Page 132 of Ship of Shadows
I leaned down and pressed kisses all over his face. “You did good, pirate lord.”
We were safe, and we were together. For now, that was all that mattered.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
The moon shone bright overhead, stars strewn across the sky, sparkling with a brilliant intensity. The crew lay across the main deck, everyone sleeping, exhausted after our excursion. Bastian lay with them. He’d given up his cabin to some of the boys, while most of the others slept belowdecks in the bunks. I tried to sleep, but no matter how tired I was, I couldn’t shake the images of Goji, of the crew members we’d lost, of Lochlan’s shadow getting ripped from him. Bastian’s mangled arm.
I looked behind me. The pirate lord grimaced in his sleep, in immense pain. We’d stopped the blood loss, and sewed him up, but his life would be so different going forward with only one hand to use.
I leaned against the railing but stiffened when the water started bubbling below. Were the shadows coming after us? I couldn’t handle more conflict. We’d spent all day sailing as far from Sorrengard as possible, but that didn’t mean the shadow king wouldn’t send out his shadows in retribution. Especially now that they had the cover of night.
I held my breath until a head emerged from the water: fire-red hair cascading down pale shoulders, huge purple eyes gazing at me as the water lifted her higher until she was level with me.
“Marian.” I stepped back in surprise. “Have you come to see Mal?”
She reached for me. “No, please don’t tell him I’m here.” She arched her neck to look over my shoulder and her gaze instantly found him as he lay on his side, sleeping.
“I did what I could to help you escape, but I fear it wasn’t enough.” She tipped her head toward Bastian. “I used my magic to keep the crocodiles trapped underwater as long as I could, but one of them escaped. I’m so sorry.”
“We owe you a debt,” I said. “One I’m not sure we can ever repay.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I owe you for saving him.”
I looked between her and Mal. “So why don’t you want to see him? He misses you.”
“My father doesn’t know I’m here.” Marian wrung her hands together. “He would never have allowed me to do something so foolish like save the prince. Let alone marry the prince.”
I grasped her hands, and her eyes flashed with surprise. “So convince him. Fight for Mal. Fight for your love. It’s worth it.”
I thought of Bastian and all we’d been through, and I wondered if he’d agree.
“I know.” She squeezed her eyes closed for a moment. “You’re right. I just... it’s hard to stand up to the king.”
I remembered that feeling, how I’d planned to run away with Bastian rather than face my father, remembered all the heartache I could’ve saved everyone if I’d fought for what I wanted.
“Standing up for ourselves can be hard,” I said. “But sometimes it’s the hardest things that bring us the most peace. You deserve that peace. You deserve not to be at war with whatyou want versus what everyone else wants for you. Mal is good. He is kind. He is brave. And he will make you so happy.”
Tears filled her eyes, turning them a lighter shade of lavender. “I’ll think about it.” Her voice shook. She sniffled and wiped the tears away, straightening. “I have to get back now. I just wanted to say thank you for being so brave, for going against all the odds and succeeding.”
I thought of those we lost. “I don’t know if I could call it a success, but we did save our boys.”
“You did good, Princess Gabrielle,” she said.
Behind us, someone moaned in his sleep, and I turned to see that it was Lochlan. He mumbled, “I’m coming. I’m coming for you.” His body twitched, sweat trickling down the sides of his face. “I’ll find you. I promise.”
My heart twisted. “He must be having dreams about his shadow. We couldn’t escape with it,” I said to Marian.
Her mouth dropped open. “I’m so sorry.” She peered at Lochlan as he turned to his side, still mumbling those same words. She tilted her head. “But I don’t think he’s talking about his shadow.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
She tapped a long red nail against her chin. “Mal mentioned these dreams to me a few times. Lochlan always said the same thing: ‘I’m coming for you.’ Mal could never get him to talk about it, though.”
I blinked a few times, not sure what else these dreams could possibly be about, but Lochlan quieted, his body growing still.
“I really must go now.” The wave pushed Marian back and lowered her down into the sea.
“Promise you’ll think about what I said?” I asked. “Your father doesn’t get to tell you who to love. Just remember that you have power, Marian. You have your voice back. So use it.”
