Page 21 of Witchsea

“As long as it’s not a magic deal,” I warn, remembering the warning I was given.

Draven leans into me. “You’re learning and now I have someone here who you care about to make sure you behave. My lucky fucking day.” Draven walks past me and up to Wyatt, who looks so mortal in front of him. Draven is taller, by quite a bit, and imposing. “You stay on my ship and you are part of my crew. You don’t touch her, you don’t talk to anyone else when we dock, and you don’t so much as blink wrong at any orders given to you by the men here. Do you understand?”

Wyatt is at least smart enough to agree. “Yes.”

Tracker lets him go, coming over to me and sighing. I’m just glad Tracker isn’t mad about the stolen dagger and lies. “How do you know him?”

“He’s the son of the people I worked for. I cleaned their house,” I explain. “We’ve known each other since we were kids.” Whatever Draven says quietly to Wyatt has him paling before Draven walks past us with a sharp bark. “Tracker, find him a job to keep him busy all day and out of my fucking sight.”

Tracker raises his eyebrows at me, and Wyatt comes walking over. He stands before Tracker, who looks him up and down. “You good at anything?”

“I don’t like ships,” he grumbles. Spoiled, annoying asshole.

I clear my throat. “Wyatt was in the royal training academy to be a guard or a soldier for the king’s army. He’s strong and good at fighting. He can speak a dozen, if not more, languages.”

Wyatt grins like he has won some award. “You can just say you want round two, my darling Miry. No need for all the compliments.”

“I’m trying to keep you alive, you moron!” I mutter. “Which seems like a losing battle because you keep opening your mouth.” I look at Tracker. “Can I have five minutes with him before he goes off with you?”

“You haven’t apologized yet and you’re already asking for a favor?” Tracker arches an eyebrow.

I wince. “I’m sorry I stole the daggers.”

“Don’t give a shit about the daggers. I care about the fact that you lied to get off the ship, and you used me to do it.” He waits for a long pause.

“I am sorry. I mean it,” I offer up.

Wyatt happily interrupts. “Well, she is a thief. What else did you expect her to do?”

“Please shut up and stop telling everyone all of my secrets.” I hit Wyatt’s chest, and he flinches. “Next time I’ll hit lower. Shut. Up.”

Tracker whistles low. “You know what? I’ll stand over here while you shout at him. Apology accepted, Miry.” I nod.

We walk over to the other side of the ship where there isn’t anyone else, and the ship feels so much emptier now that most of the crew is gone. I haven’t seen more than five people so far, and I have a feeling there won’t be more to find. Wyatt stares at me. “You can thank me at any point for coming after you.” He looks around the ship. “Tell me I’ll find women just as pretty as you below deck to keep me busy on this ship.”

“Noctaris is going to curse your dick to fall off if you keep thinking with it,” I snap. Wyatt has always been like this, fucking anything that moves, and it regularly got him in trouble over the last few years. I knew I was one of many, and I liked that fact. It meant I could use him because he was using me…and now the idiot is here, making me feel responsible for his life. I look him over and see how this was clearly a last-minute plan. He has a bag strapped to his back that looks nearly empty. “Did you follow me because you’re in love with me or some bullshit like that? I might throw you off the ship myself if your answer is yes.”

He laughs low. “Love isn’t real. It’s just lust, and I didn’t follow you here because of that.” He leans in with a charming grin that once got me into his bed. “I’m always up for round two. That doesn’t change between us. Ever.” Wyatt looks at the sea. “I do care about you. I always hated that you worked in my house, and I could never figure out a way to give you money or help you without making you a target. When I saw you in the crater, when I saw men I knew and trained with order the guards to kill every soul in the crater that survived…I couldn’t let you be next. You might not think much of me, but I have eyes and feelings on the king myself, and on his rule. The map? It’s a chance to fix things.” He comes closer. “Tell me you’re going to use your chance to beg the gods to change the world?”

I shake my head. “Rowe. It would change his world, and that’s enough for me.”

“Damn Selendris above,” he breathes out. “Does Rowe know about any of this? Did you even ask if it is what he wants?”

“He wants to live!” I step away. “You wouldn’t understand!” I wave my arms out. “You have healthy parents and a sister. You have family and I have him, and he is dying!”

Wyatt mutters something under his breath, moving to lean on the banister. The soft rain dances across my face, the taste of it on my tongue. “Ask for Rowe and then beg for the world.”

“That was always the plan,” I quietly admit. “First, I have to get to the end of the map, and the captain here has made an agreement with me. He wants the treasure and gold said to be with the end of the map.”

Wyatt nods. “Do you trust him?”

“I don’t trust anyone,” I answer immediately with the truth.

He touches my shoulder. “Good. Don’t trust any of the witches on his ship.” I watch Wyatt walk over to Tracker with smiles and jokes, while I wonder exactly how Wyatt knew they are witches when I never told him.

Chapter

Eleven