All the Tides of Fate (All the Stars and Teeth #2) - Adalyn Grace Page 0,50

on the rigging.

“Casem snores like a drunken sailor,” Ferrick mutters, shrinking his neck into his coat like a hermit crab. Some of his breath escapes, pluming the air around him in smoky wisps. “I was going to steal a candle from Bastian’s room to melt the wax and stuff my ears. But then I saw you.”

I imagine his smile would mirror mine if he weren’t so busy burrowing as much of his exposed skin into his coat as physically possible.

At his stubbornness, I can’t help but laugh. “Wrap your hands in the ropes.” They’re the same instructions Bastian gave me on my first climb. “The sea’s rough tonight, so it’s best to be cautious. We can go lower too, if you’re scared—”

“I’m fine.” Bracing himself against the cold winds, Ferrick retreats from the warmth of his coat. As instructed, he winds his hands around the rigging for safety and hesitates for only a second before flipping to face the sea. When I lean back against the rigging, he follows suit.

I trace his eyes to the tides, which no longer feel quite so dark. The moonlight shines brighter, igniting what looks like thousands of tiny crystals upon the water. They brighten the sea like a gemstone.

Now more than ever, I wish I could learn time magic. I would freeze myself in this moment, moon-soaked and overlooking the ocean. I would become Keel Haul’s figurehead, glued to this ship for all of eternity. Traveling forever, rather than sitting on a throne built upon blood and burned by lies.

“It reminds me of the night we fought the Lusca.” Ferrick’s voice comes gently, as if aware he’s coaxing me from my own dark thoughts. “The sea was calmer then—at least until the beast showed up—but it was dark like tonight. Beautiful, too … if not for the giant monster trying to kill us.”

I’m surprised by how genuine my laugh is. It’s not like back on Arida, where I must play pretend.

Ferrick was there the night my life changed. He’s been there for all of it. With him, there’s no pretending.

“That night, you became the bravest person I’ve ever met.” It’s surprising even to me how natural it feels to be around him. How comfortable.

His laugh is soft, nearly swept away by the wind. “I could say the same for you.”

I think back to that moment when I threw myself onto the Lusca. How I’d thought about the stories Visidia would tell in my honor, and how proud Father would be when I showed him proof I’d bested the beast. I never did have the chance to show him Rukan.

Silence weighs heavy between us, but it’s not tense or awkward. Moving closer to Ferrick, I settle into that silence, letting my eyes shut and my head fall upon his shoulder as he winds an arm around me. I’m not sure how long we stay like that, but it’s only when Ferrick stirs that I lift my head to eye him.

“Are we doing the right thing?” His lips are pressed thin, and his green eyes are bothered and distant, as though he’s trying to piece together a puzzle.

“By ‘we,’ are you asking me if I think I’m doing the right thing?”

Foot bouncing against the rigging, he nods. “I don’t feel good lying to everyone. Vataea deserves to know about Blarthe, and even Casem’s trying his best to make this easier for you. He’s in communication with your mother and the other islands every day, trying to make this as smooth as possible. The Montaras lied for ages; you don’t have to be the same as them.”

Staring at the cloudless sky, I wonder if any gods can hear my sigh.

“I stopped knowing what the right thing to do was a long time ago, Ferrick. All I can do is what I think is right. And for now, that’s making Visidia the priority. I won’t be the same as my family; I’ll tell everyone the truth when the time is right. But for now, I stand by my decision.” I kick at the rigging, letting the ropes tangle in my boots.

Ferrick’s scoff is so soft I nearly miss it. “You’re too used to doing things on your own. Give the rest of us some credit, would you? We want to help.”

I hide my scowl, tired of hearing that. I spent eighteen years relying on someone else, and look where that got me. The best way to get something done is to do it myself. If they can’t keep