“Well,would you look at this, boys!” A dark-haired man leaned over the railing of the Kizar ship, its dark hull gliding slowly through the remains ofThe Vesper. “Looks like we’ve got a couple of floaters!”
Quentin glared at the pirate, hand clenching into a tight fist. But he held his tongue.
Not for his own sake. Nah, he didn’t give a shit about that.
It was Delaynie trembling beside him, her teeth chattering in the cold waters, that had him holding back his reckless impulses. It was a warm day, a strong sun emerging from behind the storm, but the ocean was deep and cold. He hated this, fuckingloathedthis situation they’d found themselves in, but Delaynie needed to get dry. They wouldn’t make it if they were left to drift aimlessly through the Mirrored Sea.
A heavy ladder hit the water with a splash. The same man from before appeared over the rail, smirking.
“Lucky for you two, I’m in the mood to pick up strays. I’d hurry up with it; who knows if I might change my mind.”
Quentin didn’t want to. He didn’t trust these fucking pirates for a single moment. But Delaynie gave his arm a weak squeeze, and something similarly squeezed in his chest.
“We have to, Quentin,” she said softly, eyes tired as she stared longingly at the ladder. “This was always the plan.”
“I never planned on a shipwreck, little wolf.”
“The pirates,” she wheezed then coughed. “The pirates were always the plan.” She pushed off their floating piece of debris, paddling through the water toward the ship and the waiting ladder.
“Always happy to welcome a lady on board!” called the dark-haired pirate, grinning as the crew’s laughter rose into the calm air around them.
Protective anger flooded Quentin. He dived after Delaynie with gritted teeth, catching up to her quickly. They reached the ladder, each grabbing a side. He stopped her when she moved to place a foot on the lowest rung.
“Let me go first.”
“Does it really matter?”
A muscle tightened in Quentin’s jaw. “Yes. It does. I won’t leave you alone with them for a single moment.”
Delaynie hesitated then slowly nodded, moving to the side.
“Any day now! Or else you’re getting left here with the rest of the dead.”
Quentin swallowed, pushed his shoulders back, and climbed.
His limbs were trembling by the time he reached the top. He used the last of his strength to haul himself to the deck. The ladder shook as Delaynie followed, but he wasn’t watching her ascent.
No, his focus was on the fifty pirates who now surrounded him, their poses relaxed but their eyes gleaming with a dark, wicked curiosity.
“Quentin?”
He tore his attention from the pirates, grasping the hand Delaynie reached for him. He pulled her up beside him, tucking her behind his body.
He didn’t miss the way the crew’s grins kicked just a little bit higher.
The dark-haired man from before pushed through the crowd. He still wore that fucking smirk, a burnished gold ring glinting in his bottom lip and a sickle-shaped blade on his hip.
“What an interesting find the two of you have made for us today.” He stalked a slow circle around them, like a sharkcircling its prey. “Shame to loseThe Vesper.” He clucked his tongue. “But the sea is wild and unpredictable like that.” Dark chuckles arose again from the crew.
The man stopped, piercing green eyes narrowing on them both. “I knew Cecco’s crew. Neither of you were a part of it. So—who are you, and why were you sailing aboard a merchant ship to Kizar?”
Delaynie tightened her hold on his skin. A warning, or a request, he wasn’t sure.
They’d decided long before leaving Onitan soil that they would give the pirates nothing but the truth. Quentin intended to stick to that.
“We are emissaries from the Queen of Onita. We travel to seek an audience with the pirate lord.”
Quentin wasn’t sure what he’d expected. Surprise, maybe? Just the barest hint of shock that they’d rescued two representatives from a queen whose capital they’d attacked less than half a year ago?
