Page 78 of Shipwrecked

“Is that kind venomous?” I ask, worry setting my heart racing. I look into Cillian’s face, and the worry eases. He doesn’t look concerned, just irritated.

“The racers are fine. It’s just sore.” He gestures to his ankles, which are decorated with snake bites. The freshest bite is still swollen, and the others are scabbing.

“I’m grabbing the disinfectant and a plaster,” I say. “Wait here.”

The lighting is low enough that I’m hopeful Seán can’t see the mess his cousin made on my chest. And even if my shirt looks damp, surely he’d assume I didn’t wait long enough after washing in the ocean.

“You okay?” Seán asks. He’s sitting next to the fire, reading the only book we managed to salvage. Willow’s holiday romance, Sinful Delights. We’re all taking turns with it. If I thought we had the energy, I’d have suggested a night of storytelling around the campfire on the beach, but that’s not something I think would work right now. I’m not sure I’d enjoy it.

“Jules?”

I tear my eyes from the book, digging out the supplies I need from the med kit. “Cillian got another snakebite.”

Seán’s attention sharpens. “One of those grey ones?”

Was it grey? It looked green to me. “He said it was a racer.”

Seán breathes out slowly, relief flashing across his face. I hesitate with the supplies. The camp is quiet now, only Seán left in it.

“Are you okay with us not spending the night here?” I ask. Guilt stirs at the abandonment. Everyone else left too, but aside from Darren, everyone’s got someone else. It would probably make the most sense for Mathieu and me to have our own spot and for Cillian to stick with his cousin, but that’s not how it worked out. I want Cillian sleeping next to me, plain and simple.

“Just because we wrecked on an island doesn’t mean I lost the ability to sleep on my own. And, funnily enough, I also didn’t lose my desire for privacy.” Seán’s smile is reassuring. “I’m going to sleep far better tonight than I have since we arrived. Obviously, the beds here are open for use, but I’m not complaining that it’s empty.”

“If that changes, tell me.”

“And if you want me to get my cousin out of your hair, tell me.” Seán’s smile fades. “Although he’s not a brute. He’ll listen.”

“I know.” Cillian always tries to meet even unreasonable requests. He still gets up and walks us to the toilets in the middle of the night and accepts the griping from whoever was left behind alone in the lean-to without complaint. He genuinely wants to do what we ask, even if you can tell he thinks we’re being silly. I think of the times he put his foot down in a firm no… “Have a good sleep, and keep an eye out for that snake.” I return to Cillian, and he holds his arm out for me to disinfect it and place a plaster on. I take my bag off him, and we make our way down the beach in the dark.

“I’m sorry about the window,” I say. “I wasn’t behaving rationally.”

I feel Cillian’s gaze on the side of my face.

“And that night…” I gesture to my neck. “I wasn’t very nice to you.” Yet I clung to his strength so desperately all the same. And he let me.

“I’m not holding anything from that night against you,” Cillian says.

“Even though I held it against you?”

He exhales. “Yes.”

“You’re the safest person on the island I could be angry with,” I admit. “But it wasn’t all meant for you.”

Cillian looks thoughtful. “Why did you give Mathieu a pass? You could safely be angry with him.”

“I don’t think I can, actually. Be angry with him, I mean. He’s so, so…” I can’t find the word. I look at Cillian and am glad to see a smile.

“I know,” Cillian says. “I think so, too.”

The memory of Mathieu’s eyes filling with tears when the yacht sank flashes behind my eyes. “He said I should apologise to you.”

Cillian huffs. “Didn’t expect him to take my side.”

“What? He always sides with you. From day one on the island, you two have been teaming up against me! But—don’t sidetrack me. Never mind that right now. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

I frown, staring at the sand. It’s almost invisible, the clouds directly overhead hiding the moon. “I’d rather you say you forgive me.”