Chapter 175

RUMAL PAUSED OUTSIDE CATHERINE'S ROOM and stared at Leseach.

'Is she still asleep?' he asked in surprise.

The Northerner lifted her chin and levelled a straight look at him. 'Yes.'

The unexpected abrupt tone caused Rumal to shoot her a quizzical glance, but Leseach remained impassive. With a shrug he continued on his way down the corridor and climbed the stairs to the main deck, seeking Kassie. He spotted her mass of bronze curls, the cool wind blowing them around her head. She sat with Kerak at the edge of the deck, looking over the railing toward the ship with Sabyn and Loi. Rumal slid onto the bench seat beside her, straddling it and slipped his arms around her waist.

'Morning,' he said, dropping a kiss on her forehead. She didn't say anything but leaned back against him with a sigh. Scattered clouds moved swiftly over the grey sky and the occasional gusts across the ship made the slighter goblins hunch toward the deck, bracing against the wind. The Halenine fae clung tight to