Chapter 25: Chapter 22

I felt a hand slide across my cheek, and my eyes slowly opened to Abble, smiling as her thumb rubbed my cheekbone. The swelling on her face had dramatically diminished, but the dark blue bruises remained under her tan skin. Whenever I looked at her, I was angry at what Alexander had done. I wanted to be the one who killed him.

The smile I returned was probably awkward as I lay on my shoulder, facing her. Not that I didn’t like her touching me, but I didn’t know how to respond to things like this.

Abble’s face fell serious. “Who said you could sleep with me?”

She was kidding, right… what was I supposed to do? Abble asked me too… I mean, she was out of it, but it wasn’t like I took advantage of the situation. On the contrary, I was giving her the comfort she asked for!

“I kind of just fell—”

Abble laughed weakly as she scooted over, putting her forehead on my chest. “I am kidding.”

It took my hand a couple of tries before it came over her, and she moved closer.

This was… nice. I wouldn’t mind staying like this for a bit.

“Be careful not to disturb the stitches—is this okay? Like, is my arm over you fine?”

Abble nodded her head. “Yeah.”

“I was worried. You got pretty bad at one point… So Wr—”

“Hold that thought. I really need to take a piss,” Abble announced, launching herself out of bed and rushing to the toilet room.

She was… so crude.

Abble returned, sluggishly crawling back under the maroon covers. She was still fragile and trembled as she lay beside me. I kept my hands to myself just in case she was done cuddling. The last thing I wanted was for her to think I was overly eager to touch her.

She glanced at me several times before scooting over and pressing her butt to my groin. Abble pulled my arm around her so that I was hugging her from behind.

This made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

Abble sighed. “That was close. Glad I didn’t piss the bed. That would have been embarrassing—sorry, Laying the other way was hurting my shoulder and side.”

“You can, like, just go. You don’t need to announce it.”

She shrugged. “I guessss—did you stay by my side the whole time?”

My head rested on the pillow as I nodded. “You needed water, and I kept a wet rag on your forehead. I stayed up the whole time, so it wasn’t like I was sleeping in your bed the entire time. This was an accident.”

Abble caressed my palm before her fingers timidly slipped between mine. “That’s okay. I am fine with you staying in my room.”

What was this… tone?

“Well, the couch is uncomfortable and—”

“In my bed, Kade.”

Was she asking me to continue sleeping in her bed or?

I swallowed. “I mean, your bed is… comfy and big enough… but it seems inappropriate?”

Abble removed her hand from mine. “I think we both understand this is just a friendship. So there is no need to feel that it’s inappropriate.”

No, no, no, this was not normal friendship behaviour… but I was inclined to believe Abble saw it as such. She was so unconcerned with me getting the wrong idea, but that was not what other people would think.

I guess it doesn’t matter since no one would think anything about it on this boat. They were just concerned about me eating them.

“If—that’s what you want.”

Abble returned to her back, looking over at me wide-eyed. “Really?”

I nodded. “Yeah…”

“Huh, I figured you wouldn’t agree.”

Really. Did she just use this to make fun of me?

“Does that mean you don’t want me to?”

Abble shook her head. “No… I never said that.”

“Are you sure?”

Abble’s eyebrow raised. “Why you say it that way? You got plans?”

I shrugged. “I am a demon, you know. Maybe this was the goal all along.”

Abble sat up and slammed her pillow on my face. “Shut up,” she said before collapsing back into her pillow. “Wow, I got dizzy.”

“You should relax,” I said, and like an idiot, my eyes drifted down to her shirt, which she was almost slipping out of.

Abble followed my stare before buttoning her shirt up. “Things are a little fuzzy.” She averted her gaze.

Really Kade? She just got done saying she didn’t mind you staying in her bed, and your eyes had to travel to an inappropriate location.

I sat up, putting my palms towards her. “I didn’t touch you inappropriately or anything… well, you grabbed my hand. That was it… I am sorry I looked at your—”

Why did I let that nonsense come out of my mouth?

Abble rolled her eyes at me. “I meant like almost dying.”

“Oh. Well, you had a fever. Wrecky said it was probably tide fever, but you survived. Obviously—You should drink some water.”

That embarrassed me to no end.

Jumping up, I looked around for the cup as Abble scooted to the side of the bed, looking absolutely exhausted. After getting some water from the cask, I handed her the wooden cup, and she took it, drinking it in one go as I sat down next to her.

Abble smiled at me. “Thanks.”

“So Wrecky was alive when I went to see him—”

Abble grabbed my shoulder. “You left this room?” Her face appeared almost angry.

“With”—I nodded towards Jordan—“he was… not doing well and contemplating drinking Poseidon’s blood.”

Abble paused. “Where did he get that?”

“Alexander had it likely for your father.”

Abble looked away from me. “Everyone dies.”

“He probably survived with the blood.”

“Is that really being alive? You saw what the tide looked like.”

I paused, looking down at my long white nails. “It might be better than not existing.”

Abble put her palms on her knees, squeezing. “This is my fault.”

“You cannot carry this on your shoulders—”

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Abble’s head spun around to me. “I brought you on this boat… it’s my fault, and it makes me feel even shittier that I would probably do it again, knowing how this turned out. That’s the type of person I am, Kade. Selfish and unapologetic. I know it makes me a terrible person, yet most of the time, I don’t care.”

We both sat in silence for a minute.

I shrugged. “Honestly, I am the same. I walked into a city full of people with a disease that could have turned many more if I had attacked them. This was all justified by the idea that I could find a cure. There was no cure to be found, and I knew that. Deep down, it was a risk that didn’t matter to me because I would die, and it wouldn’t be my problem. That is why I don’t have any friends. Sure, my parents sheltered me, but I am abrasive and selfish to the core. If I am ever to fix that shitty part of me, I need to recognise it.”

Abble was a tad taken aback by that response. “Would… you do it again, even if it wasn’t guaranteed you would find Cain again?”

“If I knew I wouldn’t hurt you? Probably.”

My words stunned her. It was accurate and certainly made me sound crazy, but we both were a tad insane.

“Why are we... I feel we are very close even though we have not known each other long. It feels like you’re an old friend.”

I sighed. “Yeah. I feel the same, but I think it’s because we understand each other more than anyone else. Even our less desirable traits.”

Abble put her hand on my leg. “I don’t think you’re selfish.”

“That’s probably because you’ve been on the positive end of it.”

“I’m a little infatuated with you, likely because you’re one of the few people who’s given me a chance to be friendly”—Abble removed her hand from my leg—“sorry if it’s been too much.”

I rubbed my neck. “It’s not too much, but sometimes your gestures appear intimate, and I am unsure how to respond.”

Abble sighed. “I know I should be more careful with my affections, but please don’t take it the wrong way. Wrecky did, and now things are awkward.”

“So that’s what happened with Wrecky?”

Abble began fidgeting with her fingers. “My mother was extremely affectionate with me as a child, always hugging and cuddling. So it felt natural to act that way with other people. Wrecky and I were very close as kids, and those innocent gestures became something else for him when we got older. One day, he touched me… unexpectedly, and I freaked out. Rather than explaining to him why I reacted the way I did, I pretended he didn’t exist… Then my mother”—Abble eyes teared up—“died, and he tried mending our relationship, but I wanted nothing to do with him. Wrecky had become a womaniser, and I thought he was trying to take advantage of my grief and get into my pants, but that wasn’t it. He was just worried about me, and I was so angry that my father treated him like a son and me a stranger… It all was just too many feelings at once—I’m over-sharing.”

I shook my head. “You can talk to me about anything you’re comfortable with. It will never be too much for me.”

Abble wiped her eyes with her pointer finger. “I regret a lot over the past couple of years, and now… Wrecky has become a casualty of my whims and temper.”

I slowly put my arm around Abble’s back, and she leaned into me. “I will never just assume anything. You have my word. When Wrecky can talk, explain this to him. He might not be human now, but he is still Wrecky. Make sure you don’t have any regrets when we step off this boat.”

“Thanks, Kade”—Abble’s stomach growled—“Sorry…”

I stood up. “You need food.”

“No, you can’t go alone.” Abble grabbed my arm, trying to stand, but she returned to the bed. “Oh wow, that restroom break took a lot out of me.”

“I’ll take Jordan with me and see how Wrecky is doing, as well.”

Abble hazel eyes stared at me for a moment. “Okay, but please be careful.”

Jordan got up, stretched, and walked to the dresser in front of the door to wait for me.

I nodded. “I promise.”

After sliding the dresser out of the way, I poked my head out the door, looking around. The creaking of the boat was the only sound that filled the dimly lit hallway. I glanced back, nodding at Jordan, and we walked down the hallway to Wrecky’s room, where the men no longer stood out front.

This meant one of two things.

My knuckles knocked on the black wood of the door, and I heard Wrecky telling me to come in.

When I entered the room, Wrecky was seated at a desk writing with his hair pulled into a bun. His face was clean-shaven, which took at least five years off his appearance. Wrecky’s complexion was a tad pale, but it wasn’t rioting.

For now.

Jordan followed me closely as I walked over to him, no longer missing his hand.

Wrecky put his ink feather down, turning to me. “Apparently, if a demon puts a severed limb back in place, it will reattach,” he said, waving his hand before folding his arms.

“Good to know—So it’s safe to say that was Poseidon’s blood.”

Wrecky nodded. “I’d say so.”

“How do you… feel?”

“Thirsty. Very Thirsty”—Wrecky pointed to a huge mug on the desk—“sea water apparently helps with this.”

My head tilted at him. “How did you figure that out?”

Wrecky laughed. “Well, when the freshwater wasn’t doing much, I said, why not try some with salt? The undead fuckers live in it, so it makes sense.”

This was great news. If Wrecky was going to be okay, then that meant we would make it to Endeavor with no problems. A lot of chaos had been swirling around, but we were moving away from the storm. I couldn’t wait to get to college and have some downtime with Abble.

I smiled. “That’s better than wanting blood.”

This was an enormous relief. Wrecky surviving was a massive weight off my shoulders.

Wrecky stood up, looking down at me. “I am sure I will crave human flesh at some point, but this is good for now.”

I nodded. “Abble is alive. I was slightly nervous, but she was too stubborn to die.”

Wrecky closed his eyes, letting out a long breath. “Finally, some good news.”

“Should we be worried about the crew, Anthony, especially?”

Wrecky shook his head. “Watch your back just in case, but I am pretty sure I have got everything under control. The fact that I have become a demon has made them second guess any ideas of mutiny.”

“Abble needs food. Can you get her some? I was planning to do it, but I want to avoid any possible aggravating of the crew.”

Wrecky grabbed a brown tailcoat from the back of his desk chair. “Of course.”

“I know you were on my side because of Abble, but I appreciate everything you’ve done to keep the peace. Unfortunately, before stepping on the boat, I couldn’t be honest about being a demon.”

Wrecky tittered. “I understand your reasoning. Also, I can’t really be on the side of killing a demon when I am one.”

“Welcome to the other side. It’s a pain in the neck.”

“I’d say it’s better than being dead”—Wrecky shrugged—“even if drinking seawater is my new thing.”

“Agreed.”

Wrecky grinned. “I like you, Kade. I feel like I will be hearing about your achievements with the guild. Perhaps they will send you to kill me one day.”

“I hope not. That sounds like a good way to die.”

Wrecky laughed. “Nah, I think I’ll be the one dying in the scenario.”

I sighed. “If you say so.”

Wrecky made his way to the deck while Jordan and I returned to the bedroom to find Abble asleep. Careful not to disturb her, I just locked the door, shooing Jordan away when she tried sliding the dresser back.

Jordan gave her usual huff and headed to the room’s centre, flopping down.

I sat down on the window seat beside the bed, relieved. Things turned to shit fast, but we somehow managed in the end. I was tired of this boat. Twenty-four days couldn’t come soon enough.

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