Page 36 of Of Song and Darkness

A cry worked its way up my throat. I bit my lip, the taste of copper on my tongue, as I tried to keep the scream within while Cael pushed the needle through my skin.

I had a death grip on the pillow underneath me, and I sank my teeth into the fluffy material as Cael pushed the needle through my skin again and pulled the thread tight. Tears escaped my eyes and splattered on the pillow while Cael continued to work the needle in and out of my skin.

Kai bent before me, his face hovering inches from mine. I quickly buried my tear-stained face in the pillow, but he lightly cupped my cheek in his large palm, prying my face from the pillow.

He brushed his rough thumb over my cheek, dashing away a tear. “I think after what you did for this crew, no one will judge you for showing a little weakness. You cry, scream, hold on to my hand, or whatever else you need to do to get through this.”

Kai’s words brought even more tears to my eyes. I gripped his hand, hanging on to it for dear life as Cael continued to weave the needle through my skin.

“It’s almost over, señorita,” Rat encouraged, coming into view with a smile on his whiskered face.

The room started to spin, and I blinked a few times to regain focus. I had made it this far. I wasn’t going to lose the battle to unconsciousness.

With one last tug of the thread, followed by a swift yank, Cael declared, “It’s finished.”

A whoosh of relief left my lungs. The slashes across my back throbbed with pain, but it was over.

Kai stood and gently lifted me to allow Cael room to wrap bandages around my wounds. After they completed their work, I cradled my pillow close, finally feeling the tension release from my muscles, the first respite since they had begun.

“She should heal fine now. We have to watch out for infection,” Cael whispered to Kai. I heard the warning, but I did not have the energy to care.

Rat crouched before me. “Rest, señorita. When you wake up, we will have a meal fit for a queen ready for you.”

I smiled at him then closed my eyes as exhaustion overwhelmed me. I heard the scuff of their boots against the wooden plank floor as they left the room.

Kai rose from the bed, but not before placing his calloused hand upon my brow.

I kept my eyes closed as Cael’s concerned voice reached my ears from the vicinity of the doorway. “She won’t be able to face Medusa in this condition. She’ll die.”

“She had no chance of surviving Medusa anyway,” Kai answered barely above a whisper.

“What are you going to do?” Cael raised his voice slightly, causing my pulse to drum louder.

“Don’t wake her,” Kai grumbled. His voice faded as he walked out and closed the cabin door.

Sleep claimed me the instant he was gone.

I didn’t know how long I’d slept, but I awoke to the cabin door opening at some point during the night. Squinting my eyes, I tried to adjust to the darkness of the room.

The bed gave way to Kai’s weight as he crawled in beside me. His scent engulfed my senses, and I inhaled, drawing comfort from it. He trailed his fingers as gentle as the ocean breeze over my cheek before turning over and settling.

I rested beside him and waited until his breathing deepened, signaling he was asleep, before slowly sitting up and easing from the bed.

After grabbing a few pieces of my discarded clothes, I clutched them to my chest and sneaked out of the cabin. Leaving the room practically nude was not my most brilliant move, but I couldn’t risk waking Kai. I quickly fumbled in the dark, pulling on my pants. When my shoulders stretched in an effort to pull my shirt over my head, I hissed as my wounded skin pulled taut.

Once somewhat composed, I crept on deck. I glanced over the railing. Fortunately, the rowboats remained afloat in the water. I let out a relieved breath, well aware of the risk involved in lowering them myself and potentially rousing the entire crew from their slumber.

I threw one leg over the railing before a deep voice boomed from behind. “Where do you think you are going, sea devil?”

I rolled my eyes, glancing over my shoulder to see the helmsman Flynt leering at me. After slowly lowering my leg back on deck, I turned to face him. “I have a pressing engagement with Medusa,” I answered through clenched teeth.

“The Cap’n said nothing about you leaving.” He sneered.

Something about his slimy demeanor and the way his eyes traveled up and down my body raised the hairs on the back of my neck.

His elongated fingers clamped around my upper arm with a viselike grip, wrenching me forward. I tried to catch myself, but he was too strong. My body collided roughly with his. My skin crawled as he wrapped an arm around my waist with the strength of an octopus tentacle, anchoring my body to his. When he pressed against the lesions on my back, tears flooded my eyes.

“Now be a good sea devil and join me up by the helm. I’ll make you forget all about that pain in your back.” His hot, rank breath blew across my face, causing bile to burn up the back of my throat. “But you can’t be too loud, no matter how difficult it is. Don’t want to wake Cap’n,” he warned, sliding a dagger from his sheath and pressing the tip to the hollow of my neck.

---