Page 160 of Traitor Witch

Another thwack across my shins. The rope slithers back across the deck before I can glare at it.

"Enough already," I mutter.

All I can do is make this trip as quick as possible and pray to the goddesses who abandoned me long ago that I make it in time to save one of my oldest friends from bloodlust, before he does something he regrets.

Nos and Kier break me out of my depressed musings as they climb the steps to the quarterdeck together. I'm no fool, I know they're presenting a unified front on purpose, ready to face off against my decision.

But it's Kier who speaks: "Stop."

"Stop talking," I snap back. "It's torturing you."

"We have to go back." Nos is leaning against Kier, his face pale and lined with strain. "I had another vision."

"I did too. It was of Rysen, hating us for the rest of eternity because we didn't get this run done fast enough and the Pits forced him back to who he was before he joined us."

"Shut up and listen to me!" Nos roars, his whole body flashing with teal scales.

That…has never happened before.

I know I'm staring, but it's just not normal for Nos toshow his beast like that. He doesn't shift. Hasn't for two decades.

Too dangerous, he once said. A blind leviathan can do all sorts of damage.

His roar has drawn Cas's beast closer, his leviathan making the boat shake as it rises from the waves beside us.

The sea monster stares at its twin, purring in a soothing, low tone. Cas's turquoise eyes watch as the lighter scales of Nos's beast slowly recede.

It takes several tense, silent moments, but eventually the scales disappear and Nos sags against Kier once again.

The moment he's fine again, Cas's beast huffs, turns, and roars in my face again, and then dives back into the sea, leaving me covered in leviathan slobber.

Titan, who got drenched by the sea water dripping from the beast, takes the opportunity to shake the water out of his fur.

Great. Just great. The only thing that could make this worse would be getting struck by lightning again. I scowl at the horizon, daring the weather to send another storm my way.

"In my vision, Rysen and Nilsa were together," the Seer continues, dragging my attention back to him. "They were in the sea, and he was draining her. He was completely lost to bloodlust. He wasn't going to stop, Val."

"They're going to escape," I whisper, horrified. "Rysen is going to be unleashed in a city with his mate, who has no idea what his bloodlust is like."

Nos just nods, expression grim. "We have to stay or he'll hurt her, and that will destroy him."

Destroy us, he doesn't need to say it, but we all know it's true.

Without Nilsa, Cas is never coming back from his beast form and Kier's curse is never getting broken. Nos and Rysenare already halfway in love with her, and losing the infuriating witch would break them. Plus, my dog misses her cat for some reason.

I'm only doing this for Titan and the crew.

I also…wouldn't be comfortable with leaving our argument unfinished.

The ship starts to turn without my conscious permission, changing course. Titan looks up, plods over, and bumps his head into my thigh, then licks my hand, covering me in even more slobber.

"Yes, yes. Fine. We'll save the witch." Then I'll yell at her some more for putting me in this position.

Save the witch, save the crew.