Page 31 of Of the Stars and Sea

Hunger pulls at my insides, but I can’t look away from him. It infuriates me. This incessant pull toward him. The carnal need to watch him all night long with a desire to both murder him and fuck him.

What is it they say? There is a fine line between love and hate? I wonder if the same is true for lust.

When he reaches for his goblet of wine to wash down his food, my stupor is broken and I finally start in on my own meal. Hints of thyme and rosemary fill my nostrils before I even take abite and once I do, my eyes nearly roll into the back of my head from just how tender and savory the chicken is.

“Enjoying yourself?”

My eyes shoot up to see Grayson pulling the goblet away from his mouth. That serpentine smile pulling at the edges.

I swallow the bite and dab the corners of my lips with the cloth napkin to my right. “I’m sure your men appreciate you keeping the good portions for yourself. This chicken is much better than anything I’ve had the past few days.”

He huffs. “Or maybe I enjoy treatingyouto something special.”

Heat rises to my cheeks, despite my will to stop it. The look on Grayson’s face tells me he notices the blush right away. The smug bastard does nothing but take another sip of his wine while he continues to stare at me with those ocean eyes.

I wish nothing more than to have the magick of the Dark Moon witches and be able to splash his face with the wine from his goblet without moving a muscle to do it. Instead, I set my fork down and just stare at him. Not giving him the satisfaction of a response.

“I see you’ve taken the healing potion. Your movements seem to be less agitated.”

Does he miss nothing?

Rolling my shoulders back, I do notice the pain has eased significantly and my range of motion is a lot better already. Through my anger and frustration for Grayson I hadn’t really noticed until now, but I’m thankful for the improvement, especially since Grayson has decided to bring his most obnoxious self to this dinner tonight.

“Doc seems to be the only civilized person on this ship. I figured taking the potion was worth the risk if it meant I’d stand a greater chance against you.”

“And what if it had been poison?” The candlelight from the table flickers a shadow across his face.

I shrug. “I guess it would rid me of the inconvenience of having this dinner with you.”

For once, Grayson doesn’t laugh. Instead, his lips straighten into a tight line and the edge of his jaw feathers from the weight he must be bearing down on his teeth.

“It seems I’ve hit a sore spot. Poor pirate lord.” I stick my bottom lip out in an exaggerated pout. “I wonder what the notoriousGraysonTydemight do to me now that I’ve hurt his feelings.”

Smiling, I slip another bite of chicken into my mouth before leaning back in my chair, satisfied with the jab I just made. Some part of me thrills at the idea of pushing his buttons, of seeing the depth of his agitation atmywords. It is a game he started, but one that I fully intend on winning.

Given the sour look on his face, I note that tonight I have earned a point on the board. Pure satisfaction has me lowering my guard as I steal a sip of the red wine in my own goblet. Notes of cherries and chocolate hit my palate as I swirl the liquid around my mouth. It’s rich and decadent. Not normally what one would pair with a poultry dish by nobility standards, but something about the spices used on the chicken bring out the deeper notes of oak and cinnamon from the wine.

A slight heat pulls at my throat when I swallow it. A heat similar to the sensation pooling at my core when I meet Grayson’s hardened gaze.

He still hasn’t let it go.Where is the retort? The quick-witted jab?

I swallow again, but this time it’s from the nerves starting to build in my chest.

His voice is rougher than usual when he finally asks, “How is your work coming along with the Serpent’s Key?”

Back to business,I see.

Two days from now we should make port at Emerald Cove if the weather holds out. It’s normally a week’s venture from Silvermoon Landing, but earlier I heard booms of thunder from my room, which explains why the ship stopped moving. Grayson must have given the command to anchor and wait for the passing of the storm to prevent any further damage to theCaelestia.

If I can hold out for a few more days, I may have a chance of escaping once we reach Emerald Cove. Now that I know the Serpent’s Key is a puzzle box, I can crack the pattern and see what clue lies inside.

Keeping my voice as steady as possible, I tell him, “I’ve only observed what lies atop the surface and we both know it represents the ancient tale of the old gods.”

“And what of the poem?”

My tongue darts out between my lips, wetting them from the dryness of the wine. “I would guess it speaks of the brothers. Thaeto and Ujun—God of the Sea and God of the Land. But I haven’t noted anything hidden in its meaning other than what we already know of them.”

Over the years of dealing with pirates and mercenaries, I have learned one important rule: a lie is only as good as the truths that are spun within it.

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