Page 75 of Traitor Witch

“When I used to shift, I was forever getting into trouble,” his breath hitches. “Even before I was touched by Fate, I would get distracted and swim into fishing nets or get caught in riptides. It drove our alpha mad.”

“Really?” I can barely imagine Nos as a dreamer. He seems so bitter and guarded now.

“It only got worse when Fate touched me.” His arms squeeze a little tighter, but I don’t mind. “I wanted to prove nothing had changed. That I was still every bit the future alpha Cas was.”

“But things had changed,” I whisper.

“Try telling that to a sixteen-year-old boy.” His hold softens. “It took a long time to realise that I was more of a liability than ever… by the time I did…”

An ear-splitting crack of thunder rents the air, followed by an agonised yell.

My whole body tenses again, all of the relaxation Nos had magicked into me leaving in a rush.

“Shit," he curses.

“What was that?” I ask at the same time.

“Nilsa!” I hear the roar a second before Cas bursts into the room, a wildness in his eyes which calms slightly when he sees me. “Thank the Goddess. Val’s been hurt.”

He grabs my arm in an almost punishing grip, pulling me from the room with a burst of speed that sends Opal flying.

“Cas, wait!” Nos calls after him.

“No time!” He snaps back. “Do you need anything to heal? Herbs and shit?”

I just gape at him. “I’m not great at healing,” I hedge. “Val’s a mage, can’t he—”

“No. He’s unconscious. If we don’t get him awake and steering the ship in the next few minutes, we’re going to get smashed against the cliffs.”

Fear takes hold of my stomach in an iron fist as he drags me down the corridor, heading straight for the hatch that was slamming in the wind.

“No, Cas, wait!”

But my voice is drowned out by the roar of another clap of thunder. Rain pelts through the gap, soaking me as soon as we reach the base of the steps.

“Cas, just give me one sec—”

But I’m yanked through the gap and into the storm before I can finish.

Chapter Twenty

NILSA

The mainmast is down, leaning drunkenly over the side of the ship. It’s charred and still burning in places, despite the rain. But I can’t focus on it because Cas is already dragging me up onto the quarterdeck.

Kier is battling with the ship’s wheel and beyond him I can make out Rysen, soaked from the rain and huddled over someone on the deck. The fae and the vampire are tied to the railing with long strands of rope that knot around their waists, but Cas doesn’t bother with it.

I suppose a sea-based shifter can just swim so far below the waves it doesn’t matter if he’s swept overboard. Still, I would have appreciated the same courtesy.

Cas reaches Val and pulls me down beside him.

The captain is face-up on the wood, his clothes soaked with rain and blood that trickles from his ears and nose. The transparent, white fabric of his shirt showcases a hideous set of burns that continue down his arms. I fall to my kneesbeside him, my hands hovering over each injury, cataloguing it.

“Why did you bring her up here?” Rysen snaps.

“Because those cliffs are right on top of us!” Cas roars back.

I ignore both of them.