The High Seas [ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ᴄᴀsᴘɪᴀɴ]

XI.

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        THE NIGHT HAD NOT LET RANI REST EASY. When she awoke her chest ached as it had never done before, only this time no bruise would show. All she could do was rub her wounded heart and choke back a watery sob. She knew she hadn't been fair on Caspian but his words had cut her deeply. Resentment and sorrow were nestled deep within her breast, neither quite ready to give up their hold.

  Gael slept soundlessly through the night, Lucy had slipped in later but Rani had had enough tact to refrain asking where she'd gone. The night, it seemed, had played with them all.

  Waking early and unable to sleep any more, Rani had slipped from the room and made herself useful on the deck. There was no use in lying around moping in her own sorrow when work could be done. It didn't surprise her one bit when she emerged only to be greeted with her brothers wide eyed and joyful face.

  "Up early I see?" His voice rode on the wind with ease, his fingers effortlessly winding and tying loose ropes. It was as natural to Rhian as flying was to a bird.

  Tension slowly seeped from her body and she rolled her arms upwards, hands reaching to the sky. A satisfied sigh left her lips at the pop that reverberated through her bones.

  "Well, at least some of us tried to feign sleep," Rani sent a pointed look her brothers way. She knew full well he'd had three hours sleep at best, the bags under his eyes said as much.

  "The sea was calling me," he grinned, spreading his arms wide, "Who am I to ignore it?"

  A smile tugging upwards at her brothers obvious deflection, Rani rolled her eyes. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

  Rhian's smile turned empty. "It was a rough night. Something dark was in the waters, I could feel it."

  "You and me both," Rani muttered, her arms instinctively winding themselves round her body. She didn't need to dwell on the past.

  "Jacob's still sleeping like a baby though," Rhian said, the shine coming back into his eyes. "Looks like someone on board had a good nights kip at least."

  "Jacob could sleep through a horde of angry centaurs if it came to it." Rani couldn't help but laugh as her brother feigned shock. Jacob was a very deep sleeper.

  "Did I hear my name and centaurs in the same sentence, or have I drunk too much sea water?"

  Rani and Rhian turned to face the bleary eyed ginger emerging from the shadows. Jacob looked pale and, though his smile said otherwise, Rani had known him long enough to guess he'd had a rough night too.