My heart stuttered. “I’d thought more along the lines of standing up to him—demanding change.”
“Does that sound like something he’ll agree to? His soldiers can take us all, Vara. You might have Darcke on your side, but who will the king’s men choose if the king asks them to? Who will Darcke choose if the king tightens his leash?”
I closed my eyes when the gilded fetter that the water had revealed invaded my mind.
Darcke wouldn’t have a choice.
I searched the ship again, but my second was nowhere to be seen.
“Whatcanwe do?” I asked when I turned back to Ivren.
He pushed at a raven strand of hair stuck to his forehead. “I don’t know… If we even entertained it, we’d have to be ruthless—make sure there isn’t any room for mistakes—because if anyone finds out we even talked about this…”
“Wedidn’ttalk about this.”
“Talk about what?” Ottoh asked as he came up on my other side.
My heart had never pounded so hard in my chest as when Ivren turned on his bright smile.
“Whether Elvara would leave her second for me,” Ivren smoothly joked.
Darcke’s interjection came from the captain’s wheel. “She might be an heir, but she doesn’t have that fucking bad taste.” His quip sounded calm enough, but my hand twitched toward my gut when a bitter, bile-inducing jealousy spread there.
Darcke was bothered by Ivren.Reallybothered.
And it was immature, but I liked it.
When I felt Darcke’s scowl in my mind, I locked down any trace of a smile.
Ivren saw it on my face because he mouthed, “I’m sorry,” before clearing his throat, speaking the next part out loud. “Let’s talk later. I need to think.”
Ottoh stared between Ivren and me, a question weaving along his features.
“I would never consider him,” I said.
“Why?” Ottoh asked.
Darcke was eavesdropping, and I knew Ottoh was only asking on his behalf, but I indulged the poor man.
“Because even if it was well meaning, he betrayed me,” I said. “I could never forgive that. I need a man I can trust by my hearth.”
I met Darcke’s eyes as I spoke, and though his face remained stony—as if he hadn’t heard a word—he dipped his chin the slightest inch before turning around again.
Ottoh and I were quiet for a while as the ship took waves that were becoming increasingly tall, the sea unnaturally wild for summer. It was a comfortable silence, one that reminded me of my father, the way he used to say so much more when he withheld words instead of speaking them out loud.
When Ottoh placed a hand on my shoulder to return to where Vero was resting on one of the benches on the side of the ship, I stopped him. “Do…” I closed my mouth, gathering whatever bravery could be found within me. “Do you think we should do something about the king?”
Ottoh went still. “Like what?”
“Like… unseat him?”
I held my breath as Ottoh placed his hand atop mine.
“You shouldn’t speak like that,” he whispered. “Not with who your second is.”
But it’s because of him I’m doing it.
Ottoh used his other hand to tap his fingers against my temple. “Leave those thoughts in here. It’s not safe, Elvara.” His hand dropped again. “Let’s focus on surviving the next few days.”
