“Cassandra is back!” I hear someone yell loudly, but the water in my ears makes it impossible for me know who shouted. I stroke the dragon who brought me to the surface and slide off its back, falling into the cold water. I see Everly do the same thing, catching up to swim right next to me. Kiaw left us when we were near the surface, not even waving goodbye at us. I can’t stop thinking about the promise Everly made, and trying to figure out how she is going to get out of it. She can’t end up married to man she clearly doesn’t like. I look up as I get near the ship, seeing the rope ladder just before it’s thrown right in front of me in the water. I swim to it, grabbing hold and climbing up. When I get near the top, hands pull me up the rest of the way, and I’m pressed against a familiar-smelling chest.

“You’re back,” Jacob whispers against my wet hair, soothing a hand down my back. I feel a towel wrap around me, and Jacob rubs his big hands up and down my back to dry me off. I really do need to get out of these freezing cold clothes, but I’m comfortable in Jacob’s warm embrace.

“Did you ever doubt I would come back?” I ask as I pull away a little, and see Tyrion pulling Everly onto the deck. She looks far better than I thought she would considering she just agreed to marry a mermaid king.

“Cassandra?” I hear Chaz shout, and I pull away from Jacob to see him, Ryland, Hunter, and Dante running over. They each hug me, some kissing me gently, and it makes me instantly relax for the first time since we got here.

“Good to see you’re back safely. Did you get the crown?” Ryland asks me, and I nod, pulling the bag off my back and holding it up. I don’t want to take it out of the bag. It isn’t worth the power rush at the moment, but they don’t seem to question me when I put the bag back on my back.

“What did the king want?” Hunter asks, his voice is cold. I look at Everly, seeing Tyrion stroking her arms, but she is already looking back at me. She shakes her head once, and I know that she doesn’t want me to say anything. I can’t blame her, but everyone will find out eventually. Still, it isn’t my secret to tell.

“Nothing that cost me anything,” I say honestly, and they all look between me and Everly.

“Should we worry, pretty girl?” Dante asks.

“No, trust me,” I insist, and none of them say a word for a second.

“We need to turn this ship around, and head for the castle. Time to leave,” Ryland shouts the end part, and everyone moves away except for him.

“We trust you, end of story. Now Zack is in the kitchens, and your stomach keeps rumbling. Go eat something,” he says and kisses my forehead before going to help Dante with some ropes. I smile at them all, watching them running around and organising everything for us to leave. I walk straight to my room first, pulling my wet clothes off and changing into some spare ones. I plait my hair after squeezing some of the water out of it. I hold the bag close to me as I walk down the stairs and towards the kitchens, hearing a shout. I run forward, stopping at the sight of Zack holding a small, pink kitten. He looks over at me, and raises his spare hand to beckon me over with a big smile.

“I heard Salty Sam in the barrels again, so I went to look to try to get him out. The little bugger scratched me when I opened the barrel,” he says, placing the kitten back in the barrel when I get to his side. I look down inside the barrel to see Salty Sam, with two little pink kittens snuggled up to her side.

“I thought Salty Sam was a boy,” I say in shock, and Zack laughs.

“As did we all, but she never let us close enough to actually find out. Now we know, and there are two more mouths to feed,” he says with a grin.

“I’m sure we will find them a home with a family somewhere, after everything is over,” I say, placing the bag on one of the other barrels. Zack pulls me into his arms, holding me close against him as his fingers rub circles on my back.

“How did it go?” he asks after we just stand there holding each other a while, with the small kittens making tiny meows.

“Better than expected, and we have the crown,” I say, and my stomach takes that moment to rumble loudly, causing Zack to laugh.

“Let’s get some food in you,” he says, pulling away and walking over to another barrel.

“Zack?” I call quietly.

“Yes,” he replies as he pulls a loaf of bread out.

“I love you,” I say, and he stops, looking me in the eye.

“I love you, Cassandra. I always have, and I always will,” he tells me and starts cooking. I watch him silently, just taking in how he cuts the food up and moves about the kitchen/galley. He knows exactly what he is doing.

“So, what are you making? Can I help?” I ask.

“No, you can rest, and let your husband take care of you,” he tells me, and I laugh, letting him do just that. When he brings me a tray with bread cut up, a bowl of something hot that smells amazing, and an apple, it nearly brings me to tears as I realise I could lose all of this. This normality, this caring, messed up pirate who I love. Everything could be gone because of the war, and I was stupid to think we might get out of this alive.

“Hey, don’t cry,” Zack’s leather-covered hand wipes a tear away as I stare at him. “What was that for?” he asks me, still keeping his hand on my cheek.

“I’m happy, and I love this normal, ordinary moment between us. I’m scared it could all be taken from me in a few weeks,” I admit to him.

“Nothing will be taken from us. We will make sure of that,” he says firmly.

“How can we make sure of it? I have to fight the king, and he is so powerful. Until now, I didn’t really think of what I would have to do,” I say quietly.

“Are you scared of him? Or scared of losing everything more?” he asks me.

“Everything . . . I’m not scared of him,” I say firmly, but my voice doesn’t come out as confident as I wanted it to.

“It’s normal to be scared,” he tells me.

“I know,” is all I can whisper back.

“You won’t be alone, you know that, right? The king will fall at your hand, but we will be at your side as it happens,” he tells me, and I wish it was as easy as his words make it sound. We are going to war, and I’m scared what the price might be for us all.