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But he wants his brother freed. He wants his own freedom. Any intimacy between us is deliberate on Riden’s part.
It has to be.
“Good night, Riden,” I say, dropping his hands. But as I pass him by, I kiss his cheek.
Once I get to my room, I chide myself for such a childish move.
But what scares me most is that I almost could not help it.
Chapter 4
FROM THE OUTSIDE,there is nothing remarkable about the keep. It looks like any other small island in the groupings located far northeast of Lycon’s Peak.
But the king’s pirates recognize it for what it is.
The island has many lips and jutting trenches, a maze built of water and land. One must steer a careful course so as not to beach one’s ship. The sea flows right into a series of caves that house the separate ships of the fleet. Their numbers range to about fifty now.
Niridia directs us up to the dock. Haeli and the other riggers tie down the sails while Lotiya, Deshel, and Athella secure the docking lines. The gangplank is lowered.
“Send Wallov and Deros to bring up Vordan,” I tell Niridia. “And have Mandsy tail Riden like a shark on a blood trail.”
“Of all the women on this ship, I wouldn’t say Mandsy most resembles a shark,” a voice says from behind me.
For the last few days of the journey, Riden was required to stay belowdecks so he wouldn’t learn the exact location of the keep. I hadn’t expected Mandsy to let him back up top so quickly.
“And I suppose I would have that happy privilege?” I ask him.
“No, it’s those vicious sisters. I can’t say which one is worse. Deshel thinks my lap is a chair, and Lotiya has her fingers in my hair as if it were a glove for her to don.”
It pleases me beyond words to know he’s frustrated by their advances. I say, “I thought you enjoyed female companionship. Living on a ship full of women should be a dream come true for you.”
He stares at me as though his gaze should hold some deeper meaning, but I don’t see it. And he’s forbidden me to use my abilities on him.
“I’m not a mind reader, Riden. So spit out whatever it is you want to say.”
Eventually, he says, “Their attention is unwanted.”
“Then tell them that.”
“You don’t think I’ve tried!”
“If you’re looking for sympathy, go find Mandsy.”
He glares at me. “Sympathy is not what I want from you, Alosa.”
Before I can even begin to guess what he means by that, hestorms off. Niridia shows up with Mandsy in tow. I just point in Riden’s direction.
Mandsy, her brown hair in two braids over her shoulders, follows him.
“Careful,” I shout after her. “He’s in a mood.”
“I’ve just the thing for that,” Mandsy says.
“And what would that be?”
“Sewing. Nothing like working with your hands to relax your mind.”
Mandsy is a godsend. She heals, she sews, and she fights. Knowing where every major organ is located on a person makes her a most efficient fighter. She’s patched me and the crew up time and time again. Many of them owe her their lives. I wish I had ten more of her. I’d even take the excessive optimism that comes with her.
