Eris POV

The ship had settled into a calm rhythm after the storm, the ocean stretching endlessly beneath a sky that was beginning to clear. The crew moved with the ease of those who had grown up on the water, their voices a constant hum as they worked. I found myself standing at the bow, staring out at the horizon. The vastness of it all made my chest tighten.

"Something on your mind, lass?" Koa's deep voice rumbled behind me.

I turned to find him leaning against the mast, his arms crossed. His presence was steady and reassuring, though I could never quite get used to the way he towered...