Page 136 of Liar Witch

Every time I try to bring it up, he shuts me down. I’ve even tried talking to Cas about it, but he won’t talk either. Not unless Nos gives him permission to share whatever’s bothering him.

And Nos seems intent on shutting everyone out. Even Cas, to some extent.

Logically, I know that’s his decision to make. He’s an adult and I have no right to push him. He’s lived with his blindness and his beast for long enough that I have to trust he’s doing what he thinks is right for him.

But at the same time, I can’t help but worry.

Four days of Noster’s strange behaviour later, the island of Safor looms over the horizon. The wind whips my hair around as I stand at the stern, watching it grow closer and closer under the veil of stars.

“Cirio’s not there,” Rysen murmurs, pulling me closer so my back is flush against his chest.

I never even heard the vampire approach, but it doesn’t faze me anymore. “Why do you say that?”

“See the flags sticking out of the water ahead?”

I squint, but my vision isn’t as sharp as his, and I don’t have a sigil that will help me. What he sees as flags, I can only barely make out as a shadowy blur sticking out above the waves in the distance. Beyond that, there’s a glowing light that must be the cove itself.

“Only just,” I admit.

His arms tighten around me. “When Cirio’s holding court, there’s a black one with a gold crest at the top. The black flag without the crest means guests are still welcome, but he’s not home.”

“So who will be there?”

“Pirates,” Klaus answers for Rysen, his frown evident as he and Cas stride into view. “Lots of them.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Cas grins, swinging his legs over the balustrade and perching on it. “There will be plenty of crews moored up. A few pirates have even settled there. It’s a fun place.”

“A lawless place,” Klaus groans.

I smirk. “I didn’t imagine somewhere run by pirates to be anything else. Have you been there before?”

My siren gives the island one last moody look before he turns to me and replies, “Unfortunately. My mother sent me as an envoy once, to broker a deal with Cirio.”

I feel Rysen’s silent laugh rumble through his body. “How did that go?”

“He demanded half the treasury and my virtue.”

I’ve never met Cirio, but I instantly dislike him on principle. If he tries propositioning any of my men…

I cut off the jealous thought before it can fully form. As a girl, I always watched the possessiveness many of my kind reserved for their harems with a strange kind of wonder. Some of the most horrid hexes imaginable came out when someone in the coven felt one of their harem was being lured by another.

I shouldn’t be surprised that I’m no different. Yet I am.

Maybe it’s because I never expected to have these men in the first place.

“Sounds like Cirio,” Cas snorts. “Did you go through with it?”

Klaus just looks at him like he’s gone mad.

Cas spreads his hand wide. “What? He’s an attractive bloke... once you get used to his eye. You can’t blame me for asking.”

“I’m only interested in my mate,” Klaus retorts, blunting the dark claws of my jealousy with his words. “He eventually agreed to a more modest sum with no debauchery. Sirens can be very persuasive.”

Something low in my abdomen stirs as I remember exactly how persuasive Klaus can be. Despite days of enjoying everything Nos has to give me, my body is still hungry for the rest of them. I need all of them, and I don’t think this craving is going away any time soon.

Rysen sucks in a breath and lowers his face to my neck, nuzzling me before kissing the space where the mark of his bite had already faded. “Noster’s been hogging you, little witch. We’ll have to have words with him about sharing you.”

I shake my head, but before I can say anything, Val comes striding forwards. “Witch. A word.” He glances at the others and rolls his eyes. “Privately.”