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I can feel my whole body tense. I’m going to explode if I don’t hit something.
“Ah,” Riden says. “I’ve come to understand that look. I’ll leave you alone for a while.”
He leaves right before my foot connects with the door.
***
I try to tell myself that it doesn’t matter. What do I care if Riden’s been trying to gather information from me? I already knew he was doing it. I just hadn’t expected him to try using a sentimental approach.
Nothing’s changed. I’m still trying to get the map. And as long as I keep the location of my father’s keep a secret, I can continue searching for it. So what if Riden gets a little clever now and then? He can’t touch me.
I’m sitting on the edge of Riden’s bed, waiting out the day, when the door opens. Was it too much to hope it wouldn’t be Riden?
He grabs my upper arm. “Captain wants to see you.”
I try to punch him in the stomach, but he’s expecting it. He catches my fist. “Come on, Alosa. Let’s see what he wants.”
“I don’t want to see what he wants. Every time I see Draxen, something terrible happens. I want to be left alone. I’m done with you, and I’m done with being on this ship.”
“Come on.” He drags me toward the door. “Something terrible won’t happen.”
I give him a look.
“Something terribleprobablywon’t happen. Just give Draxen whatever he wants.”
“How about if I give Draxen what he deserves?”
He laughs as he drags me the rest of the way. Up the companionway. Into Draxen’s quarters.
“Ah, here she is,” Draxen says. He has a couple of men already in here with him: Kearan and Ulgin. I suppress a shudder. “I think it best that the princess be kept in irons when she’s not locked up.” He nods toward Ulgin, who pulls a set of manacles from his belt.
“She’s still weak from yesterday, Captain,” Riden says, jerking his head toward my wrists. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”
“If you say so, Riden. Alosa, have a seat.”
“I think I’d rather stand.”
“I wasn’t asking.”
Riden moves me in front of a chair and puts pressure on my shoulders. Reluctantly, I sit. If I don’t like what happens next, I can always get back up.
“We received word from your father yesterday.”
“How’s that? I was told no one knew our location.”
“We’ve been using yano birds.”
I don’t expect to hear that. Yano birds are used for carrying messages out to sea. They’re very fast and excellent navigators. They’re also perfect for silent communication, because the birds don’t utter a note of song. But they’re extremely rare. My father himself has only five of them.
“How did you come by one?” I ask.
“I’ve a crew of men who are very good at getting things done. Your concern should be what happens to you within the next five minutes. I want to know where your father’s keep is.”
“He didn’t tell you in his letter? Shocker, that.”
Draxen scowls at my tone.
I ask, “What exactly did his note say?”
