Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 93948 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93948 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
“I am.” He sighs. “I don’t want to be. It feels like last night was a dream that I never want to end.”
A dream is a good way to put it. There was the furious and fearful trip from Kanghri, sure every moment that we’d be cut down by my sister. Then coming into this cabin and things changing forever…At least I want them to have changed forever.
But I’m not the only person in this equation, and my singular desires don’t outweigh the needs and desires of Bastian and Nox. Nox, whose absence feels very pointed. There’s no reason for that feeling. They’re the captain. They can’t laze about in their cabin for days on end, no matter how profound last night felt. At least for me.
I sit up slowly and push my hair back from my face. “Nox is going to run again.”
Bastian stretches, his muscles flexing beneath his skin and the sheet sliding low on his hips. “Nox was always going to run. They’re afraid to want too desperately.”
I start to argue, but stop. I may have known Nox a long time, but Bastian knew Nox. “Life is too short not to want things desperately.”
“I agree.” He sits up and presses a light kiss to my lips. “Give them time. They wouldn’t have let last night happen if they didn’t want this. We just need to stay very still and lull them into a sense of security. Like a wolf and a bunny.” His dark eyes twinkle. “Or, more accurately, a hound.”
I snort. “Nox is no bunny.”
“Of course not,” Bastian says gently. “They’re a human who can make their own decisions. Just give them time.”
Normally, I’m the one who is reasonable and thoughtful, and Bastian leads with his heart. It’s uncomfortable for that situation to be reversed…but also comforting at the same time. At least someone is thinking clearly. “I can give them time.” What we have of it. Either we die in this mission, or we change the face of Threshold forever.
I’m not foolish enough to think the work stops there, even if we’re successful. Nature abhors a power vacuum, and the cesspool in Lyari even more so. We have to hamstring the Cŵn Annwn and offer a better way forward.
I hate that the way forward likely means me as leader, or at least part of a new Council, one that is meant to represent all of Threshold, not just the nobles in Lyari. We should have a representative from each island, voted in from their own people. It’s sure to be messy and complicated, but it’s still preferable to what we have now.
Bastian gives me one last kiss and slips out of bed. “I’m going to shower and then see what tasks Poet has for us to complete today.”
I wait for him to disappear into the bathroom before I stand and stretch, my hands easily reaching the ceiling. I came in here without a single piece of clothing, but I catch sight of the bag I brought from the safe house on the dresser. I hadn’t noticed either Bastian or Nox bringing it in here, but Nox obviously used their magic to clean the salt water from the fabric and my boots, because the neatly folded clothes smell faintly of Nox and nothing else.
Putting them on feels like a declaration of something, but it’s no more than I already decided on previously. I want Bastian. I want Nox, too. No matter what that looks like.
I dress quickly and head outside, mostly to give my restless energy a place to go. I only make it three steps before I have to pull up short to avoid trampling Dia.
She peers up at me. “We need to speak. Privately.”
Curiosity rises. In the short time I’ve known her, she reminds me a lot of Nox. She’s clever and has a wicked sense of humor and doesn’t bother to dance around uncomfortable subjects. I have no idea what she’s after, but I know better than to brush her off, no matter how much I want to see Nox and reassure myself that we didn’t damage something irreparable last night. “My cabin is empty at the moment.”
“That will do.”
I lead the way belowdecks and to the cabin Bastian and I are sharing. Dia looks around politely and then perches on the edge of Bastian’s bed. “I wasn’t entirely honest in Kanghri.”
I blink. “Excuse me?”
“The information I conveyed. It wasn’t complete.” Her ancient face is uncharacteristically serious as she contemplates me. “You’re Cŵn Annwn, but not the crimson-sailed bastards who have perverted the reputation of the originals. Truly Cŵn Annwn.”
I nod slowly. “More or less. There are many generations that separate me and whatever ancestor who held that bloodline. But you knew that already.”
“Yes,” she says simply. “Just like I’ve seen how Nox watches you. If I told them what I’m about to tell you, they’d move every realm in existence to change things.”