"So, I've got a few people preparing some things for the trip. I have a little time, do you want to-" Lex began.
"Can I come with you?" Aria asked, cutting him off.
"What?"
"Can I come?"
"You want to?"
"Yeah," she said.
"Of course. But they're almost ready, so just go pack what you want and-"
But Aria didn't wait for him to finish. She rose from her seat and ran out of the room, feeling a little ridiculous.
Chapter 51
She went to their quarters and found an old traveling bag. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to pack, exactly, so she looked around the room for a few minutes. She grabbed her journal and went to her dresser, looking for a change of clothes to bring on the trip.
She packed the clothes and her journal into the bag.
She figured she should also pack something to sleep in, so with that in mind, she opened one of the drawers at the bottom of her dresser and looked through it for something comfortable.
She had just picked up a pair of soft cotton pants when her eyes landed on a piece of black lace sticking out from the very bottom of the pile. She reached forward and took the garment out.
Should I?
She remembered the look in his eye when she yelled at everyone. The way he looked at her when they took the palace back.
She stuffed the nightgown into her bag and slung it over her shoulder.
To get to the others, this time, they had to cross the water. Her people had come to Pembra from a different direction than she and her friends.
On the way there, Lex explained that he had actually sent his guards on ships to search for them. And Aria’s mother confirmed that they had reached Pembra by stealing one of those ships. She had the good grace to look embarrassed by this.
Despite the cold, the hike to the ship kept her warm.
They walked in the darkness with the moon as their only source of light.
"What happened to the guards?" Martinez asked once the ship was in view.
"I sent two men to call the guards off," Hunt said. "They're in the dungeon now."
The hike was arduous enough to keep them all quiet. They hadn't really discussed what they would tell the people. They hadn't really talked at all.
One by one, they made their way onto the ship. Lex had invited three more of his men to join them. They gave the others directions and orders on preparing the sails, and before they knew it, they were off.
They decided to take turns sleeping, and since she wasn't tired, Aria decided to stay up with the first group. She'd hoped to get some time alone with Lex, but Hunt had called him off to discuss something or other.
Aria stood on one of the elevated decks and watched the horizon, feeling small and maybe a little insignificant compared to the sea's open vastness.
Eventually, her mother joined her.
"I've got to admit," Katy said, "Of all the things I'd imagined that would happen up here...this wasn't one of them."
Aria smiled at her mother. "Me neither," she said.
They stood in silence for a little while, a comfortable silence.
"Aria...I'm sorry," Katy said.
"For what?"
"For everything."
"Mom, it's-"
"I'm sorry for what happened here."
Aria looked over at her mother. She had been so angry when her mother had first arrived.
But she was tired of feeling angry.
Sometimes, people make mistakes that spiral into something worse than they had intended. Sometimes, people lie to protect their relationships, their loved ones. And sometimes, they tell the truth for the same reasons.
"It's okay, mom. I know why you did it," she said, placing her hand on top of her mother's.
"Well, I think I'm gonna go get some sleep. You should do the same," Katy said.
"I will."
She gave her mother a kiss goodnight but stayed on the deck. Watching the sea. Thinking about the place she used to call home.
"What are you doing out here? Why aren't you asleep?" Lex asked, walking up to join her on the deck.
"I wasn't really sure which room was mine."
"You're the queen. You can have any room you want," he said.
Aria smiled at him, shaking her head a little. She was glad that despite everything that had happened, things seemed normal between them. They fell into a comfortable silence, watching the water as Aria thought about how much she had missed the easy flow of their relationship; the teasing.
"When are you going to bed?" she asked.
"Now, I guess. Are you ready?"
"Is that an invitation?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
His eyes dropped to her lips for a second before he looked away.
"Yeah," he said, "It is."
All traces of the playfulness with which they'd begun the conversation disappeared.
She swallowed thickly before nodding.
She grabbed her backpack and followed him. He led the way down the stairs, taking her to the far side of the ship.
They walked until they reached a door at the end of the hall. He opened it and stepped inside, holding it open for her.
She walked in and glanced around the room; it wasn't very big. There was a bed in one corner, one wall lined with shelves. She noticed his pack by the base of the bed.
An old lantern stood on the middle shelf, lighting the room with a dim glow.
"Is this your room?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said from behind her.
She felt a little nervous. The air felt a little thick. She couldn't recall the last time they'd been alone in such a small space.
She heard him getting ready for bed, taking his shoes off, and undoing his jacket.
Grabbing her bag, she stood there a little awkwardly as she thought about what she should do. The confidence she'd felt in the room when she packed the nightgown had dwindled. She wasn't sure how to go about the situation. They hadn't really had much time alone since everything had happened.
"Why are you just standing there?" he asked, pulling her from her thoughts.
She looked up and
