A Court of Beasts and Shadows >ACOTAR Fanfic

Chapter Forty-Six

I didn't know what to do.

I stared at the messed- up bed sheets, Tamlin sleeping next to me, the sheets dangerously low on his waist, and then down at myself.

Naked. Fully. Naked. Without. Clothes.

Shit, shit, shit.

Now that just complicated things further.

I slid out of the bed and reached down and grabbed my clothes, pulling them on quickly. I didn't know what Tamlin and I had done had been a good or bad thing, or something that would have serious consequences for later on.

Most likely all of the above.

"Where are you going?"

I looked around and smiled sheepishly at Tamlin, who was looking at me, a lazy smile on his face. "Got caught in an awkward moment so I decided to run for it."

Tamlin grabbed me by the waist, dragging me on to the bed, and I laughed as our mouths met and Tamlin's fingers curled in my hair and he pulled away, staring at me with adoration in his eyes.

"Morning."

I kissed him, my fingertips trailing across his scarred face. "We can't stay here any longer, we have to get to the Cauldron."

Tamlin groaned, lying back on the bed. "Can't we just take a day off? The Cauldron isn't going anywhere."

Was he serious?

"Savitr is hunting us, we have to get to the Cauldron, if he figures out what we're doing, he'll be at the island with his army in an instant."

Tamlin growled but sat up, leaning in and his mouth met mine again, and we tangled in sheets, kissing for a while until I pulled away, sighing. "We have to go."

Tamlin snarled but allowed me to get off the bed, and I got dressed and I heard Tamlin sit up and when I looked around, I saw his tanned back and looked away, pulling on my leather boots.

What had I done? I had just made things worse.

***

"So, you had sex with him?"

I nodded, swallowing down the dull-tasting eggs. "I made things worse."

Captain Castellan pushed around the meat on his plate, judging the singed edges of the meat with a raised eyebrow. "How does sex make things worse?"

I motioned for the barmaid to come over and pushed my now empty plate to the side, so she could take it. "He's my mate, but I also love Bryaxis. It's complicated."

"Everything seems to be complicated with you, sweetheart."

I laughed, picking up my tankard of juice and drained the entire thing, and Castellan pushed his over to me. "I prefer rum" he grinned, and I raised an eyebrow at him. "It's morning and you're going to drink ale?"

Castellan took out a small black square flask from his leathers and twisted the cap off. "It's never too early for rum."

I stared at the flask and then threw caution to the wind and held out my hand. Castellan handed me the flask and I tipped the contents down my throat. It tasted sweet but strong. I gave the flask back to Castellan.

"You like it."

My eyes narrowed at Castellan. "No, I don't."

"Yes, you do. Admit it or I'll hand you an entire barrel and see if you take it."

I sighed, giving in. "Yes, its alright. Now, pirate, where's the rest of your stash?"

Castellan opened his mouth to speak when I saw Tamlin's golden hair, his pointed ears and cursed. Castellan looked at me, and I motioned at him. "Go, now. Mates are extra territorial after consummating the bond, so if you value your life, leave now, I'll pay for your food."

Castellan was up in an instant and looked down at me. "If you want to escape your messed-up world, I'll still be in this village for two weeks. On the last day, we're leaving the docks after sundown. You have a place on my ship already, sweetheart."

I stood up and shook his hand. "If things go to shit, I'll see about wearing leather and being drunk every day."

Castellan slapped me on the shoulder and then walked off, just in time for Tamlin to turn around, and he winnowed over, and he kissed me, and then pulled away, looked puzzled.

"Are you day-drinking?"

I winced. "Don't judge, I'm twenty, I'm living my immortal life."

Tamlin smiled, and kissed me again, and he paused. "We have to leave now. I got word that Savitr is behind us by half a day. We get to the Cauldron, hide it away, and use it when the time is right."

I dropped a bag of gold coins on the table before Tamlin winnowed us away.

***

The island of Drakon and Miryam had not been easy to unveil but in the end, with my powers and Tamlin's combined, we took down the cloaking spell.

The entire island was deserted.

No one was around, except for one thing.

The Cauldron.

I could sense its power, the humming, the pull of its power...the shadows in my mind whispered to me of its thrall...and it was addictive.

The water seemed to darken when I looked at it.

I was tempted to touch the black water, and I wondered if that was the Cauldron's will.  I gripped the edge of the Cauldron and sent my shadows underneath it, supporting it, and then lifted. But it refused to lift.

Shit.

"Tamlin, we have a problem."

"What's the problem?"

"How the fuck do we lift it?"

"I can help with that."

I turned around, and I caught a glimpse of Savitr, one of his creatures with its claws at Tamlin's throat, and I saw Savitr smile before an invisible force slammed into me and sent me flying into the Cauldron's black water.