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When I do see him, there’s nothing I can do to stop Tylon from noticing, too. Riden leans against the wall, one foot pressed flat against it, his arms crossed casually against his chest.
I open my mouth, unsure of what I’m going to say. Hopefully not what I want to ask him:What did you do with my mother?
“Captain,” Riden says, “have you finished your business?” So composed. So normal.
“Yes. Where is your cargo?”
“Safe. Just waiting for you so we can get it to the ship.”
Tylon looks at Riden closely. “I don’t recognize you.”
“He’s a recent addition,” I explain.
Tylon tugs me. “I don’t really care. We were on our way somewhere important.”
I hope he can’t tell my stomach just turned. “Wait, I forgot I need to speak with my father.”
“You can speak with him tomorrow,” he says, trying to pull me along again.
I force a playful laugh at his insistence. “It can’t wait until then. It’s about the voyage. He’ll want to know right away. It’ll only take a second.”
He doesn’t let me go; instead he stares into my eyes again, as though that will somehow change my mind.
“Go to your rooms,” I say. “I’ll meet you on your ship.”
He leans down to give me one more hearty kiss.
In front of Riden.
But I can’t do it again. I. Just. Can’t.
I reach for my pistol, and just as Tylon is about to press his lips to mine—I bring it down on his head. He’s out before he hits the floor.
“Where is she?” I ask.
“We couldn’t go any farther without getting lost. When I heard someone coming, I set her down so she wouldn’t be spotted. She’s just over here.”
I pull Tylon off the floor and throw him over my shoulder. Riden stares for an extra beat at my strength before leading the way. He makes a couple of turns down the tunnel and stops when we come to some stacked water barrels stored along the edges. He stoops behind them, and when he’s standing again, he has my mother in his arms once more.
Tylon takes her place.
I finally relax, but it’s fleeting. We still have a ways to go before we’re out of here.
“Are you all right?” I ask her.
“Yes. Just weak.”
“Let’s go,” I say to Riden.
We hurry. Every echo, every whisper of wind is enough to make my heart stop. We can’t be found. It doesn’t matter who spots us. We look too conspicuous. Anyone would surely report us to my father. We don’t speak, too fearful of who might hear us.
But either the stars are watching out for us or everyone is well asleep, because we meet no one else during the painful march.
We race up the gangplank.
Niridia appears at my side. “Sorinda and Athella have already made it back. Mandsy is seeing to Draxen in the infirmary. I didn’t get much out of them except that we need to be ready to sail.”
The crew is roused. They await on deck for orders. Some have obviously just been woken—they rub sleep from their eyes. Enwen is still pulling a shirt over his head.
