“We’re not fugitives?—”
“You’re wanted by the King of Vod. If he found out I was defying him by abetting your escape, I’d be ash in a split second.Despitehow good I am at my job. I’m doing you a favor. I’d better get mine in return.”
I sigh. “So these valley creature things have your father’s compass. How are we supposed to get it back?”
“Well, I know one thing.” She cracks a wicked smile. “They don’t like fire.”
I lift a shoulder, slumping back against the carved oak railing. “I can work with that.”
She whistles for a crew member to take over and plops down on a nearby bench, fishing a gleaming red apple and switchblade from her pocket.
“So what’s the story with your name?” Kai scuffs up to her, hands in his pockets.
“Elaborate your thought,” she drones, sinking the blade into the skin of the apple.
“Why go by PirateKingwhen you are the very portrait of femininity?Or you hiding a little something between those pretty legs?” Kai smirks, nodding toward her lithe form.
“Female I may be, but make no mistake, what I lack in manhood I make up for in other ways. I am every bit my father’s daughter, and I would delight in cutting off that famous cock of yours and wearing your balls as a necklace”—her eyes flicker up from the apple—“prince.”
“So you’ve heard of my cock? My lady, I can now die happily.” Kai gives her his most rakish grin.
Ignoring his attempt at flirtation, she sighs and says, “My father was the Dread Pirate King of Bleakwater Bay. I was born on this very ship. He taught me everything I know. When he died, I had a reputation to uphold, and Pirate Queen doesn’t instill the kind of fear I needed it to. So I took up my father’s title to continue his legacy and remind all five kingdoms who owns the seas.”
Kai measures her with impish curiosity. “What’s your real name?”
“None of your gods-damned business, prince.”
“Shall I guess?” He takes hold of a rope suspended from above and drapes himself over it.
“I’d rather you didn’t.”
“Sabella.”
She scoffs.
“Carina? Angel?”
“Do I look like an Angel to you?” Her eyes score him with complete detestation.
Kai cocks his head, beaming at her. “You walked right into that one. I’ll find out. One way or another.”
“Please do. Try and try until you’re blue in the face. Until the curiosity just—” She finishes her last rotation on the apple, waiting for the skin to drop in a perfect coil at her feet. “Kills you.”
“Ah, but then you’d miss me too much.”
She stands and walks up to him, drawing out each step. Positioning her blade beneath his chin, she tilts her head and murmurs, “You think you’re so charming, don’t you?”
A flutter of dark lashes. “I don’t justthinkit.”
I watch them go back and forth, enthralled, neither missing a volley. Her knife drifts up to his cheek, and I can see in her face just how badly she wants to add to that scar below his left eye. The one Kylian gave him.
“What happened here?”
“What’s more impressive? Rabid wolf or female scorned?”
“The truth.”
“The King of Vod is what happened here.” Kai’s fingers shoot up to wrap around her wrist. Something guarded slips into his tone, darkening some of that flirtatious levity. “Let’s put down the sharp objects, shall we, darling? Wouldn’t want you to slip and hurt yourself.”
