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She stretches an arm out to push on the canopy, making a small opening for me. “Come in.”

I drop my sword belt and climb in to coax her down from her fortress. Spreading the pillows evenly, I fluff one beneath her head, and she lies back.

“How’s that?” I ask, bringing the comforter up to her chin.

She turns onto her side, facing me. “Better, but it’s bizarre to be this still. I’m so used to the water being in constant motion.”

“Let’s try this, then.” I remove the blanket. “Here, lie on top of it.”

She stretches her legs out, and I pull one corner over her shoulder, pinning her arms to her body.

“What are you—” Her words are muffled by a pillow as I flip her onto her belly. “Gah!”

“Trust the process,” I say, continuing to roll her into a snug bundle.

She pokes her head above the edge of her blanket wrap and glares at me. “How am I supposed to get out of this contraption?”

“You’ll figure it out in the morning.”

She wriggles about in her cocoon, tiring easily. I can’t help the small grin tugging at my lips. She’s too annoyed to despair.

It’s adorable how fast her eyelids start drooping. She’s drifting off already.

I swing a leg over the side of the bed, but a whimper calls me back.

“What if Darcy never loves me again?” she croaks, her eyes still closed.

“Don’t worry about that.” I curl my fingers tight to stop myself from catching the dewy tears glistening on the tips of her dark lashes.

I think it would be very difficult for anyone to spend a lot of time around Cordelia and not fall a little bit in love with her.

“Maybe your mystery plan will help me to win her over again.”

“Maybe,” I grumble, but Darcy can go straight to the eternal abyss once this deal is done if she requires Cordelia to win her over. “I’d better get going. Give me two days, and I’ll show you what I’ve got up my sleeve.”

“How am I supposed to manage that without triggering our bond?” she asks, but it’s not like she doesn’t have experience with this.

“You know how you block everything out when you really don’t want me to see something?”

She hums, embarrassed. “I never knew you noticed that, but yes.”

“Then do that,” I instruct her. “Tune everything out for two days, and try not to die while I’m away.”

That earns a weak smile from her. “I’ll do my best.”

I’ll be there in a heartbeat if there’s a true emergency, but my plan will work better if I have enough time to call in a few favors.

Her lips part as the tension leaves her neck and her head sinks into the pillow. I wait for her ribs to rise and fall in a steady rhythm, making sure she’s sound asleep before I brush my thumb over the dried tear marks on her cheeks. “Goodnight.”

I fasten my sword belt around my hips and snatch the wool cloak hanging from the chair facing the dresser. Throwing it over my shoulders, I step onto the window ledge.

I pull the handles as I lean back, kicking off into a free fall until the threat of the rocks below sends a thrill rushing through my veins, and then I vanish into the dark again.

My feet hit the black cobblestones of the alley below the tavern, and I step over a puddle of an unknown substance to grab the flask I dropped earlier.

I knock back some liquid courage and pull the cloak’s hood lower. It stinks like Cordelia’s sailor, but beneath the astringent lavender, I can pick out hints of her.

Whistling a jaunty tune, I set out across the island. I’ve only ventured this way a few times before, but I know exactly where I’m going. Fear has stamped the journey into my memory.