Her eyes found him.
For a heartbeat, neither of them moved.
Then Tess was running down the gangplank, boots hitting wood in a rhythm that matched Gabriel’s suddenly racing heart.
He dismounted, or tried to. His exhausted body didn’t respond properly and he nearly fell. Adan caught his arm and steadied him just as Tess reached them.
She stopped three feet away, eyes sweeping over Gabriel with an intensity that made him feel exposed. Taking in the way he held his ribs, the bruising visible on his throat, the exhaustion written in every line of his body.
"You’re late," she said. Her voice was carefully controlled but Gabriel could hear the tremor underneath. "A full day late."
"I know. I’m sorry."
"Sorry?" The control cracked slightly. "Sorry doesn’t cover nearly dying. Sorry doesn’t cover making wait seven days wondering if you were coming back in pieces or not at all."
Gabriel opened his mouth to respond but Tess wasn’t finished.
"I told Torrhen you were alive. I told him you’d be back. He wanted to leave yesterday and I had to convince him to wait one more day." Her hands clenched into fists. "One more day, Gabriel. That’s all we had. If you’d taken another day..."
"I know."
"Do you?" Tess stepped closer, her eyes bright with unshed tears and fury in equal asure. "Because it looks like you went and got yourself half-killed paying whatever debt you owed."
"I had to. The debt magic would have killed anyway if I’d refused."
"That’s not the point." Tess’s voice dropped to sothing fierce and raw. "The point is you left. You went off to do sothing dangerous and I had to sit here not knowing if you’d co back."
Gabriel wanted to reach for her but his body was swaying slightly from exhaustion. "I ca back."
"Barely." Tess grabbed his arm, steadying him. Her anger bled into concern as she felt him trembling. "Saints, you can barely stand."
"I’m fine."
"You’re not." Tess looked at Adan. "Help get him to the ship before he collapses."
Between them they got Gabriel walking toward the Serpent’s Tooth. His legs wanted to buckle but pride kept him upright.
Torrhen t them at the gangplank, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
"You made it," the captain said. "Barely."
"We made it." Gabriel’s voice was rough. "That’s what matters."
"We’re departing within the hour. Get your people and supplies aboard now." Torrhen’s eyes moved to Gabriel’s obvious injuries. "And get yourself to the ship’s surgeon before you bleed internally."
"I’m fine."
"You look half-dead." Torrhen turned to his first mate. "Get them below. Make sure this fool doesn’t collapse on my deck."
Tess and Adan guided Gabriel up the gangplank. Each step sent pain through his ribs but Gabriel forced himself to keep moving.
Below deck, the Serpent’s Tooth was cramped but clean. Narrow corridors, low ceilings, the constant creak of wood under stress. The first mate led them to a small cabin with four hammocks and a single porthole.
"You and your people get this cabin," the first mate said. "als are twice daily in the ss. Captain’s rules: no fighting, no stealing, stay out of the crew’s way. Break the rules and you swim to the Isle of Giants."
He left without waiting for acknowledgnt.
Gabriel lowered himself onto one of the hammocks and imdiately regretted it. The swaying made his ribs scream.
"Where are the others?" he asked Tess.
"Getting final supplies. Gilbert’s buying food, Ennu’s checking the market for maps, ra..." Tess’s expression tightened. "ra’s been in her room mostly."
Sothing in her tone made Gabriel’s exhaustion retreat slightly. "What happened while I was gone?"
"Later." Tess knelt beside the hammock, her hands gentle as they checked his ribs through his shirt. "First we deal with these. You’re lucky Castor didn’t crack them worse."
"How do you know about Castor?"
"Adan told while you were unconscious on your feet." Tess’s fingers found a particularly tender spot and Gabriel hissed. "You killed a Paladin Commander. The Church will be hunting you again."
"I know."
"Was it worth it?"
Gabriel thought about the mage’s daughter. About seventeen years old and learning her letters. About three days in a basent and a pyre in the town square.
"Yes," he said quietly. "It was worth it."
Tess was quiet for a mont, her hands still checking his injuries with practiced efficiency. "Did he suffer?"
"Yes."
"Good." Tess sat back. "Your ribs are cracked but not broken. Your throat looks like soone tried to crush it. You’re probably bleeding sowhere internal but not enough to kill you imdiately. You need rest, real food, and at least a week of not fighting anything."
"We’re about to spend three weeks on a ship. I’ll have ti."
"You’d better use it." Tess stood and moved to the door. "I’m going to find Gilbert and the others. Get them aboard before Torrhen loses patience. Don’t move from that hammock."
"Tess."
She paused in the doorway.
"Thank you," Gabriel said. "For waiting. For convincing Torrhen to stay."
Tess’s expression softened slightly. "Where else would I be?"
She left, footsteps fading down the corridor.
Gabriel lay in the swaying hammock, letting exhaustion finally catch up to him. His ribs ached. His throat burned. His entire body felt like it had been dragged behind the horses for six days.
But he’d made it back.
The debt was paid, the binding was broken, and they were about to sail for the Isle of Giants.
One step closer to answers.
One step closer to the truth.
Footsteps on the deck above, crew shouting orders, the creak of ropes being adjusted. The Serpent’s Tooth was preparing to leave port.
Gabriel closed his eyes and let the ship’s gentle rocking pull him toward sothing that resembled peace.
They’d made it.
Against the odds, against the deadline, against his own body’s protests, they’d made it.
Now we just have to survive three weeks at sea.
The thought should have worried him.
Instead, Gabriel felt sothing close to relief.
At sea, there were no Paladins. No Order. No Church hunting him for Castor’s death.
Just waves and wind and ti to heal.
He’d take it.
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