“Can he really have the work done in a few hours?” I wondered as we hurried along the wharf.
Torvus slowed our pace to a stroll. “Fidel had to pull quite the feat to get away from the admiral, but if anyone can fix it in that time, it would be Varga.”
“You’re pretty famous, aren’t you?” I asked my companion as we reached the edge of the wharf and walked down a set of stairs.
“My reputation is known among the ports.”
“Is that why the Admiralty was chasing us yesterday?”
Some of his good humor failed him as he looked ahead of us. “No. I was surprised to learn it was the old hunter himself who had trailed us. He’s the ruler of Cynnes, but he usually sticks to the waters around the capital, or as close as he can get. The admiral of Cathair controls the waters around that island.”
“That sounds like a rivalry,” I mused.
“There’s never been a battle on the boats. The admirals prefer the quieter methods of poisoning.”
“Is this admiral the poisoner type?”
“Did you get a look at him?”
I thought back to that stiff figure on the deck, and a shudder ran through me. “No. I think he’d do it to someone’s face.”
“Then you’re a good judge of character. Admiral Jaeger is colder than the most northern waters of the Sea of Verist.”
“Has he ever chased you before?”
“A few times, but usually after I’ve done something to catch their attention.”
“And you haven’t done anything to catch their attention?” I asked him.
“There was something.”
There was something in his voice that caught my attention, and I looked up to find him staring down at me. “What?”
“I picked up a rather rare find recently,” he pointed out as he looked me over. “I doubt very many people come from another world into this one.”
Some of the color drained from my face. “You. . .do you mean the admiral was chasing us because of me?”
“You’re the only thing that’s happened recently, and he was out in the eastern waters. It’s a rare sight to see him there.”
“But how would he even know about me?” I countered as I stopped and turned to face my companion. “I’ve only been here a few days.”
“That’s long enough for Encina to put out word that something precious was stolen from him,” Torvus guessed as he folded his arms over his chest. “He could be using the Admiralty as his dogs to get you into their custody. For a price, of course.” He cupped his chin in his hand and furrowed his brow. “That would cost quite a bit, even for a mercenary like Encina. He must have quite a wealthy backer who paid him to kidnap you.”
My eyes widened, and I snapped my fingers. “Paid handsomely!”
Torvus lifted an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
I grasped his upper arms and looked him in the eye. “When I was on Encina’s ship, he told me he’d been paid a lot to transport me somewhere. He didn’t say where.”
He lifted his chin. “I see. Someone wants you very badly.”
I dropped my arms to my sides and furrowed my brow. “But why? Why would anyone go to all this trouble just for me?”
“That’s what we’ll have to find out,” he mused as he looked up and down the beach. A few murmured words left him. “He might be home. . .”
“Who might be home?”
“An old friend of mine,” he revealed as he grabbed my hand and led me down the beach. “We’ll go see if he’s in.”
