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“Good.”
“They’re… kind of terrifying.”
I’m not sure whether to bristle or be amused by that.
“Alosa?” Riden asks.
I brace again for the mention of what Vordan said.
“I never did thank you for giving me and Draxen a chance. We would have been dead if you hadn’t stepped in with your father. Thank you.”
When I don’t answer, he asks, “Why did you do it?”
And there’s the other thing I’m not thinking about. Why I bother sticking my neck out for Riden and his worthless brother.
I dare to look at him. “I don’t know.”
He smiles then, a beautiful stretch of his lips—as though he has his own thoughts on why I might have done it.
I turn away to avoid staring at his mouth and listen to Haeli strike up a new song.
“Dance with me.”
My neck turns so quickly in Riden’s direction that I actually hear it crack. “What?”
“Come on. It’ll be fun.”
He grabs my arm and hauls me to my feet before I can refuse, which of course I was intending to do.
I’m sure of it.
It’s too late now because he’s already moving me in circles. To refuse him now would only cause a scene. Besides, the crew is cheering. Wallov, Deros, and Enwen grab new partners and join us. My movements are stiff, hesitant. I can feel my mind and body warring for dominance. There are so many reasons why this is a bad idea. Not to mention I have too many things to worry about to even attempt to enjoy myself.
“Come now, princess,” Riden says. “Surely you can do better than that.”
I shouldn’t let him goad me, but I often can’t help responding when I’ve been issued a challenge. And I do love dancing. My mother is a siren, after all. Music is in my blood.
I feel the music waft over my skin and move to help it along. I caress it with my hands, sashay around it with my hips, tread lightly over it with my feet. I make Riden follow me and my steps, but occasionally he forgets himself, stopping completely and watching me, caught up in my movements. He catches himself and starts to dance again. He’s not bad at all. He stomps his feet in time. His twists and turns are sure and even graceful. Each time we come into contact—our hands, our arms, the brush of our knees—the dance grows more exciting, more electric. I am charged like storm clouds—it’s ten times stronger than what Ifeel when I use my siren abilities. And different. Something decidedly human.
I see the way Riden behaves around me: the focus and heat in his eyes, the way his hands linger, the way he positions his body next to mine. Normally, I would know exactly what it means. But then I remember yet again that he is my prisoner. He will say and do anything if he thinks it will help his cause.
The song finishes. Haeli starts up another, but I take my leave. “Go on, then!” I shout to the crew. “Continue into the night, but I’m off to bed.” I smile at the happy faces. They’re reddened with the joy that comes from a successful plunder.
I head for the stairs, certain I won’t actually be able to sleep with all the weight burdening me, but needing to get away nonetheless. I remind myself as I go,Riden is my captive, Riden is my captive, Riden is my captive.
Someone grabs my hand and pulls me under the companionway. Out of sight and into shadow.
An equal surge of excitement and dread hits me before I even see his face.
“Alosa,” Riden says as he takes my hands in his and presses me gently against the wall.
He leans in, and I ask, “What?” As though he were about to ask me a question instead of saying my name aloud simply for the pleasure of hearing it roll off his tongue.
“You dance beautifully,” he says, and I feel his nose sidle up next to mine. My eyes have already closed.
Damn, but he smells good. Like the coconut soap we haveon the ship mixed with an earthy musk that belongs solely to him.
It would be easy to let him kiss me. Maddeningly easy.
