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"Asharin." His voice was low and his eyes did not have their usual amusement in them.

"Yes?"

"Hurry up, then."

"What is the ship’s name?"

"Blue."

I raised an eyebrow. "How dull."

"I am a simple man."

"If by simple you mean dull, then perhaps."

"I was not dull when I beat you at cards the other night. Your coin debt is enough to bankrupt all of Veynar," he said dryly.

"You were dull then and now that I know your ship is named Blue you are most certainly dull now."

The men on his ship slowed as they saw me come aboard.

"They are staring at me."

"That they are. To be fair, you are supposed to be dead."

"It is supposed to be a secret," I hissed.

"Vaelor crewmen do not talk much."

I rolled my eyes. "I thought Vaelors could not lie. It cannot be both."

"Where to, Captain?" A man called from the bow.

"Turn the cloak," Eravic replied. "Thrykis."

"Oh, the invisibility thing you do," I said.

"Yes." A twinge of pride in his voice. "I am trying to impress you."

"Silly me. I thought you were trying to prevent us from getting eaten by undead."

"Aye. That too."

"Another Vaelor lie. I am beginning to grow skeptical of your lineage, Lord Captain of the Seas."

"Fucking Eravic."

I laughed. Harder than intended. He stared at me and shook his head. "Every time you laugh like that, princess⁠—"

I put my finger over his lips. "Less talking, Vaelor. You have a princess on your ship. She has demands."

"Oh?"

"Shitty ale and clothes I can kill in."

He threw his head back and laughed. And admittedly, that did something to me.

We walked to his cabin and I entered.