Page 3 of A Spell of Bones and Madness (Nostos #2)

Faint scraping came from the door the next morning, one of tiny claws padding the wooden frame, attempting to pull down on the bronze handle and get inside.

The noise did not seem to rouse Leighton, who did not even peek open his eyes while she tiptoed past. When Katrin made it over to the door and opened it, neither Mykonos nor her human appeared before her.

Looking left and right down the corridor, Katrin tried to catch either of them slinking away, but only dust trickled in the low light below deck.

A sigh escaped Katrin’s lips. She’d hoped someone else would come to see her. Even her sister avoided Katrin’s quarters, too busy interrogating Ajax on how he knew the crew aboard The Nostos .

“Gods, you frightened me,” rasped a low voice from behind her, scratched and broken from days of no use.

Katrin tilted her head to the side, she did not think she made enough noise when she woke, nor when she opened the door to frighten the snoring nauarch.

She spun around to face Leighton and her heart all but leapt from her chest. Cross-legged on the bed was the moon-haired seer petting a purring Mykonos.

“How did you get in here?” she asked, loosening a breath through her teeth. No one had been at the door, no one had passed by her as she stepped into the hall, and yet there they were.

The seer’s violet eyes shimmered in the bright light of the morning now coming through the small window. “I have my ways.”

Leighton dragged a hand down his face, rubbing his eyes, a low rumble leaving his mouth. “Don’t let her fool you. She came in through the war room.”

Arching one of her jet-black brows, Thalia gripped the edge of the bed with her narrow fingers.

“Like I said, I have my ways, they just aren’t all stealth and trickery like you think.

Regardless, I am not here to have unnecessary banter, Leighton.

Are you two done wallowing in silence down here or not?

I know this is difficult for you both—losing the captain has been difficult for all of us—but drowning in self-pity is not going to help us get him back. We must finalize our course.”

Katrin’s head shot back slightly. Thalia was never this harsh in her tone, especially when speaking to Leighton.

But could Katrin blame her? Thalia was right—she and Leighton were not the only ones who lost someone in the escape, the whole crew did.

Revenge was a fickle demon, something Thalia said she never wanted, and yet it was the only fire that lingered in her words.

Finally getting revenge for the men who violated her, stripped her from her home, took the man who saved her.

They shared such parallel stories, and gods did Katrin want it too.

To see Edmund and Khalid bleed for what they took from her. From all of them.

“How can we plan what we are going to do if we don’t even have a place to go? There can’t be enough supplies aboard to return to Skiatha, and Lesathos will be the first place Edmund sends his guards to search.” Katrin’s voice was shaky as she plopped down on the nearby navy velvet chair.

“She doesn't mean we will sail for Skiatha, nor Lesathos, Princess—or should I say Queen now?” Leighton chuckled, though no smile lit his melancholy features.

“As I’ve told you many times before, Leighton, you may call me Katrin. Where do we sail then? One of the smaller isles?” Katrin asked.

The nauarch shifted in his seat, crossing one foot up on his other leg. His nails tapped the arm of the chair for a few raps before he said, “We will go to Nexos. If we want to rescue Ander, we will need his father’s help.”

Hearing the name of that isle that she’d despised for so long out loud still sent an icy chill through her veins.

Katrin had to remind herself to unclench her fists, that Nexos was never the real enemy.

But King Nikolaos was still a stubborn and vengeful man who held a grudge and could kill you with the snap of his fingers.

Was it suicide waltzing into his kingdom to ask for help?

Was it not her fault his eldest son, the heir to his throne, now deteriorated in a dungeon?

Could she trust him not to throw her in one of his own?

Then send his soldiers to rescue his son himself?

“Nexos…I never thought…” Katrin glanced out the window at the swirling tides below.

“I never thought I'd see the wretched place.” The decaying kingdom many liked to say.

The stone buildings fell apart after the Prince of Nexos went missing.

A kingdom that never forgot the olde ways.

What creatures might roam its dying streets?

Those that would rival the daimons of Aidesian?

“It's our only choice.” Thalia stood from the bed, placing a yawning Mykonos back down on it.

“Leighton, we could use you at the helm.

Kristos has barely gone below deck since you've stayed down here.” Leighton gave a curt nod.

The two made to leave the room, but Katrin cut them off, stepping in front of the door.

She had to apologize. Had to say something to them, but the words escaped her.

“If we are speaking now, then we should talk about what happened. I…gods, I don’t even know how to start,” Katrin managed to say in barely more than a whisper.

“It's alright, Katrin.” Thalia lay her lithe palm against Katrin's trembling arm.

“So that's it? You both just forgive me? After everything I said”—Katrin looked over at Leighton—“after everything I did ?” Her face was pale, hands wringing together in an attempt not to scratch at her skin .

Leighton's face softened, and a little glimmer of the sparkle in his emerald eyes returned. “There was never anything to forgive.” He wrapped his arms around Katrin, holding her tightly to him, and for the first time since they escaped Alentus, Katrin truly breathed.