Page 74 of Of the Stars and Sea

Grayson looks down at me and my breath catches. His dark brows frame his stunning eyes that rival the ominous beauty echoing around us. Where they are usually a rich sapphire blue, they’ve shifted to a molten grey, but those same specks of starlight still reflect back at me.

There’s a softness to his face that seems to grow every time I look at him—bits of that stony mask slipping away.

How we ended up here, I do not know. It was not that long ago when I watched him from afar, wreaking havoc like the blight staining the city of Esoros. He was cold and dangerous and the last person I ever wanted to cross paths with.

And now . . .

There are no words to describe the pull in my heart to be near him. Even through the ache in my battered body, I would rather his every step cause me pain than to be parted from him.

Cold water surges over his waist, spilling over my side and across my stomach as another wave rolls past us. A horrendousshiver wracks my entire body and I have to clamp my teeth together to keep them from chattering.

The longboat is close—only a few feet away now. I pray for the dry bench to sit on.

The churning ocean rocks it back and forth and I recognize two of Grayson’s men trying to hold it in place. Collin—the one who stood watch outside our room when I tried to escape—and Fletcher. I haven’t had many interactions with Fletcher, but he must be one of Grayson’s most trusted crew members, because I remember hearing that he was the one who organized the resupply of theCaelestiaover dinner the other night.

“Steady the longboat!” Grayson shouts to his men.

Collin and Fletcher push down on the sides to steady it and once Zaos gets to it, he does the same. I’m nearly convulsing from the cold water as Grayson lifts me up over the side and sets me onto the bench in the middle. I scoot toward the other side as he swings the packs inside, a spray of water shooting upward from them as he does.

He waits for the next swell to pass before he lifts himself into the boat, Zaos follows right after him. Grayson sits on the bench in front of me and Zaos moves to the back. They both grab the oars, flattening the paddles against the waves to steady the boat as Collin and Fletcher jump in at the same time, ensuring neither of them tip us over.

A dark haze claws at the edge of my vision and I feel myself growing nauseous again. I’m not sure if my body sways from the rolling waves beneath the longboat or if it’s from the aching pulse in my head, but I focus on Grayson’s face and the movements of his arms as he starts to row, calling out commands to his men.

Another strike of lightning crashes to the left of us and the bright light sends a bolt of pain through my head.

“Faster!” Grayson yells above the thunderous boom that follows.

Pulling my coat tighter around my aching shoulders, I sink into myself, grasping for any sense of warmth that will ward away the chill in my bones. But it’s no use. The rain keeps coming and the white caps of the waves splash into the boat and over my legs. Goosebumps rise along my flesh that I fear might become permanent.

At some point, I start to lose my focus on Grayson. Then, I hear his voice break through the deafening downpour that surrounds us. “Eyes on me, Rowenya. I need you to stay awake. We’re almost there. Just keep your eyes on me.”

Peeling my eyelids open feels like a feat. They’re so, so heavy and all I want to do is sleep, but I cling to the sight of Grayson’s face. Grounding myself, I let my gaze roam over every facet of the sharp angles that line his strong jaw. Then, I move upward to the curves of his cheeks. The jagged line of his scar is an angry shade of pink, likely from the cold wind that continues to whip around us. And . . . my eyelids droop, their weight growing immeasurably heavy.

Jolting upright, I fight to keep them open.

“We’re almost there,” he says, but I don’t have the strength to turn around and see for myself. The longboat rocks violently back and forth, making the nausea crawling up my throat worse.

Fighting through my body’s longing for rest, we finally make it to theCaelestia, but I’m a shaking mess, and I have no idea how the hells I’m supposed to climb up the ladder his men on board throw to us over the side. The longboat is still several feet away from the ship when I hear Zaos say from behind me, “If we get too close, theCaelestiawill tip us over! The waves are too big and she’s rocking too hard!”

I don’t like the look on Grayson’s face as he eyes me, assessing.

Before he even asks, I know what we’re going to have to do.

“Do you think you can swim?”

“Do I have a choice?” My teeth chatter with every word.

He leans forward, grasping the sides of my face and places a wet kiss to my forehead. “You’re only a few moments away from a warm cabin. Just fight a little longer.”

The sharp ache in my head has come back, but I’m not sure if it’s from the fall I took on the beach or the bitter cold that has overcome my entire body. But I ready myself for what must be done and pray to the heavens I don’t drown in the storm’s waves.

Thatwould be embarrassing.

“I’m ready!” I try to shout over the wind, but my voice gets lost as a curtain of heavy rain passes over us.

Grayson hears me and nods. Then he reaches for the pack at his feet and checks to make sure it’s closed tightly. The last thing we need is for the Serpent’s Key to fall to the ocean floor and all this to be for naught. After he secures the pack on his back, he stands, then jumps into the water.

I steel my breath as I wait for his head to crest through the surface. Once his face emerges, I swear my heart stutters with relief. His body moves up and down with each rolling wave as his eyes find mine. Then, he reaches his arms upward as if he plans on catching me.

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