I’ve never been able to control my mouth when I know I’m caught. “You’ll have to torture me for the last riddle. I am the scourge of the seas afterall. My death has to be satisfying. Do you think they’ll bet on how long I’ll last?”
He’s sitting on the bed now, boots on, his elbows leaned against his sprawled knees as he speaks directly to the floor. “Odelia.”
“Have I missed the mark? Maybe you’ll save everyone the trouble and gut me here instead. Might be easier. You can pretend I ran away. Then you’ll never have to admit to Otto—”
“Thats enough!” he barks, his gaze snapping up to meet mine. There’s something wounded in it. “I’m not going to kill you. And neither will anyone else.”
“Why?” I don’t know why I ask. I don’t know why the word tries to catch in my throat. I should be relieved. I should bolt from this room and lose myself beyond the wild edges of this town. But the animal in me has been quiet for weeks, her fearful whispers silenced by the peace I’d found with his crew. I don’t know how to explain to him what it means to me.
He clears his throat and stands, sweeping past me without a glance. “Because we’ve got one more key before we’re done. Then you disappear. And I go after Ivor.”
“What?” His words rip through me like a blade. “You can’t—”
“I can. I’ve had eyes on him for weeks. I’ll know where to find him when the time comes.”
He flings the door open, and Elio is already there, standing at attention. Rune passes him, his voice echoing down the hallway as I struggle to keep up.
“Update the crew in the morning,” he tells Elio. “I’m taking her back to the ship. I want everyone on board at noon sharp. No exceptions.”
I don’t care that the entire inn can hear me. “Rune you have to listen.” Our steps are loud and hollow as we descend the stairs. If any of the crew weren’t awake, they would be now. “You can’t go after Ivor.”
He throws the front door of the inn open to the darkness of night. The air is still, humming with insects. Little moths flitter around the torch on one of the front pillars, tempting fate. His boots crunch over the scattered pebbles on the stones. Mine are silent, though my breath isn’t. My lungs heave too fast, pulling in air they shouldn’t need. “He’ll kill you. He’ll kill all of you—”
He stops so fast I slam into his back. “And that would bother you, Odelia?”
“Yes, you ass.” But there isn’t enough air for my lungs. Rune’s eyes linger for a breath, assessing the panic in my eyes. They can’t fight Ivor. No one can fight him. Hardly any have even landed a blow. Prepared or unprepared, it doesn’t matter. He positioned himself as the best, and he’s attracted the best. The whole crew is either lethal or cannon fodder, and he uses each with intent. “You don’t stand a chance. He’ll kill you all. Reid—” I swallow the name, shove it down, but it’s too late.
He wipes any trace of expression off his face. “So you did kill Reid.” There’s no doubt in his voice.
The panic and frustration wrestle for control. “He was going to—Damn it, Rune, look at me.” He doesn’t, so I follow in his wake, alighting onto the floating wood of the dock that bobs beneath our feet. “If he’d told Ivor how to find you, you all would have been dead. Every one of you. There’d have been no way for me to stop it—you don’t understand—”
He strides up the gangplank and towards the room with me at his heels. I’m not even sure he hears a word I say, but I can’t stop the way they spill out of me like a broken dam, spurred on by the fact that I know the fate of all who go after theSea Bane. That I’ve been on the other side, opening the guts of those who have tried and failed.
I follow him into the room, not even giving it a second thought, not until I see the rope in his hands and the cold anger radiating from every inch of his massive body.
“Rune.” The words abandon me then. I don’t know why I didn’t run when I had the chance. He said he wouldn’t kill me, but he’s still going to tie me down like he’s my jailor. “Is this really necessary?" I hate the hot tears that sting my eyes.
“Sit,” he commands, gesturing to the bed.
I should fight on principle, remind him I’m not a dog, but I don’t.
I sit. Using my teeth to cage back any argument. Trying to prove I’m capable of being something that doesn’t bite back on instinct.
It changes nothing.
I offer him my hands.Nisse’shands. He doesn’t flinch when he takes them. Instead, he’s gentle, and it twists something vital inside me.
I can’t meet his eye as he ropes my wrists, then my middle. When he leaves, the door shuts like a coffin lid, and that damn bird squawks outside, its coughing screech almost like laughter.
NO WONDER SHESEEMS HAPPIER HERE
31
RUNE
The deck is quiet, bar the sound of gentle waves slapping the side of the hull. Pale, watery light washesThe Gilded Hartas the sun makes its way to the horizon. I sit on a wooden crate outside my quarters, head leaning back against the door, my mind and body equally exhausted.
Behind the barrier is the woman I’d ravished mere hours ago. Now the enemy once again. I’d tied her to the bedhead, yet little good it’ll do. If she wants to escape, she’ll find a way. I just needed her to be away from me. I can’t bear to look at her. Doesn’t matter that even the thought of her sends my body into a frenzy of heat and desire. We had our one night. Now it’s over.
