Page 33 of Hymn of Breath and Bone

Hesperus was chosen to preside over the handfasting, and he stood near the cliff’s edge where I waited for Marina. Zephyr served as my second, and I felt a pang of guilt that Astraios would miss this.

“Stop fidgeting,” Zephyr hissed from my left as I shifted anxiously.

“I’m not,” I murmured, earning a scofffrom behind me.

I’d spent all day making sure the ship was packed and ready to sail after the handfasting. I shouldn’t have been surprised that Marina successfully cajoled me into taking her along. I wasn’t sure why I’d expected anything less of my fearsome mate. I wasn’t particularly excited to bed her for the first time with an entire crew below deck, but a storm had been spotted coming in from the southeast, and I wanted to make sure we missed it.

I’d have to remind Zephyr to supply ear plugs.

My first mate had already taken care of my other plans, returning with a smirk and confirmation that she’d have everything ready before we arrived on the ship.

“You are,” she hissed. “It’s not like she’s going to bolt, Cas. Ana prepared her, she’ll do fine.”

I knew this in my head. My heart, on the other hand…

The scale Marina had gifted me was affixed to the right shoulder of my pauldrons, and it glinted blue-green in the setting sun, almost the exact shade of Marina’s eyes.

I didn’t understand the significance of the scale, Marina’s rushed explanation not really registering as I ran hands over her to check for injury and thanked the skies she was safe.

But it was meaningful. Precious. That she would risk herself to retrieve a token for me in the way of her people touched me more than I could possibly put into words.

A hush fell over the crowd as Marina appeared, framed by the setting sun as she picked a path up the cliffs toward me, Ana serving as her only attendant.

My breath caught as I took her in, and Ana gave me a knowing smirk as if she’d hoped for this reaction.

She was swathed in white, the gown styled in selkie fashion with golden clasps at the shoulders and loose fabric draping down her body. A belt of braided gold accented her waist and highlighted her full breasts, which were almost visible through the layers of sheer fabric.

I had to think very hard about fishing so I didn’t fly off with her right there and damn the whole blasted ceremony.

Atop her head was a crown woven of flowers and shells and feathers, the perfect blend of our people. She seemed unsure what to do with her hands, fussing with her skirts as badly as I fussed with my pauldrons.

I saw her eyes widen slightly as she caught sight of the scale fastened to my shoulder and grinned.

“Fucking skies, Urchin,” I murmured, low enough that only Zephyr, Ana, and Hesperus could hear. “You clean up well.”

“You too,” she breathed, her eyes traveling from my head to my boots and mischief glinting in her blue-green eyes. “For a pirate.”

Hesperus cleared his throat, clearly intent on beginning.

“A few words and it will all be over,” I assured her as Hesperus instructed us to join hands. I gripped her right hand in mine, placing the other just below her elbow to steady her. “Just follow my lead.”

“I know what to do,” she hissed indignantly, trying not to scowl and failing miserably. It was one of my favorite looks, her brow furrowed and eyes flashing prettily. She placed her free hand on my bare chest, and her palm felt like a brand against me. “I didn’t spend all day just doing my hair, you know.”

“So prickly,” I teased, moving my hand to her waist and earning a little gasp as I squeezed and admired her from head to toe. “Your hard work won’t go unrewarded.”

She truly did look lovely—a goddess of both sea and sky, as if Melusine herself had blessed her. Her waves had been braided in a few places, shells and feathers pinned into her hair as if the crown were falling down around her.

“It had better not,” Marina replied, her voice barely a whisper that sent shivers down my spine and made me ache in very inappropriate places.

Hesperus coughed again, and I took pity on the male, nodding for him to proceed.

I honestly didn’t listen to most of what he said, which were all the traditional prayers to Zephrus for blessings on the union and so on. My eyes stayed fixed on Marina, who glanced around nervously as if not sure where to look.

“Eyes on me, Urchin,” I whispered as Hesperus began a long prayer for wisdom and fruitfulness that most of the witnesses were also bored to tears by, if the general fidgeting was any indication. “Just look at me.”

She obliged, and my heart gave a thump at the urgent desire I felt in her. It had been cruel to leave her last night, but I felt in my bones that it had been right to wait.

I knew I’d make it up to her tonight with every fiber of my being, and a twin spark of desire shot through my core at the light in her eyes.