Page 47 of A Wrecking of Salt and Fire

“Wonderful, come by my room after we dock. I’ll even sneak one of Ander’s good bottles of wine from the storage room. He locks it, but I’ve always had a knack for picking locks. Must be the claws.” She flashed her elongated nails painted a sparkling black.

“For nice wine, I’ll definitely be there.” Katrin tucked a piece of her tangled brown hair behind her ear. “Should I wear a dress as well?” Her eyes scanned the seer’s gown once more.

“If you’d like. Sometimes I need to remind the crew there is a lady aboard. They are absolute animals otherwise. Plus, you never know who might be looking.” She flicked her eyes back toward the helm of the ship, where both Leighton and Ander stood pretending they had not just been gaping at their interaction.

“I don’t need—or want—to impress Ander.” Katrin twiddled her thumbs together. “But maybe it would be nice to pretend everything is normal, even for one night.” Katrin bit her bottom lip, trying not to overthink what had happened the past week. Or what might be happening back in Alentus.

“Whatever you say, Princess. I’ll leave some options to try on in your chambers.” Thalia smiled wide. The young seer began to pad away toward the door to below deck. She turned back, a soft expression glowing on her face. “Katrin—” her words became less playful and more gentle, “I’m really glad you said yes.”

Katrin nodded her head at the seer as the ship began to dock. She would meet Thalia later, yes. But after—after she would find a way off this ship and a way back home.

Watching the crew dock The Nostos in the main harbor of Lesathos, Katrin pretended to read The Odyssey while she was really staring at Ander. The way he smiled at the crew when he gave orders rather than shouted at them, the way he joked about, peering at the nearing shoreline with as much intrigue as a little boy.

His eyes were always a warm and glittering blue with hints of crystal green while sailing. The colors of fair weather and a calm breeze. Quite unusual for a hardened pirate, or so she thought. She had not spent any time with them besides the red-eyed man, although she was fairly certain he was something much worse than a pirate.

When they were fully secured at the dock, Katrin ventured below deck to get ready for her evening with Thalia, and to pack a small bag for later that night. She could only hope the men would come back from the “market” too drunk to notice her sneaking off the ship.

A few pairs of clothes, some bread and fruits, a satchel of coin she found stored in Ander’s desk drawer, and the book she was reading would all go in a leather bag she found in his quarters.

She would leave a note apologizing for the latter two. The money she did not feel horrible about—he was a pirate, he was probably rolling in it—but the book, that had sentimental value to him. It was just that Katrin had become quite engrossed in the characters, seeing the world of the Olympi she was never allowed to learn more about. The way they were wrathful and vengeful like she was taught, but also fierce protectors of the mortals.

When she entered the chambers she saw Thalia had indeed left several gown options to wear. It had been more than a week since she felt the smooth touch of silk against her skin. The gowns were each intricate, no doubt sewn by the very textile workers that lived on these shores. One stood out in particular. In the lantern light of the bedchambers it sparkled a golden hue. The sleeves were made of a sheer material billowing down until the cuff, which was again the golden silk material. It reminded her of something Ember would wear. The others were lovely as well, but this—this dress was one of a kind.

She bathed first, washing off the smell of the ship with that lovely lily and mint soap. Katrin took her time pulling half her hair back, twining braids around the side and pinning them up, leaving a few tendrils falling out at the front. She used makeup in one of the wooden drawers in the bathroom, black to line her eyes and a shimmering bronze shadow for the lids, a delicate rose paint for her lips. Curious that Ander would have makeup, most likely it belonged to the woman he seemed to ponder over so often. It was silly to doll herself up for a night staying on the ship with the seer she barely knew, but it gave her a feeling of home, and right now that was what she needed.

When Katrin returned back to the room, a necklace lay on top of the gown. A golden gemstone hung from a chain, carved into a fiery sun on one half and a moon on the other. She wondered if Thalia had a piece of jewelry ready for whichever gown she had picked, and how she knew it was the gold one. Katrin looked around to see if Mykonos had been spying, but if the small white cat had been there, she was no longer.

After she dressed, Katrin made her way down the hall to what she had learned was Thalia’s room. She went to knock, but the door flew open. The seer stood before her looking how Katrin assumed the Olympi would have appeared. Young, but wise beyond her years. Her delicate frame was draped in a white gossamer gown, only what looked like skimpy undergarments lined the dress, not a usual slip one might see in Alentus. The panels were held together by a thin silver chain that looked like the threads of a vest. It dipped together down her chest and pinned at the waist with a violet stone.

“I didn’t realize you would change again. You look lovely, Thalia.” Katrin stepped through the threshold into a room that looked—well a lot like Ander’s. She didn’t know why she thought the rooms on the ship would be more personal. This was where they supposedly spent the most time.

“Oh, well I am rather fickle with my outfits. Plus it ruins all the fun if someone’s seen you in it.” Thalia smiled as she waved her hand through the air. “Welcome to my humble quarters.” Mykonos meowed from a nearby plush velvet chair.

Yes, everything looked similar to Ander’s chambers except the colors. Where his were ones of deep navy and forest green, Thalia’s were crisp beige and lilac and lavender. Not to mention hers just smelled better. Although Katrin realized Ander had not been spending much time in the room, if at all, of late so the smell was probably her own.

“I had Leighton bring us in some food before they left for—what did they say they were doing? Going to the market. Have as much as you’d like, otherwise the little one will gobble it all up.”

Mykonos sat back on her haunches and yawned, her sharp white teeth glowing in the dim light of the room.

“So they really aren’t going to the market for supplies?” Katrin asked.

Thalia half sat, half leaned on one of the lilac chaises by the table. Katrin was surprised she was not falling out of the gown altogether. “They’ll get supplies, yes, but the men tend to spend some extra time in town when we come to port at Lesathos.” Thalia plucked some berries from the table, dropping them into her mouth as she spoke.

“Even the captain?”

Thalia arched one of her dark brows up as she grinned. “Yes, even the captain.” Katrin blushed. The seer had caught her glancing one too many times up at the helm the last few days. “You know, he’s not a bad person, Princess. Quite the opposite, actually.”

Katrin rolled her eyes. She got it. That’s what Thalia said, what Leighton said, what the rest of the crew said, and definitely what Ander said. It was not that she did not see that person sometimes, it was the reason she caught herself staring, wondering if this was under different circumstances if she would feel any different. If he had not lied to her that first day and just laid it all out there.

“We met, you know, before he captured me or whatever you people are calling it.” Katrin slumped down in the chair across from Thalia and Mykonos not even caring if she ruined the silken dress.

Thalia nodded.

“If he’d just told me then. Warned me. I could have protected myself, I could have warned my guard. But instead he saved me. Didn’t give me the chance to do the same for Ember, or Kohl, or my people.” Her voice cracked, tears welling for the thousandth time that week.

The seer picked at a berry seed that had gotten stuck in her teeth with her claw-like nail. “I understand his ways were, shall we say, flawed, but his intention—that is what matters. That he cared so much he put us all at risk to protect you.” Her words were sweet. Like she felt a similar sentiment to Ander. Like she also wanted Katrin safe.

“Again, that’s what no one will really tell me. Why me? Yes, there was a threat to my life, but why should he care? Why should you care?”

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