Daydreams And Nightshade (DaN #1)

Chapter 57: A long overdue beating

Luna swallowed another retch. The audacity of life. Of all people to get sick from their journey at sea she never would've expected it to be her. It was the last thing she needed. The tension that'd been present ever since they boarded the ship three days earlier was enough to deal with. Sea sickness could wait. Or so she'd thought. As she fought back another urge to empty her stomach she ended up letting out a tragic sigh instead, and she gazed down at the water below them. It really wasn't for her. Seafaring was not for her.

Most of the others had gathered below deck for supper but Luna couldn't bear the thought of consuming something. She held a stern grip on the railing and refused to budge, hoping for the twentieth time she'd get used to it.

"Still not feeling better?" Abram appeared by her side with a cup of a clear liquid and handed it over to her. "To think you of all people—"

"Yeah, I know." She knitted her eyebrows at her impulsive reply. "Sorry, I... I'm in a weird place right now."

"He's still not talking to you?" Abram leaned against the railing, dark yellow eyes showing a look of concern and Luna pursed her lips.

"No... Still nothing."

"Well... If it helps, Ethan's not much of a talker at the moment either."

"That's just worse." Luna rubbed the bridge of her nose and groaned. "I wanted this whole... You know... Reveal thing to go smoothly, but this sucks!"

"I mean... It probably would've gone better if you hadn't waited almost two years to begin with." Abram's voice was surprisingly soothing for what Luna assumed was a scolding. "And they're also trapped with him right now. So yeah... Not a great reveal, no."

"I didn't even know Father was coming," Luna argued, taking a sip of the drink Abram had brought her. It was apple juice, to her surprise. "And I thought Uncle Ethan would be over his and Derek's past, so it'd be fine. It's been so long!"

"It's not about their relationship," Abram said with a grimace. "It's about the years after that. They've been at each other's throats quite a lot. Though for better or worse I do think Ethan might come around sooner than Lucius will."

"How do you feel about Derek then?" Luna turned to face him, taking another deep breath to fight off the nausea. "You've known him throughout the years too, haven't you? But I... I guess you're siding with Ethan?"

Abram shrugged.

"It'd be strange if I was fine with him, given his past. But unlike Damien and similar people he at least never killed supernatural beings out of hatred or prejudice." He smiled, fangs showing and Luna did her best not to shy away a little. "It's a small comfort, if a comfort at all."

"I wish I could say he's changed, or at least that he's a good person..." Luna tried smiling back. "I mean, he is to us, but I know he's... Not great towards others. I'm not gonna make excuses for him and I know I come off in a bad light for still being with him but... I don't want us to not be with him either."

Abram nodded slowly, and Luna exhaled through her nose.

"I guess that makes me a bad person too."

"Well, few people are completely good," Abram said, looking out over the water. Luna appreciated him not sugarcoating it by telling her she was, but part of her still waited for some kind of speech on how she wasn't completely awful either.

"So you think it'll last?" Abram continued as he glanced over at her. "Between you and Shyen?"

"Well, yes. Of course I do." Luna arched her eyebrows at the question and Abram nodded with what looked like a content smile.