to the trunks, working their way through roots and leaves. He’d disappeared into the obsidian void, but had left whispers of his existence.
Working my fingers through the Myad’s ink-black fur, I let out a quiet sigh. If ever there was a beast made for Noc, it should have been him. “Onyx. His name is Onyx.”
Twenty-one
Noc
By the time Leena and Kost boarded, I’d already holed up inside the wheelhouse with the captain. As soon as I knew they were safe, I gave him the signal to push off and left for a secluded, unused room in the bowels of the ship.
I relished the cobwebs clinging to the moldy rafters and endless crevices filled with darkness. The warmth of the deck was too much. I needed the steady lapping of waves against the thick paneling of the ship. The dank and musty aroma of salt and grime. I needed distance. Separation. Sitting on a wooden crate, I rested my chin in my hands. At least here I was hidden. At least here I was alone.
My fingers quivered, and I balled my hands into fists. The sight of that beast on top of her had ruined me. If she had failed, I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself from bringing her back. And I don’t know if she would have ever forgiven me. I don’t think I would have forgiven myself.
By the time we hit the slick docks of Ortega Key, the sun had kissed the horizon. Still hidden, I slipped out onto the deck. A vibrant emerald flash dominated the sky for a breath before disappearing, and the bright excitement in Leena’s eyes threatened to shatter my resolve. I was a brooding mix of furious and desperate, and that wasn’t a combination that bode well for anyone.
“Are you guys going to be at the Drinking Mermaid tonight?” Corinne asked. Twirling her hair, she fished without looking. Not like she had to—Ozias was a marlin in a tiny barrel, and she wielded a harpoon.
Ozias grinned. “I think we’re in the mood to celebrate.”
Still lingering in the shadow realm, I winced.
Calem’s eyes pinned me, seeing through the darkness before skipping toward Leena. With a careful smile, he rested his hand on her shoulder. “Sounds good to me.”
I left before Leena could respond. Without looking back, I stormed through the streets and targeted the Roasted Boar. If they wanted to celebrate, then so be it. I was in no mood.
I barricaded myself in my room and threw open the double doors leading out to the beach. The ocean waves attempted to drown my emotions, but they refused to comply. When I slammed my fist into the wall, wood shavings scattered to the floor. The breeze carried in the salt of the ocean, and I closed my eyes. Breathe. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Breathe. Why on earth did she have to fall onto my lap? Breathe. Did I really deserve this?
Yes, yes I did. My hands were bloody, and they’d continue to be that way for the rest of my ungodly existence.
I’d almost lost her today. It wasn’t the wound but the way she stared into nothingness, as if slowly slipping toward insanity, thanks to the Myad’s magic. I could revive a deceased body, but I couldn’t mend a broken mind. She wouldn’t have been dead, but not really alive, either. The very thought of her slipping beyond my reach had shattered my control. If she hadn’t made it out…if I’d lost her to that beast…
Don’t be ridiculous. She wasn’t mine to lose in the first place. She never could be.
I uncurled my hands. Stared at the imprints of my nails against my skin. I was supposed to be stronger than this.
Behind me, a soft knock sounded on the door. Kost. He’d have waited for a time to slip away from the group to come and check on me. I rested against the doorframe, body still angled toward the ocean, and called to him without moving. “Come in.”
A quiet click, and the hinges creaked as the door swung open.
Folding my arms across my chest, I let out a long breath. “You didn’t need to check on me.”
The door shut. “I just wanted to clear the air.”
My pulse died, and I spun on my heels to find Leena, one hand gripping an amber bottle of spiced acorn whiskey by the neck and the other cradling two small crystal glasses.
“I thought you were Kost.”
She shrugged. “Sorry to disappoint.” Disappoint? I swallowed my laugh. Skin glowing from