They landed with their swords ready, but Theo began feeling the effects of his injuries, the press of his knee against the binding and the blood leaking from his shoulder. He eyed the wound, but the musket ball had only grazed his arm.
“Where do you think they’ll be?” Esaias asked.
“If Adelaide was taken, she’ll be farther below deck. Amaris could be anywhere.”
“Is it true?” Esaias whispered, wiping the blood from his eyes as they began their trek through the ship.
“Is what true?”
Esaias gave Theo a flat look before he checked around the corner. “Love fizzles out eventually, especially with a woman like Amaris.”
“I don’t love her,” Theo snapped. “It was one kiss.”
“You kissed her?”
“Technically, Amaris kissed me first, but she doesn’t even remember it.”
“Whatever is between you two, set it aside. Focus on why we’re here. You can sort out who kissed who later.”
Theo ground his teeth, but Esaias was right.
A cannon fired, jostling the boat.
Esaias gazed down the next ladder. “Sounds like they’re below us.”
“Then we avoid that deck. I doubt Amaris would be foolish enough to crawl into Deavopan’s nest.”
“Do you even know the woman?”
“Excuse me?” Theo asked, lowering his sword.
Esaias forced out a sigh and spat blood from his lips. “She’s looking for Adelaide, who will be in the brig. She needs a key.”
“Why do you only show this level of intelligence when we’re near death?”
“It’s one of my specialties.” He grinned.
Esaias swung himself over the ladder and scaled deeper. Theo gripped the rung, waiting to descend into the chaos. His thumb brushed against the worn wood from the many hands having climbed it.
Several weeks ago, he’d wanted desperately to know what plagued Duncaster, but now he would’ve gladly stayed in the dark. He wished it was anything other than the Accords. He wanted to have met Amaris in the market, offering to carry her basket of herbs. He wished Adelaide to be a soldier, learning and training under him. But the life he wanted was only a dream. Amaris’s life was threatened, not only by Deavopan, but by his father and someone wishing to poison her, and Adelaide might never again see the end of a sword.
Before Theo could follow Esaias, someone ran into him. His grip slipped, and all three of them crashed below. Theo smacked the back of his head, seeing stars glittering in his vision. The attacker pressed against his stomach, but he gripped their wrist and dragged them against the wall. Theo’s vision blurred in and out of focus.
He swayed as he pulled out his dagger and held it to their throat.
Chapter 42
Theo
“So rin esdilid uldo bere bre flon lod cha ca clol bre cod.”Theo seethed Tendasy in the assailant’s ear, threatening to drag his dagger across their throat if they didn’t hold their tongue. If he couldn’t find Amaris and Adelaide, then he’d need someone to drag along to show them.
“Please,” they begged.
“You speak Akaric?”
“Theodoric?”
Theo pulled back his blade. Everything ceased its spinning, and the face came into focus as his eyes adjusted. Amaris stood with wide eyes and her brown, frizzy locks. He didn’t care if she didn’t remember their kiss. His arms wrapped around her. Her heart beat ferociously against his, but she didn’t embrace him back. Her arms dangled at her sides, trembling.
