Page 54 of A Warrior's Heart

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“Focus,” Eva told Alek.

Alek held a rock in his hand. His forehead glistened under the harsh rays of the mid-afternoon sun as the ship cut through the waves, the sails being carried by the wind. The rock shimmered a moment, then began to change from gray to red. And then instead of a stone, an apple sat on his palm.

“Whoa,” Troy said, rushing toward him. He scrutinized the apple, and in doing so, Alek lost his concentration and it turned back into a rock. Troy gave a sheepish grin. “Oops.”

“Try again,” Eva said to Alek after lightly thumping Troy on the head with her closed fist. “You must feel the magic deep in your core. Allow nothing to take away your focus.”

“What’s the purpose of this?” I asked Lorcan.

“Alek is a skilled mage, but transfiguration is tricky magic and hard to perfect. It can be invaluable in the right situations. Having the ability to fool the enemy by cloaking the truth with an illusion.”

“So it is only a mere illusion?” I glanced at Alek, who had transformed the rock into an apple once more. Troy snatched it from his palm and tried to take a bite out of it, but Eva yanked it from him before his teeth could sink into it. “How long does it last?”

“I believe it depends on the skill level of the mage who casts the spell,” Lorcan answered. “Minutes. Hours. Maybe even forever.” He smiled at me. “It’s a good thing I’m a fighter and not a mage.”

“And a skilled fighter at that,” I said, eying the pouch of blades he kept attached to his belt. Knife throwing was his specialty. “Though, if a fight should break out on this journey, I ask that you stay out of harm’s way.”

The prince rolled his eyes. “I will do as I please.”

“I’ve noticed a change in you, young prince.”

His brow dipped in the center. “How so?”

“You’re more like your father. I first noticed it the day Ervin thought to anger me by throwing insults. You stepped in and demanded respect. Obedience. Then you did so again on the mountain with me during the moon ritual. I was proud of you. I still am.”

“Do not compare me to him, Malik,” Lorcan said. “I am nothing like my father.”

“King Triton is mercurial with a temperament that changes like the tide. He angers easily, and there are times when he lashes out in that anger. Yet, he is also a good king. A fair one, for the most part. You will be even better.”

“I am no king, nor will I ever be.”

I bowed my head to him and let the subject drop.

“Loo-loo, come here,” Eva said, looking over at us. “Your husband needs more incentive to stay focused.”

Lorcan cracked a smile before walking over to join them.

I turned my attention to the sea, admiring the way the sun hit the top of the water. Kellan said we’d reach the closest harbor town down by nightfall. We’d replenish our supplies before heading farther east.

How long we’d travel after that? It was uncertain.

Phantos said finding the trident would be easier than what followed. I peered over at my traveling companions.

Alek and Eva were practicing magic while Lorcan and Troy watched. Nereus and Shar stood beneath the awning of the upper deck, taking a reprieve from the blinding sun. Ervin and the other assassins were spread out, two near the bow and three toward the stern. Reif had gone below deck. Kellan stood at the helm while Fletcher leaned against the railing, leg propped up while he strummed his lute and sang a song I could only faintly hear.

How many of us would survive this journey?

If we failed, we’d all meet our end. But the seer never said how many would live—or die—if we were victorious. The thought didn’t sit right in my mind. Apprehension coiled in my stomach like a snake ready to strike.

And then I caught Troy’s eye.

He smiled and dropped his gaze to the wooden boards beneath his boots.

I’d given him so many excuses as to why we shouldn’t be together. If he only wanted sex, I would fuck him for days on end. But the connection between us went deeper than the physical. He deserved more than a fast, hard fuck. He deserved tenderness. Passion. Love.

How could I be so brave on the battlefield when facing down an entire army of enemies, yet I ran like a coward when it came to matters of the heart?