The Song of the Sea

8. Banished

A/N  Happy Birthday to the wonderful @playztasnim !!!!!  A bitter-sweet kind of chapter for you, but I hope you enjoy it, and the rest of your day. xxx

Raephier couldn't help but notice the troubled expression on Jacob's face when he entered back into the room.

He wanted to ask what the matter was, but couldn't quite build up the courage to.

It didn't matter a moment later when Jacob gave him a clue.

"How well do you know the man that sold you to me?"

Raephier felt his stomach drop.

"N-Not that well," he stuttered after a moment's pause.

Raephier had never worried about lying to a master before. He did it almost as second nature. But with Jacob it was different. Jacob had specifically asked him not to lie, and so far he'd shown him nothing but kindness and trust, and he didn't want to jeopardize that by being caught out on a thoughtless lie.

Jacob sat down in the chair, and Raephier watched as Jacob seemed to be in battle with whatever thoughts were swimming around in his mind. His forehead was creased by a frown, and his jaw was clenched and tight. And Raephier hated it.

Eventually, Jacob spoke again.

"Is it weird that he's sitting downstairs right now?"

Even though Raephier had assumed that this was the case as soon as Jacob mentioned him, to have it confirmed somehow made it worse. He felt like he was an injured animal and the vultures were circling him from above.

Anxiety prevented Raephier from giving any kind of answer to Jacob, but he didn't seem to notice and instead asked another question.

"Do you think he might try to steal you back?"

This time Jacob turned to look at Raephier, clearly expecting a reply.

At least this was a reply Raephier could give, and one that might ease Jacob's fears.

"No, I don't think so."

Jacob looked a little relieved by Raephier's answer, but he still looked tense.

"Maybe it's just a coincidence then. Because of the storm?"

The upward turn at the end of the sentence alerted Raephier to the fact that he was being asked to respond.

"Possibly," he replied, although he felt like the word clogged in his throat a little.

Nothing more was said between them. Jacob appeared lost in his thoughts, his hands absentmindedly playing with a small silver timepiece that he'd pulled from his pocket, so Raephier settled back into the comfort of the bed.

Within minutes, Raephier started to feel his eyes drooping.

"Move up and let me in," Jacob said, snapping Raephier back awake.

He did as he was told and moved to the far side of the bed as Jacob removed his jacket and boots, turned off the small oil lamp on the bedside table, then slid into bed beside him.

The bed was plenty big enough for them to not have to touch, but Raephier could feel Jacob's body next to him like it was a raging fire.

The idea of sleeping this close to the Captain was both thrilling and scary in equal measure. As much as Raephier wanted to be here, maybe more than he wanted to admit, he knew that he needed to say something or he'd be too anxious to sleep.

"If I move around or make too much noise, please can you wake me so I can sleep on the floor? I don't want to disturb your sleep."

Raephier felt Jacob shift so his body was facing him. The silence made the hairs on Raphier's arms stand on end. There was something about being in the dark that heightened all the senses, and right now, the air felt like it was thrumming with static energy.