Page 55 of Captive of Secrets and Storms

“Out of the question. I need all of my men.”

“Well, then…” The captain's eyes, once again, move to me, and the corner of his lip quirks, revealing a tarnished silver tooth. “That just leaves⁠—”

Darkness wraps around his throat and yanks the man off his feet.

Sailors cry out, moving to intervene. They collide with a wall of darkness that appears between us and them.

Draven and Darius step forward at the same time, shielding me and blocking my view.

I rise on my toes, gripping their shoulders for balance on the bobbing ship.

Shadows slink down Rian’s damp clothes as he shifts closer to the captain. The old man claws at his throat to no avail.

I blink and see Lev in the same position, desperate for air, eyes wide with fear.

A shaky breath rattles from my throat.

This isn’t Lev, I remind myself.

Still, the grisly sight makes my stomach churn.

Rian continues his approach and stops when only inches separate him from the man’s face.

“I told you to be careful with your words.”

The captain gurgles. Bulging eyes swing to me.

“Do. Not.” Darkness rises into the air, hovering over the entire ship. “Look. At. HER!”

Sailors continue to shout. Fear ripples over the deck, but my focus never leaves Rian. He’s turned away, yet I catch the hard line of his jaw. The glow edging his eyes.

His reaction seems excessive. His anger is too much.

I whisper to Draven, “Why can’t you just convince them to let us have the dinghies?”

The surly Fae grunts. “My power is finite and limited by distance. Once we leave, it will dissipate.”

“So? We’ll be long gone by then.”

“We can’t leave these men with the knowledge of our identities or location. Not unless we have a way to ensure their silence.”

Oh.

I press my lips together, and unease on behalf of the sailors courses through me.

While it’s a relief to know Draven’s mind-altering ability has limitations, it leaves us in a problematic situation. I don’t want to think about what the Fae might do to ensure the sailors keep quiet…

Rian tilts his chin and whispers something in the captain’s ear.

The old man sputters and shakes his head, still grappling for a hold on the intangible shadows choking him.

The sailors continue to yell, but none can bypass the wall separating them from their captain.

The Fae are powerful enough to just take the boats. The fact that they’re asking is noteworthy, but what happens if the sailors try to stop them?

It’s on the tip of my tongue to warn the sailors to stop their protests. I even consider agreeing to stay behind, though that’s likely to enrage Rian more.

I bite my tongue, trying to figure out how to intervene when⁠—