Page 19 of Cursed By Seas and Darkness

He nodded, and I said, “All right. Let’s find somewhere to rest. An empty cave this time.”

He snorted and followed me as I swam around, searching for a place to rest for the night. We finally found a cavern, far from the sea witch’s cave. I started gathering seaweed, and Kaga mimicked me. Once we had enough, I wove my hammock while he worked on his. I finished first and hung my hammock up away from the entrance.

He swam to the opposite end with his bed. “Wait,” I said. He turned to look at me, tilting his head in a question. “You can’t speak. It’s dangerous for you to be so far away. You never know if another witch is going to swim in and find us.”

His face blanched, and he quickly swam right back to me. I hung his hammock right next to mine, in between the wall and me. At least I’d be able to warn him if anything nefarious swam inside. I could keep out the animals. Not the magical creatures.

Kaga settled into his hammock while I spelled the cave. When I was done, I slid into mine, too tired to think of anything but sleep. He closed his eyes, and within seconds, he was asleep. I gazed at his chiseled face for a second, wondering why he chose to sacrifice for me. With a shrug, I let it go, turning off my own mind for the night, painfully aware of his warm body close to mine.

I awoke to the sound of Kaga’s slow breathing right next to my ear. My spine stiffened at the sound until I realized what it was. Sometime during the night, I had made my way into his hammock. “Just for warmth,” I told myself quietly. Definitely not for comfort after trying to escape.

The pounding of my heart and the arm around my waist told me otherwise, though. Vaguely, I recalled waking, gasping in the middle of the night. I had dreamed of the inky tendrils dragging me deeper and deeper into the cave. One simple twist and I was next to Kaga, his steady breathing reminding me I was safe.

Kaga’s warm abdomen pressed against my back, and I suppressed a shiver. Could I actually feel his muscles?

I shifted in the hammock, and Kaga’s arm around me tightened, pulling me closer. Lips brushed against my ear and I sucked in a breath. The arm around me loosened as Kaga slid his hand down my skin to grasp my hip.

My skin tingled everywhere he touched. I wanted to turn around, find out what it would be like to finally kiss those soft lips of his. Should I though?

Indecision warred inside me. Kaga pressed closer to me, his lips brushing against my cheek. The decision was made for me when Squiggles let out an indignant squeak. “You’re squishing me!”

Kaga froze and jumped away from me, leaving coldness in his wake. I sighed and patted Squiggles, who was still squawking away. “Sorry, honey.”

Not daring to look Kaga in the eyes, I slipped out of the cave and stretched. I spun around, trying to get my bearings back after that… encounter. My stomach rumbled loudly, unsurprising after not eating for however long we’d been stuck in the witch’s cave. I gathered ingredients for a modest breakfast, humming as I worked.

I had just boiled some fish when Kaga came out, his eyes still bleary. I immediately cast my eyes down to the food, not looking at him. “It’s almost done,” I said, thanking the abyss that my voice was steady.

He sat down next to me, his tail to the side, and tapped me on the shoulder. I looked up at him and he pointed to me, then him, then raised both hands in a shrug. “Damn it. Again? We’re playing a never-ending game of charades,” I said. His lips curved into a smile and I shook my head. “Okay. Um. You and me don’t know what we’re doing?”

He brought his two fingers together. “Close?”

He nodded, then pointed with both hands and crossed them. “What are you and me doing?”

A smile broke out on his face and he grinned, nodding. “All right, let’s see.” I thought for a moment. “We can go home. My mother might know how to get your voice back.”

Kaga’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “No? Your parents?”

He nodded.

“Why?” I asked. If I’d suddenly lost my voice, I knew I could go to my parents. Even with how strict my mother was, she never hesitated to help. Or pay someone to help.

He opened one hand, swirling the water. Then with his other hand, he pointed to his hand, then his throat.

“You want to fix your throat with magic?”

He shook his head.

“Your parents will want you to fix your throat with magic?”

He pinched two fingers close together.

“Close? Honestly, I don’t understand.” My eyebrows furrowed as I handed him food. “We can go back and avoid your parents. I don’t know what else to do.”

His shoulders drooped, and he shrugged, eating his food, avoiding looking at me. “Kaga. You have no voice. At the very least, we can find out if anyone can help us back in the city.”

His eyes met mine, and he frowned. Then he sighed, nodding his head.

“All right. Back home we go.”

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