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If Oriel was victorious and returned, she could lie again and say he killed himself. Oriel’s food or wine would probably be poisoned shortly after. Roth would die too. As the next living blood heir, she’d inherit everything that was his.
He rested the mare since a horse can’t run forever without stopping, but he still pushed her hard. She huffed and sweated as they entered the city at a trot to avoid running anyone over. The only way off this damn island was to get onto a ship which he still feared more than anything. His heart pounded, and the noise from the citizens hurrying about the streets didn't help his nerves.
The mare carried him along the docks a while later as he eyed the ships. The majority were manned by men, and he didn’t know how he’d sit on a passenger boat and not panic. He had money to get a cabin, but if none were left and no one wanted to trade, he’d be stuck in the hold. Of course, people could come up for air, but they slept down below at night. It was also safer in case of a storm.
He had to do this for them, but the terror would take over, and he wouldn’t have them here to help him. What the fuck was he supposed to do?
Aspen spotted the answer.
The ship was pretty similar to many others, but most didn’t have an enormous flag with the blacked-out figure of a woman in a suggestive pose. An enormous banner hanging off the side proclaimed it to be called Elira’s Doves which also wasn’t something that most male sailors wanted to be thought of as.
All of the people he could see aboard were women, and he knew a floating whorehouse had to be the way.
Aspen approached the gangplank and didn’t even get to think of how to ask before he was noticed. A woman with dark skin and a mass of tight curls by the railing leaned over it. “We’re closed and about to cast off.”
“I’m not looking for services,” said Aspen. “Not like that. I need passage.”
“We don’t take passengers.” She started to turn away,
“Wait! I’ll pay, and it’s important. I-my Father will kill me if he finds me.”
Elira forgive him for the lie. Father wouldn't have dreamed of hitting him. The woman paused and seemed to study his face before she went to the gangplank and started to slowly come down.
“I’m not taking someone if trouble will follow.”
“He doesn’t own a ship, and he’s passed out drunk right now. He’ll never guess who’s taken me or where I’ve gone.”
“Where are you looking to go? We’re heading south.”
“Uh…” Aspen had no idea where. Even if he took the Path River and made it to East Forest, Oriel and the rest would already be long gone. They’d go over land for a bit and probably take the Eden River to speed things up. It led to West Bay, through it, and to the ocean. There, Asara’s ships would be waiting.
“I need to go to West Bay,” he said.
“That’s a bit farther than we planned.” She frowned and adjusted her sword belt. “How about if we drop you off somewhere south, and you can go on your horse? You’ll be far away from your Father.”
It was better than nothing. “Okay.”
“I'm Captain Kalani. You can pay me later. We’ll be busy when we cast off so don’t touch anyone or anything. We’ve got a couple of horses, so the girl in charge of them will take care of your mare. How come you don’t have anything?”
“I took the chance and ran. I was afraid he’d wake up if I stayed any longer.”
She seemed to accept that. He knew he probably looked like shit, and that helped his fake story.
Another woman came down to take his horse. She didn’t look back as he stood there, trying to force himself to step onto the gangplank. Oriel wasn’t here to haul him up by force. Aspen couldn’t do this. Even if it was all women, it wouldn’t work. He’d only managed himself decently on Captain Nalha’s ship after everyone was off it and dead.
They’d all be dead if he didn’t fucking make himself do it. He hadn’t been able to protect himself in the Hall or on the ship, but he could try to protect someone else now.
His legs started shaking the second his boots hit the deck. He kept repeating to himself that the woman wouldn’t hurt him. They wouldn’t trap him in the hold and chain him down to use.
He hurried to sit by the railing on the port side and look out over the water as he clutched onto the wood and tried to ignore the sway.
Captain Kalani approached, and her hair was now tied back with a ribbon. With the red sash around her waist, a sword at her side, and trousers tucked in black boots, she looked more like the Captain of a soldier or pirate ship instead of a floating whorehouse.
“Why don’t you go below deck?” she asked. "We have space."
“Erm, no thanks...”
“This is my ship, and you need to follow my rules. I don’t have to take you anywhere.”
