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Well, damn. I hadn’t expected to like the man, however insignificant it might be.“Like” was a strong word, considering our present circumstances.
“Apology accepted, Bruno,” I said, clapping the man on the shoulder. “Shall we?” I waved my arm toward the side of the ship where Rek had taken the rest of Evelyn’s men.
“I’ll stay with Ainsley,” Jackson piped in, slightly puffing out his chest.
Containing my eyeroll, I rubbed my temples at his overeager and clearly daft mind. It baffled me to no end. Jackson honestly believed that saying “I’ll stay with Ainsley”—of all things—would be of any use after we’d only just pried Bruno away?
“You’ll do whatever it is I say on my ship, young man. And I say, you’ll come with me.” My smile wavered a bit. I could only give him so much.
Ainsley’s encouraging nod and soft smile rattled the jealousy inside of me, and again, I rolled my shoulders back.
Jackson stepped in front of me, and I practically shoved him forward to get him moving in the right direction. “I realize my ship is grand, however, we are still on the main deck. Surely, the two of you can enjoy a moment’s reprieve and leave the ladies alone when they are but mere feet away, yes?”
With that, Jackson’s feet finally seemed to remember they had somewhere to be. Although, his expression was mixed with several different emotions, mainly anger toward me, I supposed—not that I cared in the slightest—and Bruno moved more willingly with me.
Over my shoulder, I sent Ainsley one more glance.
Whatever discussion Evelyn Zhou wished to have with my caster, well, she would be on her own.
Rek handed me a bottle of rum as we approached, and I immediately passed it over to Bruno. “Surely, you could use a swig to relax, mate.”
Bruno grunted, turning the bottle in his hand. “I don’t drink when I’m working.”
“And when aren’t you working?” I inquired, arching a brow. “Come now. Where I’m from, it’s rude to refuse a meal, or a drink rather, in this case.”
“Good thing you aren’t offering a meal then,” Bruno said, not bothering to hide his scowl.
“How long have you been with Miss Zhou?” Jackson questioned. “She’s incredibly fortunate to have someone so diligently watching out for her.”
The boy’s inexperience in life outside of royal society faded a bit, as I realized he could very well be an asset in diplomacy instead. I recognized the complemented layer of his question from my own training inside the palace walls. Although, I was far rustier than Jackson by a mile—or a decade, if I wished to be technical.
“I was part of her mother’s crew when Evelyn was born.” Bruno crossed his arms but did take a small step back and leaned against the barrels stacked as makeshift chairs, that my men had haphazardly prepared. “When she passed, Evelyn’s well-being became my responsibility.”
“By choice,” Jackson added, not as a question, but with a hint of admiration. “It changes things when the people we regard the most become our privilege to care for and not merely a responsibility.”
I had to give the man credit for this. Perhaps not to his face, because I knew he was referring to Ainsley. I swallowed a laugh at the thought of what she would do to Jackson if she knew he was speaking to someone about taking care of her in any way whatsoever.
Nodding to Rek to bring me my own bottle, I watched as Bruno finally took a sip of the drink I’d offered him.
The tension that had been lingering over my crew mere minutes before had all but dissipated. After a few swigs of rum, it was almost as if we could forget that the water caster now aboard my ship had destroyed an entire vessel less than an hour ago.
Almost.
My eyes wandered to the woman conversing with Ainsley and Jo. I’d continue to remain wary of her. Her lineage did not do her any favors, however, what concerned me even further was the power play to overtake Varium in a time when all other casters were in hiding. What gave her that sort of power?
Or rather, whom?
“And you know Lady Lilstrum then?”
My ears perked back up at the conversation at hand, with Bruno’s question not directed toward me, but to Jackson.
He nodded, drinking from the bottle Bruno had extended his way. Well, look at that. “We grew up together. She’s all the family I have, but I have earned the right to call her that.”
Jackson, to his credit, avoided glancing in my direction. Surely the look we’d have exchanged would have broken the calm that had overtaken Bruno. Smart kid.
“I do apologize about the ship,” Bruno said to Jackson and myself. He hadn’t a clue it had been Jackson’s, but the sentiment was there, which was most likely all I could ask for. “There was a caster named Hattie who used to work with Evelyn’s mother many years ago. I liked her. Strong and intelligent. Knew what had to be done to protect those she cared for.”
I searched Bruno’s features for any sort of glance in Ainsley’s direction. Anything at all that may give away he knew more than he should. But the man either played his hand close to his chest, or he was simply telling the truth.
