Page 11 of Blood on the Tide

“And tear up these pretty hands?” They flutter their fingers. “I think not. Sit down.”

I almost keep standing just to avoid obeying their command, but a wave chooses that moment to rock the boat and remind me that I’m now inches from the water instead of yards. I sit too quickly to be perfectly nonchalant and dig my fingers into the wood of the bench seat I’m perched on.

The selkie is very pointedly not looking at me. Eyal and Bowen accompany us, which means I can relax a little. There’s few places safer in Threshold for Evelyn than the Audacity. I’m glad she’s staying behind. At least for this trip.

“Poet, you’re in charge, mate,” Nox calls. They raise their hands and a wave rises behind the boat, sending us skipping over the surface toward the beach.

My stomach sours and the bench creaks precariously beneath my grip. There’s no dock to speak of here, which gives me something to focus on beyond the possibility of drowning. The larger vessels that the Cwn Annwn favor require deeper water, so they all approach the way we are now—by dropping anchor farther out and then using rowboats to reach shore. But I would have thought there would be local fishing boats at least. Most of the islands we’ve visited to date have done so.

Theoretically, those fishing boats could be used to hop to nearby islands, but one thing I’ve learned about Threshold is that most people won’t risk being caught on the open water by the Cwn Annwn. There are too many stories about mistakes that result in locals being forced to take the vow and join a crew. The only exception is the trade ships that sail specific routs under the Council’s colors. But they’re just as bad as the fucking pirates. There was one at the last island we stopped at, and their “deals” were just short of highway robbery. Most of the people in that village couldn’t even afford the cheapest item.

Not that I care.

I don’t.

I’m not like Evelyn. I don’t have a heart just waiting to bleed out at the misfortune of others. She used to pretend that she didn’t feel that way, but being with Bowen has pushed that part of her to the forefront. It would be cute if it wasn’t so irritating.

“Don’t cause trouble, vampire.”

I swallow down a snarl and turn a carefully blank look on Bowen. “I’m not the one who has the potential to lose control of my power and murder an entire village. Worry about yourself.”

His jaw goes tight, but Nox makes a low sound in their throat. “Children. Behave in front of our guest.”

For her part, Maeve watches the interaction with interest... at least until she catches me looking. Then she turns away, refocusing on the beach.

We reach it shortly, Nox’s elemental powers guiding us up onto the rocks. They’re smaller on this beach than the one I first saw, more like pebbles than boulders. I look around slowly. I’m sure Evelyn would call it peaceful, enjoying the crash of the waves and the distant call of some kind of seabird, but it makes my skin crawl. I don’t trust the quiet. Too often, it precedes an ambush.

I follow the others off the beach to the dirt road that curves up the tiny hill that the village occupies. The sun hasn’t quite set, but lights are just starting to appear in windows of the buildings closest to us. I can’t tell if the lack of foot traffic is because they saw us coming or because it’s got to be close to the dinner hour.

Nox passes the first handful of houses, their attention on a larger building positioned in a slight expansion of the road that must make this the village square. The patterns painted onto our destination’s walls are a true eyesore, bright yellow and purple and green zigzagging and spiraling and... I blink against the dizziness threatening. “What the fuck?”

“It’s a spell.”

I didn’t realize Maeve had fallen into step beside me until her voice snaps me out of my daze. I pointedly look down at the ground. That, at least, is normal and expected and doesn’t make me worry that I might vomit. Finally, I ask, “What kind of spell? Warding? Or just repelling?”

“Repelling. It’s meant to ward off bad spirits and those with ill intent.” There’s something in her tone, something almost like mirth. “It doesn’t usually affect humans.”

I’m not human, for all that I look it. I’m no spirit, either, but one could argue I have ill intent. “Charming,” I grit out.

“Maeve.” Nox speaks without turning back. “Stop tormenting my vampire. We’re just here to drop you safely with your mother and grandmother. Everyone else, we’ll get a drink, pick up any news, and then head out again. No trouble. You especially, Eyal.”

Eyal raises his hands in defense. “Hey now. That was one time.”

“You drinking yourself under the table is at least a monthly occurrence.” Nox says it with no heat and a boatload of charm. “It’s not personal. We just don’t have time for it tonight.”

“Fine, fine, I’ll behave.” Eyal moves with an easy rolling gait that speaks to his shifter nature. I’m not quite sure what he shifts into. It’s not a wolf—I’d smell the mange on him a mile away. It’s something... I still can’t quite put my finger on it, and it drives me to the brink of frustration. Oh well. I suppose it won’t matter much in a few hours.

I’m not returning to the Audacity tonight... or ever again.

chapter 6

Maeve

For days, I’ve been trying to figure out how to tell Nox that my mother and grandmother don’t know about my missing skin. For days, I’ve failed to find the right words. I know what Nox would say—my family loves me and won’t think less of me for falling into such a simple trap.

Maybe they’re even right. Maybe my mother wouldn’t get that stony look on her face and blame my foolishness of getting involved in the rebellion. Maybe my grandmother wouldn’t shed enough tears to drown me, lamenting on how worried she always is and how I’m going to put her into an early grave. My family does love me, and desperately, but all that means is they worry.

Even worse is the fact that losing my skin had nothing to do with the rebellion. I have nothing to blame but my own terrible judgment and the loneliness that sometimes becomes too much to bear. Without those two working in tandem, I’d like to believe I never would have been seduced by Bronagh.

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