Page 106 of Fallen Stars

Enzo rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.

“And Adrian? Insulting a king? Do you have a death wish? Look,” she continued. “We’re all going to be on this ship for the next few weeks. It’s in our best interest to try to get along.”

Enzo huffed. Trust his Elara to speak sense. To his relief, he felt the ship lurch, setting sail from the harbour.

“I have half a mind to turn the ship around and leave you for some other poor criminal to pick up,” Adrian said.

“Don’t be like that. I promise we’ll all be on our best behaviour.,” Elara replied. “Now, no more pissing contests.”

“Fine,” Adrian sighed. “But one hint of mutiny, onewhiffof your fucking powers,” he said, pointing at Enzo, “and I will throw you all overboard.”

Enzo grinned, holding his hands up. “I’ll be the best guest you ever had.”

Enzo, in fact, was not being the best guest that Adrian had ever had.

He groaned as another wave of nausea passed over him, and he vomited into the bucket by his bed. Elara sighed in sympathy beside him, rubbing his back.

“Finally time alone, and my poor Enzo is sick.”

“You know, you’d think becoming a god or titan or whatever the fuck we are would ease symptoms likeseasickness.” Another roll of the ship had his head hanging in the bucket again.

“My mighty Lion, water is not your friend. Surely you always knew that. Water and fire don’t mix.”

“Is that why I want to throttle that pirate lord every time he saunters by?”

Elara scoffed. “No. I’d say that’s more a combination of the male ego with a dash of jealousy.”

“Jealousy?”

“Do you not recall snatching me from his grasp at the masquerade?” There was a spark in her eyes as she continued to rub his back.

“Yes, and I remember the smile on his face as he held your waist too,” Enzo growled. The thought was already making his blood boil. The love he had felt for Elara before they had awoken was nothing compared to the bond they shared now.

Elara shot him a bored look. “You know I am soul-tied to you? I’m not in danger of running off with another man.”

“I know that,” he huffed. “Still doesn’t stop me from wanting to choke him.”

“Don’t forget the throttling,” she drawled, rising from the bed to the adjoining washroom. The cabin was…impressive for that of a ship.

“Castorian magick,” Adrian had explained as they’d walked into the room—twice as large as it had looked from the outside. “They may be cutthroat bastards, but they do know how to invent.”

Enzo focused on the room, trying to quell the sickness roiling within him. Everything, of course, was of a Neptunan theme. Mermaid reliefs were carved into doorknobs, but it was the bed’s headboard that contained the real art. Fish, octopus, and other sea creatures were rendered in minute detail, creatures that until recently, Enzo would have told anyone were myths. Included were kelpies, naiads, and sea serpents. The frescoes carved into the wood seemed like they were alive.

He begrudgingly appreciated the art, missing how marble felt between his hands waiting to be sculpted.

Elara returned with a damp cloth that she pressed against Enzo’s forehead.

“This was not how I’d planned anything when I was stuck in that hellhole,” Enzo groaned.

“These plans,” Elara chided. “We should have known our lives could never be this simple. I’m just happy to be here with you,soulmate.”

“Say it again,” he said hoarsely.

“What?”

“Soulmate.”

“We’resoulmates,” Elara said, smiling as she came to sit behind him so Enzo was between her legs.