His voice was tired and his shoulders sagged. With his acceptance, my fear drained away. My serpents wound once around my neck before disappearing, leaving us alone.
Castor peered at me. “It is a neat trick.”
“A dangerous one.”
He nodded. “Yes. When you leave here, what will you tell my brother?”
“I don't know,” I answered, honestly. “He'll be angry with you, but I'm sure he'll feel worse that you're stuck here. All he ever wanted was to be reunited with you.”
He didn't answer. “You should go.”
* * *
I blinked as Pollux lifted me to my feet. “Are you okay?” He put his arm around my shoulders, guiding me toward the stairs.
Locking my knees, I forced him to stop. “Wait.” I shut my eyes, aware of a building headache pounding behind my eyes. A pain at the back of my head radiated down my neck. My sleeve dripped water as I touched the spot. “What happened?”
Pollux pivoted, standing between me and a set of stairs. “Turn around.” He gently maneuvered me until my back was against his chest. His fingers probed at my scalp, moving my hair aside. I hissed when they grazed the place that throbbed. “There's a lump, but you didn't lose consciousness when you fell.”
I opened my eyes and realized he held my books. Ihadfallen. It came back to me. The rain. The slippery deck. Hitting the ground.
Castor.
The wind picked up, and I shivered in my wet clothes. “I fell.”
Pollux frowned. “You said you were okay.” His voice got a little deeper and more serious.
I didn't remember that. But I kept those words locked behind my lips. The look on his face showed he was close to losing it.
“You need to get changed out of these clothes before you get sick. But then we'll talk, got it?” He placed his arm around my shoulders again, but when he pushed me toward the stairs, it zinged the spot where Castor had gripped me. I jerked away.
“Leo...” He drew my name out, frustration dripping from every syllable. Looking away from me, he surveyed the ferry and waved someone over. I glanced over my shoulder to see Achilles hurrying toward us.
“I think I'm deaf!” Achilles called as he jogged over. “That horn blasted right through my skull, and this weather is awful.” As he got closer, he narrowed his eyes. “What's the problem?”
“Leo fell,” Pollux answered, hand skimming over the back of my head. The spot was less painful when his palm slid against it. “But she didn't remember.”
“I do.” I hated when they talked about me and I was right next to them. “It just took me a second.” Achilles stared hard at me, the glare staying right in place. I thought he was going to ask for more details, but he didn't.
“You need to change, then we'll talk.” He peered at Pollux, lifting his eyebrows in question.
Pollux nodded, guiding me again to the stairs. “There's a washroom. It's closer than the room.”
“I'm okay,” I told them both. “It took me a second to get my bearings. But you're right. We have to talk. Something happened.”
“We will,” Pollux replied. “After you are warm. I can feel you shivering.” He hugged me against him, but I kept myself from wincing. My arms didn't hurt as much, and the headache was disappearing second by second. “Her bag is in the van,” he called over his shoulder to Achilles. The tall man nodded and left us, but was back in a flash.
He followed behind us as we came into a warm area with tables and bench seating. Plexiglass separated the room from the walkway and stairs.
“Here's a washroom,” Pollux said, coming to a stop. “Do you need help?” He held out his hand to Achilles, who gave him my bag.
I shook my head and was rewarded with a ping of sharp pain that was gone in an instant. Something must have shown on my face, however, because after Pollux opened the door for me, he followed me inside. “I'll help.”
“I'm okay,” I replied. Again.
Pollux shook his head, not bothering to argue. The light came on, along with a fan that drowned out the noise of the ship.
Placing my bag on the sink, Pollux let out a long breath. “You must be nearly out of clothes.”