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Draxen tries to advance on me again, but Riden beats him to it.
He whispers, “I don’t know why I’m still trying to protect you. But know my brother is in a foul mood that even I might not be able to assuage. You must give it over now.”
“I don’t have—”
But he must see the bulge in my clothing. He reaches it before I’m able to stop him.
No, no, no.
Riden removes the eye from my pocket. He studies it carefully. I can see the precise moment when he’s convinced the map is inside. He nods in satisfaction and steps back, handing the glass to his brother.
The map is enough to calm Draxen down ever so slightly. “At last,” he says.
“Wait,” I say, realizing something given Draxen’s reaction. “You knew about the map. You just didn’t know where it was?”
“Hadn’t a clue,” he says cheerily, rubbing the details into my face. “We stole you away to get the drop on the pirate king in order to get our hands on his part of the map. You finding our own map for us turned out to be quite serendipitous.”
I stare back, openmouthed. “But how did you know I was looking for it?”
“Riden started to suspect long ago. Did you really think you were being so careful? Your nightly raids of the ship. Your pathetic fake escapes. The fearless way you’ve carried on about the ship. Only a woman who wanted to be here wouldn’t show an ounce of fear in front of enemy pirates.”
That’s not true at all. They don’t know me or what I would or wouldn’t do in any given situation. But Draxen’s low regard of me is not what hurts the most.
It’s Riden selling me out.
I know he was playing a part. Pretending to be my protector at times. I know deep down this is always the role he was meant to perform. But it still hurts. Can I even call it a betrayal? How can I be betrayed by someone who was never on my side to begin with?
My mission was to procure the mapwithout anyone noticing. Then I was supposed to lead the ship to the checkpoint.
I’ve utterly failed the first part, even if I’m on track with the second.
“Take her to my room, gents,” Draxen says. “It’s about time someone had some proper fun with her.”
I frown before realizing this works out well for me. Fighting off Draxen alone while the men calm down is much easier than trying to take them on all at once.
I’m hauled forward by three men. One at each arm and one at my legs. I make forced attempts at ripping free from their grasp. I don’t scream, though. A promise is a promise, and I told Draxen he would never hear me scream.
Riden’s there, too. Draxen gives the map back to him for safekeeping. He tucks the glass into his pocket. Then he’s helping the men escort me. I’ll bet he’s loving this. Giving his brother what he wants is Riden’s specialty. First the map and now me. Draxen is done pretending he’s holding me for a ransom. There’s no need to play nice now.
They throw me, very ungracefully and ungently, into the room. Riden stands by the door, apparently wanting a few moments alone with me before his brother arrives.
But I don’t want that.
“Get out,” I say. “You’ve done enough.”
His expression remains calm, focused. “Do you still have that knife in your boot?”
I exhale a laugh of incredulity. “Of course not.”
“Good. Keep it close. But please, only use it if you have to. He’s still my brother. Don’t kill him.”
“So used to my lies now, are you? You can tell truth from fiction? What are you doing, Riden? What is your play? I’m sick of trying to figure you out. Just when I think I’ve got it, you do something else to irritate me. Who are you putting on a show for?”
“No time, Alosa. Get free and get out of here if you can. That’s the best I can do. The map for my brother, and freedom for you. Please. Again I’ll ask you, don’t kill him.”
“That’s a big gamble you’re taking, Riden. What happens if Draxen overpowers me? How will you feel about that?”
“Oh please. We both know you are hiding more than your intentions to get the map. You are skilled, Alosa. More skilled than any human girl could possibly be. No one man could get the better of you. I don’t know what you are. I just know you’ve somehow gotten into my head. And you managed to enchant the whole crew the other day. I’m still trying to figure out why you haven’t killed us all already.”
