*Gabriel*
The wind off the bay tastes of brine, tar, and fish from the dockside stalls. I lean against the railing of the ship, my boots planted wide as the tide laps at the hull, and scan the harbor through narrowed eyes. Another ship comes in, her sails furled, the crew calling to the men onshore. I watch, but she’s not on this one either.
“Still waiting like a dog at the door,” Isla murmurs from behind me, hands on her hips, her voice laced with quiet sympathy. “You know the odds, Gabriel.”
I do. I’ve heard them muttered behind my back more times than I can count. The captain’s gone mad. Still chasing ghosts. Should’ve taken another woman by now. Should’ve moved on.
But they don’t understand. They didn’t love her like I did. Like I still do.
“I keep watch because if she can slip th
