Where was he?
Surely, she hadn’t imagined his voice calling for her.
“Phin,” she barely breathed.
“I’m here.”
The sound of his voice was warm and raw. Eleanor spun toward it and was swiftly enveloped in his arms. His hand cupped the back of her head, drawing her deep into his embrace. She inhaled the scent of him and held him tight, realizing in a rush just how intensely she’d feared for him now that she wasn’t distracted by imminent danger herself.
He was murmuring something against her temple and it took a few moments to realize he was saying “I’m sorry” over and over.
Pulling back, Eleanor took his face in her hands and smiled. “Enough,” she chastised gently. “All is well. Our plan worked. Even your Barnaby is safe.”
Though his gaze was still shadowed with regret, he offered a tight smile. “I should’ve trusted the oaf wouldn’t be so easy to get rid of.”
“Aye, mate,” the man in question agreed as he stepped up beside them to clap Phin on the back. “I’m a tough bastard, to be sure.”
Now that he was standing right beside her, Eleanor noted that Barnaby was a large bear of a man with a thick bead and shaggy hair,which she could tell even in the low dock lantern light was a dark fiery auburn.
“And who’s this rare vision?” the Scotsman asked, turning his gaze to Eleanor. Before she could reply, his eyes widened and he exclaimed beneath his breath.
“Holy shite! You look just like the princess of legend.”
“It’s the necklace,” Eleanor muttered, lowering her chin as she lifted a hand to the jewels.
“Nay,” Barnaby argued. “It’s you.” Offering a full bow, he introduced himself. “Barnaby Weathers, at your service.”
“A pleasure,” she replied automatically.
Barnaby turned to Phin with another clap on the back and a wide grin. “What’d you do to deserve this one, mate?”
Phin shook his head, his eyes finding Eleanor’s. “I don’t deserve her,” he murmured beneath his breath just as they were joined by Aadesh and the woman.
Eleanor glanced over to see Ackerly properly bound hand and foot with a gag secured in his mouth. Iago stood over him with a stern expression. Though she tried for just a moment, she couldn’t bring herself to feel pity for the lord.
“Please,” Aadesh said, “Allow me to introduce my sister, Drishti.”
The woman quickly bowed to Eleanor and said, “Apologies, princess. Aadesh has explained the situation. I did not know.”
“I understand. You were doing what you thought was right.” Releasing the clasp at her nape, Eleanor gathered the necklace in her hands and extended it toward the woman. “Here. You should take this.”
Though she looked at Eleanor with a buried question in her eyes, the woman nodded and accepted the necklace, slipping it into a pocket of her black tunic.
Ackerly went into muffled fits over the transfer. His indignant fury evident despite his bound condition.
“What will happen to him?” Eleanor asked, only mildly curious.
Drishti’s reply was swift and stern. “He must return to our homeland and face the consequences of his crimes.” She glanced toward the ship already prepared for departure, then to the crew scattered about the ground. “I wonder how many of this crew would consider shifting loyalties. It’d be a shame for such a nice ship to go to waste.”
Barnaby chuckled. “I dinnae doubt you’ll find a way to convince them.”
The woman smiled in response.
Eleanor glanced at Aadesh who was staring at the two with a deep scowl. “You must share the tale of how you and this one came to be allies,” he said.
Sliding her brother a narrowed glance, Drishti shrugged and bobbled her head. “He’s not the villain we assumed him to be, that’s all.”
“Hm,” Aadesh grunted, earning another rumbling chuckle from Barnaby.
