I no longer gave a fuck about the complexities of connectivity that humans craved—Leilani the only exception. I’d stopped pursuing it when I woke up on a different ship, being stitched back together by the men I now led, even when they knew I was beyond repair. Where many once defined me as the epitome of care and gentleness, they’d learned to see me as something entirely different as the years went on. I was no longer the logical or understanding one, nor did I ever care to become that weak again. Instead, I’d shifted into the one willing to tear the world apart until my hands were around the throat of the one I once cared for more than myself, a direct mirror of the man I’d giveneverythingfor.
Mybest fucking friend.
He’d turned on me without batting an eye, stealing every ounce of all we’d built together—fortunes, luxury,trust, love—unraveling everything I thought I knew.It wasn’tmyCas who stared soullessly into my eyes that night as everything burned to the ground around us; it wasCaspian Vaynewho snuffed out my flame as soon as the serrated steel of his preferred weapon introduced itself to my internal organs.
“Captain!” The title pulled me back from the surge of darkness that swathed my mind, my attention snapping to the crewmate—Colby—who’d beckoned for me.
“What?” I snarled, the single word containing every ounce of billowing agitation that I carried.
He lifted a hand, gesturing at the coastline, and my gaze followed. Another ship approached the port, its vibrant, nearly flawless wood gleaming in the sun. The aura that emanated from it belonged only to one, and I couldn’t help but grin as soon as the realization dawned.
Malrik Ravelle, head of the assassins.
“Well, isn’t this interesting?” I hummed, pushing myself from the railing of the forecastle.
Moving from the upper portion of the ship, my palm slid down the smoothed railing before I landed on the main deck. Without missing abeat, I twisted my wrist with two fingers cast skyward, ordering those manning the sails to ensure we held position. Continuing my path, I approached the starboard, my forearms resting against the gunwale as I stared at the unmarked land beyond.
The incoming ship docked with the pristine expertise of deckhands that the king had paid off to ensure one of his most affluent pawns remained taken care of. A handful of men jumped onto the planks, tying the royal monstrosity to the awaiting cleats. The surrounding water seemed to bend to the will of the man housing the captain’s quarters; each wave lulled into a quietened state, not daring to test the tolerability of a male renowned for his ruthlessness.
“Ace,” Leilani muttered, joining my side once more. “What the fuck is Ravelle doing out here?”
A gentle breeze gathered my hair, tossing my auburn-blonde waves back as I turned to find her beautiful mocha stare. “That, my little fang, is a brilliant question. Arthur mentioned that he’d seen Caspian in Darswyth, but not in his usual manner.”
“What do you mean?”
“He was chasing after a woman.” I smiled, turning my chin back toward our newest arrival. “It seems Mr. Vayne may have stolen from someone he shouldn’t have.”
CHAPTER 13
Perceived Freedom
ROHEN
“Genuinely,” I crooned, dipping my head to the side as my vibrant red curls tumbled over my bare shoulders. “Seeing a woman really ruffles your feathersthatmuch? By the gods, I never expected you to be such a prude.”
His moonlight-kissed skin seemed to glow beneath the faint beam of sunlight seeping in from the port hole just above the brig. The dark material he wore only further accentuated his lighter tone, a shade I’d never expected on someone sailing the seas. With his chin turned away from me, I could barely spot the dark facial hair lining his jaw and upper lip, the intricate braids in his hair becoming my focal point for engagement.
I was talking to the back of a man’s head as a prisoner on the ship of another man who was nowhere to be found.
New low, Rohen. Really new low.
The depth of his voice devoured the emptiness surrounding us, cradling me in a way I’d never expected from someone of his demeanor. “Have you ever stopped to consider that, unlike some men, I’m well-mannered?”
“You wish I believe such a thing when you follow a man like Caspian?”
“Caspianis far more complex than you are giving him credit for.”
“Oh?” I hummed, reaching down to grab the washcloth from the pile of fresh linens he’d brought me. “I don’t consider a man willing topurchasea woman anywhere near complex. If anything, he’s an imbecile who’s perfected the act of wearing a mask molded by feigned sophistication. And here you are, following him around as if he were ever worth the worship, when in all reality, he’s a pathetic?—”
The hiss came after I felt the air, a singular blade burrowing itself to the hilt into a minuscule gap in the brick wall behind my head. “I’d recommend you watch your tongue if you do not wish to be dissected of it, because, believe me, neither Caspian nor I would have any qualms in doing so.”
Noted. Just as sassy as his superior.
“Well then, mylovelycaptor?—“
“Syoran,” he stated matter-of-factly, as if I should have been familiar with him by now. “My name is Syoran.”
“Oh, my apologies, I never realized your manners extended beyond the intricacies of forced commonalities—co-captain.” Wiping my skin clean, I tossed the soiled rag into the bucket in the corner. “Considering no man sailing the sea is even remotely respectable, I presumed you were the same: just like every other vile piece of shit on this godsforsaken ship.”
