“Cerise?” I fought not to slit his throat. “She was killed twenty-six years ago. How is Roya a part of that?”
“Eye for an eye, wyvern law. Milian killed Cerise. As his daughter, Roya’s the replacement. Have to take her to Talon, free Havira, free myself. But can’t leave her there. Can’t. Gotta figure out a way to get ‘er back.”
He was planning to surrender her? I found my fingers twitching toward the pocket in Roya’s cloak that contained her most effective poisons, and forced them to stillness. I hadn’t been this close to mindlessly killing a man for years, but if I murdered him now, it would be harder to unravel the dangers that faced us and discover who was involved.
“You would put Roya in the hands of a man who attacked his own sky bond?” I stood, ignoring the ache in my ribs. He lifted his head to look at me, but his eyes were already unable to focus. “You think I would let you put her in danger, to serve your own ends?”
“Drugged me?” he slurred, his eyes already half-closed.
I curled my lip. “You say you love her, that she’s special to you. What you don’t understand is this: though I can never have her, I would burn down the world to keep her safe. Even if I never once touch her, I will cut the hands from any men who hurt her and fill the seas with their blood. Your brother and you included.”
THORN
Istalked outside, pulling Roya’s cloak around me, and securing one of her hidden boot shivs in my left hand. I might have to kill the crew members before we could escape, and I wasn’t certain I’d have Altair or Kavin’s assistance. They liked this asshole.
Though she had them all under her spell.
“Roya,” I called when I saw her pulling papayas near the tree line. “I think you should cook an early lunch for the crew today.”
“Sure thing,” she shouted back, her voice filled with cheer, though I knew it was forced. The code I’d just given her meant she needed to poison Torio and Whistler. “What should I cook?”
“Nothing too complicated.”Sedate, not kill.“Maybe fish on a skewer?”Keep your blade handy.
“Should I cook for more?”How many need to be taken down?
“Make enough for everyone, just in case. I’m pretty sure Icarus is going to sleep for a bit. Drunk, can you imagine?”
“I can indeed!” Her reply was light and carefree as the other men, hearing our voices, had come to investigate. I was so proud of her; she revealed nothing in her manner or voice as she told them she was going to make a meal for us all.
The fools were so happy, and they ate every bite of the fish and fruit, asking for more. They were all asleep before the sun was in the middle of the sky.
“Right, now we talk.” She grabbed her cloak from me and checked the pockets automatically, as I had trained her. “What did you learn?”
“Icarus is planning to take you to his brother. Someone on Havira, possibly one of Gullen’s men, sent information about you to King Talon of Wyngel. He sent his brother Icarus to collect you. For all I know, he may have plans both to take you, and to sell me back to the Guild. He is a pirate, after all.”
Her face stayed calm, but her eyes flashed as I went on. “You are to be repayment, according to some wyvern law, for the missing bride he lost however many years ago—Queen Vali’s mother. Revenge on Verdan, restitution for his loss.”
“What kind of man is this Talon?”
I told her what Icarus had shared about his Omega mate, and she swallowed, her face going pale. “What does Icarus get in return for betraying me?”
“His reputation restored.” I shrugged. “Money? I don’t know. He went under before he could say.” I glanced at the other men, sleeping under some palms. “We need to plan.”
“All right.” She reached over as if to take my hand, but pulled back. I let out a sigh and placed my hand in hers, ignoring her gasp and the jolt of electric need that shot from my fingers to my groin. I hadn’t touched her in so long.
“Do we sail away?” she asked, fighting to regain her composure. “You’re too weak to sail the ship, and I don’t know how.”
“Kavin does.”I liked Kavin now, but in light of Icarus’s betrayal, Kavin’s almost encyclopedic knowledge of Omegas made me nearly as wary as I had been when we first met.
“You don’t trust him.” She couldn’t hide the hurt in her voice.
“I don’t trust anyone but you, Roya. And sometimes myself. But I think Kavin’s secret must not be a big one. There’s no stench of guilt about him; he’s genuine. He just… knows too much.”
“He’s obsessed with Omegas,” she said softly. “All those books? I should have known better than to trust anyone who has that much in common with Milian. Why did I think he would want the person, not the Omega?”
Something moved near the men—a crab? I wasn’t sure, but when I looked over, they were all still.
“We may be judging him too harshly, Roya. Kavin isn’t like Milian. I don’t trust him fully, but if he’s innocent, he could be good for you.” I paused. “But Altair is the one I think you should consider. He’s getting stronger each day. He can’t have any nefarious plans. He’s been unconscious for the past few years.”
