Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
“And I need you to give me some space to work.” She waves an azure-and-silver wing at me. “Give me ten minutes to stabilize her and then you can come back.”
I don’t want to leave for even that long, but I can hear Miles and the crew arguing just outside the door. I have to think. I have to deal with this. If they vote me out now, they’ll kill Evelyn. Fuck, they might kill me, too, but that’s less of a concern.
I drag in a deep breath and square my shoulders. I will never be the most charismatic captain, but damn them, I will have obedience. At least for now. I stalk out onto the deck. The whole crew isn’t here, but enough of them are for it to be a concern. “Set course for the island. I want to talk to the person who made the report to the Council.”
Miles shoves to the front of the crew. “We’re wasting time. That woman is a traitor, and if you’re not willing to do your duty, then give her to the sea and let nature take its course. We need to finish what we started with the dragon.”
Some of the crew rumble in agreement. I take the time to meet each of their gazes individually. One by one they fall silent. When I speak, everyone listens. “I will find out who among the villagers gave the report and ask them the questions I have after this encounter. At that point, I will make the decision about what to do with the witch. Should we need to hunt down the dragon, we will hunt down the dragon. It headed to the west, and it will take days before it reaches another island. If it even does. Hunting is what we do, and I will not rush this.” I motion at Dia. “Take us around the island to the village.”
“Careful, Captain.” Miles doesn’t raise his voice, but the threat is clear nonetheless. “If you keep defying orders of the Cŵn Annwn, you might be in danger of being branded a traitor alongside that witch.”
I stare at him until he drops his eyes. It takes longer than it normally does. At this rate I wouldn’t be surprised if Miles skipped the vote and tried to slip a knife between my ribs. “Everyone to their stations. I will go into the village after the witch awakes. Everyone else will stay behind.” It’s a risk, but Dia will keep them in line. At least long enough for me to return.
Taking Evelyn is also a risk, but I need her to understand once and for all that we are not monsters. She’s so determined to think the worst of me—of us—and maybe if she hears how many people the dragon killed, she’ll stop fighting me.
Maybe then she’ll stop trying to escape.
The opinion of one woman should not be enough for me to alter the entire course of our ship, but right now I don’t give a fuck. I turn on my heel and walk straight back into my cabin.
Evelyn, the damned troublemaker, is awake. She blinks up at me while Aadi coaxes healing magic in the air above her body. “What happened?”
It’s Aadi who answers. “It’s not safe for you to drain your magic to such low levels. Thankfully, your body gave out before your magic did. Otherwise, we might not be having this conversation.”
It’s been only a couple days since she saved my life against the cat-sìth. Surely she’s recovered enough that this magical incident stands on its own. I can’t help the guilt that viciously courses through me. She’s the one who fucked up and yet I’m the one who’s feeling bad about it. I don’t know how she does this without saying a single word, but she manages to again and again.
“Get her up and walking. We’re making a stop.” I should leave it at that, but I hate how fear crests in her green eyes. I should be happy—if she’s afraid enough, maybe she’ll start making smarter decisions—but I never want this witch, this woman, to fear me. “We’re going to talk to the villagers about the dragon attacks.”
“I’m ready to go.” Evelyn sits up, disrupting the beautiful ribbons of magic Aadi is weaving.
The bird woman huffs. “You’re as terrible a patient as the rest of them.” She pins me with a look. “She’s going to be dizzy for a bit. Don’t let her fall and hurt herself further.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to offer to carry Evelyn, but that’s not a reasonable offer to make. The impulse isn’t reasonable, either. Everything about this woman has me twisted up in knots. The worst part is that I don’t know if I want to untwist myself … or urge her to bind me tighter to her.