What did he look like in true daylight? He was wearing the same clothes as before and was still barefoot. He looked like any other bone-rattler who’d rolled out of a hammock after a long night of celebrating. I cringed to think how I looked.
I glanced around, if only to avoid Aiden’s prying gaze. “Where are Ruru and Maz?”
“Maz is getting food and water and checking to see if anyone is on high alert for escaped prisoners. And Ruru had things to do, but he told me to tell you goodbye.”
My gaze jumped back to his. “Goodbye? Will I not see him again?”
Aiden leaned against the door, my only way out. “No.”
I nearly growled in frustration. “Why not?”
“Because you set sail in two hours on the evening tide.”
Anger pumped blood and energy through my veins. I shot to my feet. “I’m not sailing anywhere.”
He gave me a long, emotionless look. “Yes, you are. To Eloren. My captain will drop you at a friendly port where you can live your life, free and without pursuit.”
What?Was that what he’d been doing while I slept? Booking me passage on a ship out to the pirate-infested isles?
“But first, you will tell me everything you know about the High Treasurer’s vault.”
My heart sang with triumph that he’d taken the bait even as my pride bristled. “Iwill? Is this the payment required for my safe passage?” Not that I would be going anywhere.Never leave the cityhad been another of Renwell’s rules.
He frowned. “No. You will have safe passage, regardless.”
I folded my arms over my chest. “Then perhaps you should ask me instead of commanding me. I don’t work for you.”
A slow smile curled his lips. “Would you obey me then? Because it sounds as though you weren’t any better at following orders from those you did work for.”
He meant Julian. I looked away. “There are some commands that I will never obey.”
“And you are stronger for it.”
I glanced at him in surprise. No one had ever praised me for disobedience. Quite the opposite. It was strange. He provoked my temper so quickly, yet he could soothe it to embers in the same argument. I couldn’t figure him out as easily as I could others.
Which made him the most dangerous.
A heavy thump sounded against the door. Aiden opened it to let in Maz, whose hands were full of a few loaves of bread and a jug of water. An orange bulged out of his pocket.
His blue eyes lit up when he spotted me. “Lovely, you’re awake!” He looked between the two of us. “Did I miss something?”
I smiled sweetly. “Aiden was just about toaskfor more information concerning the High Treasurer’s vault.”
A snort of derision came from Aiden, and Maz narrowed his eyes at him. “You said you would wait for me.”
“And I have,” Aiden said. “She’s told me nothing more.”
Both men looked at me, but I was distracted by the smell of freshly baked bread.
“Food first,” I said.
We settled on the floor. Maz broke the loaves into pieces and passed them out. One loaf was sweet with cinnamon, the other riddled with herbs and garlic. Was the choice lucky or purposeful? Perhaps an attempt to bolster my good will.
Either way, I didn’t question it. I gobbled down every morsel they handed me. Washing down the warm bread with cold water tasted better than the finest banquet I’d ever had at the palace. I savored the orange’s juicy flesh like I might never taste one again.
“Anything?” Aiden asked Maz as they also devoured their portions.
Maz shook his head, his cheeks bulging. “Not a whisper.”
