Aerity sputtered a laugh in spite of herself. “Aye. I would prefer if this was the one and only boom of my reign, to be quite honest.”
King Dagur patted her shoulder hard. “Then let’s make it one to remember.”
Chapter
46
Vixie, Aerity, Wyneth, and the no-longer-such-a-cub beast all opted to sleep in a cabin together on a Lochlan vessel that had anchored safely in the middle of the bay. Furball had actually seemed offended that he wasn’t allowed on the bed. He tried to climb on and opened his mouth in a mournful roar when Wyneth told him no and pointed to a pallet on the floor beside them. Once they finally settled, the four of them slept like the dead.
Vixie was groggy when she felt slimy wetness drag along her cheek and nose. She opened her eyes and found a giant mouth with pointed fangs yawning in her face and she screamed. Aerity and Wyneth bolted upright, covers flying. Vixie caught her breath and fell back.
“Furball!”
“Oh, for sea’s sake,” Aerity grumbled. “You frightened me to death.”
Wyneth stood. “He needs to go out. What time is it? Gracious, the sun is already halfway up the sky!”
The door to their cabin burst open and three faces vied in the doorway. Paxton, Lief, and Harrison all stared in at them, worried.
“It was only Vix being licked to death by Furball,” Aerity said.
The men relaxed and put their weapons away.
Harrison snapped his fingers at the creature. “Come, Furball. I’ll feed you and take you to the top deck.”
“Thank you,” Wyneth said. The two of them shared a gaze that made Vixie and Aerity smile at each other. Then Wyneth said, “I think I’ll come with you to stretch my legs.”
Harrison and Wyneth left with Furball at their heels. Lief glowered at their backs and eventually left as well.
“What time is it?” Aerity asked Paxton.
He leaned against the doorframe and watched her with heavy, dark eyes. “I’d say after ten.”
“So late already?” Aerity exclaimed.
“There was no need to wake you.”
Vixie watched the two of them staring at each other, and it suddenly made her cheeks go hot. She cleared her throat and untangled her legs from the blanket.
“I’m going above for some air.”
They didn’t even acknowledge her, just kept their eyes locked. Vixie walked past Paxton and he went straight into the cabin, closing the door behind him. She gaped. Her sister was alone with a lad! In a room with a bed! What would Father say? Her stomach dropped and she blinked back a feeling of shock, remembering her father would never again enforce rules of propriety on them.
The princess stared at the closed door for a moment longer before shaking her head and making a direct line for the steps, giving her sister as much space as possible. She met Lief at the top, looking as if he was planning to go back down the steps.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
He seemed taken aback at her questioning. “To see your sister and let her know where she will need to be during the attack.”
“You can’t go down there right now. She’s . . . indisposed. But I’d like to hear the plans, if you don’t mind.”
He glanced toward the stairs before turning back to Vixie and relenting. “The plan is for you, Aerity, and Lady Wyneth to remain in Craw Coorie when the fighting begins. You will have your own troop with you at all times. They will lead you back toward royal lands, if and when the path is cleared and safe.”
Vixie hummed. “So we are not to fight.”
“Of course not.”
She scowled at him. “I know how to shoot a bow.”
