Page 61 of A Warrior's Heart

I ducked inside the room before softly closing the door. When I turned around, I was greeted by a massive body standing in front of the bed. He was so large that he blocked the light coming in through the window.

Lightning struck once more, and I rushed forward, straight into his arms.

“Don’t be afraid,” Malik whispered against my temple. “I’ve got you.”

“I dislike storms.” I buried my face against his chest as thunder boomed. The ship rocked again.

Malik picked me up and carried me to his bed. He tucked me in before settling in beside me, his body on top of the blanket. I clung onto him, needing him close.

“I’ve got you,” he said again, sliding an arm under my head and resting the other at my waist. He created a protective little nook around me. “You’re safe.”

Without his armor, I was able to nuzzle the smoothness of his chest and breathe in the salty scent of his skin. He pressed a kiss to my forehead, letting his lips linger there.

And then, despite the storm outside, I fell into a dreamless sleep.

I woke the next morning to the sun. It streamed in through the small window above the bed, washing the room in a golden glow. The gloominess from the storm was nothing but a distant memory as I basked in the light of morning. My eyes closed, then opened again when my pillow moved.

Wait.

No, not a pillow.

My head rested on Malik’s strong chest. He was still asleep, his breaths slow and even. I stared at his face and ghosted my fingertips along his sharp jaw. His long lashes cast shadows on his cheeks, and his lips were softly parted.

He looked younger in that moment. Devastatingly beautiful.

I lightly brushed aside the hair falling across his brow, admiring him like I never had before. I’d never had the chance—or courage—to. Catching him sleeping was rare. He normally stayed awake while I fell asleep, and he woke before I did.

A sharp knock on the door broke the moment.

Malik snapped awake, one arm protectively coming around me as he sat up in bed. He stared at the door. “Yes?”

That one word rang of annoyance. I suppose I’d be grumpy too if abruptly woken from sleep.

“It’s Reif,” came the response. “We need you on deck. We have a visitor.”

“A visitor?” Malik pulled away from me, letting his hand slide across my stomach as he did. He stood from the bed and began to fasten his armor.

“More like a nuisance. A dangerous one,” Reif growled. “King James is here.”

Chapter Thirteen

Malik

The human king stood on the dock with four armed guards at his back and two servants behind them. He didn’t board the Crimson Night, either waiting to be invited or thinking it beneath him to set foot on a pirate ship.

“He asked to speak to the prince,” Reif told me as I peered down at the king.

The guards rested their hands on the hilt of their swords, staring at me with narrowed, untrusting eyes. I trusted them neither.

As far as King James knew, we were oblivious to his plan of finding the trident. But why was he in Ritherdale at the same time as us? Was he heading east too?

“Will there be a fight?” Troy whispered, hiding behind my arm. He gripped my side, his body trembling. Humans frightened him more than anything else.

“Not if I can help it,” I responded, moving him more behind me. “Stay out of sight. Give James no reason to set his eyes on you.”

Eva grabbed Troy’s hand and led him away. He peered back at me with fearful eyes, and I nodded to him. I had spent the entire night with him cradled against my chest and waking to him that morning had filled my heart with so much warmth. A warmth that was ripped away by the infuriating, smug human bastard grinning up at me.

“Morning, young prince,” King James called out as Lorcan appeared at my side.