These Gilded Seas

Chapter Thirty: A Sharp Omen

Eero is forced to slow down once we reach the middle of the city. The crowds thicken, and more than once we have to completely stop to find a detour around children or animals in the street. Our convoy travels in the opposite direction from which I entered the city, so none of the buildings look remotely familiar. If only I had time to enjoy the architecture.

Considering Eero keeps taking us around corners at breakneck speed, I hardly have time to look, let alone appreciate.

Eventually, Eero's guards catch up, huffing amongst themselves. Magnus leads the group, and surprise, surprise, he's the only one belly-laughing. The rest don't actually say anything, though. They just sulk. Eero's grin must stun them into silence.

I don't see anything funny about barrelling through the city on the back of an animal ten times my weight and size. My hands have gone numb from clenching Eero's leg, and I'm trembling all over.

Then, I smell it. My entire body relaxes.

Salt—so heavy in the air that it could smother me.

Fish—ripe under an unforgiving autumn sun.

Water—sweet, blissful, ethereal liquid of life.

My heart nearly bursts out of my chest with excitement. Magic flares to life in my stomach and warms my entire body. I sit straight up, trying to peer over the stone wall. I need to see it. Need to feel it. Need it.

"Just a few more minutes," Eero says with a laugh. "Would you mind letting go of my leg now?"

Glancing down, I retract my nails from his knee. "Sorry," I mumble as I smooth his pants.

"Don't apologize." He steers Max towards a gate that's identical to the other entry into the city. "Scars give a person character."

I roll my eyes. "I did not leave scars."

"How do you know? Are you sure there's not skin under your nails?"

"Of course there's not. Stop being so dramatic."

Eero laughs as we duck under the archway. The guards follow closely behind.

In the distance, farther away than I expected, a row of blue caps the horizon. It glitters in the bright sunlight, screaming out for me. Its pull is gravity in my chest. A blissful sigh leaves my mouth, and I relax backwards.

Into Eero's chest.

That thought jolts me upright again. Well, the thought and the fact that I could feel his pectorals on my shoulder blades.

"Now who's excited?" he whispers, chucking as he urges Max a bit faster.

"Oh, hush," I growl. "I just miss the water."

He hums knowingly. For a second, it feels like he might ask more, but then I remember he knows. Eero's fully aware of my connection to the sea. So why doesn't he press for information? Why doesn't he just tell me what he knows?

Better yet, does the fact that he knows what I am have anything to do with his invitation? Am I here because he knows how much I miss this?

Is Eero being nice again?

"Why doesn't Amaia like the docks?" I blurt, needing to distract myself.

"Pirates, mostly." He lifts an arm over my head and shifts the reins into one hand. His free hand returns to rest on his leg, but his fingertips graze my left hip. The touch is feather-light. He might not even know he's touching me. As I stare at his hand, though, his index finger twitches, moving millimeters closer to me. Like it wants to make contact.