Page 29 of Inked in Emeralds (Inkbound #3)

HARMONY

“ T hat’s where she got the monkeys from.” I had imagined that they were monkeys of some kind, only enchanted by her magic. I’d never even considered that they were people to begin with.

“We didn’t even put up a fight. We all just walked in there willingly.” She touched a finger to her slightly pointed ear and shook her head. “Imagine me thinking I was conning Emerson Jones and the whole time he was conning me. I was so fucking arrogant. But he got his in the end.”

“How?” The question came from Hook, who was looking at Billy as if seeing her for the first time.

If anyone could relate to what she’d gone through…

“The witch packed up and left with her new army, and the factory disappeared like it never existed. Emerson could’ve gone off and set up a sweet life with his newfound riches, but he was stupid enough to stay in the city so he could show off a little.

And I was smart enough to wait for him. I caught him outside a tavern one night about four days later, and let’s just say that there isn’t enough of a body left to be found if anyone was looking. ”

Duncan’s grim smile was tinged with something dark and furious. “Bastard.”

“I couldn’t stand the thought of staying in Emerald City, so I went off on my own to figure out what to do next.

I saw what the change had done to my brothers, and I decided that, if it was me, I’d rather be dead.

Under her control, outside of my own body.

I had the smallest taste of it, and that was more than enough.

Even now, my shoulders ache where my wings would be, my tailbone throbs.

I have a feeling that’s why they are so enraged.

They’re in constant pain. I made it my job to relieve that pain. ”

“So you hunt for them,” I finished, heart aching for my friend. It explained so much. The preternatural speed, the secrecy, the sadness…

She tipped her head in a clipped nod. “I do. My brothers and several of the others from the factory became her first team of scouts. I managed to set up an ambush for them.” She looked off into space, gnawing on her lower lip.

“Freed all of them from her that day…except Paddy. Wily fucker he is…He got away. That’s why I needed to stay with the corpses and had you all leave to bathe in the river.

Once they’re dead and the enchantment fades, they turn back to human again.

I needed to see—” she broke off suddenly, the despair in her eyes disappearing as if on command.

“Anyway, there’s my story, Princess. You wanted it, you got it. Anything else?”

I shook my head miserably.

What would she do if she knew there was a version of her in another dimension? Another version of them ? Could she even exist in the same story if a Billy already existed there? Until I knew the answer, telling her would only be a cruelty, and she has suffered enough.

But maybe someday…

Another reason we couldn’t fail in our mission, no matter what it took.

I shook my head, feeling sick to my stomach. “No. Nothing else.”

“I have one more question,” Hook said, his expression grim but determined. “I believe you have a book in your possession that might be of interest to us all. Care to share why you never mentioned it?”

The room went silent, but if a glare could make a sound, Duncan would be ripping Hook a new asshole right now.

Billy’s jaw went tense as she bent and picked up her bag, holding it close to her chest. “I’m afraid that one is classified, Captain.

If that means you want me to go it alone from here on out, that’s fine.

This is an either you trust me, or you don’t moment here.

I’m choosing to trust you all. What’s the verdict on me? ”

Duncan didn’t hesitate. “With all my heart.”

I tried to think clearly, past all the heavy emotions clogging my thoughts. If I was hanging off the edge of a cliff, would I want Billy O’Donnelly at the summit, trying to pull me up?

I would. “I do.”

“And that’s enough for me,” Hook said.

“Excellent. I’ll see myself to bed, then.” With that, she headed toward her bedroom.

“Billy, wait,” Duncan called, rising to follow her.

Now that she’d gone, I allowed my muscles to relax, and I slumped forward as grief threatened to swallow me whole.

Scotty. Andrew. Jacob. All dead. Part of me already knew it…so why the fuck did I ask that? What did it have to do with anything at all?

Nice job, Harmony. Because nothing said “great leader” like making a person relive the worst thing that ever happened to them.

The queen on the table in front of me blurred, and a fat tear plopped onto her face as we both wept.

I sensed Hook moving but didn’t look up until a gentle hand took my wrist. He swept me up into his arms, and instead of fighting it, I nestled closer. Bad idea or not, I needed him more than I’ve ever needed anyone in my life.

So when he yanked back the blanket, laid me gently on the bed, and tried to straighten, I held tight.

"Please...don't go." I swallowed hard and met his gaze in the moonlight. "Not yet."

A muscle in his jaw flickered as he sucked in a breath.

"You're not yourself tonight, Princess, and frankly, neither am I. It's not the time to be making decisions like this."

My laugh came out more like a strangled sob. "For such a ruthless pirate, you're quite the gentleman. What was it you used to tell the crew? 'Make sure anytime someone asks, you tell them my soul is as black as night' or something?"

His eyes widened just a little. "Figured that out, did you?"

"I did. They listened too well...repeated it nearly word for word. I heard it from both Tom and Xander, just a day or so apart, and put two and two together." I traced my fingers along his stubbly jaw. "The question is, why? Why did you want the world to think you're so evil?"

His lean throat worked as he looked away. "Easier to kill a few and rely on reputation than having every pirate on the seas trying to test their luck. I had one goal; find the clock and kill Pan and Bell. Every other job was to make sure my crew was paid fairly until I achieved it."

"Meaning you're not as bad as you like to pretend," I said, running the pad of my thumb over his lips.

He nipped the very tip just hard enough to make me gasp.

"I'm bad enough, Princess." His onyx eyes gleamed with something dangerous that had my skin breaking out in goosebumps. "Ask the men who did try to test me. If they're alive to tell the tale..."

I wet my lips and pushed myself up to sit. "What if I just want to take my chances?"

Our faces were close enough that his musky scent wrapped around me like a magic spell.

"I don't want to be alone tonight. I don't want to think of all the ways I've hurt people to get myself here. I just want—" I broke off and shrugged helplessly. "I just want you."

He let out a low growl and pressed his forehead to mine.

"Ah, you're well and truly killing me, love."

But this time, he didn't pull away. He thrust his hand into my hair and tipped me back, crushing his lips to mine.

Instantly, all thought fled. The pain, the fear, the despair, sizzling away under the heat of his mouth. His tongue swept along my bottom lip and then teased its way inside. I moved, grabbing at his shirt with both hands, gripping it like it was a lifeline.

Then he was urging me back, until my head rested on the pillow even as he stretched over me, covering my body with his, the heat of his skin warming me from the inside out.

He pulled back far too soon and stared down at me, his weight resting on his elbow.

With painstaking care, he began to undo my shirt, fingers deftly flicking open each button.

When he was done, he tugged the shirt open, baring me to the waist.

I shivered, nipples pebbling, but not from the cold. No, it was the look on his face. Like he wanted to drop low and devour me then and there. But he didn't. Instead he rolled away and moved to the bottom of the bed.

"What are you doing?" I breathed, terrified he was going to leave, but just as determined not to beg him to stay.

"Taking care of you," he replied simply.

He began unlacing the tops of my boots and then tugged them off, one by one.

My socks came next, and then he reached for the buttons of my pants.

I could hardly breathe as he worked them over my hips, his face a mask of concentration.

When he tossed them onto a chair against the wall, he spared a glance at my face.

"I'm...I'm going to leave the underwear on. A man can only take so much." His expression bordered on pain as he took one last look at my near-naked body and then pulled the blankets over me.

Before I could protest, he was making his way to the other side of the bed. Wordlessly, he climbed in and then tugged me against his chest.

"One day...if we make it through all this alive?" His voice was a low rumble in my ear. "If you decide this is still what you want. You can have it, Princess. But for tonight, just let me hold you. Can you do that?"

I wanted to answer, but the knot in my throat made it impossible as his tenderness unlocked all the grief and guilt I'd been holding inside. It came out in an agonizing rush, a storm that couldn't be stopped.

And through it all, he never let go...

When I woke up the next morning, dawn had just broken, I was alone and my pillow was damp. I pressed a hand to my eyes, blinking away the last remnants of a dream.

This time, it wasn’t about Hook. It was a wild mix of people and worlds.

Me with my Pawpaw at the forge, making shoes for his mule.

Me with the O’Donnelly family, Paddy fastened to a wheel in the center of the room, spinning as we threw knives at him.

Me with Moll and Fetch at our table in The Hollow, laughing over our meager dinner… happy just to be together.

My friends who’d become family. Chosen and sealed in our willingness to fight for one another.