“Every last one, I heard.” The speaker stuck out his lip at his friend who opted to go home. “You said you’d go with me this time.”
“I said no such thing. No, I’m off duty. I’m going home.”
“You?” the man asked Martin.
Martin shook his head, stomach churning. “No. It’s my first day. I need to find the captain.”
“Maybe some other time.” The man finally left, two others following behind.
Some other time?How often did they hang pirates in this city? Probably nearly as often as they killed mages.
Once sure his new friend had left. Martin paced. Could Petran be among those captured? Surely not.
Worry squirming through his insides, Martin attended his check-in with the captain, eyes fixed to the mantel clock. Finally, he retraced his steps back to the docks, getting lost a few times. The sun sank beyond the horizon. Soon he’d be expected to check in at the barracks. Where was the square the guard mentioned?
He needed to find the docks. Prove to himself Petran was all right.
Lamplighters moved along the street, lighting the gaslights one by one.
Full dark quickly descended. Martin stepped back to let a trundling cart pass. The wheel hit a pothole, and something poked out of the slatted side.
A hand. He stepped closer.
Oh, gods!
A hand with three fingers. Bile rose. Martin rushed into the alley, barely clearing the street before spewing the remnants of lunch. Hot tears streamed down his face. Petran! He should have made Petran come with him. Or kept him away from the ship longer.
Every last one.
His heart squeezed. Petran. His Petran, dead. Hanged as a pirate. No! No! No! No! No! Martin threw back his head and howled. He’d lost his family, then found someone to be his friend and possibly more. The captain said Martin would be with Petran again. Had he meant in the afterlife? How cruel could the fates be?
He sank down onto filthy flagstones, burying his face in his hands. Visions filled his mind: Petran’s smile, how tenderly he’d cared for Martin’s injuries, his kisses on the back of Martin’s neck.
The pleasure they’d given each other. They read the cards, talked, and dreamed of a possible future together. His Petran, his beautiful Petran, gone.
That night, Martin settled into his cot in a room with dozens of snoring men and dreamed of Petran’s dark eyes, staring between the slats of a horse-drawn cart.
Unseeing.
Chapter Eleven – Three Summers Later
DespiteAddieinsistingheleave the city, Petran stayed. No, not Petran. Peter. His name was Peter. He’d once been an adventurer, looking forward to each new port, thrilled to see land on the horizon—or more water.
Sea creatures once raced theSeabird; he’d slept on warm sands, eaten fruit from a tree native to only one island, far to the south. Now, he couldn’t bring himself to venture past the walls of a city, even with its too many unfamiliar faces and customs. Too many rules. Some unseen force kept him here.
With the money from his father, he could have gone anywhere, lived in style, even owned a grand house near the temple, or bought a ship of his own. Though he’d have to explain how someone of his station in life came by a fortune.
Another deterrent stood in his way: a single glance at the shiny white stone temple caused a shiver. He stuck to the lower city, more easily blending in with the place he’d last seen his father.
The last place he’d seen Arkenn. He’d meet Arkenn again here in E’Skaara, if anywhere.
Market days offered a bright spot in his rather dull world. No, he wasn’t searching each stall for pale hair and blue eyes; he really wasn’t. Yet, every time he ventured past vendor stalls, he recalled showing Arkenn the city, sharing bites of pastry. His heart hurt from the memory of Arkenn’s smiles. They should have left together. Then Petr— Peter could believe his father still sailed the seas.
He wouldn’t be alone.
Sometimes Peter roamed the docks, staring out at sea to where theSeabirdwent down. Fish now swam around her rigging. Bits of conversation came back each time from the last words Arkenn spoke. The kiss Arkenn gave before parting.
Peter entertained a few discreet men from time to time, but his heart ached for one man when he lay alone in his bed at night. No amount of searching turned up the lost love he missed so badly, though they’d only known each other a short time.
