Page 124 of Tempest

Leaning against the wall, Morovant gave a low whistle and clucked his tongue. “I do not envy you, Valerian,” he chuckled, gesturing between the prisoners with his pipe. “Well, what is to be done about them?”

He questioned Valerian like a teacher prodding a student, and the younger captain certainly answered like it.

“A ransom will be paid by Lord Rose for the release of himself and his wife,” he said quickly. “And the officer has yet to decide.”

“The choice is yours, Pirate.” Fell’s shackled hands curled into fists. “Ransom me or shoot me dead.”

Sparks flared in Morovant’s eyes. He looked Fell over with something like hunger, as if measuring him up.

“So you will not choose the black?” he asked, sounding almost mournful.

Cat suspected Jasper Fell would be a boon to any ship, remembering his actions during the storm. And afterwards, in the wreck of the Venerable.

The lieutenant scowled and spit on the floor in front of Morovant’s boots.

“That’s what I think of your flag,” he said.

While Morovant glowered, Valerian gave a winning smile and sprang up from the table. Stalking forwards, he clapped Fell on the shoulder. The lieutenant went wide-eyed and shrunk away, but Valerian did not relent, gripping him around the neck like an old friend. An old friend holding on a little too tightly.

“Exactly as I expected. Thank you for being so predictable, Lieutenant,” Valerian said. Side by side, the two men could not have looked more unalike. Jasper, dark-haired and silver-eyed, a bound wolf. And Valerian, golden and grinning with a storm in his gaze, a lion prowling free. “I will send word to our man and begin proceedings.”

While Fell glowered, Valerian only grinned wider.

Behind them, Morovant shrugged. “Simple enough. Not the prize you hoped for, but life rarely goes the way we expect. Well done, Captain Kane.”

“You’re bold, I’ll give you that,” Fell hissed and tried to twist out of the pirate’s grasp. “But the navy will hang the lot of you soon enough.”

Valerian dropped his arm, letting Fell stumble. “You’ll be lucky if the navy remembers to pay your ransom, Lieutenant,” he said, gesturing for Ana to escort him out. “They have far larger problems on the horizon. Or so Lady Rose tells me.”

Jaw clenched, Cat swallowed a sharp retort, glaring at Valerian to avoid the curious look from Fell. At least the lieutenant was good enough not to open his mouth.

She wished she could say the same for Ryman.

“Captain, might I make a request?” Lord Rose sniveled, his bound hands reaching out.

Valerian neatly dodged his pale fingers. “Depends on the request.”

“My wife—she is not one to do well on her own. She is a simple thing, you understand. A bit daft. And she has great need of me,” the lord said, cutting a sharp look at Cat.

Cat flinched, not with fear but disgust. Again, she felt the crushing weight of life on Rosby press down on her shoulders.

“Certainly, you would not allow me to be separated from her?” Ryman begged. “Just the single night was torture.”

“Was it, Lady Rose?”

Her head jerked up to find Valerian staring, a shadow of amusement on his face, strands of golden hair falling into his eyes.

“Excuse me?” she blurted out.

He took a step closer and folded his arms, tanned forearms bare beneath rolled sleeves. Over his shoulder, Ryman’s watery stare held her in a way that made her skin crawl.

“Was your night torture?” Valerian said clearly, careful to enunciate, every word sharp as a blade. He did not smirk, but the ghost of it was there, ready to unfurl.

As before, it sent a thrum through Cat’s body, like a piece of metal struck with a hammer. Blood pounded in her ears, whipped on by frustration. And strangely, an odd sense of delight. Her lips did not move, her tongue a dead weight, for there was nothing she could say that would not end in punishment.

To share a bed with Ryman now, or enrage him later?

She despaired of either outcome.