Page 26 of Heir of Broken Souls (HOBF #3)

Chapter 26

Delilah

M y foot gets caught on nothing but air as I stumble up onto the top deck.

All eyes turn my way since I’m the first to emerge, though Harlow and Elysia trail closely behind and also stumble over the same pocket of air I did. I’d like to think that perhaps something is veiled, and we can’t see what is tripping us, but I know it’s just the faerie wine. I’d much rather have wobbly faerie wine legs than sea legs, though.

The setting sun casts a golden hue over the deck and the open sea. Everywhere I turn, there’s only endless water. It’s slightly discombobulating.

Harlow whistles. “We certainly traveled far.”

“Covered good ground, I see.” Elysia freezes, a deep frown marring her face. “Or should I say water?” She shakes her head with a sigh. “It doesn’t sound the same, though.”

Axel rolls his eyes. “Gods, what did you two do to her?”

“They bathed me,” Elysia declares with a hiccup.

We get a few questioning looks, and Harlow points an accusatory finger at the men. “It wasn’t like that and you know it.”

Elysia wobbles over to the side, flopping down upon a built-in bench. “Harlow is the best hair washer in the whole world. I swear, her fingers are like little angels.”

A bark of laughter erupts from Axel’s chest, the sound making Harlow groan as she finds her own spot next to Elysia. “Gods, they’re never going to live this down now.”

Knox has draped himself at the front of the ship, while Lenox and Axel sit perpendicular to the drunk women.

I straighten. If we’re all accounted for, then who’s steering? My head whips to the wheel, and it’s unaccompanied.

“What on the forgotten gods are?—”

“Look closer,” Knox calls out, a hint of humor in his voice.

I squint, because the faerie wine makes everything blur, and find a shadowed hand resting atop the wheel. It lifts, wiggling its fingers in a tantalizing hello.

My head throws back on a deep chuckle. “Of course, that’s how you have been steering the ship.”

The girls cackle at the sight too. Harlow snorts. “Lazy fools.”

“I’d like to see you stand there for over ten hours staring at nothing but endless water.” Knox waves his hand in the direction of the wheel. “Go on, little firecracker, give it your best shot.”

“Careful,” Lenox chides. “The wheel is wooden. Wouldn’t want her temper getting the best of her.”

Harlow’s mouth gapes open, and I’m surprised my own doesn’t. Lenox threw a jab at her for the first time in weeks.

Lenox’s eyes harden at our shock. “What?” he snaps, breaking the spell we all seemed to be under.

Knox clears his throat, dragging my heavy-lidded gaze to him. I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face at the sight of my sun-kissed mate. His shoulders are loose, his face clear of worries, and his eyes sparkle as bright as the day I met him. We certainly haven’t forgotten why we’re here, but the space from Aloriah is at least giving everyone a chance to heal—to breathe.

Stumbling forward, a small part of me realizes it’s not wise to get this drunk on a ship, but with the heady feeling rushing through my body I couldn’t care less right now. Toppling forward, my arms stretch out for Knox, not at all surprised when he catches me, because he will always be there for me when I fall.

He quickly places me on his lap, wrapping his arms securely around my waist. His lips graze my cheek with a soft, teasing kiss. Goosebumps spread down the length of my arms, and Knox’s lips tip upwards knowingly.

Harlow snaps her fingers. “Where’s the dinner we were promised?”

Elysia gasps. “Did you pull us away from the wine”—she hiccups—“for no reason?”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Axel groans quietly before rising. Elysia watches him, her eyes glazed. The wine has dropped all her walls, though, and she looks at him with nothing but awe.

Axel returns a short moment later with a bucket, and by the horrid smell coming from it, it’s full of fish.

Harlow grimaces. “There’s no forgotten god that could make me cook that, let alone eat the pod’s leftovers.”

“Then you starve,” Lenox says, back to his monotone voice.

She shrugs and simply says, “I can live off wine.”

“No, you can’t, not when we need to keep a level head for what’s to come.” Knox’s chest rumbles behind me. “As entertaining as you might be right now, no more alcohol from this point forward. The prophecy hints to a battle at dawn, and we need to be on high alert. We don’t know which day it’s alluding to.”

Harlow straightens. “Not only do you want me to eat their rotten fish?—”

“It’s fresh,” Lenox cuts in.

“—but now you’re banning wine? Are you daft?”

I can practically feel Knox’s eyes roll behind me. “Just trying to keep you alive, Harlow.”

“Alive or dead, I’m still not eating that.”

Elysia flops into Harlow’s side and whispers something in her ear. The half-witch jumps up while Elysia shrieks with laughter. “You imbeciles!” she yells. She points at me and then at the bucket. “Do not eat that.” Then she spins on her heel and disappears.

Axel’s brow furrows. “What did you tell her?”

She shrugs innocently, fluttering her lashes up at him. “Nothing.”

“Care to share?” I ask, still utterly confused.

“With you, yes. With the fish eaters, no.” She giggles, rising on wobbly legs. “If you’re all nice, we’ll share.” And then she sways toward the stairs, following after Harlow.

“Do you?—”

“No,” I answer, always knowing what he’s going to ask before he does. I hold onto his thick corded arms around me and whisper, “I don’t want to leave. Make one of them go.”

The bucket of fish drops to the wooden floor, sending a loud clang into the air that makes me flinch.

“I’ll go,” Axel mumbles, cursing under his breath as he, too, disappears.

It’s quiet for a moment, with nothing but the setting sun, the ocean breeze in my hair, and the sound of the lapping ocean against the ship. It’s peaceful. That is, until I startle with a gasp and crane my neck in all directions, searching the large top deck.

“Where is she? Where are they?” My panicked eyes lock on Knox’s. “Did something happen? Why didn’t you come get me?”

Knox runs his fingers through my hair before cupping my cheek. “They’re all right. Breathe, Delilah.” Along with the deep inhale of air I take, Knox sends soothing calm energy down our bridge. “They’ve flown ahead to scout in case this is indeed a trap.”

My body sags into his, relief coursing through me so fiercely it frightens me. “When will they be back? Should I go prepare their food?”

“I already took care of it,” Lenox drawls.

Clearing my surprise, I dip my head. “Thank you.”

No sooner do the words leave my lips, clangs and bangs rise from the stairwell at the end of the deck. Shouts and curses and the pounding of boots join the ruckus.

Harlow then appears, her cheeks flushed as she hustles across the deck with two plates in her hands. Without any explanation she forces Knox and I to take them.

“Gods, those two truly despise one another.”

“What now?” Knox asks, exhaustion heavy in his voice.

Harlow waves her hand in the direction of the stairs. “Gods know, but I’m not going within ten feet of those fools. They’ll start throwing knives soon at this rate.”

“Perhaps it isn’t wise to leave them then?” I suggest slowly.

“I’m not risking my life simply because Axel is an asshole.”

“I heard that, Harlow!” he bellows from somewhere downstairs.

Rubbing my head with my free hand at the sudden pounding within my skull, I mumble, “Perhaps this ship isn’t big enough after all.”

“Harlow…where did you get this food?” Knox asks suddenly.

My eyes snap down to what’s in my hands. I didn’t even look when Harlow shoved it my way, but now that I have, I can’t believe the aroma didn’t grab my attention earlier. It’s divine, a helping of vegetables, creamy mashed potatoes…and even a large juicy steak.

Harlow flops down into her vacated spot, throwing her hands in the air. “Oh, yes! Those two aren’t the only fools! Did you lot check the kitchens upon arriving?” She snorts. “Or at all?”

Knox stiffens below me while Lenox rubs the back of his neck.

“No, of course you didn’t. If you had, you would have seen that it’s stocked with pre-prepped meals.” She rolls her eyes with a huff. “Whoever’s ship this is was probably about to set off for a long time. We won’t have any issues with keeping our bellies full.”

My heartpractically leaps at the news. I hate fish, the smell, the texture . I shudder. I likely would have spent the entirety of the trip puking up my guts.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Knox asks Harlow.

“Whenever they stop trying to kill each other, I’ll grab a plate of food.”

Lenox jumps to his feet while Knox sucks in a breath. “He tried to kill her again?” Lenox demands, his eyes wide in horror.

A mischievous glint enters her brown eyes. “No…but let’s just say Elysia wields a carving knife gracefully.”

I can’t help but burst into a fit of laughter at the proud look shining in Harlow’s eyes.

“Gods, they’re going to kill each other,” I mutter once my laughter subsides and the context of everything settles. Taking a mouthful of food, I can’t stop the moan that escapes my lips as the creamy potatoes melt in my mouth. “Oh, Knox, it’s divine.”

Knox leans over the side railing, and whatever he finds makes him straighten before craning his neck to Harlow. “You can be the one to tell the pod they just hunted for over an hour for no reason.”

Her eyes widen a fraction before a coy smile spreads across her lips. “Anything else you want me to relay?”

“You’re insufferable!” Elysia bellows. We hear her before we see her as she marches up the stairs, suddenly sober. “I don’t know how any of you put up with such a?—”

“Go ahead! Say it one more time,” Axel spits, glaring down at Elysia’s small form.

She shoves a finger into his chest, jabbing it with each accusation. “You’re a broody, mean, bull-headed control freak of a bastard!”

Axel’s upper lip curls back with a growl, his back tensing.

Lenox jumps up quickly, standing between the two. He pushes Axel back toward the stairs. “Go get the rest of the food and keep your mouth shut.”

“She’s the one?—”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, or perhaps you’ve lost too many brain cells from drinking so much, but I don’t give a shit anymore. Go .”

My heartpounds frantically, beating a thousand miles an hour as Axel stares at Lenox with such anger. Knox is as stiff as a statue below me, but he doesn’t intervene, and he doesn’t have to. Axel tears away first, throwing a string of curses over his shoulder as he stomps back downstairs.

Elysia huffs. “I say we lift the wine ban. There’s no way I can be stuck with that prick for so long and survive without a drop.”

“I’ll smuggle some in,” Harlow whispers.

“In from where?” Lenox admonishes.

Knox drops his forehead to my shoulder with a groan. “I’m already regretting this trip.”

The floor beneath my feet shakes from a loud boom. Jumping from Knox’s lap, I find the griffins on the other side of the deck, where part of the ship blocks the wind. Aurora’s golden gaze pierces not mine but Knox’s as she relays information to him.

Care to share? I whisper down the bond, ignoring the chaos around us.

Just that all is well. No ships or demonic armies in the sky as faras they could see.

Shoveling the rest of my food into my mouth, I leave the plate beside Knox, ignoring the bickering that ensues as Axel surfaces once again, this time with arms full of plates.

With the food now filling my belly my feet aren’t as wobbly beneath me as I make my way to the end of the ship. Aurora tracks my every movement as she stands in front of Zephlyn, as if protecting him. The power balance between the two mated griffins has shifted.

Zephlyn lifts his white furry head, those blue eyes clashing with my own, and an endless tidal wave of sadness greets me in his depths. The sight of it makes me stumble slightly, my breath hitching and my chest constricting.

I can’t imagine what the griffin is feeling. Maybe that a piece of his soul has died along with Ace, perhaps? Possibly a similar feeling to the one Axel has been dealing with. The reason he drinks himself stupid. A literal hole was ripped from his heart, the other half of his soul gone in the blink of an eye.

It would feel like you weren’t whole anymore.

And I don’t know how to fix that, because nothing could ever be said or done to mend such a travesty.

Zephlyn lowers his head as if it weighs a thousand pounds, as if the very act of standing right now is a struggle. Aurora steps aside, her head nuzzling my shoulder gently as she purrs, sending wave after wave of her endless worry down the bond.

She, too, doesn’t know how to help her mate, it seems.

Picking up the grooming tools we stashed along the deck for them, I take the brush and slowly approach Zephlyn, not at all surprised when his blue eyes snap to mine, glowing with something akin to panic. He rises, backing away as quickly as he can, his back smashing into the risen wall blocking the wind.

I didn’t figure it’d work. Zephlyn hasn’t allowed anyone to groom him. Only Ace could do that. Swallowing my emotions, I turn to Aurora instead with the brush. The silky strands of her black fur flutter in the air, the ocean breeze picking it up and sprinkling Aurora’s coat along the sea. An image of the pod having hair rain down upon them brings a small smile to my lips.

Once I’m finished, I unwrap the slices of lamb Lenox prepared and lay them down for the griffins, leaving them to devour it in peace while also noting how slow Zephlyn eats, as if every bite, every day, is a struggle to function without his soul pair.

“I miss him too,” I say softly, my voice guttural. “I miss him too.”