Page 117 of Soulgazer

“Of course I will!” The indignation in his voice jerks me back upright as Aidan crosses the room in two easy strides. He reaches for me, hand unfurling like a sail over my head, then hesitates. It’s only when I lean forward until my hair brushes his palm that he settles it fully over my crown, thumb brushing the divot between my brows. “I wanted to fight for you last time, but I was too young. Couldn’t see a way out. But I know better now.”

Aidan brushes a kiss to my forehead, and I squeeze my eyes tight, willing myself to believe that he can do it. That there’sanypath off my father’s island that won’t require a toll of blood to be paid.

“Please” is all I can manage as the cuffs leach poison into my skin, numbing my fear and hope. My thoughts as well. I shake my head to clear it and dislodge his hand by accident. He pinches me lightly on the cheek instead.

It reminds me of someone—equal parts irritating and endearing, a stroke of sunlight breaking through the caipín baís cloud. “Could you get a message to Faolan?”

Aidan sits back on his heels, and I raise my head in time to see his lips twitch to one side. “You’re not worried I’ll steal your husband from you?”

“Have him. You’ll send him packing within a day, I promise.”

Aidan bursts into laughter, and I can’t help but join him. After weeks among Faolan’s family, hearing their banter crack across the ship, I understand its power better now. Humor makes sense of the shadows and light.

Aidan rubs at his chest and glances to the door again. “You know they’re calling you Wolf Tamer now, right?”

“Who?” My smile slips. “The crew? We’ve been confined to a ship.”

“I heard it in the pub just yesterday, from a group of sailors who’d passed through Aisling’s Cove.” Aidan’s nose wrinkles when he grins, just like when we were small. “Odd thing to hear a song about my sister’s thighs, though, I’ll tell you. Something like ‘She was quite wee, yet broad in the—’ ”

“Feckin’ stars, I’ll kill that man.” I groan as Aidan doubles over on another laugh. “He must have sung it for the crew at some point, the bastard.”

“Bandia Eabha, you reallyarea pirate, aren’t you, with that tongue?” Aidan’s smile is pure devilry now. “Be fair to the poor lad, he composed a whole bloody song about you. Anyone that besotted must be worth a second look.”

“Faolan is not besotted, he’s just—”

Irritating. Beautiful. Awe-inspiring.

“Full of himself.”

“A wee bit.” Aidan winks. “What’s the message?”

The humor bleeds from me as fast as it came. “Tell him…” I hesitate, glancing from Aidan’s full smile to the softness in his eyes. “Tell him not to be stupid. He doesn’t need to try for an escape. And tell him you’re coming up with a plan—but for star’s sake, don’t ask his advice. Nessa and Tavin are usually the strategists.”

Aidan tilts his head slowly to the side. “You really have become one of them, haven’t you?”

I touch the wolf tattoo at my wrist, a lump growing in my throat. “I always wanted to.”

The last log breaks apart, sparks flaring in the semidarkness asAidan drops to the rug beside me, nudging my hand with his. “It’ll take some time to sort out. Da’s men have to track Maccus’s ship down and make the voyage back. Then there’s the servants preparing the house for a royal wedding.”

“I know.” I lace our fingers tight, and for a second he stiffens. Neither of us is used to touching much anymore. But I’m not so afraid, and as the sparks die in the fire, he runs his thumb over the back of my hand.

Aidan sighs. “I’ll have to arrange a boat.”

“Faolan’s crew is docked near my cottage at the southern tip.”

He jerks back. “What?!”

“We planned for the wolves to leave if we didn’t return by tonight, but I don’t trust them to keep that promise. They love Faolan too much to be wise.”

Aidan gapes at me, and I release his hand to curl my legs tighter, chin resting on my folded arms. “If you have someone you trust, or could chance it yourself, the ship is fast. We could tell them to stay as they are while Faolan and I slip out in a currach—or take a horse by land as we did before.”

He shakes his head. “Our guards would have you before you made it halfway through the bog.” Aidan pinches the bridge of his nose. “Let me think on it. I’ll—try to get a message to the wolves to stay put, but our focus needs to be onyou, Saoirse. Faolan will be all right.”

That damned soulstone mark fills my vision when I blink, until ice from the cuffs at my wrists chases it away. I shake them until some feeling returns. “How long do you think it will take?”

“A week. Maybe less? I’ll have to find the key tothose,” he says, nodding to my wrists. “And manage all the communications without Da taking notice. It’ll be a few days at least.”

My eyes flick back to the last ember, flaring bright for one last breath.