Outside the door, the raucousness of the crew eventually faded into a low hum. Elena lay back, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, watching the shadows dance as the ship swayed.
What she didn't see was the shadow standing just a few feet away in the corridor.
Kai sat on a crate across from the door, his head leaning back against the bulkhead. He held a whetstone in one hand and a long, curved dagger in the other, the rhythmic shh-shh-shh of metal on stone the only sound in the hallway. He wasn't there to keep her in; he was there to ensure that if Lux—or anyone else—decided to double back, they would have to go through him first.
His face ached where the stitches pulled at his skin, a constant reminder of her fire. He closed his eyes, the image of her standing in the moonlight, her dark brown eyes shimmering with a mix of fear and defiance, burned into his mind. She was a dove, yes, but a dove with talons. And as much as he needed her for the gold, he found himself wanting her for the fire.
