Page 19 of Stars Above the Never Sea (The Last Faeyte #1)

Chapter twelve

Callan

I can feel eyes of starlight boring into the side of my face.

Sighing, I prop my arm behind my head, not bothering to open my eyes as I lounge back in the hammock. “Glowering at me won’t get those floors oiled any faster, Selene.”

She mutters something uncomplimentary under her breath.

Cracking my eyes open, I watch her as she stalks after Esme, gripping the stained cloth in her hand as if it’s my neck beneath her fingers.

The ridiculous outfit she’s wearing— dirt-edged scraps of pale blue silk and not much else—is already stained with oil.

We’ll have to get her something else to wear.

Sol shakes his head as he walks up, giving Selene a wide berth. “I stand by what I said. She’s going to kill us.”

Humming in something that could pass for agreement, I let my eyes open fully. “She thinks I’m lazing around and letting all of you do the work.”

Sol grins, his back to the others. “Aren’t you?”

He dodges my kick easily. “How are you doing?”

The laugh building in my chest vanishes. “I’m fine. Perfectly capable of working.”

“You are working,” he points out. “Harder than any of us.”

The heaviness in my skull agrees, even if the rest of me doesn’t.

I grimace as he stares at my face. “Stop that. I’m fine.”

As I say it, I notice the tell-tale warm trickle from my nose. “Damn.”

Ripping the cloth from my pocket, I press it against the blood. “Don’t tell Merrick.”

“Callan.” Sol frowns as I pull the cloth away. The scarlet patch vanishes as I crumple it in my hand. “Take a break. Let the water pull the weight.”

Slowly, I shake my head. “We’re too close to the Never. If I don’t get it together in time, I won’t be able to lift us.”

“So you’re going to push yourself to breaking point instead.” Sol sighs. “Matthias is going to kill me. And then you. Probably all of us.”

“At least he’ll fix us up afterward.” Grimacing at the taste of iron at the back of my throat, I reach for my canteen. “It’s going to be fine, Sol. Stop worrying.”

My eyes flit across the deck again. Selene kneels beside Esme, a pale, shimmering curtain of hair shielding her face and glinting in the light from the sun as Esme gestures to something.

Moonlight personified. That’s what she looks like. Softness and steel.

Hala’s priestess.

When she looks up, I rip my eyes away. Sol’s ruby eyes are evaluating me a little too closely, and my voice comes out harsher than I expect. “What?”

“Don’t get attached.”

Irritated, I sit upright, swinging my legs over and resisting the urge to clap a hand to my forehead as a headache threatens.

“Gods, Sol. I’m not attached to her. I’m not entirely sure she isn’t planning to kill us as soon as she steps off Volatus .

She needs to be watched, so I’m watching her. For safety.”

Sol folds his arms, unbothered by my rant. “You know Petyr wants her for something. I’m just saying, don’t get attached, Cal. He has a habit of breaking his toys, even if he doesn’t mean to.”

Unease stirs in my gut. “I told you, it’s not like that. But she could change everything for us. He’s not going to do anything rash. He’s too self-serving for that.”

Sol breathes in. “I hope she can. For your sake, if nothing else. But… you know this isn’t likely to end well for her. Even if she can fix the Never, what then?”

I force myself to keep my eyes on him. “It doesn’t have to be like that. Perhaps… perhaps there is a chance for us to do better.”

We don’t have to repeat the past. My breathing steadies. “If she is the last, then she’s important. More than she realizes right now. She has no idea what happened on the day of the Shift.”

His voice lowers. “You think? How in Ellas is that possible? How could she not ?”

I shrug, letting my gaze wander. “She wasn’t there. If she were, she wouldn’t be here now. And the only people who leave Asteria are on this ship.”

“So when we get to the Never—”

“We’ll see how she reacts,” I say quietly. She turns as Riordan joins them, saying something that has Esme throwing her cloth at him. “If she knows something, maybe we’ll find out.”

Sol follows my gaze. “I still don’t like it.”

My lips twitch. “You don’t like anyone that isn’t Matthias. Take it easy on her.”

“I like people,” he protests. Pauses. “Sometimes.”

Leo’s voice calls, and both of us turn. I sit up as the boy bounces up to us, his grin stretching his flushed cheeks wide as he looks between us. “Merrick said that I could leave lessons early. Can I help you with anything, Sol?”

“No,” Sol says abruptly. “Go and help Riordan with the count. I need to talk to Callan.”

Leo wilts, and I sigh as he turns, shoulders slumped. My response is dry. “What were you saying? Be nicer to him, Sol. He wanted to help you . Again.”

The hero-worship hasn’t gone unnoticed by any of us. But Sol refuses to engage.

Sol shakes his head. “I’ve got nothing at all against the kid.

You know that. But I’m taking my own advice, Cal, and you should too.

Don’t get attached. It’s dangerous. Matthias gives me enough chest pain, and so do you.

Besides, we need to talk about the drops.

How are we going to manage with our stowaway? ”

“Solomon.” I press my hand over my heart, my voice raising. “I didn’t know you cared—”

“Shut up.” He yanks a cloth from his pocket and tosses it at me. “Your nose is bleeding again.”

Fuck.