Kiss the Sky

9

“No, we need you to fix the ship,” Jasin said, which made me only want to slam him against the wall again. If he thought he was going to step up and be the leader of this group he was going to be met with some resistance, even if he’d bonded with Kira first.

“He’s right,” Auric said. “Reven and I can’t get the ship moving again without your repairs in place, and Jasin’s magic can’t do much in that regard.”

Jasin nodded. “I’ll take first watch.”

“I’ll get the next one,” Reven said, crossing his arms. “Once I get the water off this ship, you won’t need me for a while.”

I pressed my palm to my forehead, fighting off a rising headache, no doubt from dealing with Kira’s annoying mates. “Fine.”

I climbed up the ladder with heavy steps, my own exhaustion taking hold of me now that the thrill of the battle and the fear over Kira’s collapse was behind me. I’d continue to worry about her until she was awake and could tell me herself she was okay, but there were other ways to protect her too. Like repairing this ship.

As the ship swelled and rolled, another wave of seasickness reminded me I should have stayed on land from the beginning. Without firm ground under my feet I was mostly useless in a battle, although I’d discovered I could control wood as long as all the life had left it. Living things were the domain of the Spirit Goddess, but old, hard wood was as lifeless as stone and seemed to fall under my control.

I used that power now to mend the splintered mast so that Auric could get the ship sailing again soon and allow us to continue on to the Air Temple. And after that…the Earth Temple, where I would fully bond with Kira. At first, I’d resisted the idea. Then I’d come to terms with it and considered it my duty. Now I was anxious to get there sooner than later. Once I was a Dragon I would be able to defend Kira and the others better. Gods knew Jasin needed all the help he could get in that area.

But the act of bonding would be a problem. Even if I desired Kira physically, things between us could never go beyond friendship and duty. I would never love a woman again without reservation, and even if I could, I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of sharing her with other men. There was no way Kira could love all of us equally in the end, and I wasn’t willing to be someone’s second—or third or fourth—choice. I’d already been left for another man once. I was never opening myself up to that kind of pain again.

7

Kira

W

hen I opened my eyes I found Reven in the hammock beside me, wearing nothing but his trousers. His cool skin pressed against mine, and I discovered I wore only my threadbare chemise as well. One of my mates must have changed me out of my soaked dress at some point.

With Reven’s eyes closed he looked peaceful for once, especially with his black hair messy. Younger, too. Or perhaps he appeared his true age for once. How he would look if he didn’t have his dark past weighing on him all the time.

The second I moved, his eyes snapped open and fixed on me. They were the color of the waves around the ship and just as cold.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, as I slowly rolled toward him, the hammock drawing us close together. “And without a shirt on?”

“We thought touching you might heal you faster. Like when you heal us.” His jaw clenched, but he didn’t move away. “It was Auric’s idea.”

“Of course it was.” I rested my hands on the muscular ridges of his chest. For healing, naturally. “How long have I been out?”

“Almost two days.”

“Two days?” I pushed on his chest to rise to a sitting position. “What happened to me?”

He sat up next to me and shrugged. “You collapsed after we fought off the water elementals. We brought you in here to rest.”

I scrubbed a hand over my face as the memories came back. “I gave Jasin my energy and strength so he could fight the elementals off, but I must have drained myself in the process.”

“Seems that way.”

I’d have to be more careful in the future, especially if it knocked me out for so long. I practically fell out of the hammock and righted myself on shaky legs, while my stomach ached with a hollow feeling and my vision blurred. “Oh Gods, I’m starving.”

“I’m sure we can find you something.” Reven got to his feet in one smooth motion that made me look like a graceless animal. He grabbed his shirt and tossed it on, the muscles in his back flexing and commanding my attention. It was truly unfair for someone so difficult to be so irresistible.

With Reven right behind me, I slowly climbed up the ladder and moved through the hatch onto the main deck, squinting against the bright sun. Where I’d expected disaster and wreckage, all I saw was the ship looking almost as good as new. Gods, I really had been out a long time.

“Kira!” Jasin called out from above me. “You’re awake!”

He slid down a rope from the main mast and landed at my feet, while Auric floated down until his boots lightly touched the deck. Slade hopped down from the upper deck as he approached us. Yes, everyone on this ship was more graceful than me today.

Auric touched my face softly. “It’s good to see you up again.”

“You’ve learned a new trick,” I said, leaning into his palm.