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“You don’t need to know it. He will find me.”
“We will be several days ahead of your father’s men. That’s more than enough time to escape to somewhere he will never find us.”
I shake my head. “You simpleton. My father has men in his employ throughout all of Maneria. It only takes one of them to spot you.”
“We are well aware of your father’s reach. Though I don’t see how he thinks that merits his self-given title as king.”
Now it is my turn to recline in my chair. “You’re jesting, right? My fathercontrolsthe ocean. There is not a single man who sails without paying a toll to him. All pirates must pay a percentage of their plunder to him. Those who do not are blown sky high from the sea. So tell me, fearless Riden, first mate of theNight Farer, if he kills men for shorting him on money owed, what do you think he will do to the men who have taken his daughter?
“You and this crew are nothing more than a bunch of little boys playing a dangerous game. Within a fortnight, every man on the sea will be looking for me.” Of course, I intend to be off this vessel before a fortnight has passed.
“Little boys?” He straightens in his chair. “You must be younger than nearly every man on this ship.”
After everything I said, that’s what he held on to? “Hardly. What are you, fifteen?” I’m goading him. I know he must be much older than that, but I’m curious as to his actual age.
“Eighteen,” he corrects me.
“Regardless, my age has nothing to do with anything. I have a special set of skills that make me a better pirate than most men can ever hope of becoming.”
Riden tilts his head to the side. “And what skills might those be?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
His grin widens at that. “As I’m sure you’ve already guessed, this is no ordinary crew. We may be younger than most men at sea, but most of us have seen the cruelest side of life there is. The men are ruthless, each one of them already killers.” For a moment his face drops, and a hint of sadness washes over him. He’s reflecting on some former time.
“If you’re going to start crying, could you wait until you get back on deck? I can’t abide tears.”
Riden levels his gaze at me. Almost as if he’s not looking at me but through me. “You’re truly a heartless creature, Alosa. You kill without hesitating. You can best two men at a time in a fight. You watch your own men dying without blinking. I can only imagine the kind of upbringing you must have had under the most notorious pirate in all of Maneria.”
“Let’s not forget the fact that I’m a better shot than you.”
He laughs, showing a nice set of teeth. Impressive for a pirate. “I think I shall enjoy our talks together over the next good long while. And I sincerely hope I will get a chance to see you shoot someday, so long as I’m not the target.”
“No promises.”
The faint sounds of shouting rise above deck. The ship shakes as it releases more cannons. That’ll be Draxen sinking my ship. Well, it’s notmyship, merely the ship my father gave me for this mission. My real ship, theAva-lee, and most of my real crew are safe at the keep. While I miss both, I’m also thrilled at the challenge ahead of me.
The steps creak as someone descends them. Draxen comes into view not long after. Three men trail behind him, carrying my effects.
“About time,” I say.
The faces of the three brutes carrying my bags are red, their breathing rapid. I smile. That probably means they got it all. I do not pack lightly.
Each one of them huffs as they drop the bags to the floor.
“Careful!” I snap.
The first pirate is rather tall. He almost has to duck in order to traverse belowdecks. Now that he’s dumped his load, he reaches into his pocket and fumbles with something there. A string of what looks like beads peeks out. Some sort of good luck charm, perhaps?
The second stares at me as if I’m a tasty morsel of food. He makes the skin at the base of my neck crawl. Best to stay away from that one, I decide.
The man at the back of the group is Kearan. Stars, he’s ugly. His nose is large, his eyes too far apart, his beard too long and unkempt. His belly hangs over his belt to complete the look.
I think that my opinion of him can’t get any lower when I notice what’s in his hand. He tosses a couple of my dresses onto the heap at the floor.
I clench my teeth. “Were youdraggingthose? On this filthy floor? Do you have any idea how hard it was to find a girl my size to steal those from?”
“Shut your trap, Alosa,” Draxen commands. “I’m still of half a mind to toss this lot overboard, my word be damned.”
