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why he was still on edge. People stared at them warily, even though this was a port city that saw foreigners coming and going on a daily basis. But then, those people rarely left the docks, and they most certainly didn’t enter the city surrounded by members of the Royal Guard.
    The smell of salt and rotting fish grew stronger as they approached the water. Arden wrinkled her nose. So far, Boznac wasn’t impressive. But when they came to the edge of the buildings, her breath caught at the site of the tall-masted ships lining the harbor. “They have to be as tall as the palace towers.”
    “Way to show everyone you’re a complete bumpkin,” Loku taunted. “Close your mouth before you swallow a fly.”
    She snapped her jaw shut. She didn’t care what people thought of her, but the last thing she wanted was to accidently inhale one of the insects that swarmed around them.
    Ortono moved to the head of the column and led them to a man waiting at the end of a long pier. A small rowboat bounced in the waves below, manned by two sailors at the oars. Arden looked down at them, and her stomach churned.
    “We are happy to welcome you on board,” the captain said with a bow. Arden wondered if it was the hefty fares he received that made him so hospitable. The King must have paid a large sum to find a boat willing to take someone like her to Gravaria this early in the season.
    “This is where I must bid you farewell, Lady Arden.” Ortono stepped back awkwardly as though he wanted to offer some sign of affection but couldn’t because of propriety.
    Arden grinned and hugged him. Ever since she’d saved his life, he’d been one of her most outspoken defenders next to Kell. “I’m going to miss you, too. I wish you a safe journey home to your wife and boys.”
    Dev descended the narrow rope ladder ahead of her and stood in the rowboat as if it was on solid ground rather than the rough sea. Unfortunately, she lacked his sense of balance and stumbled as soon as her feet left the bottom rung. The dark blue waves mocked her, the bottom hidden below their murky depths. Her heart pounded, and she grabbed the greyed wooden slat that served as her seat for dear life.
    One of the sailors laughed at her. “First time on a boat, lass?”
    She nodded, keeping her mouth closed for fear she lose the contents rolling around in her stomach. When Cinder jumped down into the boat, the increased rocking sent new waves of nausea through her gut. 
    Dev moved to rebalance the boat and sat next to her. “Close your eyes. If you can’t see the horizon, it makes the movement less obvious.”
    But even with her eyes closed, she felt every pitch and sway of the tiny vessel. Every splash of cold water that came on board heightened her oldest fear. Sweat slicked her palms, making it harder to hold on to the boat.
    Then something warm and solid moved close to her. “What’s wrong, Arden?” Dev asked.
    “I can’t swim,” she whispered, afraid her confession would rouse another peal of laughter from the sailors.
    “Ah, I see.” He wrapped his arms around her, sending a river of calming magic through her. “Relax. I have you.”
    Her fingers uncurled from around the slat, and she leaned into the warm security of his embrace. His spell washed over her, driving away nausea, and the steady beat of his heart lulled her into a dreamlike state. As long as he held her, she was safe.
    “Better now?”
    “Yes, thank you.”
    “Of course,” Loku snickered. “Everything feels better in his arms, doesn’t it?”
    She refused to allow Loku’s insinuations to ruin that moment. For the rest of the ride to the ship, she would enjoy the rare show of affection that Dev offered her.
    It ended sooner than she would’ve liked, and once again, she found herself climbing a rope ladder that swung from even the slightest shift of her weight. She thought that once she felt the solid wooden planks of the deck beneath her feet, her fears would ebb. Instead, the large