Page 28 of A Wrecking of Salt and Fire

“Ember, tell me what’s wrong.” His voice was sharp and direct.

“It’s Katrin. She’s gone.”

Chapter Seventeen

Katrin

You can trust him with yours . Katrin kept repeating Leighton’s words over and over again in her mind as she wandered on deck. How could she possibly trust Ander with her life when he was the reason she was stuck on this gods-forsaken ship to begin with? After pacing back and forth along the rails of The Nostos for what seemed like hours, Katrin finally settled down on an old barrel by the stern of the ship.

The crew was still mulling about, tending to the sails, washing the deck, playing games with small carved pieces of wood. She sat and she watched, tendrils of her wavy brown hair coming loose from her braid and whipping in front of her face.

Katrin breathed in the salty air, not minding the spray of the sea on her skin. It took the last few years to finally be comfortable on the water again, to be comfortable with the sounds and smells of her home by the sea. She would not lose that again.

This time she would use the air and the breeze to calm her, to center her as she plotted a way to get off this ship and back home.

Ideas raced through her mind. Everything from asking politely for them to turn the ship around—as illogical a plan as any—to jumping off the ship and hoping they were near enough to shore that she could swim. The latter was also not a good idea. She did it before, albeit with less planning, but she had almost not survived.

Her best bet was to wait until they came to port to fill up the ship with supplies and try to commandeer another ship to make it home.

“Plotting ways to kill me, Starling?” Ander’s deep voice filled the air around her. He snuck up behind her, almost knocking her right off the barrel.

“Maybe. Or maybe I just like to see you sweat.”

Ander grazed his hand along her back as his voice tickled her ear. “I bet you do.”

Instinct had her jumping up and whipping around, her extended palm smacking across his cheek. Katrin’s eyes narrowed on the captain before her. “Touch me again and you’ll learn how hard I can really hit.”

Ander’s mouth kicked up in a grin, his hand stroking over the red mark hers left on his cheek, brushing back his waved onyx hair. “Someone is grumpy today. Did you not enjoy the bath I left for you?”

Katrin choked on a cough. He took a step closer, breathing in her scent. “Lillies and mint. A personal favorite of mine.”

“Oh fuck off, Ander.”

“Mmm, quite the mouth on you too, Starling.”

Katrin shuddered, her cheeks warming. The look he gave her was utterly feral. “Is that what you came over here to do? To annoy me? To insult me? To smell me like some rabid animal?”

“I would never insult you, Starling. You just looked lonely, I thought I could cheer you up with my undeniable charm.” He flashed a full toothy grin, wiggling his eyebrows.

“I look lonely because you kidnapped me and took me hostage on this ship where I know no one.” Her voice was low and seething.

“Like I said before, you are not a hostage. You are free to do as you wish on this ship. And you don’t know no one, you know me.” His voice softened.

“Know you? I know nothing about you except that you find it entertaining to lie to women you meet in the woods and, oh, you apparently think yourself to be some self-appointed prince. An unlikely reality seeing as you are a pirate and pirates don’t tend to have a home.” Acid roiled in Katrin’s stomach at the harshness of her words. But why should she care if she insulted this wretched man? All he told her were lies and delusions.

“I have a home.” Ander looked away, his gaze drifting off to the sea. Katrin could have sworn the air chilled around them.

“The sea is not a home, it is a way to escape. Only a boy would hide from reality on a ship. An unworthy pirate running away from duty and responsibility, how original.”

“Trust me, I am not running. If I could go home I would.” His features darkened at the thought.

“Then what keeps you away?” she asked. It was curious that a man—a pirate at that—seemed so burdened by a simple question.

“You.” He turned to walk back toward the door to the cabins below.

“Me? Ander!” She stepped toward him, grabbing his wrist. “You have to tell me why I am here! You say I am not a prisoner, and yet I have no way of getting off this ship. And now you claim I am the one keeping you from returning home?”

She could have sworn it was pain—pain and regret—that covered his face as he shook off her grip and walked away without another word. And for some reason, Katrin could not help feeling even more lonely than before.

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