I took her hand in mine, twisting it back and forth like it would tell me its secret. “You had a long laceration here.” I caressed the skin where her two-day-old mark had been. I shook my head. “When did it go away?”

“I don’t know exactly. But I noticed it was gone when we first set sail.”

I examined her perfect skin, as pure as winter’s first snow. Not even a hint of a scar showed. Then I remembered our walk in the gardens. Realization dawned. “That wasn’t me. That was my sister.”

Chapter twenty

Lou

His sister? I jerked back. My rear bumped the rail. “You have a sister?”

His dimple flexed. “Yes. You’ve met her. She’s a cute little thing. Red hair, big blue eyes, chatters like a gull.”

My hand raised to my mouth. “Savina,” I whispered.

“Mm-hmm. And as I recall, she asked to hold your hand last time you saw her.” He chuckled. “Her favorite gift from our father is healing. She scours the gardens for injured animals to mend. If a flower is wilting, she’ll restore it to full bloom. We try to limit her exposure to people so she won’t create questions like yours. She’s very proud of her abilities and doesn’t yet understand that her talents are secrets. She is only five.”

Now their resemblance made sense—the cheek dimple, the slope to their noses, the similar square jawlines, the identical smiles. That’s why he adored her so much. “She’s your sister. But then that would mean…”

“Apollo took human form as King Delphi. Originally, he took the identity to guide and nurture me to my full potential. But you know Apollo.” Rylander shrugged. “Can’t keep him from the damsels.”

I staggered, tipping until I almost fell overboard. Rylander clutched my shoulders, drawing me toward the masts. His amulet swung free of his shirt. “Whoa there.” He ushered me onto one of the nearby crates. “Can’t have you falling into the water. I’m not in the mood for an evening swim.”

“I’ve conversed with Apollo?” I squeaked.

“That you have.”

I groaned, recalling my poor behavior toward a god who could have smote me at any moment. I’d called him a daft fool! No wonder Edgar and Rylander had jumped out of their seats like their pants had ignited. “Any other deities I’ve unknowingly had the pleasure of meeting?”

Rylander took a moment to think it over with the night sky. “Not that I am aware of, no.”

“All right then.” I rubbed my temples. The past twenty-four hours had caught up with me. My back ached, and blood pounded in my skull. “It’s been a long night.” I glanced at the exposed waves of muscle down Rylander’s stomach and gulped. “I need rest for the morrow.” I motioned for us to depart.

“Wait. I have a question,” Rylander asked, unmoving.