Page 91 of When the Wicked Sing
Turning her head back to the horizon, she wondered if she could control the clouds rolling above them. Would it be enough to calm her down?
Closing her eyes, she felt her power expand around them and then shoot into the sky. Without having any idea what she was capable of, she started out small, using the air to churn the clouds.
Glancing up, she watched the puffy clouds swirl over the blue sky.
By the goddess … I’m doing it!
Smiling softly, she closed her eyes again and began concentrating on the clouds, churning them faster, condensing them, feeling her power surge up through her—
“Storm’s coming in hot!” Kosta shouted, and she opened her eyes to find the clouds above had darkened, threatening rain.
The boat rocked, and Mariana quickly realized what she’d done. Stepping back from the railing, she feigned obliviousness and sat down at the table.
“Nah, it’ll pass over us in a moment,” she said to Kosta, who gave her an unsure glance.
Just as his eyes trailed back up, the sky had already begun to lighten.
“See? I grew up watching storms, that was nothing.” She waved a hand, then leaned her head against her fist, appearing bored despite her thundering heart.
Kosta only frowned up at the sky, and for a moment, Mariana grew uneasy, worried he was going to suspect it was her. But as the blue sky began to peek out again, he shrugged. “Hmm, weird.”
She slowly released a sigh.
Chapter 49
Auroraturnedinhercot restlessly. Her mind was spinning, torturing her by flashing images of scenes she’d thought were long forgotten.
Bloody water. Broken bones. Broken glass. Shards of it sticking out of—
“Stop!” she shouted, bolting upright and clutching her head.
Dax, who’d been putting together something to eat in the galley, poked his head into the ridiculously small room with two bunks wedged inside.
“Hey,” he called softly. “You alright?”
Her breath came out in short pants, but she managed to nod.
Brushing her hair back, she sighed. “Yeah.” Swallowing the bitter taste in her mouth, she nodded again, not meeting his eyes. “I’m fine, just …” She couldn’t find the words. Her mind was a tangled mess of thorny vines she didn’t dare reach her hand into.
“I get it,” he murmured, staring out the porthole letting in rays of the setting sun. His eyes caught hers. An unspoken understanding passed between them.
In all her time as the Scarlet Serpent, traveling all over the fae realm doing her mother’s dirty work, Aurora had only seen Dax once—passed by, more like. But she knew who he was. Back then, his legion of midnight warriors were legendary, battling armies twice their size under the cover of darkness. They would infiltrate enemy encampments, leaving them completely decimated. Not a soul was left to talk about thekillers of the night. They were King Thaddeus’s most honored legion during the Infernal Wars.
Dax was a trained warrior, and she a trained killer. Yet the blood on their hands stained the same.
“You hungry?” he asked.
“Uh, yeah, I’m starving.” She pulled herself from the cot and stumbled into the galley—if one could even call it that. It was a stove, a shelf, and a pantry all crammed into a corner.
Dax handed her a wooden bowl of boiled potatoes and onions.
She held back her grimace and forced a smile as she took the bowl.
He laughed at her expression. “I know, it’s not ideal, but at least it’s better than this overly salted jerky Kosta and I gotta eat.”
“Sounds yummy,” she drawled, staring down at her potatoes.
Dax had turned toward the stairs carrying two bowls of heaping brown …yuckwhen she put a hand on his arm, stopping him.
