Page 80 of Cruel Tides

As I stepped onto the plane and my surroundings opened up, I couldn’t help but feel awestruck. “It’s huge,” I blurted, temporarily holding up the line as I took it all in. Barren closed in on my back, and I quickly glanced at my boarding pass, committing the seat number to memory before springing down the aisle toward row eighteen.

As we approached our seats, Barren asked, “Are you alright with a window seat? I can try to squeeze in if you prefer the aisle.”

That… would be difficult. He’d have to fold his knees up to his chin. Plus, the row in front of ours was at the beginning of our seating group and comprised only two seats instead of three, which would give him more room if he sat near the aisle.

“No, this is great,” I said, sliding over to the far seat. “I’m sure I’ll be more relaxed if I can see outside.”

Barren moved in next to me as I peered out the window, taking in the view of the tarmac and the flashing lights of the workers scrambling around the plane in the dark.

Wow. We were so high up. Had they already boarded Laverne? I squinted out, imagining the body count she’d racked up with her spit shots on the way to the cargo hold when Barren’s “Mmh” pulled me out of my reverie.

I turned to watch him lift my carry-on into the overhead compartment. “Storing it for takeoff,” he said, unfastening his belt bag next. He took a few items out of it, stuffing them straight into his pockets before stashing the bag overhead as well. When he turned around to sit beside me, it suddenly made sense that he needed two tickets.

Even with the seatbelt extender, it was clear he was too tall and bulky to fit comfortably in just one seat. He adjusted himself, though his broad shoulders and arm still spilled over our shared armrest. At least with one seat in front of us missing, it gave him enough room to stretch out his legs. Had he booked this row on purpose to give himself more room?

In front of me were two TVs built into the seats. I couldn’t help but feel impressed by the modern amenities on the plane. Gram had mentioned her flights on the drive up, but she’d never taken an international one. I’d only just discovered it was touchscreen and was scrolling through the map when Leander and Kai walked by.

“See? That didn’t take long.” I offered a smile to them as they passed.

Or, at least, I’d thought they were going to pass. But when Leander reached our row, he came to a dead stop.

He spun around to grab Kai’s shoulder. “Switch with her.”

“What?” I sputtered. His demand caught me off guard, and I could feel Barren tense up beside me. Kai glanced between the rest of us, his grin fading as if he could tell the mood was turning.

“No, look.” Kai leaned over to show him his ticket. “You have to match the symbols. Your number is twenty, and your letter is D,” he explained, pointing to what was printed next to Leander’s name.

Leander’s expression darkened, and he snapped back, “I know how to read.” He turned to Barren to repeat his demand. “He’s switching with her.”

Barren inhaled a long breath. “No.”

All the frustration Leander had felt toward Barren in the terminal came back in full force. “No?”

“Excuse me, is there a problem?” a flight attendant called from the neighboring aisle, concern etched on her face.

Leander’s scowl was barely restrained. “There is no problem.”

“Are you sure, sir?” she asked, glancing up and down our aisle and at the crowded line of bodies forming behind Leander and Kai.

Trying to diffuse the situation, I quickly spoke up. “Leander, it’s okay. My bag is already up there.” I stood, leaning over to get a better look at the flight attendant. We didn’t need to get kicked off this flight before it even took off. “It’s all right, we just had a little confusion with our seats,” I said, giving her a reassuring smile. “But everything’s sorted now.”

My eyes slid back to Leander. “Isn’t it?” I said, teeth gritted, silently pleading with my eyes.

“This is what he wanted,” Leander growled. “I hope you can see that.” And although he still seemed agitated, he started stalking down the aisle, Kai trailing behind him. I sighed and crumbled back down into my seat. Even though we hadn’t taken off, a sheen of sweat misted my forehead.

Well, this was a disaster. “I wouldn’t mind switching,” I said, glancing over at Barren. “If it’ll keep us from getting kicked off the plane.”

“No.” Barren’s jaw tensed. “I don’t want you to switch.”

“Oh,” was all I could say. He didn’t want me to?Why?Barren seemed to tolerate Kai well enough, but maybe he didn’t want to sit next to him for a seven-hour flight. At any rate, I’d try my best not to bother him too much.

Watching a movie seemed like a safe bet. Even though I didn’t have headphones, I could turn on the subtitles. I was scrolling through various screens, trying to find something that would distract me from the fact that I’d soon be miles up into the sky, when the intercom tinged on.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. A storm has formed nearby, and it’s causing some disruptions to our take off plans. Rest assured, your safety is our top priority, and we’re working hard to assess the situation and determine our next steps. Please ensure your seatbelt is securely fastened, and we’ll keep you updated. Thank you for your patience.”

A… storm?

My eyes snapped to my window where lightning flashed in the not-so-distance.

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