Page 9

The ship dipped on a wave, nearly sending the deck of cards sliding off the table. Bowen caught them before they hit the floor, then glanced down at the ones in his hand.

He played a pair of clubs. “What did you do to Gavin?”

“Me? What do you mean?” I scowled at the poor hand I’d been dealt. Though it seemed a fitting metaphor for my life. Especially after last night. What a disaster! I slapped a pair of twos on top of his clubs, frowning as Bowen collected the points.

“He’s about to receive a huge sum of money, and he’s sulking.”

I let out a dry laugh. “Sulking? I should be the one moping around the ship. Not only is my time in your crew over, but I misread a moment last night, and now I’m mortified, sad, and slightly seasick from all this rocking.”

Bowen smirked and placed the rest of his cards face-up on the table. He’d won again. I discarded my cards into the pile with a disgruntled snarl.

“You could always stay on,” he said, shuffling the deck. “Pay off your debt and join us on the next hunt. We’re heading out again after I settle up with our benefactor.”

I had thought about it, tossing and turning all night. Sure, it didn't help that the mattress was lumpy and filled with straw, but mostly, my mind wouldn’t stop racing.

Gods, what was I thinking? All the teasing, the games, the way Gavin looked at me, it was purely physical flirtation. Pent-up desire from being on the road for too long. And there was nothing wrong with that! Until I went and made it awkward by catching feelings.

But even though Gavin had set boundaries between us, we were still friends.

Treasure hunting was a cutthroat trade, and people you trusted were few and far between.

I could figure out a way to keep business and pleasure from making figurative eye contact.

I’d already been doing it with a sliver of success for a year.

However, I’d probably still search for his mysterious family crest. Privately, of course. No need for another rejection unless I found the damn thing, and could shove it—politely—in his face.

But in the end, all I'd done was lose sleep. Because none of that mattered. I needed to focus on rebuilding my family’s legacy.

Signing a document and walking away wasn’t enough.

The house was in ruins and required a complete reconstruction.

I’d likely have to hack my way through the overgrown gardens just to reach the front door.

Trading my future for another risky endeavor where I'd have to bury my emotions didn't seem like a brilliant plan.

“Maybe one day.” I pushed out of my chair, steadying myself as the ship took a nosedive. “I have other things to take care of first.”

“Well, you always have a place with us. All you have to do is send word. I mean it. The next hunt won't be the same without you. ”

“Thanks, Bowen. I didn't know what to expect when I joined your crew. But I'm glad I did.” I glanced at the pile of cards and cleared the ache from my throat. “I think I’ve lost enough for today. I’ll see you at dinner.”

He nodded quietly, looking like he had more to say, but I slipped into the ship’s passageway and headed for the cabin I shared with Cass.

We were one day into a weeklong journey, and as much as I loved the sea—preferably from the beach and not a boat—there was something about its vastness that left me unsettled. As if I might step off the edge of the ship and vanish forever.

A chill danced along my spine. I wasn't usually so superstitious, but there was a foreboding quality to the air, or maybe it was just my thoughts of the future.

Everything would feel clearer once I was back home.

I spotted Cass walking toward me in the passage. She’d traded in her treasure-hunting gear for a simple blue long-sleeved dress. A leather satchel hung from the belt at her waist, and she wore her blonde hair loose. The strands were windswept from being above deck.

“How’s Reid?” I asked, slowing in front of our cabin door.

Cass winced. “He has a headache the size of this ship, but he’s up and moving at least. I caught him wandering around and dragged him back to bed. I think the tonic I made helped, even if he said it tasted like moldy leaves submerged in swamp water.”

“And how does Reid know what moldy leaves in swamp water taste like?”

“Exactly.” Cass braced herself against the wall as the ship rolled. “How about you? Do you need a tonic as well? I could make one with magic-infused valerian root. You’ll sleep for a week and wake up when we pull into port.”

“Tempting, but no thanks. Once I get my sea legs, I’ll feel better.”

“Marin Nichols, she can swim like a fish, but put her on a boat, and she’s a washed-up mermaid.”

“Very funny. I’ll remember this conversation the next time you fall off a camel.”

She gasped. “That happened once!”

“It was twice, but who’s counting?” I grinned, only to realize there might not be a next time.

Cass noticed and sighed. “I can’t believe you won't be with us on the next hunt. The five of us have spent every day together. I'm going to miss you.”

“I know, me too. But this was always temporary. You can visit me when you get back. I should have most of the cobwebs cleared away by then.”

“Visit? I plan to commandeer a room. You know I hate staying with my wretched older brother when we’re in Ever. It’s half the reason I’m heading out again. I hope he contracts a wasting disease while I’m gone, and I inherit the estate.”

“Savage, Cass.”

“It’s called survival. There’s no love lost between us, and he grows crueler with age. If he'd had his way, I would have been sold off to some lecherous lord years ago. If I’m underfoot, he might still try.” She cocked her head and wriggled her eyebrows. “Of course, he has to catch me first.”

“Then it's settled. You’ll stay with me. I need help with the gardens, anyway. I’m about as good at handling plants as I am with boats.”

“It’s a deal.” Cass opened the cabin door, then winced.

“Oh, shoot. I forgot my packet of herbs in the galley. I had to bribe the cook to let me make Reid’s tea, and he gave me strict instructions not to leave anything behind.

If I don’t collect them, he’ll probably toss the entire thing into tonight’s stew.

In small doses, it works on headaches. Large ones?

Let’s just say the digestive side effects might cause a mutiny. ”

“Then you better hurry,” I said, nudging her down the hall with an amused shake of my head. When she rounded the corner at breakneck speed, I stepped inside the cabin and shut the door behind me. Unless I got a signal from Cass, I wasn’t touching tonight’s stew.

I massaged the back of my neck and eyed my bunk. A nap might ease the queasiness in my stomach, but when I pulled aside the blanket, a note fluttered to the floor. There was also a wooden box sitting on top of my pillow. Gavin’s clean, slanted script appeared as I unfolded the note.

I made a mess of last night. Let me try again. -Gav

The unease knotting my insides transformed into something lighter. Hopeful. Maybe I misunderstood him.

I reached for the box. It was simple, about the size of a small lockbox, held closed by a metal clasp. Lifting the lid, I sucked in a sharp breath of surprise.

The amethyst and pearl comb from the treasure room was nestled inside. I removed the hairpiece, its purple crystals sparkling in the lantern light.

An intense wave of longing rolled through me. The magnetic pull of the comb was stronger than it had been inside the chamber. A familiar strain of music echoed in my ears, and I moved as if in a trance toward a mirror mounted on the wall.

Gavin had claimed he’d gotten tangled in a vine before following me down the chute, but this meant he must have gone back for the comb.

For me.

So foolish.

Yet, the thought didn't stop pleasure from spreading through me like warm butter. He’d broken my rule. I wasn’t thrilled about that. However, it would have been stolen by a marauder and sold, maybe even fought over, spilling more blood.

Was this the lesser of two evils?

It had to be. And I couldn’t resist the urge to tuck the delicate comb into my hair. Just once, to let its magic whisper in my ear. To tell me I'm beautiful. Chosen.

I peered into the mirror, gathered my hair, and slid the comb into place. Its rich purple tones and pale pearls defied the plainness of my olive green dress. I angled my head, admiring the jewelry as my fingertips brushed over the scalloped shell.

Pain sliced through my finger.

I yelped and peeked at the throbbing wound. A bead of blood swelled on my fingertip.

My vision swam. The cabin tilted, forcing me to close my eyes and grab the bedpost. My stomach twisted, and a sour taste flooded my mouth as images flickered behind my eyelids.

A man sinks beneath the waves, his body tossed against the rocks as a woman rises from the depths. Her silver hair swirls around them as she pulls him to shore. His eyes open, and a promise is whispered in salt.

He lays the stones by hand. For her. A place they can share. A home built by the sea, caught between two worlds .

From the abyss, a shadow stirs.

Amethyst eyes glow in the dark.

The vision faded like smoke, but the images clung to me. My heart pounded, and my body felt chilled to the bone.

I'd known the comb was magic, but this wasn't the cool, clean energy of sea glass. This was darker, more vivid. And it was from a story I knew well.

My father used to spin tales of mermaids and sea magic, even claiming our home to be the center of that story. It was fanciful, but it was just a legend. And the comb had pulled it from the depths of my mind.

I shook off my lingering daze and squeezed my hand into a fist, my finger still throbbing from pricking the sharp edge of the shell. It figured. Other relics granted wishes or bestowed the owner with mystical power.

Me? I got fairytales and a bruised fingertip.

But the fairytale I really needed to rewrite was the one from last night. And if Gavin wanted to talk, I'd listen.

Glancing into the mirror once more, I gave the comb a wary squint.

“Wish me luck,” I whispered.

Then I set out to find him.