Page 22 of A Warrior's Heart

“Follow me,” Fletcher said before heading toward the stern of the ship.

The captain’s cabin was at the aft end and had many windows. Mine, though, had one small window, a decent sized bunk, and a tiny table holding an empty pitcher. The cabin wasn’t big, but it was more than enough. I wouldn’t spend much time there anyway.

“I’ll let you get settled,” Fletcher said.

I nodded to him and placed my satchel on the floor, the weapons clanking inside the bag. I sat on the edge of the bed and leaned forward, rubbing at the back of my neck. Around everyone else, I never let my exhaustion show. I kept emotions locked away as well. A leader must always be strong. I took advantage of the privacy and closed my eyes, breathing.

Then, I rejoined the men on the main deck.

Alek and Fletcher spoke near the railing, their excited voices filling the air.

“It will be just like old times,” Alek said.

“Think the captain will make us swab the deck?” Fletcher asked.

“You tell me. You’re the one bedding him.”

That sent the two of them into a laughing fit. My gaze moved to Lorcan, who stood at a distance and watched them with a soft smile on his face. I stepped up beside him.

“I’m savoring the moment,” Lorcan said, then peered over at me with a hard look in his green eyes. “I sense none of us will be laughing for long.”

“Your vision will not come to pass, my prince. Avalontis will not fall.”

“You don’t know that for certain, old friend.” Lorcan returned his gaze to his mate. “We search for a weapon no one knows the location to, and our only hope is a seer my father told you to visit. If the seer knows something of importance, why has Father not visited them himself? Why did he insist I come along without giving you a reason? You cannot tell me something doesn’t feel wrong about this.”

I shared those same doubts, yet I refused to dwell on them. “It’s not my place to question my king.”

“And what of your prince?” Lorcan moved his emerald eyes to me. “Does my opinion not matter to you anymore since I left Avalontis?”

“You will always matter to me, my prince. Always.” My chest tightened, though I showed no outward sign of how deeply my hurt went that he would ever think differently. “We will speak with the seer and plan our next course from there. It is all we can do.”

“Perhaps you’re right and I’m being foolish.” Lorcan sharply exhaled. “When it comes to my father, I expect the worse. I never know his true intentions.”

“No one does,” I responded. “King Triton is unpredictable and self-serving in many aspects, yet I cannot believe he would ever place his men— and his son—in harm’s way unless it was absolutely necessary.”

“You’re loyal, Malik. It is a strength, but it can also be a weakness. You can let yourself be blinded by that loyalty.” A distant look appeared in Lorcan’s eyes as he looked out over the sea. “A storm looms closer and closer with each passing second. And I fear some of us will not survive once it reaches us at last.”

Troy squealed from behind us, and I turned to see that a seagull had landed on his head. “What is this creature? It is much larger than any bird I’ve ever seen.”

“A menacing beast,” Alek answered, feigning shock. “Don’t move or it will attack.”

I refrained from laughing. Troy’s wide eyes looked as though they would pop from his sockets any moment.

“Probably thought your hair was a nest,” Eva said.

“Get it off me,” Troy whispered, frozen in place. The gull nestled more into his light brown hair.

I walked over and shooed the bird away. “You’re safe now.”

Troy wrapped his arms around me, burying his face against my chest. “I hate this place.”

This placebeing the surface world. When he journeyed here years ago, he’d been mesmerized by the sights and had often stopped to admire rocks and plants along the way. But he’d tired of it quickly and had wanted nothing more than to return home.

However, if we failed in this mission, there would be no home to return to.

When I looked over at Lorcan, he stood with his hands on the railing, his eyes closed as a breeze swept through his silvery blond hair. A storm was coming, he’d said.

I felt it too.