Page 99 of Of the Stars and Sea

Leaning my elbows on the railing, I look into the glimmering darkness. The moon is high in the sky tonight, casting a silver glow upon the ocean’s surface. In the distance, white capped waves crash against the protruding rocks of the stone islespeppered along Dead Man’s Passage. Come the morning, we will be in the midst of it—praying to the slumbering gods that theCaelestiagets us to the other side.

“Do you think they’ve discovered where we are?” I glance up at Grayson. The light breeze moves through his long hair, brushing the strands over his shoulders.

He takes a deep breath in and for the first time I notice the worry etched between his brows. Worry—not for himself, but for his crew. For me.

“Blythe—for all his faults—has always been crafty. When he sets his sights on something he wants, his persistence is unwavering. What we seek is the grandest prize of all. Blythe knows this. It wouldn’t surprise me if he decided to use . . . alternative tactics to gain information from the people of Emerald Cove to learn where we are.”

“But no one knows where we are or what is inscribed upon the key.”

“No, they don’t.” The line between Grayson’s brows deepens. “But Blythe doesn’t know that.”

My throat goes dry as the implication sets in.

Harrick.

Collette.

Every eye was set upon us as we moved through the streets of Emerald Cove. All it would take is a pretty coin to get the townsfolk talking about where we stayed, putting Harrick and those he employs at risk.

“Do you think he’d actuallytortureHarrick?”

The look on Grayson’s face sends a chill down my spine. “I think Blythe would do anything to find the treasure.”

Every muscle in my body tenses. “Grayson, we have to go back. We can’t let Harrick suffer the consequences of our actions.”

His smile is sad as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, letting his fingertips linger along the side of my neck before he finally drops his hand back to his side. “It is taken care of, Little Pearl.”

“What do you mean, taken care of?”

“I protect what is mine and Harrick has been a friend to me for years.”

The rapid beating of my worried heart slows just a little. “How? How can you take care of him when we are so far away?”

“Every sword bearer on the island was gifted a hefty sum before we left to ensure the safety of Harrick and those in his employ. The prideful bastard nearly had a heart attack when I told him about it, but given Blythe’s tendency to strike his targets at night, I wanted to ensure Harrick’s safety. He would have been confused when a dozen pirates showed up to guard his inn the evening we spent in the caves if I hadn’t told him.”

“So, he’s safe?” Relief floods my body.

Grayson lets out a soft laugh that feels like velvet caressing my skin. “Yes.” He tilts his head, assessing me. “To be honest, I’m fairly surprised at your concern for Harrick. You only just met him.”

Shifting my body, I peer out toward the water again. That familiar feeling of a heavy stone weighing down in my stomach comes back. “I don’t want anyone else to die from my decisions.”

Grayson stands at my back and wraps his strong arms around me. I sink into his warmth and feel my body immediately relax. “We do not get to choose who lives or dies by the hands of others, Rowenya. You cannot go through life trying to control everything. The effort alone will drive you mad.”

His words grate on my nerves, and I know it’s because he speaks truth to something I’ve known my entire life. Yet, I keep finding myself reaching for any sense of power that might help me turn the tide for those I care about.

“You do it so easily,” I whisper. Reaching up, I lay my hand over his forearm.

“What?” His voice is low and rough as he kisses the top of my hair.

“Possess the power to control desirable outcomes for yourself and the people around you. There are many people in this world who would kill for that kind of power. Whodokill for that kind of power. There was even a time when I considered selling my soul for it.”

Grayson is silent as I continue. “You tell me not to go through life desiring the very controlyouhave in abundance. Do you know how desperately I wish I could protect Amara and Wells the way you’ve protected Harrick? It’s all I’ve ever wanted. It’s the very reason I’m on your ship.”

“And you have seen only a fraction of how that power corrupts, Rowenya,” Grayson snaps, his nostrils flaring wide. “There is blood on my hands. I have done things—unimaginablethings—to protect the people I care about. To try to right the wrongs I have made in my lifetime.” The flecks of silver speckled in his irises burn brighter when he looks down at me. “The power you seek is a heavy burden to bear. Do not forget that if you have the power to protect, that comes with the price of pickingwhomyou protect. And not even I can protecteverybody,” he says, and for a few seconds, we stare silently at each other. “You think it a gift, this power, but I would not wish it upon my greatest enemy, let alone the woman I . . . ”

He trails off and my heart skips a beat.

Was he just about to say that he loves me?

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