Evie


    “And de is still not awake?”


    Evie had been reeling from what was surely the grandest, sweetest gesture she’d ever seen. He’d thrown a man overboard. For her.


    Swoon.


    Don’t allow the boss to get away with murder, Evie!


    Unless it’s your birthday. Then it’s fine.


    “No. Rnd thinks he just needs a day or two to sleep it off, since his pulse is steady and everything else appears normal, but we’ve got a demon flower and the dragon is losing it!” Becky screeched into the gem, and Evie had the urge to smile despite her building worry.


    “Oh, Becky, I miss you,” Evie said with the utmost sincerity.


    “Are you even listening?”


    “Rebecka, take a breath,” Trystan said. “Is there any way to speed along de’s recovery? A nt Rnd can use aside from the memory flower?” Trystan was level, calm—or at least he appeared so, standing there so solid, unmoved by the conflict. If he wasn’t worried, perhaps she didn’t need to be, either.


    Waves rocked the ship, the sun lower in the sky as the afternoon drifted slowly into evening. Birds sailed overhead, nose-diving into the waters for fish. The world appeared serene, which was typically when everything seemed to go to shit.


    “Rnd’s going to try a few ideas, but nothing that will work immediately, and I need him to awaken. Now.”


    Without thinking, Evie reached out to grab The Viin’s hand, bringing the amethyst closer to her face. “He’ll wake up, Rebecka. I have some notes in my journal about starlight magic—there might be something useful. It’s in the top drawer of my desk.”


    “No it isn’t,” Becky responded, unfazed.


    Evie blinked. “Then where would it be?”


    “Lyssa’s been reading it.”


    Evie cried, outraged, “And you didn’t stop her?”


    “I’m the one who got it for her,” Becky said, not sounding even a little sorry.


    Trystan cut in, looking bored. “Rebecka, what exactly is wrong with Fluffy?”


    “I— He’s restless… He ate a mail clerk.”


    Trystan yanked his hand back to his face so hard, Evie stumbled headfirst into his chest. He didn’t seem to notice. “Was it Morey?”


    Becky paused, “Yes…”


    Trystan looked a little too near to joyous when he responded. “Excellent.”


    Evie pulled both their hands back down to her, and Trystan lost his footing this time, his chest bumping hard into her shoulder. “Ignore him. Get my journal, and there’s also a stack of notes in my desk with memos if you want to try to go through those.”


    “That sounds like giving myself a headache. On purpose,” Becky responded. “I’m already suffering from the kiss—”


    “Wait, what?” Evie asked, and there was a pause for so long Evie thought the connection between the gems had been severed. “Becky?”


    “Thest time I saw him, I kissed him.”


    “WHAT!” Evie screeched, squeezing Trystan’s hand around the gem so hard he grimaced.


    “Sage, believe it or not, blood does need to circte to my fingers.”


    Evie skewered him with a feral re, and he immediately fell silent. Tatianna nearly bounced at Evie’s shoulder. “What do you mean, you kissed him?” she asked.


    Becky let out a long-suffering sigh. “I don’t believe I need to exin the concept, since I know for a fact that both of you havemitted the act with one of the Maverine siblings.”


    All the crewmen stopped to exchange looks, and Trystan responded to the attention with a chilling coldness. “Something to add?” They scrambled back to their tasks.


    Tatianna leaned over the amethyst, dark brows nted downward. “I understand the act well enough. What I do not understand is what prompted you to do it. Not that I am disapproving; you know I’ve told you a dozen times that you could do with a good, long—”


    “Ms. Erring. Breaking your own rules aside, is this all that happened? Anything else to report?” Trystan was desperately trying to steer them back to the topic at hand; Evie could tell by how he was white-knuckling the gem and avoiding her eyes as if they revealed her naked body.


    “I also told him I loved him.”


    “Oh my gods!” Tatianna and Evie screeched. Trystan tossed the amethyst so he could ce his hands over his ears, and Tati snatched it out of the air.


    “What did he say?” Evie was near vibrating with excitement. Why did all the most interesting things ur in the office when she wasn’t present? It’s like everyone waited to genuinely enjoy themselves until she was out of sight.


    “I ran away as soon as I said it! And then he got sted and told me he loved me.”


    Both Evie and Tati gasped.


    Becky finished on a breath. “And then he went unconscious.”


    Tatianna smacked a hand against her forehead. “Oh, Rebecka.”


    “You both told me to follow my instincts! Now look at the mess I’m in!”


    Trystan was rubbing his temples. “Perhaps he merely passed out from the emotional whish.”


    Evie gasped, smacking him on the shoulder with the back of her hand. “You’re not helping!”


    “It’s not my desire to be helpful in matters of love,” he said ndly.


    She looked him up and down with distaste. “You’re kidding.”


    There was a feeling of satisfaction that went through her when his cheeks turned red. He cleared his throat and addressed the amethyst again. “Ms. Erring, how did the memory nt explode?”


    Becky then ryed a long-winded exnation that involved her brother, a misunderstanding, and the nt that Renna Fortis had attempted to use to siphon Becky’s magic. The story ended with petals being pulled and the nt reacting poorly.


    “Your brother?” Trystan asked warily.


    “He was locked away and guarded when de got hurt, so as much as I’d like to put the me on him, it wouldn’t get us anywhere productive.” That was so like Becky, to be logistical instead of emotional.


    A skill Evie had never mastered and never would. But Evie was a master of masking her feelings beneath a cheery veneer, and she knew what it was to hide.


    “Are you all right, Becky?” Evie asked gently.


    Becky’s voice shook but steadied almost at once. “Not particrly, but I’ll survive. How are you all?”


    They recounted their journey thus far as quickly as could be managed. Evie left out the more scious points but promised herself she’d gift the HR woman with the gory details upon their return. If only to see her sses pop off from how wide her eyes would fly.


    “Every resource in the office is at your disposal, Ms. Erring,” the boss said. “Let us know when he wakes up or if you find anything suspicious.” The statement was so solidly delivered that there seemed to be a collective exhale among their group.


    The untrained observer would assume the way hemanded his employees was without thought, but Evie knew Trystan Maverine better than most—better than herself, at times. His words offort were given without fuss and without ir. They were in and easy and therefore believable.


    Evie’s heart beat faster, in time to his name.


    “Thank you, sir. I do wish you hadn’t ordered the rest of the Malevolent Guard on that mission, but I also understand. At least once they return, I’ll have more hands to restrain Fluffy.”


    Evie’s blood froze.


    Trystan’s every muscle tightened, his dark eyes locking with hers. “Rebecka…” The Viin said, uncharacteristically using the HR woman’s first name.


    “Yes, sir?”


    Trystan paused and confirmed the white-hot, icy feeling prickling at Evie’s neck.


    “I didn’t send the Malevolent Guard on any missions.”