A tear falls from my cheek, but I quickly swat it away. Now isn't the time for tears. According to Mitch, I'm the first mate. The second in command. And now is as good of a time as ever to start acting like it.
I make my way quickly to Avi, wincing at the blood that's now spilling out of his stab wound and onto the deck. I bend down and kneel next to him to get a closer look. He's still conscious, which is good, even though he's blinking back tears because of the pain.
"Are you alright?" I ask, quickly realizing how stupid of a question that is. Of course he isn't.
"I'll be fine," he says gruffly. "It's the least painful thing she's done to me yet." My heart sinks at those words, and I try to think of something to say to console him, but he speaks before I can. "Is Kevin alright?"
I turn my attention to K.O., who is passed out and lying on the ship deck. I crawl to him and begin to shake him, trying to get him to open his eyes. "K.O.?" I say, shaking his arm. "K.O., wake up." But he doesn't. An uneasiness begins to fill my stomach. He's not...dead, is he?
Lindsey runs over to him now, her ever-present smile faltering. "Kevy?" she asks, touching his arm softly.
K.O. groans in response, his eyes fluttering open. "Hi, angel," he grunts, trying to smile at her but grimacing instead.
"Of course that makes you wake up," I mutter to myself.
"Hmm?" K.O. inquires.
"Never mind. Forget it," I say, waving it off. After all, if I had been passed out like he was, the sound of Mitch's voice would have woken me up as well.
My immediate instinct is to push that thought aside, but things are different now. I'm allowed to think those sorts of things, aren't I? I mean, after that kiss, that mind-blowingly wonderful kiss, things aren't ever going to be the same between the two of us.
But my hope quavers as my racing mind does what it's best at -- overthinking. After all, Kirstin had kissed Avi, right? A kiss doesn't mean shit, and Avi is living proof of that.
Avi. He's bleeding. He's wounded, and he needs help.
I shake my head to try and clear it. Mitch isn't important right now, I tell myself.
Yes he is, says a quieter voice in the back of my mind. I push it away as I run back over to Avi, kneeling over him. "We need to get this wound washed out," I say with forged confidence. Truly, I have no idea how to properly allow someone who's been stabbed in the leg to heal.
"I can try to heal him with my magic," Lindsey offers meekly.
"No, no need for that," Avi says quickly, allegedly still not over his weariness of wizardry. "I'll be fine. Probably. Besides, you might need your healing power for someone else in the future. Someone more important than me."
"Oh, shut it," K.O. says, standing to his feet and brushing off his trousers. "You're just as, if not more important than everyone else."
"Mmm," Avi hums, trying to stand himself. He barely even puts any weight on his leg before he collapses on the deck of the ship, a string of curse words escaping his lips on the way down. "I can't walk," he says gruffly.
"Well no shit," K.O. replies, walking over to his best friend. "Why don't you let Lindsey heal you, mate? You'll be up on your feet in no time."
"No way," Avi says stubbornly. "That's bettering someone using unnatural methods. That's against my religion."
K.O. and I share a skeptical glance. "And...what religion would that be?" K.O. asks.
"Um..." Avi stammers, grimacing. "...un-magic-ism."
YOU ARE READING
The Clockmaker and the Pirate - EVERMORE BOOK 1
Fanfiction"The only thing I've wanted my entire life was to die, to die, to die. But then -- by a twist of fate you found yourself onboard my dinky little ship and you flashed your stupid smile and you gave me the opposite," he tells me. "What's that?" I...
