Page 93 of Ship of Shadows


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Driscoll swiped a hand over his brow. “Bloody earth, it’s hot out here.”

“It’s going to get hotter,” I said. “Sorrengard is a jungle, you know. Humid and wet and sticky.”

“Perfect,” Driscoll said with mock cheer. “You know, I much preferred this ship when I got to sit around and do nothing. We really should’ve voted before you volunteered yourself, Leoni, and me to chip in.”

“I thought you wanted to be of use,” I pointed out.

Driscoll stopped, straightening. “No, I said I wanted to prove myself. By slaying a dragon or saving a princess and her brothers. Not mopping a pirate ship.”

We’d managed to earn the respect of almost everyone on this ship by pulling our weight, helping out when and wherever we could.

I eyed Bastian’s tattooed sister, who sat working near us. Except one person. Bastian said she’d come around, that she was just protective over him, but I hadn’t gotten so much as a smile from Kara, not even now that her brother and I had worked through our issues.

“Do you think you can handle the rest of this?” I gestured to the main deck.

Driscoll’s lips flattened. “If you’re sneaking away for a little afternoon session with your pirate, then I don’t think so.”

Leoni smirked.

I made a face at him. “No, I just want to talk to his sister.” I tipped my head in Kara’s direction.

Driscoll continued mopping. “Go ahead. Try and win over the snarly pirate. Good luck,” he muttered.

“Thank you.” I walked over to Kara and crouched down next to her as she ignored me. “Need some help?” I offered.

“No,” she answered, voice curt.

I sat down next to her anyway, stretching out my legs in front of me, back against the railing. “I wouldn’t like me either,” I said.

She held the wood piece in front of her, cutting it into a circle with a knife. She grunted in response.

“Listen.” I picked at my shirt. “Is there any way you can put your feelings aside and we can be cordial to each other? We have a big mission coming up, and we all need to be in sync.”

“Right. The mission where my brother puts his, and everyone’s, life at risk for you. Again.”

My mouth dropped open. “Okay, then,” I said.

Kara continued to cut the piece of wood, then held it up to the hole in the hull. It was still too big, and she growled in frustration and continued cutting. I peered at the hole, thenat some spare piece of cloth laying in a pile nearby, buried underneath a coil of line. I reached down and snatched the cloth, then stretched it over the hole.

“May I?” I asked Kara, gesturing to her knife.

She eyed me warily and nodded. I used the knife to cut the cloth while it was against the hole until I had a perfect match. I handed the piece to Kara. “Here. Might be easier now to get the wood piece to match.”

She stared at the cloth, then looked up to me, then down at the cloth again. “That was smart,” she said. “I don’t know why I never thought of that.”

I shrugged and settled back down. “Sometimes when we do things a certain way, it’s hard to break patterns.” Kara put the cloth over the wood and started shaving off more of it. “I don’t want any of you to risk your lives for us,” I said. “I just want my brothers back, and I want them to have the best chance at survival. That’s your brother. He knows the shadow court better than anyone. You all do. I don’t know who else to turn to.” I shrugged. “You know, you remind me a bit of my younger brother, Mal.”

She scoffed as she fitted the wood piece to the hole. “The prince?” she asked.

“Yeah.” I looked at her wistfully. “He’s quieter, more serious than me or Lochlan. He doesn’t always speak his mind. He stews in his thoughts a lot.”

“Sounds like a real joy to be around. Thanks.” She picked up another piece of wood, a longer strip that she laid across the now-plugged hole.

“But he’s loyal to a fault. He loves fiercely. And he protects those he loves with everything he has.”

Kara’s hand faltered on the slab of wood, and I reached up to help her steady it. “Damnit. Mia said you’re hard to hate. She was right. As usual.”

I laughed. “I want you to understand that I’m not just going to try and free my brothers. I’m going to try and free you all too.”