Page 36 of Of the Stars and Sea

Then that small voice in the back of my mind reminds me of the threat he made against my crew just last night and like a breath to a candle’s flame, the fiery desire I feel for him is extinguished.

I reach up and run my fingers over the back of his neck, feeling the tickle of his long hair brush the back of my hand.Goosebumps rise beneath my touch and he growls deeply, his hand buries further into my hair.

Blowing a gentle breath onto the side of his neck, I whisper into his ear, “The only taste I will have of you is one of victory when I finally get to sink my dagger into your belly and watch you bleed.”

I release my fingers from his neck and pull out of his hold on me. Grayson’s wide eyes are a bright blue with those flecks of silvery white shifting wildly like white capped waves. For a moment I think he might punish me for the threat, but he surprises me when he tilts his head back and laughs. The sound is rich and deep, and the feeling it pulls from somewhere deep inside of me makes me rage—for it feels too good, tooright. And I hate it.

“There’s that silver tongue I enjoy so much.” The scar on his cheek crinkles from the depth of his smile.

“You should refrain from thinking about my tongue at all.” I sneer at him.

“But it grants me so much pleasure already.” He closes the space between us, his body pressed against mine, and I try not to breathe in his heady scent. “I can only imagine what you might do with it if we found ourselves in a more . . .privatecircumstance.” There is a promise in his words. A promise that he fully intends on seeing exactly what my tongue is capable of doing to him should he be given the chance. And he pulls me right back into that trance.

My thoughts stray to what it might feel like to give him what he wants. To run my mouth over his. To finally unveil the muscles I know must be hiding beneath his tunic. And further down still to the edge of the leather pants he donned last night. What it might feel like to pull at the leather tie that reveals his length.

Before I can swat his hand away, he cups my jaw and strokes the bottom edge of my lip with his thumb. “What delicious thoughts you must be having, Little Pearl. I can see the pink of your cheeks darkening. I wonder if there are other parts of your body that also flush with desire.”

Closing my eyes, I let myself go there. Imagining the weight of his body against mine as he rolls his hips into me. The power Grayson Tyde possesses and how I would be at the mercy of it. How his full lips might roam my body.

Then, once again, I am reminded of what he truly is—a monster toying with his prey.

AndIam no one’s prey.

Eyeing him, I step away. It’s not fair how striking he is. The way his black hair shines with hues of blue in the sunlight. How his towering height makes me feel like I can take refuge in his shadow. Everything about him lures me in. Even the knowing of how he saved sweet Tommy from a life of cruel despair speaks to my wounded heart.

But there is no truth to his words.I know this. I am not interesting to him. He does not feel for me. I am a means to an end that he values . . . for now. The moment he has reached Thaeto’s treasure, I will be cast aside. Or worse yet, if I make the wrong move, he will not think twice about taking the lives of the people who matter most to me. I knew that for certain the day I saw him butcher the men aboard that merchant’s ship. He cares only for himself, his personal gain, and I’m only safe for as long as I’m contributing to that.

His hand falls from my face and before I let the feeling of absence settle over me, I turn around and walk away.

Chapter 10

Adistant chatter hums through the air as we near the docks. Emerald Cove teems with life tonight as I gaze upon the shore where countless lanterns are lit. A soft orange glow cascades across the doors of various taverns, homes, and businesses.

Embers of peace ignite in my heart at the sight of my home. While the island wasn’t where I spent my entire childhood, it was where I grew into myself. Where I discovered the world, made too many mistakes and watched the sunsets with my father as he spoke of life and whatever lessons he felt like passing down to me each night.

Emerald Cove is the place where I witnessed the stout love between my mother and father. The love that remains a pillar in my soul, despite it being the one thing that ended them both. Our life on the island had been a good one. Maybe that’s why it didn’t last forever—no good thing can go untarnished for long in this cursed world.

My eyes meet Grayson where he sits on the bench in front of me while his men paddle us ashore in one of his longboats. After I walked away from him on the ship, he hasn’t said a singleword to me. The silence is deafening and I find myself wanting to throw something at his face more now than ever before.

He had Tommy tell me that I was to bring the Serpent’s Key with us ashore. He didn’t want the relic left behind on the ship—which I’m thankful for. He might trust his crew, but I certainly don’t, and bringing it with along means I don’t have to worry about stealing it later should I have the opportunity to escape.

The boat topples slightly as we arrive at the docks and Grayson’s men work to tie us off to the pilings.

A breeze skitters through Grayson’s inky locks as he rises and surprisingly extends a hand toward me. I look at it for a moment before deciding to forego his offering. I stand and climb the ladder rungs until my feet are securely on the wood planks of the dock. Grayson steps up beside me, casting a shadow in his wake.

I look into the stony planes of his face and wonder if his stormy disposition will pass and if we’ll fall back into the game I can’t seem to resist playing with him.

When his lips part, I feel a flutter in my chest. “You are not to be parted from me while we remain on the island. Do you understand?”

No poke. No prod to annoy me. A simple statement, though I know the significance of the consequences, should I attempt to disobey him. Which I fully plan on doing.

I nod as I bite my tongue, knowing the snide remark dancing on the tip of it will only worsen matters for myself.

Without another word, he walks toward the end of the dock and I follow suit with seven of his men behind us. Glancing over my shoulder, I see Zaos and a few other members of Grayson’s crew on the second longboat. They’re a few minutes away from the docks, but Zaos finds me across the distance and I see his lips immediately tighten. If the order to protect me hadn’t come from Grayson himself, I have no doubt there would be athrowing knife in my back and my body would be at the bottom of the Aelynthi Sea.

I peel my eyes up toward the emerging night sky and wish upon the heavens there will be a way for me to send word to Amara and Wells before we leave Emerald Cove. That I might have a chance to escape the hold Grayson has on me so we can take the Serpent’s Key and venture for Thaeto’s treasure on our own. If Grayson’s barrelman was correct, theTrinityshould only be a day behind us, and it will take more time than that for Grayson to rally his men and restock the ship with supplies.

Tilting my head back, I pray upon the stars.

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