to hurry. “Come on, I missed you the past few days.”
“What is this, anyway?” I asked as I patted Envis, silently asking her to behave.
She was floating so closely to Darcke’s ship, the gold would have rubbed off if it wasn’t ingrained in the wood.
“A party.” Vero wiggled her brows. “We deserve it after that fucking trial, and the karls have been training every hour we were gone, so they do as well. Come on, I want to drink too much ale and gossip about which men we’d not vomit from taking to our hearth.”
“Can we include women too?” Ivren’s famous smile spread across his face when he reached out a hand and I accepted it. “Not that there is anyone here I’d turn away.”
