AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thank you, for my brother.”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing. It’s everything to me.”
His gratitude is overwhelming my already bursting heart. “In that case, you’re welcome. Now let’s go.”
“Lead the way.”
We walk at a brisk pace. We haven’t taken more than a couple of steps when Riden whispers my name.
“What?”
“When we’re out of here, when we’re safely away from the king’s keep, I want to talk to you about something.”
“And what’s that?”
“Alosa?” A new voice comes down the tunnel, and it’s far too close.
Tylon.
“Go on,” I whisper to Riden so quietly I might only be mouthing the words. “I’ll distract him. You keep going.”
“I don’t know where I’m going.”
“Just go.” I wave one hand frantically.
I rush back the way we came, running right past the study door and halting just before the tunnel bends. Tylon’s face appears above mine.
“Are you alone?” he asks, peering over my shoulder. Since he doesn’t reach for his sword, I assume Riden listened and kept going.
“Yes, why?”
“It sounded like you were talking to someone. What are you doing here?” He looks curiously at the study door, and my heart plummets. He cannot think I came from there. He’d rat me out to my father in a heartbeat. I need a good lie. And I need it now.
“I was looking for you,” I say hurriedly. “And rehearsing what I’d say when I found you.”
I reach for the siren in me and pull her out effortlessly. Goose bumps surface on my arms. If Tylon notices, I hope he thinks it’s a reaction to him and not from using my abilities. The siren half of me gives me three unique abilities. I can sing to men and make them do whatever I wish so long as I have the power of the sea with me. I can read the emotions of men—they manifest as colors for me to decipher. And last, I can tell what any man wants in a woman, become it, and use it to manipulate him. Since I wasted most of my song on Vordan, it is the latter two of my abilities I pull from now.
My entire focus latches onto Tylon, on his greatest wants and desires. I can see the red of his desire for me. Though I know he’s attracted to me, what he really cares about is that I’m the pirate king’s daughter. That is what makes me useful to him. Being in my favor serves his own interests. And the only person he’s ever cared about is himself.
“Well, you’ve found me.” He folds his arms and steps back to get a better look at me. He’s scanning me for deception, trying to spot it in any gesture. One wrong word or movement, and who knows what he’ll do.
I need to swallow my nausea and pride in this moment.Forget what it does to my dignity. This is for my mother. “I don’t like arguing with you. What happened today in front of all the captains—it can’t happen again.”
“I agree.”
For some reason, it bothers me more to have him agreeing with me. “And I think you should know, despite what I say and how I act, I don’t hate you.”
His stiff, suspicious stance relaxes. “I know that.”
Sure he does. Arrogant bastard doesn’t realize I’m saying the complete opposite of what I feel. “You do?” I ask, adding a hint of playfulness to my tone.
“I can be very likable, if you’ll just let me.” He peers deeply into my eyes, as though trying to force a connection with me.
“Let you what?”
“Let me show you how great we could be together. Can’t you just see the future we’d make? You and I ruling the sea. All in Maneria afraid to leave the safety of land. All the money of the realm pouring into our treasury. With you and your abilities, our legacy will be even greater than Kalligan’s.”
