“Nothing,” she said, resting back. “How long until we land?”
“Another day.”
“Until then I’d like to be alone.”
His brows rose. “Then why don’t you put me out?”
“I am. Please leave.”
“Gissandre,” he said softly. “Do you remember when you lied and got me sentenced to seven months in the Wilds?”
“Yes. I’m sorry for that. I didn’t have a choice. But Zawri worked tirelessly and paid handsomely to keep you from being targeted while there. And, as we both see, you’re alive. So we protected you. You’re welcome.”
“You protected me?” He turned, revealing four scars on his back, including a long slash from right shoulder to left hip. He turned back to face her. “Protection?”
“We paid. Quite a lot. We tried to protect you. If you were injured, I’m very sorry.”
“You lied. You betrayed me after I saved your life.”
“I only have your word that you rescued me from the water, don’t I? Maybe I washed ashore and you found me? No one could’ve dove into the water from Obay Point on the night of that storm and survived.”
He smiled. “No? So who am I? What was I doing on the beach?”
“What?”
“Who do you think I am? What do you believe I do for a living?”
“You’re a pirate and a confidence trickster, I’d imagine. I assume your crew values your good looks a great deal. A Linzen man can get invited almost anywhere. Anyone would want to believe whatever you told them. I suppose many women just give you money without you even asking for it. We did.”
Larsinc stared at her.
“I have no idea what your angle is,” she continued. “But I’m not willing to have my sister pay a ransom for me. And I won’t let you or anyone else sell me to Urcolin. But I would pay you to help me disappear. You must know some good places to hide out?”
The door slid open, and Larsinc turned to face the doorway.
“Is your brother awake? Food’s ready.”
“He’s not ready to get up. I’ll be there. I’ll bring him something back.”
“How old is he?” the man at the door asked.
“Sixteen.”
The man nodded and moved off.
The men on the ship actually did believe her to be a sixteen-year-old boy? She was nineteen and could’ve lived an independent life on many worlds. What if she revealed her true age and identity? Larsinc claimed it would be dangerous for her, but what if that was a lie too?
“What happened to that big knife you carry? Did you lose it?” she asked.
“I left my pack and the knife with the crew as a show of good faith.”
“Not very easy to protect ourselves without it.”
He looked over his shoulder at her. “You remind me of a little cat I had. She was full of curiosity, and she dug her claws into me every chance she got.”
“I like her already. Where is she now?”
A hint of a smile played on his lips. “On Kettura.”
