*MATURE FANTASY*
Bound by fate, torn by betrayal.
Their souls are intertwined.
She is his mate, and he is hers, whether or not this is something they want.
Elara has spent her life hiding from the oppressive forces of the Light, a powerful cult th...
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The door to the captain's quarters closed behind me with a heavy thud, the sound echoing in the small room. I stood there, the silence wrapping around me like a suffocating cloak while I waited for his arrival. The air felt charged, and I knew this meeting wouldn't be a pleasant one.
My heart raced as the door slammed open, and Nox stormed in, his presence filling the room with a heavy pressure. Dark eyes locked onto mine, the anger bubbling beneath the surface evident in the tight set of his jaw. The sight of him would have been terrifying to anyone, but it never affected me, not the way he intended it to. I didn't enjoy disappointing Nox, but I did not fear him.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Nox's voice was low, exasperated.
"Calix needed help." I kept my chin lifted. There was not going to be any apology coming from me on the matter, not when I did what needed to be done.
"He should have had enough ammo," Nox snapped. "He could have handled himself. Your position in this is to distract, not engage when a threat is made obvious. You retreat, Elara."
"They are my crew as much as yours," I said firmly. "I won't stand by and watch one of them get killed when I can do something about it." There was no world where I would have simply left Calix.
Nox's gaze softened slightly, but the anger still smoldered within him. "You could have been killed," he said, his voice quieter now, losing some of its edge.
"I wasn't," I replied, crossing my arms defensively over my chest. "And you know I am not easily killed." There was no reason for him to have been so concerned.
He let out a harsh breath, focus remaining on me. "And if it ever came down to something like that, where you were forced to conjure your way out of a situation... if anyone survived to whisper anything about you to the wrong people, then you would be hunted down. We would be hunted down." His use of the word 'we' implied that if that were to have happened, that he would have remained at my side through it. The notion warmed my heart.
"We are pirates. We aren't exactly friends with all the rulers across Armenda. And I wouldn't leave anyone behind to whisper." I wasn't stupid. I knew the risks. If it ever came down to it, I would make sure no one lived to speak a word of what I could do.
A cruel laugh rumbled out of him. "And what about someone like Calix? Collateral damage?" He viewed me with cold skepticism. The same man that warmed my heart, just forced ice into my veins a breath later. His tongue was like his wind, capable of changing directions on hardly a whim.
I would never harm Calix over something like that. Nox knew it, and perhaps he didn't like it. Were it his decision, he would consider killing most of his own crew for the secret to remain. Anger flared. I didn't like when he spoke like this. "Back off Nox."
His smile faltered. "Yeah? This is my ship, Elara. Or have you forgotten?" There was a warning edge to his voice, sharp as any blade.
"No. Captain. I haven't forgotten." I met him squarely, refusing to cast my eyes down, to submit. He might have been my captain, but he was not my master. And I certainly was not going anywhere, not when he needed me for what he had planned. Publicly, I gave him the respect his position deemed necessary, but privately I voiced my truth. Always had, and was not planning on changing that any time soon.
