“Now, darling,” she drawled and rose, slipping the coins in her pocket, “let us retire, since I’m so very tired.” She held out her hand as if she needed his help.

He had no one to blame but himself. She was only playing up to the role he’d made for her—the invalid wife who needed to get to bed so early. The poor weak thing.

Maybe it was cruel. But it wasn’t as cruel as locking a fae-blooded woman in an iron cage. And it wasn’t as cruel as sleeping with someone you planned to betray.

A breath later, Knigh rose and circled the table, his face a mask once more. “Of course,” he murmured, offering his arm.

They wished the Pevenseys goodnight and left the cabin. No sign of Barnacle—probably off with the ship’s tomcat again.

In silence, Vice and Knigh walked the corridor, gaits offsetting the ship’s sway with ease.

She let out a long breath. That sway cooled her, pushed away the anger. Not so long ago, she thought she’d never feel it again.

The sea.

Her beloved sea. Immense. Ancient. Ever-moving. It whispered to her gift, called her, sang to her.

It would never let her down.

Unlike Knigh Blackwood.

Keeping Up with the Pevenseys

As soon as their cabin door closed, Vee rounded on him, cheeks flushed, eyebrows drawn low.

“How bloody dare you?”

Knigh held his face stiff against the desire to wince. Stopping her cheating was the right thing to do and yet …

After what he’d done, perhaps he should let her do whatever she wished. It certainly didn’t feel right to deny her anything.

But, gods, this cabin—it was too small for both of them and her anger. A double bunk against the bulkhead with a chest at its foot, a tiny desk and a dressing table, then a strip of deck down the middle. That was it.

Chest heaving, she shook her head. “You do understand you’re the reason I have no money, don’t you? All I wanted was some of my own.”

He stood stock-still, but inside, his stomach twisted and his heart faltered. A chill snaked through his bones.

It was his fault.

Just like her skinny body was his fault, and her wasted muscles, too. She had put on weight but still didn’t fill the clothes he’d bought her. Physically, she was a shadow of the woman he’d first met. And her gift wasn’t in any better condition.

His fault.

His poor judgement. Again.

Bile touched the back of his throat.

Jaw clenched, he swallowed. “And how would we have explained it when they discovered you were cheating?”