Epic: The Last Light

Chapter Nine

Kai

Kai lowered Mariana onto the bed. He pulled blankets around her chilled body and blotted the sweat from her brow. She had been unable to keep anything down for three days, not that she tried to eat. Mariana had exhausted herself into a heavy sleep. Jinara wasn't helping, bringing in dried meats and overcooked fish. Mariana nibbled on the food to keep up appearances, but she was starving for blood.

He opened the window, letting the crisp night air cleanse the room. Mariana was too weak to use her Day Walking spell, so they kept the window shut and the shades drawn, telling Jinara that the sickness made her sensitive to the light. The less Jinara knew, the better. It was bad enough to help sneak a vampire into Valos, but Jinara saw Mariana walk in the light. Sneaking a Day Guard onto human territory—if they were caught . . . the humans would declare war.

Kai slid out of the room, silent as the shadows that lingered in the ship's halls. Voices, the shuffling of bodies, and the scent of cooked meats wafted from the lower deck, but fresh air lured Kai down the swaying hall to the main stairwell.

Mariana had steadily grown weaker each day. If she did not regain her strength before they reached Valos, she would be helpless. Kai could protect her from bandits, from beasts, from humans, but he couldn't protect her from the sun. Bringing her felt more like a mistake each night. Perhaps he was wrong about her. Maybe Soulless truly kept her around as a pretty face.

The Leaf drifted along calm swells, gently rocking the ship. Kai breathed in the cool salty air. The main deck was empty, with most of the crew eating below. The sky above shimmered with countless stars.

"The worst of the voyage should be over." Jinara's voice came from above. She sat on the quarterdeck railing, her legs hanging over the side. She picked at her nails with the tip of a slender knife, not even looking up, as if she had known he would come.

"Mariana will be thrilled." He walked across the main deck to stand below her. The bottoms of her knee-high boots were scraped and worn. "If I remember correctly, you had a bout of sickness on your first voyage."

Her copper gaze settled on him for a moment, but she did not answer.

"You're angry with me," he said.

She finished cleaning her nails, wiped the tip of the knife on her trousers, and returned it to a sheath hidden in her boot. Yes, she was mad. Kai didn't need her confirmation. He knew her mood from the two small creases between her brows, the small tilt of her mouth, the way she needed to keep her hands busy.

"I'll never forget my first time aboard the Leaf." Kai leaned against the wall. Jinara's boots dangled next to his head. "I believe Mara Sanaris was still captain then."

"Genmar," Jinara corrected with a taut tone.

"Ah, yes. That stout, grizzled man. I often wondered if he could see over the helm. That seems like ages ago." A smirk crossed his lips with the memory. "How long have you been first mate aboard the Leaf?"

Jinara shot him an annoyed glance. "Stop trying to goad me with questions you know the answers to."

He reached up and flicked the dangling lace of her boot. "Eighty-four years," Kai answered for her. "It's quite a long time. You've sailed by three different captains of the Leaf." He paused, waiting to see if she would respond, but only the roll of the waves replied. "I wonder why you've never tried to take the helm for yourself."

Pulling her feet out of range, she folded her legs in front of her. Jinara seemed to float on the thin rail, but this was no spell. Kai admired the almost magical balance of her Elvin body. For a moment he could imagine her in her forest home, sitting on thin boughs high above the ground.