The wooden planks of the dock creaked beneath my feet as I stepped onto the ferry. A salt-heavy breeze tugged at my hair, carrying the pungent scent of seaweed and fish. My body felt stronger than it had in days, but my mind remained a swirling storm of disappointment and frustration.

  I had failed. Failed Ellah. Failed myself.

  Jacobi led our small procession, speaking in low tones with the ferry attendant while gesturing to our luggage. Selwyn trailed behind me, his footsteps hesitant. The space between us vibrated with unspoken tension, memories of the previous night hanging in the air like a tangible presence. I could still feel the phantom warmth of his bare chest against my back, the gentle pressure of his arms around me as I'd finally fallen asleep.

  I paused near the railing, fingers curling around the weathered wood as I gazed across the water. The rising sun painted the waves in shades of gold and amber. Behind me, I sensed Selwyn hesitate, uncertain whether to join me or keep his distance.

  Jacobi appeared at my side. "We should find our cabin." His eyes darted between Selwyn and me, a subtle furrow forming between his brows.

  I nodded, not trusting my voice.

  We followed Jacobi belowdecks, navigating narrow corridors that smelled of varnish and salt. Our cabin was larger than I expected. I scanned the room, noting the two visible beds.

  My eyes narrowed slightly as I turned to Jacobi. "Are you making me choose where to sleep?" I kept my tone deliberately light despite the challenge in my words.

  A flicker of amusement crossed his face. He moved to the far wall and pulled back a heavy curtain I hadn't noticed, revealing a third, smaller alcove tucked away.

  "I would never be so obvious." The corner of his mouth lifted. "Though your question makes me wonder."

  I met his gaze steadily, refusing to be baited. Selwyn shifted uncomfortably behind me.

  Jacobi set down his traveling case and ran a hand through his hair once the door closed behind us. "There's something I need to tell you both. We need to prepare for our return. Things will be different."

  "How so?" Selwyn leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

  "Security will be tighter. I've arranged for guards at the estate." Jacobi watched my face carefully.

  My stomach tightened. More eyes watching my every move. More restrictions on my freedom to search for Ellah.

  "You think that's necessary?" I didn't bother hiding my frustration.

  "I do." Jacobi's gaze never left my face. "Until we know Marcelo's whereabouts, we can't be too careful."

  Heat flared beneath my skin, a rush of indignation battling with the knowledge that he was right. After everything we'd been through, the danger was real. The irony tasted bitter on my tongue.

  Jacobi tilted his head. "You're not pleased."

  I moved to the small window, watching the dock workers prepare for departure. "It's complicated."

  "It’s worth it," murmured Selwyn. The first words he'd spoken directly to me since we'd left his room this morning.

  I glanced at him, catching his gaze for a fleeting moment before he looked away. His scent lingered in my memory and my body remembered the comfort of his presence with embarrassing clarity.

  "I should check on our departure schedule." Jacobi broke the tension. "There's a matter I need to verify before we leave port."

  When the door closed behind him, silence descended, heavy and awkward.

  Selwyn cleared his throat. "Joy—"

  "Don't." The word came out sharper than I intended. I softened my tone. "Not yet. I can't... process everything right now."

  He nodded, respecting my boundaries as he always did. That respect, that careful consideration, was precisely what had allowed me to lower my guard with him last night. What had made it possible to find comfort in his arms when touch had become something to fear.

  "I'm going back up. I want to watch the departure." I needed fresh air and open space.

  Selwyn didn't follow me this time, and I was equally relieved and disappointed.

  The upper deck bustled with activity as the ferry prepared to leave. I found a quiet spot along the starboard rail, away from the clusters of passengers. The water below sparkled with morning light, hypnotic in its constant motion. I lost myself in watching it, allowing the rhythm of the waves to quiet my mind.

  The ferry lurched as it pulled away from the dock. Around me, passengers grabbed for handholds, some laughing nervously at the sudden movement. I steadied myself against the railing, watching the mainland grow smaller. Three days of journey before we would reach the island. The thought of returning to the Velez estate felt strange. How could I resume my role there after everything that had happened? After what Marcelo had done? After what had transpired between Selwyn and me?

  The wind picked up as we moved into open water, carrying the first hint of a coming storm. The temperature dropped, and I pulled my cloak tighter around me. My body might have been healing, but it remained weaker than I was accustomed to, more susceptible to cold and fatigue.

  I didn't hear Jacobi approach until he spoke.

  "That went well with the quartermaster. Better than expected."

  I glanced at him. "The theft of their crew?"

  A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Acquisition, not theft. And he was surprisingly reasonable once I explained the opportunity I was offering them. Max, Keenan, and Dolan are already waiting for us at the estate. I sent word ahead before we left the mainland."

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  "You have a way of getting what you want."

  "Usually." He studied my profile. "Something's bothering you."

  I shook my head. "Just thinking about what lies ahead."

  "And Selwyn? Did he upset you?"

  The question caught me off guard. I turned to him, searching his face for accusation or jealousy but finding only genuine concern. "No. Selwyn has been... kind."

  Jacobi nodded slowly. "He cares for you. That much is obvious."

  "Jacobi—"

  He held up a hand. "You don't owe me explanations, Joy.” He paused. "Although if he hurts you, I will have to kill him, of course."

  The deadpan delivery startled a laugh from me. "Of course."

  His hand covered mine briefly on the railing, warm and reassuring. "Rest. You still need to recover your strength."

  He left me with my turbulent thoughts, moving to a bench nearby where he could observe the deck while still keeping an eye on me. The ferry pushed onward through increasingly choppy waters, its engines thrumming beneath my feet. Dark clouds gathered on the horizon, promising rain before we reached home. A fitting accompaniment to my mood.

  I lost track of time standing there, watching the play of light and shadow on the waves. The deck gradually emptied as passengers sought shelter from the dropping temperature. Eventually, even I had to acknowledge the cold that had seeped into my bones, causing an involuntary shiver.

  "You're cold."

  Selwyn's voice, quiet and hesitant. I turned to find him a few paces away, looking slightly green around the edges. The choppy water was clearly affecting him.

  "And you're seasick," I observed.

  He grimaced. "I've been better."

  "I thought you mentioned sailing before," I said, recalling a conversation from months ago. "Something about summer voyages?"

  "Only on smaller vessels. My brother has never handled something this powerful."

  Jacobi rejoined us, hands tucked into his pockets against the cold. His eyes flicked pointedly between Selwyn and me, one eyebrow raised slightly.

  The innuendo wasn't lost on me. Heat crept up my neck even as a laugh bubbled up unexpectedly. "Well, I'm certainly glad you didn't say 'something this big.'"

  Selwyn choked on nothing, his seasickness momentarily forgotten as he stared at me in surprise. Jacobi's eyes widened before a genuine laugh escaped him, rich and warm in the cold air.

  "I'd never be so crass." His eyes danced with amusement.

  Selwyn muttered, "Of course not," but a smile had replaced his grimace.

  For a brief moment, we were just three people laughing together, the complications between us temporarily suspended. It felt good. Normal, even.

  The moment stretched, comfortable despite everything, until another wave rocked the ferry. Selwyn's face took on a distinctly greenish hue again.

  "I think I should check on lunch arrangements below." Jacobi gave his brother a sympathetic glance. His eyes lingered on us for a moment, and something unreadable crossed his features before he nodded once and turned away.

  Another shiver ran through me, more violent this time.

  Selwyn took a step closer, then stopped, uncertainty written across his features. "May I?" He held out an arm, offering warmth without presuming.

  The memory of last night flared bright in my mind—his body against mine, solid and safe. The way he'd held me through my nightmares without question or complaint. I nodded, and he moved beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

  His body heat enveloped me immediately, his familiar scent filling my lungs. I tensed, then gradually relaxed against him.

  "Better?" he asked.

  "Yes." I didn't tell him that my trembling had little to do with cold and more to do with the flash of memory that had overtaken me—Marcelo's hands, his brutality. The contrast between that and Selwyn's careful touch was stark enough to make my chest ache.

  "The Elysium had a remedy for seasickness." His voice strained slightly. "Some odd tea with ginger. I should have brought some."

  "Focus on the horizon. It helps."

  He made a noncommittal sound, but his gaze fixed on the distant line where sky met water. We stood in silence for a while, the shared warmth building between us. The awkwardness from earlier gradually dissolved, replaced by a comfortable familiarity.

  "About last night," he began.

  "We don't need to discuss it."

  "We do." His voice was gentle but firm. "Things will be different when we return to the estate."

  I knew he was right. The Velez estate meant returning to established roles and hierarchies. Jacobi's trophy demon. Selwyn's—what? Friend? Something more?

  "I don't regret it," I said quietly.

  His arm tightened slightly around me. "Neither do I."

  "But it complicates things."

  "Yes."

  The wind gusted, sending a spray of seawater across the deck. Selwyn pulled me closer, shielding me from the worst of it. The protective gesture felt natural, unforced.

  "Jacobi knows something has changed," I said.

  Selwyn nodded. "He's not blind."

  "Are you worried?"

  He considered the question. "About Jacobi? No. About you? Yes."

  I looked up at him, confused. "Me?"

  "You've been through hell, Joy. You're still healing." His eyes met mine, serious and concerned. "I won't be another person who takes advantage of your vulnerability."

  The words struck deep, unexpectedly touching. Selwyn understood what so few did—that physical healing came faster than the other kind. That Marcelo's touch had left invisible wounds that might never fully heal.

  "You didn't take advantage," I said firmly. "I made my choice."

  He smiled, a small, sad curve of his lips. "Maybe. But the estate is Jacobi's domain. The dynamics there are... different."

  I couldn't argue with that. At the estate, I belonged to Jacobi—legally, if not in the ways that truly mattered. The collar he'd returned to me in the garden at Ross's mansion symbolized that ownership, even if he'd given me the choice to wear it or not.

  "We'll figure it out," I said, not entirely convinced.

  Selwyn nodded, but doubt lingered in his eyes. Another wave of nausea crossed his features, and he swallowed hard.

  "You should go below. Lie down before you make yourself worse."

  "I'm fine," he protested weakly.

  "You're green." I pulled away gently. "Go. I'll check on you shortly."

  He hesitated, then nodded, squeezing my hand briefly before heading for the stairs. I watched him go, a complicated mix of emotions swirling within me. Last night had been about comfort, about reclaiming some small measure of control over my body after Marcelo's violation. But it had evolved into something neither of us had anticipated.

  The first raindrops fell, large and cold against my skin. I turned my face up to them, letting them wash over me. The ferry pitched slightly as the waves grew larger, but the movement didn't bother me.

  The rain fell harder now, driven by gusting wind. I remained at the railing, letting the water soak through my clothes, a cleansing penance for failures I couldn't undo.

  In the distance, the mainland had disappeared completely.

  As the storm intensified, I finally surrendered to the cold that had seeped into my bones. I made my way belowdecks, each step reminding me of my still-healing injuries.

  I paused outside our cabin door, listening to Jacobi and Selwyn's voices within, their tones low and serious. They were discussing security arrangements for our return, plans to protect the estate and its inhabitants. Planning to protect me, whether I wished it or not.

  I moved past without entering. Let them plan. Let them believe they could control what was coming. I had my own preparations to make.