Read Online The Farthest Shore (Eden Series Book 3) by Marian Perera - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marian Perera
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with the stubble over his jaw, and the candlelight turned amber to gold in his intent look. He seemed to be watching something in the distance.
He’s not the one who’s watching, she thought, taken aback. I am.
Disconcerted, she got to her feet, and the sudden movement caught his attention. “I apologize,” he said, and rose. “You’re sitting there in wet clothes. Feel free to sleep after you change your clothes—I won’t be using the cabin.”
The door to his bedroom closed before she could ask about his supper, though on second thought, it was none of her business if he decided to skip a meal. She blew out the candles, peeled off her clothes—they were sodden, so she’d have to ask Reveka for another change once she woke up—and put on the dressing gown.
The nap of the material caught on her water-wrinkled skin, but the flannel was soft as butter and felt wonderfully warm. Only the knowledge that it was Captain Juell’s made her pause, because wearing his clothes seemed altogether too intimate. She lifted a corner of the lapel to her face and pressed her nose into it. It smelled faintly of harsh lye soap and a musky, masculine scent that made her only too aware that the cloth had been against his bare skin and was now against hers. She swallowed hard.
Get a grip on yourself . He was a captain in the navy and she was half-salt. Remember?
Yes . The warmth was gone as if ice now packed the cabin. Working by feel, she hooked up her hammock and climbed into it, wrapping the dressing gown tightly against the cold. Lying there, she thought of the two days remaining and tried to sleep.
“Pass the word for the Seawatch operative,” Alyster said to Miri the next morning. The day had dawned sunny, the windows were open and she was dressed again, the long dark hair that had spilled over her shoulders now pulled back, secured at the nape of her neck.
She returned with a loaded tray, a man in a white shirt and grey breeches just behind her. Alyster took the tray from her. She understood the hint and left, closing the door.
“I’m Captain Juell,” he said to the Seawatch operative.
“My name is Kovir Stripe Caller.”
The stripe in his name was echoed by the tattoo on his face, a black vertical slash that enclosed his left eye. He didn’t seem old enough to need shaving regularly, but he had the composed look of all Seawatch operatives, the emotionless calm of someone to whom laughter and anger were equally unknown. Which, Alyster reflected, was a good thing under the circumstances, since the Juells had not exactly endeared themselves to Seawatch in the past.
“Please sit down,” he said, since two places were laid at the table.
“Thank you, Captain.”
Alyster got straight to the point, since pleasantries were a waste of time when dealing with Seawatch. “Are you aware of the contents of the message you delivered?”
“Yes. It was brought to the Admiralty’s attention by an operative sent into the Iron Ocean.”
“Do you know anything more about this ship Kraken ?” Alyster said. Seawatch, for all its faults, did not actively work against the navy, and if they knew anything further it would have been in the message, but he had nothing else to try.
“No, sir. The operative was questioned, but she had been without water for several days by the time she reached us and wasn’t able to say a great deal as a result.”
Alyster could only hope the woman hadn’t been delirious with thirst. “So all we know is that there’s a ship called Kraken which may well attack us.”
“Seawatch has assigned me to accompany you, if you wish.”
Alyster relaxed a little. If Seawatch had had a coat of arms—which they never would, being private and secretive—the words To guide and to guard would have been displayed on it.
“I’d be grateful,” he said. “And I’ll come with you up to the deck once breakfast is done. I’d like to see your shark.”
Though when they reached the gunwale, he was
He’s not the one who’s watching, she thought, taken aback. I am.
Disconcerted, she got to her feet, and the sudden movement caught his attention. “I apologize,” he said, and rose. “You’re sitting there in wet clothes. Feel free to sleep after you change your clothes—I won’t be using the cabin.”
The door to his bedroom closed before she could ask about his supper, though on second thought, it was none of her business if he decided to skip a meal. She blew out the candles, peeled off her clothes—they were sodden, so she’d have to ask Reveka for another change once she woke up—and put on the dressing gown.
The nap of the material caught on her water-wrinkled skin, but the flannel was soft as butter and felt wonderfully warm. Only the knowledge that it was Captain Juell’s made her pause, because wearing his clothes seemed altogether too intimate. She lifted a corner of the lapel to her face and pressed her nose into it. It smelled faintly of harsh lye soap and a musky, masculine scent that made her only too aware that the cloth had been against his bare skin and was now against hers. She swallowed hard.
Get a grip on yourself . He was a captain in the navy and she was half-salt. Remember?
Yes . The warmth was gone as if ice now packed the cabin. Working by feel, she hooked up her hammock and climbed into it, wrapping the dressing gown tightly against the cold. Lying there, she thought of the two days remaining and tried to sleep.
“Pass the word for the Seawatch operative,” Alyster said to Miri the next morning. The day had dawned sunny, the windows were open and she was dressed again, the long dark hair that had spilled over her shoulders now pulled back, secured at the nape of her neck.
She returned with a loaded tray, a man in a white shirt and grey breeches just behind her. Alyster took the tray from her. She understood the hint and left, closing the door.
“I’m Captain Juell,” he said to the Seawatch operative.
“My name is Kovir Stripe Caller.”
The stripe in his name was echoed by the tattoo on his face, a black vertical slash that enclosed his left eye. He didn’t seem old enough to need shaving regularly, but he had the composed look of all Seawatch operatives, the emotionless calm of someone to whom laughter and anger were equally unknown. Which, Alyster reflected, was a good thing under the circumstances, since the Juells had not exactly endeared themselves to Seawatch in the past.
“Please sit down,” he said, since two places were laid at the table.
“Thank you, Captain.”
Alyster got straight to the point, since pleasantries were a waste of time when dealing with Seawatch. “Are you aware of the contents of the message you delivered?”
“Yes. It was brought to the Admiralty’s attention by an operative sent into the Iron Ocean.”
“Do you know anything more about this ship Kraken ?” Alyster said. Seawatch, for all its faults, did not actively work against the navy, and if they knew anything further it would have been in the message, but he had nothing else to try.
“No, sir. The operative was questioned, but she had been without water for several days by the time she reached us and wasn’t able to say a great deal as a result.”
Alyster could only hope the woman hadn’t been delirious with thirst. “So all we know is that there’s a ship called Kraken which may well attack us.”
“Seawatch has assigned me to accompany you, if you wish.”
Alyster relaxed a little. If Seawatch had had a coat of arms—which they never would, being private and secretive—the words To guide and to guard would have been displayed on it.
“I’d be grateful,” he said. “And I’ll come with you up to the deck once breakfast is done. I’d like to see your shark.”
Though when they reached the gunwale, he was
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