“It knows when a stupid, selfish, inconsiderate pirate wants a ride.”
I jumped at the unknown voice. Marc merely smiled as his gaze fell on a nearby lamp post. “So you escaped her.”
Ramaro strolled out from behind the pole and plopped down a few feet away. His terrible yellow eyes glared at us. “Yes, no thanks to you lot.”
“Did you catch her mouse?”
Ramaro spat out on the ground. “Of course. A terrible, nasty rat it was, too.”
“Then you have done a good deed for the day,” Marc insisted.
Our short friend scoffed. “A good deed would be to give you a thrashing.”
“So, do what do we owe the pleasure of your arrival?” I spoke up.
He lifted his chin. “I came here to make sure the captain forgets that he’s not here to have fun.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“The captain didn’t bring you here just to show you off to all his relatives,” Ramaro told me.
Marc narrowed his eyes at his crew member. “You’re getting dangerously close to mutiny, sailor.”
The agama scoffed. “A captain shouldn’t keep secrets from his crew, and this woman is part of your crew.”
I stepped between them. “What are you two talking about?”
Marc folded his arms over his chest. “I’ve hardly kept it a secret that I had a purpose in bringing Rose here to meet with Eldric, though that turned out to be a fruitless search. His books had nothing about other worlds.”
I studied him with a thoughtful expression. “Did you bring me along because you thought someone might know something about how I got into this world?”
“And how you might get back,” he added, though I noticed there wasn’t much enthusiasm in his voice. “That’s still important to you, isn’t it?”
I thought back to Tim and choked up. “Yeah.”
He sighed. “Well, it all came to nothing, anyway. Eldric couldn’t give me any hints to help you.”
I managed a smile. “That’s alright. I just appreciate that you’ve been trying to help me. I haven’t really been of much help to you, after all. If I weren’t here, then you’d probably be able to do whatever you want and go wherever you want.”
A crooked grin slipped onto his lips, and he slipped an arm around my waist. He drew me close against his chest, and his heat was a salve against the chilliness that came from the cold stones beneath our feet. “But the company wouldn’t be half as enjoyable.”
Ramaro rolled his eyes. “If you’re done with that, what are we going to do next?”
“Why don’t we take a look at the sea from the balcony, and then just enjoy the sun and the sea breeze?” I suggested.
Marc leaned down and pecked a kiss on my forehead. “I think that’s a fantastic idea. Let’s hurry there faster than short legs can keep up.”
“You won’t lose me that easily!” Ramaro snapped as he flexed his legs.
Marc guided me away with swift steps with his eyes twinkling. “Then try to keep up.”
Marc and I laughed as we practically sprinted down the road. The agama slammed his tail down once on the stones before he took off after us.
The rest of the day was just as amusing. The sights and sounds of the city made me smile and piqued my curiosity, and many of the people wore bright smiles on their faces. The tastes, sounds, and even the smells were a treat, and by the time the sun began its descent, my mind was filled with precious memories.
We stood on the balcony again, watching the last rays of the sun glitter along the calm sea. I grasped the railing and leaned over, admiring the view and taking in the sweet scent. A faint breeze wafted over us, bringing with it all the wonders and odors of the capital.
Marc leaned close beside me. His focus was closer, namely, me. “What do you think of the capital?”
