The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

started, “it might help if you stopped looking at the water.”
“I’ve tried that.” I forced a dry swallow. “It did not help.”
“Then you need to be distracted,” he replied.
“And it’s a good thing I excel at the art of distraction,”
Casteel said, striding up behind us. He reached around,
peeling my death grip from the railing. “Come,” he said,
leading me away as the breeze rippled across his loose
white shirt and tossed about the waves of his hair.
“Have fun,” Kieran called out.
“Shut up,” I snapped, walking stiffly beside Casteel.
Perry and Delano waved at us as Casteel guided me to
the stairs that led down into the cabins. It was dimly lit
belowdecks, and I’d only been below for a short period of
time earlier to try and eat something, but I had found the
floors of the stately cabin we’d been given just as unsteady
as the ones above.
Casteel opened the door, and I inched my way in.
Everything was bolted down. The table and two chairs. The
bare surface of a wide, wooden desk. The wardrobe. The
wide bed in the center of the cabin. The clawfoot tub. The
standing dressing mirror and vanity. Even the gas lamps
were secured. He led me to the desk.
“Take a seat,” he said, and I started to sit in the chair in
front of the desk, but he tsked softly under his breath.
Letting go of my hand, he grasped my hips and lifted me
onto the desk.
My heart gave a silly little tumble at the show of
strength as he opened one of the cabin windows. I was
neither small nor dainty, but he often made me feel that
way. I watched him pick up one of the bags we’d brought
with us and place it by the desk.
“You were about to take my seat.” He returned, taking
the chair directly in front of me.
I raised an eyebrow as I gripped the edge of the desk,
and he tapped my booted calf, motioning for me to lift my
leg. “What are you up to?” I asked.