Page 75 of Silverbow (The Godsung Saga #1)

Enya reached her hand out to scratch Arawelo behind the ears. The mare nudged at her, searching her pockets. “I’m sorry girl, I don’t have anything for you,” she laughed. “ Liam-”’

He didn’t look at her. He turned on his heel and strode toward the ladder that had him disappearing below deck. Enya couldn’t use the ladder with her arm in a sling. She sighed, leaning into the mare.

“Men,” she muttered. Arawelo eyed Kiawa at her shoulder. The look didn’t hold the same bite it once had and Enya smiled. “That one’s rather fine, don’t you think?”

The mare blew out a huff. That was perhaps a bit too far.

Aiden appeared, wearing a lopsided grin. “Lady Silverbow lives.”

“Astute, Aiden.”

He chuckled. “I thought Oryn would keep you locked up for the entire sail.”

She darted a look toward the silver haired demi-elf. He watched her from the corner of his eye, even as he pretended to be scanning the endless blue horizon.

“Merchant. Merchant’s guard,” she reminded him, pointing.

Aiden gave a mock bow. “At your service, my lady merchant.”

“Does Liam seem…” She trailed off, unsure what to say.

“Like you strangled his favorite puppy?” Aiden asked with a gleam in his gray eyes. “Afraid so, Silverbow.”

Enya looked at the ladder and sighed. “Just don’t let him jump overboard, Aiden. Please.”

The demi-elf scratched his jaw. “What if I gave him a push?” He chuckled under her glare. “Do you think Oryn would jump in to save him? Or let him be shark bait?”

Enya didn’t have the faintest idea. She shook her head and crossed to where Colm stood at the railing. He greeted her with his usual warm smile.

“Lady Ansel,” he said, his eyes darting toward the sailors on deck. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

“You’re a liar, Colm,” she answered, but she couldn’t help the smile that answered his.

“Well, we all have our failings, I suppose.”

Enya studied the man’s profile, sun glinting off his golden hair. If Colm Bellami had any failings, she hadn’t seen them yet. He was aggravatingly perfect. He gestured to the blue expanse surrounding them.

“What do you think of the Saulet Sea, my lady? ”

She studied the calm waters. The blue seemed brighter than the Ilbarran Ocean, more like the sky than the frigid watery depths that sent wild waves smashing against the shore. She said as much and Colm nodded.

“The Saulet is usually good sailing. It’s the creatures you have to look out for.”

She noted Bade at the helm, similarly scanning the horizon. “Is that what you’re watching for?”

“Creatures, king’s men, pirates,” he answered casually. “Nothing to fear.”

Enya gaped at him. “Why not?”

Colm’s eyes swept up to the sail that bulged with a wind Enya didn’t feel. “Oryn will see to it.” A rogue wave collided with the hull and set the deck rocking a bit harder. Enya swayed, and Colm grabbed for her arm to steady her. “Let’s get you back inside, Lady Ansel.”

Oryn

The days to the Tuminzari coast were long, with nothing to do but watch endless sea slide by.

Aiden had roused Oryn in the night to chase away another mist, but the sun burned clear and blue stretched as far as the eye could see come morning.

The crew was muttering about the favorable wind and the mists that seemed to change direction, and he let them keep muttering.

Enya muttered her list as she turned that horse head carving over in her hands.

The dream ward still wasn’t working, or at least, it couldn’t keep out whatever Hylee had planted in her head, so despite the healing and the herbs and every comfort they could find for her aboard The Seabird , she still looked on death’s door.

The mountains of Tuminzar made for a hard ride to Drozia.

Perhaps they should stay in Wayforge and send for Alloralla, but he loathed sitting in one place long with what she carried.

He often found himself scanning the sky and straining to listen for wingbeats in case Pallas Davolier came looking for his clutch.

Her walks on the deck grew longer with each day, but Oryn fretted over it.

She wobbled and it wasn’t entirely because she’d never sailed before.

She fretted over the way Liam disappeared below whenever she set foot in the sun.

The whole bloody ship heard the slamming of that door and sailors eyed the three of them sideways.

Oryn heard more than one muttering about having women aboard.

He heard the other mutters too that made him want to throttle them all.

Enya seemed to be steeping quietly in whatever had happened between them. Oryn thought he might have to add the cause it of it to his tally of wrongs. It grated on him as he stitched together his healing, letting it fall against her skin.

“Would you stop that?” She snipped.

He drew back. “Does it not help?”

She pressed her lips into a thin line. Some of the tightness around her eyes had slackened, but they both knew it wouldn’t last. “I’m not taking it off your debt,” she ground.

“I know.”

“So why do you keep doing it?”

Oryn didn’t dignify that with a response. The gold in her eyes seemed to glimmer.

“And why did you see fit to tell Liam what the witch revealed?”

Ah. Oryn sighed. “You’re right. It wasn’t my secret to tell.”

She blinked in surprise.

“I bargained for it. What you weren’t telling me for what you weren’t telling him.”

“You had no right,” she hissed.

“Add it to my debt, Silverbow.”

As if it would be that easy.