The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

Chapter 44
“Come on now, you lazy bastards,” Perry shouted, and I
raised an eyebrow as he stalked across the deck, smacking
his hands together. “Get a move on.”
“He’s really enjoying this far too much,” Delano
muttered under his breath, and I stifled a giggle.
Casteel and I lifted a crate and started moving toward
the pier. The wooden ramp wobbled under our feet, causing
me to gasp as I glanced down at the churning dirty waters.
“Easy now,” Casteel murmured.
I nodded as Perry led us to a wagon. Kieran and Delano
were right behind us. My heart pounded as we passed the
guards, but the men weren’t paying us any mind, their
attention drawn to the few women who were catcalling at
the men still on ships, their faces heavily painted.
Thank the gods for some men’s inability to focus on
anything else if a pretty face was nearby.
“What in the hell are you all doing?” a man demanded
as he rounded the side of the wagon, a severe frown set in
the heavy jowls of his face. “This isn’t—”
“Quiet.” Casteel spun toward the man, and the power,
the slickness in that one word stole my breath.
The man went silent as he stared into Casteel’s eyes.
His entire body had gone stiff as he was held there,
suspended by invisible strings of compulsion. I was fixated
myself as it was so rare to see Casteel use compulsion.
“You will not say a word—any word—while these crates
are loaded into your wagon. You will not make a single
sound,” Casteel said, his voice soft and fluid. “Once the