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I tried to bolt past him, but he stepped in and grabbed me. I screamed for him to let me go, but he didn’t listen. Instead, he pinned me between himself and the wall. I felt his hands in my hair, and I had a feeling that he wasn’t trying to get the beer out of it.
“Thomas!” a voice commanded above us.
Suddenly, there was space and fresh air, my attacker now three steps away from me and bending on one knee to someone at the top of the stairs.
Henrik.
CHAPTER 7—HONOR
Henrik towered atop the stairs, his shadow pouring down them as he stepped down into the room. Once he reached the bottom of the staircase, he glanced at me and then turned back to his subordinate, his eyes narrowing.
“Perhaps I wasn’t clear enough when I told you that I only allow men of honor on this ship,” Henrik said, his eyes black in anger even though his voice was even. “Do I need to remind you of my rules?”
The man shook his head, still on his knees not daring to look up. “No, sir.”
The man curled his fingers under him. As he did, I realized he was missing his middle and ring finger.
“Get up,” Henrik commanded. “If I see you within five feet of this woman, I’ll be putting you to work with nothing but your right hand.”
The man gave a nod and stumbled to his feet, racing back up the stairs. Henrik’s eyes followed him, then slid back to me. I was still against the wall, processing everything that had just happened.
Henrik had a casual air about him as he walked toward me, and his soft energy made my shoulders relax. It wasn’t that Henrik was warm or comforting by any means, but something in his presence assured me that he meant me no harm.
He stepped in front of me, looking over my damp hair and soiled dress. I hated him seeing me in such a manner. I hated that anyone saw me like this.
“Your brother poured beer on me,” I said quietly, answering his unspoken question.
Henrik gave a short sigh. “Sounds like something the idiot would do.”
He looked me over again, as if he was trying to solve some kind of mystery. He could at least have waited to stare when I was properly groomed and dressed.
“You don’t know how to fight back, do you?” he asked suddenly.
I burst into laughter. “What kind of question is that? You could at least have asked me if I was all right or if I—”
He suddenly put a hand at my throat, shoving me against the wall. I froze.
Scowling, he dropped his hand.
“Not even a reaction,” he muttered. “How inconvenient.”
He put his hands in his pockets, chewing his lip thoughtfully.
“Inconvenient!” I threw back. “Being kidnapped is inconvenient enough! If there were some prerequisites you wished I had met, you should have thought about that before—”
He held up a hand. “You’re on a ship full of men who are looking for ways to satisfy their greed, selfishness, and empty pockets. Do you think you can survive this place with your quick words alone?”
I shut my mouth tight, narrowing my eyes at him.
He pressed his lips together, nodding to himself. “After dinner.”
“What?”
“Come to my room after dinner,” he said. “I’m going to teach you how to use something sharper than that tongue of yours.”
***
I went to Henrik after dinner.
