The Fae King's Dream (Between Dawn and Dusk #2) - Jamie Schlosser Page 0,75

from getting laid, that’s one of the most unlikely cockblocks ever.

I should probably be more worried about why someone tried to sink our ship, but my mind is on a loop and every thought eventually leads back to Damon.

I’m obsessed with him.

As I look up at the patched hole in the ceiling, I pop a cheese cube into my mouth. “Did Kirian get any answers?”

“Nope. Even after an hour of interrogation, the men are staying tight-lipped. Won’t say a word. Maybe they know Quinn would be able to tell if they’re lying.”

This afternoon, I found out that’s Quinn’s power. She always knows if someone is being truthful, and her reputation has spread. The Queen of Honesty is what people call her.

“But that would mean they know who she is,” I reason, “and you said people from far away don’t know what you look like.”

Damon nods solemnly. “Which doesn’t bode well for us. At least the first group of bandits were random. This time, it seems to be personal.”

“You think we were intentionally targeted?”

“Possibly.”

I swallow hard around a lump of bread and wash it down with a couple sips of Quinn’s anti-nausea tonic. “I thought we were safe on the water.”

This is supposed to be the time Damon and I have to just be together. No covens, Extractors, or attempted abductions.

“Hey.” Damon puts his hand on mine. “We caught the men. They’ll be dealt with as soon as we get to Sterling.”

I try to smile. “I wish we could keep sailing. We could turn around. Go back to the Night Realm. Travel across the land to the Endless Sea, buy a ship, and just float out there for years and years.”

“That does sound nice, but I refuse to run away. I won’t abandon my kingdom because of a psychotic coven and some rogue criminals.”

He’s right. Damon isn’t the type of leader to flee when there’s a problem, and I respect him for it.

He smirks. “Besides, look at the upside—we get an extra day. If you remember, we were originally scheduled to make it to Sterling by this evening.”

“Don’t remind me.” I make a face, and he laughs.

Yeah, our mating set us back. And, yes, everyone knows we fucked, which is a little embarrassing.

I mean, of course they would’ve realized it when they saw Damon wasn’t blind anymore, but the whole power burst thing made it such a big deal. Not only did it delay our trip, but Linus has had his skirt in a twist all day, figuratively speaking. Every time I’ve walked by him, he grumbles about what we did to him in his sleep.

Taking my plate, Damon piles it on top of his and sets the dishes in a basket on the floor.

“I wasn’t done with that.” I raise an eyebrow.

He prowls forward on his hands and knees until he’s got me pinned against the mattress. “I’ll give it back after I’m done with you.”

Now that’s what I’m talking about.

Gripping the back of his neck, I pull his lips down to mine. I taste wine on his tongue, and his scent is intoxicating.

I wonder what it will be like the second time we’re together. Will it be as intense as the first? More so? I can’t wait to find out.

Just as Damon hikes up my dress, a shrill scream echoes through the whole ship. It’s so loud, it makes the walls vibrate.

Damon’s hand spasms on my thigh, and we lock eyes for a split second before scrambling off the bed. Yanking the door open, he snatches my hand in a tight hold. As we bolt into the hallway, another wail rises.

“It sounds like it’s coming from below,” Damon says, tugging me toward the entrance to the lower level.

“Could shit just not keep happening?” I huff out, running to keep up. “Because that would be great.”

At least he’s not shoving me into the panic room again. Doors open as we pass by the safe place, and more of our crew spills out into the hallway behind us. Kirian and Quinn. Dermott and Kai.

I haven’t seen the dungeon yet, but as we stop by the trap door, a slither of apprehension races up my spine.

Another click at my back makes me turn, and Astrid’s there, popping her head out of her cabin. She does a once-over of what’s happening before saying, “Oh, for the love of stars. Nope.”

She shuts herself back in her room.

“You should let me go first, your majesty.” Dermott already has his sword drawn as he nudges his