Page 66 of Sea's Secret

“You need different clothes. I should have thought of that before,” he grunted, walking into his room, leaving the door open. I stood there, still in a bit of a daze from what had just happened–so much in a short amount of time.

“You are beautiful, Meria.”

The Cruel Hand’s Lover.

I touched the side of my mouth, where his lips had been. That small kiss–it felt like nothing I had ever experienced before. I could not help but wonder what a full kiss with Dominick would be like. Kisses with Edmar had been nothing in comparison.

“Here, these seem small. You may have to roll them a bit, but it should be better than that tattered shirt.” He handed me a bundle of clothes. I had seen how all the humans on the ship dressed, so I was sure I could figure out how to put an outfit together.

“Thank you, Dominick.”

He sighed, “Fine, you can call me that, but please, do not let the crew hear you, if you can help it,” he said, turning to walk back to his room.

“Okay,” I whispered; then his door closed, and I was alone in the hallway. I was so dry, so warm; I wanted nothing more right then than to dive into the depths of the cool, salty sea. I hoped that Dominick would find a way for me to do that soon. As I made my way to my room, I brushed my throat–the rough spot where his face had been, so warm and tingly with the memory of Dominick’s closeness.

I was looking forward to the possibility of something like that happening again, even though I should not have. Perhaps, on the following day, he would need to put on a show for the rest of the crew. Afterall, there were only half a dozen men that evening who saw the display.

After changing into the new clothes, and folding them up to fit better, I lay down on the bed and had a much easier time falling asleep than before.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Dominick

“Well, finally,” Sands said after I called him to come into my cabin after his knock. He closed the door behind him, and swept across the room, sitting in the chair across from me, sideways. His legs dangled over the edge of one side, and he played with a coin in his hand. I watched as he moved the gold coin across his knuckles, back and forth.

“Finally, what?” I asked, taking my eyes from his parlor trick, back to the maps.

“You claimed her. I have to tell you the things the men said about her below deck? There was a wager on who would get her kiss, first.”

Anger. Burning anger rose inside of me, and I clenched my fist.

“Who?”

“Everyone–Are you going to toss everyone overboard?”

“I could–”

“No, you could not. Calm yourself. You took care of the problem. No one wishes to cross The Cruel Hand, or be tossed overboard like Richard.”

“Sands, I do not have the energy for this today.”

“Well, I saw land–just came to tell you. If you are not interested in what I have to say–”

“We’ve arrived?”

“We’ve arrived,” he said with a large grin.

“Get Peter, I need to speak with him.”

“About time; you know, family really should try and make amends.”

“You have made amends with your family?”

“Have no family to make amends with. But I would if I did,” he said, still playing with his coin.

“I am not making amends; get him.”

Sands made his way out of my cabin, and I sank behind the desk. We’d arrived. That was it. For some reason, the joy I thought I would have at being in the Misted Seas, discovering the first island? It was not there. That was all I had wanted for so long. Why was I not more excited about it? Perhaps, I would feel satisfied when I finally found Layla.

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