Zafir kept pacing the length of the room as we talked—or, most of the length of the room. He only got so far before the chain between us yanked taut and dragged me along with him like some poorly trained dog.
“For the hundredth time,” I said through gritted teeth. “Stop doing that.”
He paused, glaring down at the cuffs binding our wrists together. “Then stop falling behind.”
“Aren’t you a delight?” I sneered. “But you’ll still have to haul me across the ocean, and we have no ship, no money, and no one willing to take us.”
He almost sat on the settee but sprang up again once he realized my bloodstains were still there. “Correction:wedon’thave anyone…yet. I know someone who we might be able to convince to fund the voyage. Maybe.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Who?”
Zafir groaned and scrubbed a hand down his face. “His name’s Julian. He’s the spoiled son of one of the Parliament members.”
“Great, then let’s go ask him.”
He tapped a long finger on his desk. “It’s not that simple. He and I have a certain dislike for each other.”
“But you just said he’d fund it.”
“Hemight. If it entertains him.”
I tilted my head. “So how do we make it entertaining for him if he hates you?”
Zafir gave me a tight smile. “Notwe. You.Youwill make it entertaining for him.”
“Me?”
He met my gaze, mouth quirking to the side. “You’re new and pretty, the perfect combination for him. Julian won’t be able to resist.”
“You want me to flirt with him?” I asked slowly.
“I want you toseducehim,” Zafir clarified. “I want you to make him fall all over himself trying to impress you. Convince him this little voyage is exactly the grand romantic gesture you’re craving.”
I stared back at him. “I’ve never even met the man.”
“I’ll introduce you.”
“I’m not good at flirting or seducing.”
He lowered his voice. “Then get good. Julian’s easy for women to charm, at least until he gets bored of them.”
I looked down at the chain between us and arched an eyebrow. “And I’m supposed to do all this while we’rehandcuffedtogether?”
“You can always say you want out and I’ll release you immediately.”
It was my turn to curl my lip. “Then you’d run off and leave me in Pyren while you get the lamp all for yourself.”
Zafir shrugged. “Yes, I would. But it’s an option.”
“I’ll take my chances seducing Julian, though I can’t imagine he’d enjoy having you tag along on our romantic time that ought to be alone.”
He waved a hand, unconcerned. “On the contrary, I suspect that Julian would find it wildly amusing. He’ll love having me dragged along to your candlelit dinners so he can watch me squirm.”
“Willyou squirm?”
“If it suits my needs,” he said.
I paced away from him only to be yanked back after a few steps. “I’m not sure this will work.”
