“Tarkiin,” Kamira smirked, intercepting the Lord’s jibe and bringing Doraan’s thoughts back to the present. “You’re looking fatter than usual.”
Tarkiin turned, focusing his gaze on Kamira. The leer fell away from his face, and his nostrils flared as he narrowed his small eyes on her. “It seems I fell ill a few weeks ago and was taken to bed for some time. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
She smiled at him, throwing all the sweet innocence she could into that smirk. “What a pity. You seem quite recovered.”
“Yes, quite.” He brought a hand up and rubbed the back of his oily head, wincing slightly before bringing it back down to rest on the pistol at his hip.
“What can we do for you, Tarkiin?” she asked, innocently.
Doraan bit back a laugh as he watched Tarkiin’s face contort, turning a fiery shade of red.
“You will call me Lord Tarkiin, wife!” he spat. “You know exactly what you can do for me. It seems the Prince here has stolen my property and whisked it away on this—” He looked around at theCursed Soul, nose scrunching in obvious abhorrence, “—unique vessel.”
Kamira took a step forward, fists balled at her sides. “You are mistaken, sir. There is no property of yours on this ship, only what belongs here.”
Tarkiin bared his teeth, leaving any and all pleasantries aside. “Come here, wife!”
“I am not your wife,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Funny, but I remember standing in the courthouse with your parents present, exchanging vows and even signing our documentation of marriage.” He narrowed his eyes, a sly grin spreading on thin lips. “That makes you mine.”
“I will never be yours. I’m staying right here. If you want me, you’ll have to come and get me.”
Doraan whipped his head to her, noticing the mischievous glint in her eye. She knew exactly what she was doing. She was baiting him.
Tarkiin’s fury shone bright on his face, but quickly changed into something far more terrifying as an amused smirk spread across his lips. “Pity your parents aren’t here. They’ve been absolutely wracked with worry these past weeks.”
Kamira’s smile fell. “W—what have you done with them?”
“They are perfectly fine residing in my manor house.” His eyes turned feral. “For now.”
Kamira surged forward with a growl and Doraan placed an arm in front of her stopping her movements. “You can’t go onto his ship, Kamira. If you do, there is nothing we can do to stop whatever he might do to you.”
“What are you saying, Prince?” Tarkiin called out. “We can’t seem to hear you.”
A chorus of laughter rose up around him.
Doraan glared at the man and his eyes flicked quickly to one of the lanterns dangling to his left. Could he send the flame across to their ship? He wanted Tarkiin to burn for what he had done to his father. His nostrils flared.
“Well? Are you going to give me back my property or do I have to take it back by force?” Tarkiin tapped a finger on his pistol, wrapping his hand around the grip.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Kamira spat.
“So be it,” Tarkiin snarled and in a flash, faster than Doraan could have ever imagined from him, the pistol was in the bastard’s hand and a shot rang out.
Smoke billowed and Doraan’s eyes went wide. Everything around him slowed. His heart pounded loud like a drum in his ears and he didn’t even need a second to think about what he was doing before he jumped in front of Kamira.
Pain exploded in his chest as blood sprayed. Someone screamed out his name. He fell to the deck and chaos erupted around him, but he heard nothing. He could feel the blood leaving his body, he tried to pull air into his lungs, but could only cough, red spraying from his lips. He was dying. This was it—his last moments—and strangely, he felt not fear or anger, but peace.
His entire body felt numb, and his eyes grew heavy. He was so tired, and all he could think as he took his final choking breath was that he was glad he could save one person if he couldn’t save all of Aksahri.
33
Kamira
“Doraan!”Kamirascreamed.Hehad saved her life and now he lay dying, collapsed on the deck in front of her, and all she could see was red.
She looked up at Tarkiin and the sneer on his face. “Oops, I missed,” he said, his crew chuckling around him.
