Page 24 of Drift: Willa & Koy

Koy folded his fingers between mine, turning my hand over to look at my busted knuckles. “You should have done it a long time ago.”

So, he did know how I felt about him.

“I wasn’t ready,” I whispered.

“Well, you are now.”

I gave him a brittle smile, the movement making the corner of my lip hurt, and I remembered that my face must be busted, too, after Bruin hit me. I pulled his hand up to where my heart was beating behind my ribs, holding it there. I’d spent so long trying to break free of needing anyone, but the thing was, I didn’twantto be alone. How long had he known that?

“What about Ailee?” I asked.

“Her, too.”

I nodded.

The ring of the bell rang out over the docks, signaling the opening of trade, and almost immediately the harbor came to life outside the window. Shadows flitted over the post as people passed, commands echoing as they were called out on the anchored ships.

Again, I looked at my mangled foot. It would be weeks, if not months, before I could get around on it like I had before. I resisted the urge to ask myself what would happen if I couldn’t. In that time, ships would come and go and other than what we had on hand to trade, Jeval had little to offer beside rye and a place to harbor from a storm.

“We’ll have to pull some of the Jevalis who have basic bosun skills and make assignments,” I said, thinking aloud. “Ailee and Raef can keep an eye on them and in the meantime, I can work on inventory and plans for the drydock. It won’t be a total waste. I promise.”

“Willa, a year ago this place didn’t even exist. We built it. You and me. I’m not worried.”

I smiled again.

The door swung open and a breathless Ailee appeared on the other side, her wild hair flying. She was paler than usual, her dark eyes glinting.

I sat up, instantly regretting it when the pain shot through my leg. “What’s wrong?”

“TheWellworthy.”

I stilled. “What about it?”

“It’s—it’s gone,” she stammered.

“What do you mean it’s gone?” My voice rose.

Ailee wrung her hands. “Some of the crew from theIrissaid it raised its sails well before dawn. When the sun came up, they were already west on the horizon.”

My brow pulled. “West? I thought they were headed to Sowan next.”

“That’s what the navigator told me,” Koy said.

I stared at him, putting it together slowly. “I wasn’t even finished sealing the wood, Koy.”

Understanding settled between us.

“The only reason theWellworthycould possibly have for leaving without discharge from the harbor master and with no notice at all is because they are running,” I said.

“But from what?”

That was the thing. I had my suspicions about Coen being responsible for the death of the deckhand from Sowan, but there was no evidence. Nothing linking him to what happened. What was the urgency?

“Or.” A sick feeling pooled in my stomach. “Maybe they weren’t runningfromsomething, buttosomething.”

Ailee’s eyes jumped back and forth between us.

“Koy,” I panted, “if Coen did hear what I heard that night…”