The day’s light from the open hatch haddimmed to dusk when Roark carried a bowl down with Alina’ssupper.
“Mutton stew,” he said, handing her the bowland sitting down beside her.“And the last of the bread.Tomorrowit’ll be back to salted meat and hard tack along with a few carrotsand turnips.”
Alina said nothing.She had no real appetiteand only ate to keep her strength up, sneaking side glances atRoark, who apparently meant to sit with her until she finishedeating.
“May I go deck side?”she asked, handing himher empty bowl.“I could use some fresh air and movement.You cantie my wrists together if it makes you feel better,” she added whenhe hesitated.“If you don’t believe me when I say I won’t try toget away.”She smoothed what was left of her torn and tatteredgown.“Besides, where am I going to go?I’m in the middle of thesea, hundreds of leagues away from land, with nothing but theshredded gown on my back.”
Roark eyed her tattered gown and went to achest and pulled out a linen tunic and pair of trousers and tossedthem at her feet.He motioned for her to stand and unlocked theiron cuff.
“Put those on,” he said.“When we go topside,stay by me.”
He turned his back to her, and Alina quicklydoffed what was left of her once favorite gown and shivered, asmuch from the chill of the oncoming night as from the fact she wasstanding naked no more than two paces from Roark.She pulled on thetrousers and tied the stays, then donned the tunic, which was softand well-worn and a decent fit, as were the trousers.
“Whom did these clothes belong to?”sheasked, pulling on her boots.
“A stable lad.”
Alina chuffed.“You really did plan this allout.”
“Not all of it,” he grumbled before turningaround and facing her, his mouth quirking at the sight of herdressed like a boy.He swept a hand toward the ladder.“Ladiesfirst.”
Alina stepped up into the cool night air andbreathed in the tang of salt and sea.She’d sailed with her fatheron several short voyages to neighboring ports through the years,and always thrilled to the feel of a ship beneath her and the opensea and sky beyond her.Though sailing as a prisoner with sixseamen and Leif watching her every move took away much of thethrill.
She stood at the stern with her face into thechill spring wind, shivered, and crossed her arms.
“Roy,” Roark called out from beside her.“Fetch a pelt from the hold for the princess, will you?”
“Aye, sir,” the seaman with flaming red hairsaid before disappearing into the hold and coming back up with apelt Roark laid over Alina’s shoulders.
Alina pulled the pelt’s edges close andrubbed her cheek on the thick, rich fur, fighting a sudden urge tocry.
“Alina?”
She met Roark’s concerned gaze, which somehowmade it harder to hold back her tears.“My father’s pet name for mymother is Little Lynx,” she sniffed.“He gave her a lynx throw as awedding present, and it’s her favorite to this day.”
“She wore it last night,” Roark said.“Whileyou sang and she played the harp.”
“Meadowlark,” Alina whispered, swiping at herwelling tears and wishing she was sitting with her family aroundthe hearth fire and singing along as her mother played.“That’swhat she named her harp.”
“She played beautifully.”
Alina drew a shaky breath in and blew it out.“You can always tell what she’s feeling by what she plays.”
“What’s your tell?”
“My tell?”
“How can a person tell what you’refeeling?”
Alina held Roark’s intent gaze for a long,interminable moment, and then dropped her eyes to her feet.
“I don’t have a tell,” she said.
Roark cupped her chin and lifted it until shewas staring into his rain eyes.The corners of his mouth lifted andhis eyes crinkled.“Yes, my beautiful green-eyed owl, you do.”
Alina’s cheeks flushed hot and she pulled thelynx throw closer around her shoulders, wondering what he thoughther tell was and refusing to ask him.If he answered with somethingkind, she’d burst into tears in front of him and the entire crew.And she refused to do that.She looked up into the darkening skyand found the Big Bear and the North Star to the starboard and theHunter to the portside with the Lady in the Chair to the starboardbow.They were sailing west, southwest.
“Is the looking glass handy?”she asked.
