Page 166 of A Storm in Every Heart
“We can all discuss it at the next council meeting back in Vernallis. There’s so much we’re going to have to explain, and even if Magnus is subdued I still think?—”
“Wait,” Kastian interrupts. His eyes shift, suddenly darkening, and his face falls. “Shit. I have to tell you something.”
His tone is serious and I pull back again, alarmed. “What’s wrong?”
“We can’t go back to Vernallis. At least, I can’t…not right now.”
“Did you want to stay here? That’s fine. I assumed you still didn’t want the crown, but it’s rightfully yours so?—”
“No,” he interrupts again. “I definitely don’t want to rule Hydratta, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I can’t stay here with you. I can’t stay inEllender. At least, not all the time.”
My eyes narrow and I drop his hand. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“In order to survive and come after you I had to make a deal.”
“What kind of deal?”
“A permanent one. Connell offered me a way to live and I accepted it. He gave me his ship.”
“What do you mean he gave you his ship?”
“The Sea Witchneeds a captain, and now that captain is me. According to Connell, I have to spend at least six months out of the year on the ship. He didn’t have a lot of time to explain the details.”
My eyes grow wide, and I turn to stare out at the stormy water in disbelief. On the horizon, I see a large ship I swear wasn’t there before. I shiver. “I assume I can’t go with you or you wouldn’t sound like this was so dire.”
Kastian straightens. “What?”
My eyebrows furrow in confusion. “You’re saying you’re going to be gone six months out of every year and I can’t go with you, right?”
“Would you want to go with me?”
My eyes widen and for a long second I fail to speak, then words come flooding back all at once.
“You fucking idiot!” I screech. “Come in the water with me, I need to hit you so you can feel it.“
“What? No.” Kastian’s eyes widen and he yanks his hand away before I can drag him toward the water.
“You’re immortal, you can take it,” I snap. “You deserve it if you didn’t think I’d want to go with you?”
“It would be a long time away from Vernallis,” he says. “I wasn't sure?—”
I grab his face and pull it down so he’s looking me directly in the eye. “Listen to me. I don’t care about anything else, wherever you go, I go.”
His answers is when I pull his mouth back down to mine.
“Wait!” A harsh voice yells across the courtyard. “Stop right there!”
Kastian and I look at each other, then pivot slowly toward the green-jacketed guard rushing toward us across the castle courtyard.
“Yes?” Kastian says, mildly.
The guard skids to a halt, looking equal parts indignant and confused. “You’re not supposed to be here,” he blurts out.
I raise my eyebrows. “We’re not? On whose orders.”
The guard’s eyebrows furrow. “The king, he?—”
“—doesn’t need you to speak on his behalf!”
