Page 11 of Blood Sea

Breathing in deeply, I let myself enjoy the sea air. It could be so much worse than this. I have no idea why I am alive and set to be released once we reach land. I don’t trust the captain’s intentions, but at least for now, I am still breathing and unharmed. Casting a wary look over my shoulder, I see the captain leaning against the door to his quarters. He’s watching me, not even trying to disguise his attention. I shiver and turn away, looking back at the sea.

The sea calms me; it’s always made me feel safe. When I’d go swimming alone in the cove, sometimes I would test how far out I could swim. I’d gotten further than I ever believed possible one day when I set off not long after sunrise. When I’d finally returned home, it was almost dark. I made it inside just in time to watch the sunset from my room.

An unnerving thought suddenly strikes me, making me grit my teeth.

Why does the blue of the ocean have to make me think of his eyes? Does he have to ruin my favourite view?

Chapter Ten – Sebastian

Her hair is blowing in the wind, the blonde strands flying around her head in disarray. She's brave to have left the relative safety of the cabin and stepped out here in the open. Most would have chosen to hide away, but not her. I watch her curiously, she's not like any of her kind I have ever met. Any other would have surely jumped into the sea at the first opportunity to escape, but she seems cautious of the open water, yet also fascinated by it, as she watches it with wide eyes.

She turns and meets my gaze. I could look away and pretend I wasn't watching her, but instead I just keep staring, letting my eyes burn right into her. She flushes and turns away, looking back out at the sea. In my periphery, I spot one of the crew watching her too.

Leave her.

He turns to look at me, his eyes widening in alarm.

Captain?He questions me mentally. I narrow my eyes at him in irritation.

You know your orders, you're all to leave her alone for the duration of her time on board with us. We will reach land in a day or two's time, and she will leave us untouched. Do you understand?

He frowns, looking between the girl and myself.Why?

It is not your place to question me.I answer. He shrugs his shoulders and turns away, dropping it for now. I can feel his curiosity burning through the mental link that isn't fully closed off yet. I push into his mind a little, trying to not alert him to my actions. A recent memory flickers in his head. Wrath had been talking about Azula earlier, had been making some of the men question her presence. I pull out from his mind. I would deal with Wrath once Azula is gone; he’s been causing nothing but trouble for a while now.

Watching her leaning over the edge of ship, closing her eyes and breathing in the air deeply, I know I need to get her away from here soon. The crew will only ignore temptation for so long, and she’s the most tempting thing I have ever seen.

“You slept well, I hope?” I ask her as I approach. She jumps, not having heard my footsteps. I wait as she swallows thickly before answering me.

“As well as one could expect,” she eventually responds, but I can hear the lie in her voice.

“Are you unaccustomed to sleeping on a ship?” I ask, wondering if perhaps that is the cause.

“Yes, but I fell asleep easily enough, especially considering the circumstances,” she answers plainly. She seems to be determined to not look at me, as she keeps her eyes forward, staring out at the sea.

“Bad dreams?” I question softly, trying to set her at ease to coax the answers from her.

“I told you, I slept just fine,” she snaps. Another lie.Night terrors it was then.

“You have nothing to fear so long as you keep to yourself, and ensure you do not cut yourself. We draw closer to land. I believe if the winds stay as they are, we will reach it tomorrow,” I reply.

“I still don't understand why you haven't harmed me?” she asks quietly, her voice barely a whisper over the waves crashing against the hull of the ship.

“You don't need to understand. Just be thankful it is the case,” I answer, turning away from her.

“Thank you,” she calls after me in a soft voice.

You're welcome, Azula.I reply in her head, cutting off the mental link immediately after. I hear her sharp intake of breath, but don’t slow my pace, even as I feel her eyes burning into my back as I walk away.