A Perfect World

Chapter 10

AEDION POV

No one was freaking out. Why was no one freaking out? Aedion said as much. 

Elide stomped his feet and glared at him in response. Aedion didn't give a shit. 

Rowan was just sitting at the table in the centre of the room brooding over the wood like that would solve anything, while Lorcan looked at him expectantly—a dog waiting for his master. Once again, Aedion said as much. 

This time it was Fenrys who growled in his direction. Aedion spat at his feet. 

"I can see where Aelin gets her temper from," Rowan said, finally deigning to open his mouth. As if a statement could be any more useless. Whatever grip Aedion had had on his temper instantly frayed.

"Believe me, Aelin's temper is much worse and you'll be experiencing it yourself if we take any longer to find her."  

"Have you ever considered that maybe she doesn't want to be found?"

"What the hell are you talking about, Whitethorn? You can't just assume that! She could be dead in a ditch for all we know."

Rowan narrowed his eyes at Aedion, his green orbs darkening. Aedion saw Fenrys and Lorcan grow still as the death, paling slightly. 

"You think I don't know that?" Rowan gritted out. His voice was quiet, body trembling with restraint, as if he were a hair's breadth away from completely losing his cool. Aedion's fae side sensed nothing but danger. It prompted him to step back and submit to the predator before him but his human side was too stubborn. Blood boiling, Aedion straightened his spine, standing even taller, and cocked his head to the side. His tongue was cocked with a wicked response—something he knew would snuff out Rowan's last shred of patience. Aedion was about to fire when a knock sounded at the door. 

Elide didn't waste a second as she shot toward it and hauled it open. It was the captain. A short, stout old man who had blackened stubs for teeth. The kind of man who had probably never eaten a piece of fruit in his life. One glance inside the room and the man began to sweat. His normal hand fidgeted with his other hooked one nervously. 

"Erm... Sorry to interrupt but we need to... erm... get moving, you see. Lotta pirates on these waters." 

"Skulls Bay," Fenrys said, "Chart a course in that direction." 

"Erm... Well, you see, that's exactly where the pirates are..."

"Don't worry captain, we'll keep you safe," Fenrys assured him.

"Erm... Well, you see, I'm somewhat of a... erm.... a pirate boy me-self... erm... well, you see, once upon a time anyway... But you lads on the other hand..."

Everyone in the room just stared. 

"Erm... right then. Skulls Bay it is."

With that, the captain shut the door and everyone turned to Fenrys. 

"I know you don't want to hear this, Aedion," Fenrys said, meeting his eyes, "But Rowan's right. The last time we lost Aelin, it was because she wanted some time to herself. We can't ignore that possibility this time around. We're on a ship in the middle of the ocean. No other ships came anywhere within range last night." 

"Yeah well none of the lifeboats are gone either and there's no way she just swam away. First of all, the ocean is full of fish and Aelin—as big and bad as she claims herself to be—is terrified by fish! The only explanation for her disappearance is magic. And gee, I wonder who among us has the magical ability to just spirit her away?" Aedion stepped closer to Fenrys as he said it. Aedion wasn't dumb. "Fenrys had helped her last time," he said, looking towards Lorcan and Rowan. "Why wouldn't he do it again? He probably suggested that we go to Skull's Bay because he knows that that's exactly where she'll be."