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He smiles darkly and nods.
“But then he got a message about Oren,” Gwyn continues. “About where he was planning to hide his ships. Sablo knew he could sell this information to Galen Redstone’s people, and indeed they came knocking—”
Sablo makes a cutting motion with his hand, sharp and decisive through the air.
“I know, I know,” she continues. “You’re no snitch.” Her eyes shift back to me. “He refused to sell his knowledge to Redstone—or anyone, for that matter. But Oren caught wind that someone was working against him. He grew suspicious, and he wouldn’t take a chance.”
My hands have gone still on my tweezers. “He thought you betrayed him.”
“He had him beaten near to death,” she says. “Then they cut his tongue off.”
Those storm clouds in Sablo’s eyes have turned into a tornado.
“It was a message,” Gwyn says. “Like I said, Oren’s a vicious man.”
“I’m sorry,” I say softly.
Sablo shakes his head.
“Rian found him,” Gwyn says. “Facedown in the sand. The captain could have left him, but he didn’t. There was nothing in it forhim, but you heard him at dinner. Rian’s not the type to leave someone hurting.” She shrugs. “So here we are.”
So here they are.
“Were you there?” I ask.
She shakes her head, then says, “No. Anya and I joined up later.” She shrugs, then glances away. “We’ve all got a bit of a story. You’ll likely hear ’em all before we’re done.”
“I hope so,” I say, and I mean it.
“What about you?” she says.
I glance up. “What about me?”
“What’syourstory? There must be more than just the prince’s apothecary.”
Heat finds my cheeks. Her voice isn’t suggestive, but again, I’m reminded of Lochlan’s threats in the hallway last night. “I’m not the type to leave someone hurting either. I’m glad Prince Corrick sees the benefit in that.”
“Me too,” she says. “That’s why I think there’s more to your prince than what he seems.”
I look at her in surprise. “You do?”
“Well, your king must be very desperate,” she says, “to send the two of you off so quickly.”
I hesitate, then nod. “He is. We are.”
“It took courage to climb on theDawn Chaser,” she says. “Rian’s not blind to that.”
I glance at the window. The prince and the captain disappeared down the steps, but they haven’t emerged. “It took courage to sail here to ask for help.” I pause, feeling warmth on my cheeks again, because that sounds more personal than I intended. “You’re truly not worried about bringing the fever sickness back to Ostriary?”
She shakes her head. “You’re all well. We’ve got more than enough Moonflower to go around.”
I suppose that’s true.
I flick my gaze toward the map on the table. “Rian said we wouldn’t have trouble until we reach the southern point of Ostriary. Are the waters there very rough?”
“They can be.” She moves toward the table and taps her fingers on the map. “It’s not even the sailing that’s the hard part. There are dozens of hidden coves along here, and the fog is dense at this time of year.”
I frown. “You mean we might hit something?”
