Page 44 of Pirate Witch

“Agreed,” Nos mutters. “No offence to Sade, but I’d feel better with her in our own space…”

Cas finishes his twin’s sentence like it’s completely natural “…and we can row to the city if we need to.”

We turn to Val, who rolls his eyes. “You’re really askingmeif I feel more comfortable on sea or on land?”

He has a point.

I adjust Nilsa so she’s held securely against my chest with one arm, and take a few big strides towards the edge of the cliff side balcony, before leaping over the side. I’m airborne for less than three seconds before a rope shoots out of the ship and wraps around my free forearm. I grip it tightly and swing the rest of the way to the deck, landing with a faint thud.

My eyes dart to the witch in my arms, but she doesn’t react to the impact. She doesn’t even stir as the others land beside me and Titan runs up, gruff barking and tail-wagging, to greet Val.

The mage—who was previously frowning at a tiny missing section of the sail while tugging at the rapidly regrowing lock of hair behind his ear—beams as he bends and ruffles the giant mastiff’s fur, receiving a slobbery lick to the chin in return. But Titan quickly abandons his master in favour of sniffing at the furry little bundle in Klaus’s arms. Opal takes one look at the dog and claws at Klaus’s arms until he releases her, leaving her free to land on the mastiff’s back where she curls up into a contented ball.

That has to be a good sign, right? Opal wouldn’t be so relaxed if Nilsa’s life was still in danger.

The trap door flies open and I abandon the others in favour of getting our witch somewhere comfortable.

Only when I kick open the door to her cabin, it’s empty. Nothing more than barrels and crates.

“Not funny, Val,” I growl, flashing my fangs at the uncomfortable-looking mage.

The captain sighs, running a hand through his hair. “It’s not what you think. Follow me.”

I scowl, but he doesn’t give me time to ream him for this little stunt before he pushes off the wall and drags me down a corridor that wasn’t here before. The rest of the crew follows a few paces behind, and a glance over my shoulder shows they’re just as confused as I am.

When Val pushes open a new door and strides into a room full of inky purple light. I tread carefully behind him, skeptical about whatever it is he’s done now.

The room I step into must be a cabin at the very stern of the ship. The entire back wall is covered in intricate, stained glass windows, which are almost exactly the same as the ones in the captain’s office above.

“This is the captain’s cabin,” Klaus observes as he files in behind us along with the others.

“I don’t use it,” Val grumbles. “She might as well have it.” He pauses, almost like he isn’t sure if he should say what he’s thinking. But Val isn’t one to hold back the truth, so it doesn’t surprise me when he continues, “It has a bigger bed.”

My brows raise at that, but he has a point. The bed in Nilsa’s cabin was a double, but it was still far too small for more than her and one or two of her mates at a time.

By contrast, the behemoth in the centre of this room is big enough for all of us. If that’s what Nilsa wants…

There’s even a large, cushioned bed for Titan in the corner, and the mastiff plods happily over to it, curling in a ball with Opal still on his back. Even I have to admit, the sight of the two of them curled up in a pile of grey and tan fluff is adorable.

I climb onto the plush mattress and deposit her thin frame in the middle of the bed. The glowing light coming from that tiny scar at her hairline and the sigils on her body is getting dimmer by the second. Without the visual reminder of the power coursing through her body, she looks even smaller. I swear she’s lost weight since we left her.

A week of fleeing for her life from the people who are supposed to love and protect her has taken its toll on my mate. Her struggles are written across her face in the dark shadows beneath her eyes, the short hunk of hair that doesn’t quite blend with the rest, and the tiny lines still entrenched between her brows even in sleep.

My hands fist as I release her, hating the visual reminders of what we’ve done.

When she wakes up, I owe her the greatest apology. We all do.

I think even Val realises that, which is probably why he’s given her this new cabin.

In an ideal world, I’d make sure she spends a week relaxing on the soft sand of Mirna and exploring the markets of Isablis. But we’ve only been free an hour and already we’ve been invited to a war meeting. Right now, time is not on our side.

The captain watches me climb off the bed, and in another display of his magic, a soft fleece falls over her. He jerks his chin at the door, silently commanding the rest of us from the room.

I pause for a second, worried about leaving her to wake up alone, but Opal and Titan are in the corner, and I have a feeling this won’t take long.

We file into the galley, taking seats around the table, with Val at the head. The second we’re all present and paying attention, the captain turns to Klaus.

“Fill us in,” he instructs. “Tell us everything.”