Erinna flinched. Arcanum buzzed lightly around his throat once more.Dammit, Kane grumbled and scratched at the invisible threads. He’d promised to get her home safe, but apparently the deal extended its protection against his own nature.I wasn’t even planning on hurting her, he griped to invisible threads of arcanum that were growing increasingly more irritating.
“Inez will be cared for here. We all know what happens to misfits beneath the reign of your king.” He watched her eyes narrow and body shift in her seat. As he suspected, she was no fan of King Mycelar. He’d heard the rumblings of a couple Tarthans smuggling people away from the kingdom. Never thought he would be dealing with them himself.
Under normal circumstances, he was fond of smugglers.“I’m not a smuggler.”The memory of her disdain flashed through his mind, and he bit back a chuckle.
“What was our half of the deal?” asked Erinna the moment Kane finished his last bite.
He opened his mouth to speak, the rippling of arcanum tugged at his neck. Squeezing tight to ensure he didn’t spill Kenneth’s secrets.
Fuck me. Kane clenched his teeth together in an attempt to keep unwarranted insults at bay. He scratched at his neck. The magical constraints would tighten their hold again if he tried to give her direct answers. And he knew better than to think he was done dodging her queries.
This would be the last time he ever dealt with a Yarrow.
“First.” He scratched again at the invisible bindings. “Let me make this abundantly clear. The deal was with your father. I cannot divulge his secrets, even to his kin.”
She scanned his face, frustrated but calculating. “What are you looking for in the library?”
Kane let out a sardonic laugh. Her queries would be the death of his patience and sanity.
“You ask too many questions.”
“You keep too many secrets.”
“And you’re entitled to none of them,” he shot back.
Erinna sat deeper in her seat. “You’re right,” she admitted. Kane blinked—he’d braced for an argument, not…whatever this was. Maybe they would finally be able to get somewhere.
“You need to know the ground rules so you don’t get yourself pummeled by my crew.” He pushed the plates aside and leaned over the table. “You will be expected to help at least with the basics if you plan on eating our food and staying in our shelter.”
She gave a slow nod. Kane knew she wasn’t naive enough to believe her stay would be free or easy.
Erinna folded her hands across the table. “And the library? I need access.”
“We’re working on it.”
“What do you mean working on it? The wards are down?—”
“The wards are down for the library, but it’s surrounded by a military stronghold with old arcanum fortifications.” That was the Minor Apprentice’s job.
“I can help.”
Kane shook his head. “I need you on the ship.”
The last thing he wanted was to put Erinna and the Minor Apprentice in a room together. He was only buying time before they eventually met, and he had a feeling Erinna was no fan of that pain-in-the-ass mage. Although Kane had to admit, he wondered just how amusing it would be to watch her ire aimed at someone other than him.
She glared and crossed her arms over her chest. A momentary silence settled as she thought. Kane could practically hear the gears working in her head.
“How about we make a deal?”
Kane perked up and gestured for her to continue. He’d sworn earlier that he would never make a deal with a Yarrow again. But he was full, warm, and dry. It wouldn’t hurt to at least hear her out.
“Can I get assurance for access to the library once you open the doors or whatever?”
He fought the urge to roll his eyes. “It’s not worth my time to keep you out once we open the doors. But yes, I won’t stop you from entering.”
She pulled in her bottom lip in thought, eyes narrowed as she assessed. “I’ll outfit your mast with witchstone. In exchange, you bring me back home when all of this is done.”
Kane couldn’t stop his excitement. A witchstone ballast. On his ship. He could almost salivate at the idea. But heading back to Tarth…
