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I licked over his bottom lip. He nipped mine in retaliation, breathing a rough chuckle as I gasped.

In that same moment, his fingers finally slid below my underwear.

He found me slick and ready, drunk on the bliss of this brief escape. I grabbed for the bulge of his cock as he probed half an inch into me, and felt his straining length twitch in my palm as I moaned his name – a sensation so intoxicating that I failed to register, for one or two heartbeats, the impatient squeaking that suddenly broke through the backdrop of creaking sails and groaning ropes.

A familiar sort of squeaking, no less.

I froze, one hand gripping Creon’s crotch, one hand pressing into his bare chest. He’d gone equally still beneath me. His fingers lingered unmoving between my thighs, but he slowly lowered his wings back to the deck like a dark flower unfolding its petals, welcoming the warm sunlight and the briny sea breeze and that persistent, high-pitched sound.

Zera’s miniscule bird perched on the taffrail of the ship, chirping as if it was about to claw out our eyes next.

Burning lust turned to clammy shame in less than the time it took to blink. I yanked my hands away from their incriminating wandering and shot upright in a reflexive and somewhat half-hearted attempt to tug my dress back in place. Creon’s hand between my thighs quite spoiled the effect. The little bird abruptly shut its little beak, however, puffing out its chest as it peered at me with impatient beady eyes.

If you have time for this frivolous nonsense,that look said,shouldn’t I be a little higher on the list of your priorities?

‘Oh,’ I said sheepishly, unwilling to acknowledge I had entirely forgotten about my little helper in the bewilderment of Iorgas’s death. ‘You’re … you’re still here?’

I hadn't known until that moment that birds were capable of scowling, but this little specimen managed it, her wings twitching in annoyance as she hopped from one foot to the other. Her piercing look vaguely reminded me of—

Wait.Her?

A strange certainty swept over me as I stared at her, a realisation that came out of nowhere and yet settled into my bones as if it was the result of days of deliberation. For some reason, I was absolutely sure she was female, this fluffy bird barely the size of my hand. It didn’t matter that nothing about her snow-white chest or her grey-and brown-flecked neck spoke of gender to me. In the blink of an eye, Iknewher – knew her fierce pride at defeating a foe, her palpable annoyance at my dallying with some boring fae male instead of offering her my well-deserved gratitude.

‘Right,’ I said, clambering off Creon’s lap as the last of that delirious arousal ebbed from my body. My feet were unsteady on the rocking deck. ‘Um. That was discourteous of me, and I apologize. You were very brave. And fearsome. I owe you my life, and if there’s anything I can do to pay the debt, please let me know.’

She cocked her head, considering that offer. Some kind of falcon, I determined in that moment of silence – but she had to be the smallest falcon I’d seen in my life.

And why did I feel this unsettling, almost violent instinct to scoop her up from the rail and tuck her close against my chest, like a child to be protected? Was Zera trying to tell me something?

But that didn’t make sense – none of this made sense. Ihadasked for Zera’s help in that moment underwater, but if she’d sent this bird here from the continent, it would have taken far longer than half a minute for her to reach me. So what in hell was going on?

The little falcon continued to glare at me as if she was waiting for something.

‘I …’ I turned to Creon for support and found him sitting on the deck, muscular arms wrapped around his knees. To my bewilderment, he was grinning broadly, his mirth wrinkling the bronze skin around his eyes. ‘What am I missing?’

He shrugged.You’re godsworn.

Godsworn.

Like Agenor.

And his snakes.

I felt my eyes widen as I whirled back to the bird, who let out an excited squeak, as if to congratulate me on finally figuring it out.

‘You’re … you’re here tostay.’ The words tumbled over my lips. What had Agenor said about the snakes? Hundreds of years. Gods help me. ‘With me? You’re …’

She huffed, ruffling her feathers in apparent offense.

‘You’re here to gracefully tolerate my existence, I mean?’ I corrected myself blankly, and she looked significantly happier at that.

Behind me, Creon breathed a chuckle.

I turned again and helplessly whispered, ‘Doesn’t she need a name?’

You’re supposed to name her.He rose to his feet with a slight flutter of his wings, studying the small creature with unmistakable amusement.And that’s all you need to do, as far as I know. Clearly she has already claimed you.

I once again blinked at the bird, who beamed back at me expectantly.