“You could have been killed,” he continued.
“I… What?”
“Last night.Wandering the deck in the dark, the boards and the rail were slick with rain…” He took a sharp breath.“You’ll sleep with the tether from now on.Either attached to the post or to me.Keeping you secure is the only way I’ll be able to… I’ll be able to…stand this situation.”
“All right.”
“Pardon?”
“That sounds…reasonable,” I said.
I had no issues with his solution.Tying me down would keep me safe, and I’d be lying if I said that the idea of Captain Martin tethering my wrist to keep me under control didn’t give me a strange, excited feeling.
“Reasonable?”he echoed, lifting his arms in the air, palms turned up.“None of this is fucking reasonable!”
His shout made me jump.My eyes went wide.I didn’t think I’d ever seen him this angry.He was normally so calm and steady.
I hastened to agree.“I know.I know.You’re right, and I’m sorry.”
He stared at me, his expression going from fierce to forlorn as his arms dropped to his sides.
“This circumstance is not your fault.”
“Thisismy fault,” I said.
“Rooster.Stop.”
“No, I won’t.Your life was uncomplicated and free and full of adventure before I came aboard your ship.And now it’s—” My voice cracked as I struggled to hold back intense emotion.
I hated to see him this way, and I did feel responsible.
He came toward me and I stiffened, wanting to be hard and factual and say out loud all the things I was thinking, about my stupid powers and the curse that was my existence.But before I could continue he had enveloped me in his arms and was squeezing me as if he’d never let go.
“You have made my life…so much richer,” he said with such strong feeling I couldn’t help but believe him.
“I don’t know…”
“I do know, Simon Bartholomew White.I do know, and I should punish you for doubting my convictions.”
I nodded against his chest, remembering what Domingo had said.
“Domingo said you should put me over your knee.”
Dinesh halted the soothing circles he was rubbing on my back.
I continued, my voice muffled against his shoulder.“Well, he said he would bring me here and make you give me a good hiding.”
The captain stepped back and held me at arm’s length, giving me a concerned look.“Whatever for?”
I shrugged, gazing at his boots, then shyly glanced at him.“Well, he said that a spanking might do us both a lot of good.”
Dinesh’s expression finally relaxed, and he looked more like himself again.
“He did, did he?”
“Aye.You haven’t done the deed in some time, but if I remember correctly, we’re both much more relaxed after.”
“Yes, I seem to recall that as well.Hmm.”
