Page 2 of Songs of Retribution

Ishir bowed his head and clasped his hands together. Rain and wind and the relentless gusts continued downing limbs and ripping off palm fronds which flew past us, but Elisa froze, her mouth gaping. My heart gave a painful stutter. I’d told Elisa I believed she’d see Neia again. We were supposed to be the ones in danger. I’d never considered the woman she was in love with might be in trouble herself.

“No,” Elisa finally said. “Tell me she’s going to be okay, Luz.”

Luz looked at Ishir before turning back to Elisa and shaking their head. “I’m sorry. You know I won’t lie to you.”

Elisa went slack, as if every muscle in her body released at once, and I dropped to a knee to catch her. She fell into my arms without resistance as a wail spilled past her lips. I rubbed her back, but looked up at the other two, begging them for help. I treasured Elisa's friendship, loved her even, but they'd known her far longer, and I wasn't sure how to help her through this.

“There’s a siren on the ship,” Luz said as loose strands of their chestnut hair whipped around their face. “Sai has her working on Neia.”

Elisa rubbed her face on my sopping shirt and looked up at them. “Maybe she’ll live then?”

Luz’s lips thinned, but they bent down beside us and wrapped an arm around Elisa so that they nearly hugged me as well. It was strange to have them so close to me. They'd spent years working for Father—to gain his trust and invade our court. They were more familiar to me than the rest of Sai's group and yet I didn't know them at all. “Come on. I'll take you to see her.”

Elisa sniffled, gave my arm another squeeze, and walked with Luz who wrapped an arm around her like they’d act as a crutch to help her across the sand. My heart broke for Elisa, and I wished to run after her, to stay at her side. But I didn’t remain alone on the beach. Ishir had lingered, and he offered nothing as his sharp eyes appraised me.

I slid my hands into my pockets. "We've never been properly introduced, and I imagine you already have opinions formed of me."

"I respect Shaan's opinions." His lips lifted slightly. "And he trusts you, which is good enough for me." He thrust out his hand which I accepted. “I’m Ishir.” His grip was firm, his hands callused.

I tightened the grip, grateful for his acceptance. I wanted to find Elisa, but there was one more being I needed to speak with before I could focus on anything else. “May I see Shaan?”

Ishir skimmed his eyes over me again and nodded. “We’ve tied up the traitorous pirates from our ship, but we’ve left their bindings loose. Sai doesn’t wish to sentence them to death. They’ll get free soon. We should go.”

He turned and walked towards a boat, and I followed. We boarded a small boat, and I helped Ishir paddle past the waves and towards the hull. We struggled against the sea’s tempestuousness, the outline of tensed muscles forming beneath Ishir’s shirt. My zevar at my neck hummed with magic, and I tapped into it, urging the wind and water to push us through the storm. Ishir frowned as the boat bobbed and shifted his face towards me, his lips pinched. I wanted nothing but a chance for a fresh start with Shaan's friends and family, but I wasn’t sure it would happen. I'd have to face the mistakes I made and try to rebuild a better life.

As we reached a rope ladder that clacked on the ship’s side in the wind, I said, "I know I’ve made a bad first impression, but perhaps, with time, we could be friends in the future."

Ishir side-eyed me as he grabbed the ladder to steady it. "Perhaps."

He gestured to the ladder and grabbed the rungs to test its strength. There was something in Ishir’sperhapsthat bothered me. Maybe my efforts would prove fruitless. At the moment all I wanted to do was get onto the ship, see Shaan, and find Elisa. I sent up a silent prayer to whatever god might listen that Neia would be okay. Never in my life had I hoped someone would recover as much. However, my mind couldn’t let go of the way Ishir had looked at me. I'd stolen from Shaan, hurt him, and broken his trust. He'd forgiven me, but perhaps others wouldn't be willing to do so.

I stepped back into a life I no longer understood, and I had to pick it up and work through this mess. My skin grazed the coarse rope as I clutched the rungs, but Ishir’s voice stopped me from climbing.

“I'd like that,” he said, so quietly the wind nearly swallowed it, "for us to become friends, I mean."

A smile made its way to my face. “I’d like that, too.”

He gave a quick bob of his head and gestured up. I tightened my grip on the scratchy rungs and climbed. The weeks of labor on the ship had strengthened me, and I found it easy to manage despite the weather’s assault. As I landed on the deck, my boots splashing into a puddle, a buzz of energy captured my attention, and I lifted my face until I met dark, sad eyes.

Shaan stood, his vivid plum and scarlet cape rippling in the wind, rain sliding down the contours of his face. My heart gave a painful gallop. I’d longed for this moment for weeks—months, even. Now that the time had arrived, I didn’t know how to proceed. The conversations we’d shared with the connection of our magic had come easily. But now I stood filthy and sopping wet without the glamour I’d spent my whole life wearing. Perhaps he wouldn’t find me attractive anymore, or we’d discover that the connection broke when faced with the reality of each other. I couldn’t imagine that was true for me. Even standing in his presence, my body ached to touch him.

His eyes took on a sheen, and he jogged across the deck, wrapped his arms around my back, slid a hand up the nape of my neck, and pressed his face into my shoulder before I could continue letting my thoughts spiral. My arms folded around him, and the weight of his body against mine was the most right thing in the world.

Ishir reached the deck and slipped off into a corner, but my focus remained on Shaan, on how the rain made his spicy, lemony smell come alive and how his heartbeat thundered against my chest. Every aching, miserable moment of the journey was worth it solely for this. He raised his face and pulled back an arm so he could trace fingers over my skin, along my jaw, and brush my lips. A shiver ran down my spine.

Heat rose to my cheeks, and I turned my face away. “I… I know I used to always wear glamour. But I don’t—” I cleared my throat. “I don’t think I want to anymore. I’d rather just be who I am, even if that’s not perfect.” It took me a moment to find the courage to look him in the eye. His dark irises twinkled even as he blinked raindrops away.

“As I told you in Kali’s caves,”—he smiled so gently it sent another flush across my cheeks—“I have always loved the real you.” He grazed his thumb along the edges of my hair and over my ear. “You look perfect to me, Lennox.”

I pressed my mouth to his, and he parted his lips, grabbed my face between his hands, and kissed me like his soul might enter my body. I placed my arms behind his back and pulled him to me until every plane of our bodies touched. It was like returning home, as though I could let all my guards down again.

When he pulled away, I gripped him to me. I didn’t want to let him go, ever. Others behind us shouted. Orman swung his thick arms around as he directed orders with his booming voice, and the ship shuddered as it pulled away.

“I have to go to Elisa,” I said.

Shaan winced. “She’s with Neia.”

“Can you take me to her?”

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