I turn that around in my head, because I can’t figure it out. Maybe I’ve been sitting on the beach for too long. “How much to say about what?”
He gives me a look. “The king’s business.”
“Oh.”
Erik nods. “Oh.”
He rows on in silence for a little while, and I realize for the first time that Erik must have alotof secrets. He was part of King Harristan’s personal guard. He was by the king’s side all the time, overhearing all manner of conversations.
That’s a little intriguing, and I tilt my head and look at him. “What’s the worst secret you’ve ever had to keep?”
He smiles furtively. “I don’t recall.”
“Liar. Did you ever have to keep secrets from Corrick?”
As soon as I ask the question, I think it’s foolish. Corrick was the King’s Justice. Anything having to do with Kandala was his business. I can’t imagine Harristan using his guards to keep secrets from his brother.
But Erik nods. “Sometimes,” he says.
“Really.”
He grunts. “Well, the prince kept some secrets himself, I think.” He gives me a more pointed look this time.
I suppose that’s true. Corrick hid his identity so well as Weston Lark that I had a hard time believing it when the prince tried to reveal the truth.
But at least this line of conversation has given me a bit of distraction. “Can you tell meanythinginteresting?”
He looks out at the water, considering, then sighs. “Most everything I know is boring, Miss Tessa. Truly. The consuls never wanted to speak with His Majesty on anything very exciting. Mostof them just liked to hear themselves talk. You weretherefor the exciting parts.”
I frown. The sad thing is that’s probably true.
“Here, I’ll give you this much,” he says, and he drops his voice just a little, as if we’re not a good distance from the shore, with no audience except the sea and sky. “Captain Blakemore—well,Rian—refused to have sailors aboard theDawn Chaser. Do you remember?”
I nod. “He said he didn’t want to lead navigators to Ostriary. He didn’t want to teach anyone how to get through Chaos Isle, because he was worried about leading a military force here.”
“Yes. But the king wanted Prince Corrick to have someone competent on board, someone who could sail the ship just in case . . . ?in case it was necessary. I have experience at sea, so I volunteered. Kilbourne did too. That’s why I chose him. He’d done summer work on the docks in Artis as a boy.”
Someone who could sail the ship just in case.
As I consider the words, I remember Rian preparing to kill Erik, the morning everything fell apart on his ship.He’s a sailor, he said.Proof that Prince Corrick didn’t honor our agreement. I didn’t really think about what that meant then, but I do now, and it chases away some of the intrigue.
I swallow thickly, remembering how I practically begged Corrick to get on that ship. I listened to Rian’s stories of having acres of Moonflower, of the way he wanted to help his people, and I fell for every lie.
But apparently no one else did.
“So you never trusted Rian,” I say quietly.
“No.”
He says it so simply, while a bonfire of rage burns in my chest every time I think of Rian.
Maybe that’s why Erik can ask for things like tarps and sails, while I’m content to envision holding the captain under the waves while he slowly drowns.
Erik keeps rowing, and I stare out at the water. Sunlight glistens on the surface, and it really is peaceful. Off to our left, the shore is an empty stretch of sand, as if our house is the only one on the whole island. When theDawn Chaserwas arriving to Fairde, I could see Rian’s palace from the water, but it must be on the other side, because it’s out of sight from here.
Good.
I listen to Erik’s breathing, waiting to hear any sign of strain, but he’s been talking like we’re still standing on the dock. He’s nearly twice my size, with muscles to spare, so I shouldn’t be surprised, but I don’t want him to regret this later.
