Page 86 of A Yulean Sister’s Guide to Getting Kidnapped

The Violet Ghost had luckily stayed afloat the few short hours to port. I wasn’t sure why Adrian was so resistant to stopping if the ship’s integrity was at stake. Did he want the necklace around my neck so badly he would risk everyone here? The thought put me in a foul mood.

I wasn’t sure if this was what having sea legs was like, but I could tell when the ship came to a full stop and made my way to the top deck where everyone was gathered. It was evening by the time we tied off, the sun mostly setting, hues of purple and orange painting the sky.

There were a few people on board I didn’t recognize. Probably fixing the ship, since Anne was talking closely to one of them.

As I scanned, I eyed Shadowhart, who was already looking at me.

I turned away quickly, having no interest in speaking with him right now. I started towards the ramp to get off the ship and onto the land. My eyes were held firmly on the pier I was going to be on, and not the water between.

A hand landed on my arm, startling me. Connie was there, her orange hair plaited behind her. “Where are you going?”

“Out,” I said. She wasn’t one of my mothers. Even they didn’t question me to this degree.

“No one goes alone,” she reminded me.

This silly buddy system was going to be the death of me.

“I promise I can go for a walk alone.”

“It’s against the rules,” she said.

“Well, I’m not one of you!” I snapped. “I don’t have to follow the rules.”

“Yes, you do,” Adrian’s deep voice came from behind me. “I’ve explained to you repeatedly that everything, and everyone, on the ship has to follow my rules.”

I turned to face him. It was the first time I had really looked at him since the argument this morning.

I wanted to be angrier than I was. Before I had seen him, it was easy for me to be. But as soon as he was in front of me again, it was like I had forgotten what I was even mad about.

“Well, not just going to stay here all day,” I complained. “I need to stretch my legs. And I want a drink.”

“Can’t you just do what I’ve asked of you for one day?” he asked.

“Nope.”

He sighed, but waved Connie off, saying that he would handle it.

“Let me check to make sure everything is going to plan, and then I will take you.”

“I didn’t ask to be taken anywhere.”

“Difficult princess,” he muttered under his breath before stepping away.

Though I briefly thought about fleeing, I waited patiently by the planks until he slithered over to join me. He’d taken his hat off, looking more the way he did when we first met. Half of his dark strands were pushed up in a half ponytail with a few pieces hanging in the front.

“Shall we?” he asked putting his arm out to mine.

I nodded, but didn’t take his arm, trekking forward on my own. My stubbornness once again winning out over my fear.

The island didn’t have much going for it. It wasn’t like the city we were just in. Though they were both ship stopovers, the island was more for emergency stops than anything. There were no rows of cute shops here or performances happening at night. Only the necessity shops right near the port, mostly selling fish and drink. Behind it was a dirt road that led to smaller looking houses.

The island mostly lived off of their fishing exports, so it made sense for most people to live right on the coast.

“So, what could you possibly want to do here?” Adrian asked. “There’s no fancy shops to see or anything like that.”

“I told you, I needed to stretch my legs.”

“There’s plenty of space to do so on the deck.”