Page 120 of Daughter of the Dark Sea

“We’ve been requested for a meeting.” His demeanour was so soft, so gentle. She looked away, focusing on a fascinating speckle of gold on the stone wall.

“Kora,” he stepped forward, shutting the door behind him with a sigh, then leant against the desk beside it. “I know what you must be thinking, butpleasebelieve me.”

“What am I thinking?”

A clenched fist ran through his raven hair.

“That there's something . . . that I . . .” He couldn't even voice the words, and for the first time, she looked at him with something close to disgust.

“That you're cheating on me with Bree?” The words had been spoken. All her worries and concerns voiced into the world. He visibly flinched at them.

“I promise you, it’s not what you're thinking. She just needs someone—a friend.”

“I’mher friend! Or . . . I was.” Venom laced her words. Venom not only at him, but Bree as well.

Why was she suddenly acting like this? Had their friendship for the past ten years meant nothing to Bree all this time? Did Kora’s vow with Blake mean nothing? Even if she’d been ready to give him up, she still planned to reconcile after the war, when they knew they had a true chance.

“I couldn’t let anheiressstagger back to her chambers drunk.” Blake’s gaze sharpened, and she huffed in disbelief at his response. “She was vulnerable, those sailors would’ve made advancements. If not for her bed, then her riches.”

She scowled. Hedidhave a point, and Otto’s stern face flashed in her mind. Him and Rashi would rain thunder downupon her crew if anything had happened to their precious eldest daughter.

“What about me?” she breathed, fisting her hands at her sides. “I was vulnerable on that deck.”

He frowned. “We both know you can take care of yourself when it comes to—”

“That’s not what I mean.”

He stilled, raising his hand before letting it fall limp to his side, as if he’d changed his mind about touching her. Blake’s fingers wrapped against the edge of the desk, his elbow knocking against the polished wax seals, and they wobbled on their heavy metal bases.

“I was giving you a choice,” she spoke through clenched teeth. “I was doing thehonourablething and letting you go. We both know I’ve been holding you back. Just for Bree to ruin it.”

Thelack of commitmentremark had stung so deep, it still reverberated in Kora’s mind.

Blake winced and exhaled. “You were pushing me away, not letting me go. I’m sorry I broke my promise. With this war, I can’t be in service to you anymore. And Bree doesn’t know anything, Icanpromise that.”

In service?Was that what they were, then? A business transaction?

“Excuse me?”

“No,” he raised his hands. “Let me finish. I’m trying to tell you, that I could have left at any time, but Ididn’t. I followed you everywhere. I went along with every crazy scheme, every impulsive voyage. Even when it seemed insane, you somehow always knew where pirates would be. But I can’t anymore. As you said, everything is changing.”

“Changing so much you’d rather chase after a noble?” She laughed bitterly.

“Why are you fixating on her?” He threw his hands up. “You are my everything! I need to ensure we win this war, so we can be together! But I can’t do that whilst in your crew. And Bree is just a cover up. I’m not cheating on you. I’m just using her to divert attention from us!”

His eyes flared as the truth spilled from his lips. For a moment, she felt sorry for Bree, but it quickly surpassed as heat bubbled, erupting into a small ember in her chest. And not the fun kind.

“We arealreadytogether! At least, I thought we were. Apparently, you never thought the same. I have always beenright here.But you never saw me, not really.”

He’d believed it was a service, their vow some kind of agreement, a means to an end. And parading with Bree was the final insult, both to Kora, and female-kind. Just because they were a façade, didn’t mean he had to pretend tobewith someone else . . . especially herbest friend. There were plenty of single officers.

And to make it worse, Bree had fallen for it. So much so, she resented Kora. Their friendship broken. Kora had allowed a male—her blind devotion to a male—tear them apart.

His mouth gaped. “What are you saying?”

She side-stepped around Blake, opening her door. “When it comes down to it, it’ll never bemethat you help, only yourself. Because this,” she gestured between them, “is never going to be real.”

“Wait—”