Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
“Speak. Plainly,” Evelyn snaps. “We’re facing a choice just like we were facing when we first came to Threshold—join up, or die. The difference is that we’re going to sail around, pretending to be the Cŵn Annwn, occasionally killing actual monsters and saving people.”
Nox smiles thinly. “It seems I don’t have to speak plainly, after all. You understand me well enough.”
If we’re found out, we’ll be executed in a truly spectacular way. This goes beyond making a vow and running, or disobeying a direct order. This is out-and-out rebellion. I wrap my arm around Evelyn’s shoulders. “And this leader? Who are they?”
“Very few people know their identity, and you’ll probably live and die without finding out.” They meet my gaze steadily. “Can you handle that?”
“As long as you—and they—don’t require unquestioning obedience. I won’t spend the rest of my life moving about with my eyes closed. If I don’t agree with an order, I’m going to question it, and if I still don’t agree with it, I will not be obeying. Can you handle that?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” They swivel to face Lizzie. “You. Vampire. You’ve been awfully quiet since mouthing off a few minutes ago.”
“And interrupt this rousing speech?” She sounds absolutely bored. “As I said, the only reason I’m here is to get my family heirlooms. I’m hunting the Crimson Hag. As soon as I find that ship, I’m returning to my realm. Expect no vows from me, but I’m more than capable of pulling my weight and playing nice in the meantime.”
It’s hardly a binding promise, but I’m beginning to understand that it’s as close to one as Lizzie will get. I tuck Evelyn tighter against my body and look down at her. “Well? What do you think?”
She’s a little pale, a little scared. But her smile is genuine. “I do believe that your paladin ways are rubbing off on me. Let’s be the good guys.”
CHAPTER 35
Evelyn
BEING ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS IS A LOT OF FUCKING work. It takes nearly a full day to clean up the bloodbath caused by Lizzie and Bowen. Apparently a burial at sea just means tossing the bodies over the railing. I’d assume they’d wash ashore in short order, but when I say as much to Nox, they get a strange look on their face and say, “They won’t have a chance to.”
I don’t know what that means, but I suspect it has to do with sea monsters, and in that case I’m better off not knowing. I maintain that eliminating the mermaids was a service to the people of Three Sisters. I’m glad that I forced the issue with the dragon; I really hope she and her youngling escaped okay. But that doesn’t mean I want to know about every predator that hunts beneath the surface.
Not when I’m sailing on what amounts to a tiny boat. Yes, the ship is plenty huge, but compared to a kraken or some other beastie that I’ve never heard of? The thought makes my skin prickle, so I very intentionally don’t let myself linger on it.
Bowen and I are assigned the same cabin as before, but there’s no time or energy to do anything but sleep in the bed. We work all day, then collapse into a state not unlike unconsciousness at nightfall. Even so, the change in Bowen is marked.
He’s lighter on his feet. Smiles more often. Even his shoulders seem straighter, as if he set down a burden he’s been carrying for far too long. And when he holds me, he holds me closely, as if he believes I might slip away at any moment.
On the fourth day, Lizzie finds me hiding in the pantry. She leans against the door and crosses her arms over her chest. “What are you doing?”
“Just taking an unsanctioned break.”
“I see.” Instead of letting the awkwardness grow or walking away, she steps into the pantry and drops down on the faded wooden box next to me. “The portal to our home realm is destroyed.”
“Yeah.” Guilt tries to wrap around my throat, but it took two of us to make that happen. I was reckless with my magic, and she wasn’t exactly slowing down to ask questions before she attacked. “I’d say we both share the blame with that.”
She shakes her head. “You’re always so eager to look for someone to blame. It was an accident, and beyond that, it’s not the only way home. Threshold might be the space that connects all realms, but that doesn’t mean the rest of them aren’t also connected in some way. It will take some time, but there’s no proof that it’s impossible.”
She’s not saying anything that I hadn’t already considered myself, but that raises the question of why she’s saying it. I twist to face her. “If anyone can do it, you can.”