“Than Charles’s,” I say anyway.
She touches my hand. “Vic, a shipjustwent down.”
“A lesser captain on a lesser ship.” I squeeze her hand.
At that moment, none other than my employer enters the bar. I know he’s here to check in on my last delivery, but opportunity never fails to present itself whenever I need it most. There’s a little bit of siren magic opening the path I need before me, just as it always has. I rub my tattooed wrist in gratitude as I stand.
“If you’ll excuse me a moment.”
Emily catches my hand. “Please, don’t do that run again. We can find the money a different way. It’s not worth it.”
“It’s the last time,” I assure her confidently.
“You said that last time.” Emily sighs. “Vic, I’m serious.”
I lean forward and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, the same shade of honey gold as mine, as our mother’s. She’s the best of all of us, inside and out. “Me too—serious about looking after you and Ma and Pa.”
She doesn’t need to know about the council’s ultimatum. She’ll find out eventually, or just figure it out. There are only a few punishments for debtors in Tenvrath, and none of them good. But I won’t allow the way she finds out to be when the collectors come to drag her and my parents off to a debtors’ prison. Or…somehow worse…Charles demanding Em to go live with him in the lighthouse in my stead. I’ll make a thousand bargains with a thousand sirens, and die a thousand deaths, before I let that happen.
“You can look after us better when you’re not monster food.”
“I’ve never seen a single monster in all my years. They’re just excuses for bad captains or explanations for unexpected storms.” While it’s trueIhaven’t…I’m also alive because of a siren. So I know better than to think there aren’t any out there.
“We can help come up with the amounts.”
“This is the only way.”
She tugs on my wrist as I try to walk away. Lord Covolt Kevhan Applegate—simply Kevhan, among friends—is halfway across the small bar, pulling the cotton from his ears. “Please, you’re going to get yourself killed.”
I smile and kiss her forehead. “I’ll be fine. I have been every other time.”
“And each one was a close call. Vic—”
“Don’t worry.”
Em sighs and lets me go. What she doesn’t know is that I have siren magic to keep me safe. And…I’m already a dead woman walking.
“Lord Kevhan,” I say, keeping my voice low so Em doesn’t hearallthe details of our conversation.
“Captain Victoria, a pleasure as always.” He smiles and the crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes crinkle. He has the same beard as my father. One of their many similarities. This man has been as good as family to me when everyone else would cast me out. He was the first to take me in. The first to believe in me after years of Charles telling me all the ways I was a failure. He’s been so much more than my employer. “Everything looked good with your latest shipment. I wanted to make sure there weren’t any issues I should know about?”
“None in the slightest,” I report. But he can’t be here just for that… My curiosity piques.
“You are a wonder.” He pats me on the shoulder. I notice his clothes are a little dingier than I’m used to seeing. There are stray strings at his elbow that hint at a seam coming undone. Little imperfections that are unlike him. As much as my heart aches for the idea of misfortune falling on my benevolent employer, it also emboldens me. Perhaps the rumors are true and, right now, he needs me as much as I need him.
“I wanted to discuss something with you,” I say.
“Funny enough, I had a matter I wished to discuss with you as well.”
I hold up my hand. “You first.”
He sighs heavily. “I know I had said you would not be sailing the north run again, however, I might require it of you and your crew. Onefinaltime.” He emphasizes the last three words.
I smile grimly and nod. He’s right. It will be the last time. One way or another. Without hesitation I say, “I accept.”
CHAPTER2
My crew areall on deck. Some stand at attention, some sit. A few are perched on the railing. But all eyes are on me.
