Page 132 of Heir of Broken Souls

I hum under my breath. “Did anyone come aboard?” I ask.

“Not with you and the team fighting. I feel useless,” he admits with a chuckle.

“The team?” I ask, my eyes never leaving his as I reach down for a waterskin.

He shrugs sheepishly. “You know…the court.”

“I would say we’re family after everything we’ve gone through, would you not?”

He snorts. “Of course, that’s a given.” His eyes shine bright. “Is Knox on his way up? I can’t believe he took on that Phooka like that.”

“You could see that far up?”

“Of course, Fae sight and all.”

He gives me a small, kind smile, a smile that I have wanted to see for weeks, months.

Swallowing thickly, I smile back. “He’s just helping Harlow.”

His brows furrow, fear tinging his amber eyes. “Oh gods, is she hurt?”

“You didn’t see?”

He shakes his head. “No.”

“Oh…she’s fine,” I say slowly, bringing the waterskin to my lips and swallowing my lie.

She’s anything but fine.

“How do you feel? I’m sure you’re relieved that we’ll have smooth sailing to the sunken island now.”

“Sunken island?” I ask suddenly.

“From the prophecy,” he clarifies.

My eyes widen. “Of course! Honestly, after all that’s occurred today, I’m feeling a bit out of sorts. Perhaps one of them hit me on the head or I was underwater too long.”

Lenox frowns before extending an open palm. “Here, let me?—”

I lunge when he gets close enough. My teeth grit as I push my dragon pommel sword against his throat. “Show yourself, you fucking coward,” I seethe.

He cocks his head, ignoring the blade even when it nicks his skin, revealing black blood. The sight makes me shove the blade further into his neck, spilling more blood onto his unmarked leathers.

“How did you know?”

“Lenox hasn’t smiled in months,” I spit, “because of you!”

A cold humorless laugh floats from the person wearing Lenox like a second skin. “I doubt I’m the one to blame. Perhaps you should ask Harlow the real reason why he suddenly despises her.”

My eyes flare with indignation. “He’s depressed because youkilledour family.”

“I didn’t drag the blade across his neck.”

I bring my face within an inch of his. “You may as well have handed him the blade.”

Lenox rolls his eyes. “If you’re going to kill me, just hurry up and do it.”

“So you can come back and send another deadly storm or army of demonic beasts after us? I don’t think so.” Pulling back the blade, Lenox grins, until I shove it up through his gut. He gasps, black blood pooling in his mouth. Eyes wide and full of shock snap to me.