by Cait Marie
“I know. I will do everything I can to lead them away, but if they do find her, I’ll protect her.”
Shane nodded, swallowing past a lump in his throat.
Phillip pulled him into a hug much like the day his sister was born and said, “She’ll be fine. I promise, she will be fine.”
He squeezed Phillip back, thanking him. His father had been right: Phillip was family, and Shane hated that both he and Adalina would be gone. The coach pulled around with the wheels crunching over gravel. Another guard approached and bowed. They walked to the carriage, Shane patting one of the horses as he passed. When the guard opened the door, he hesitated.
He turned to Phillip once more. “Be careful,” he whispered before climbing up the steps and taking a seat on the pristine leather. As the horses pulled him down the drive, his friend waved. Shane faced forward. Alone inside, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes with a sigh. There was so much going on, so much at risk. And now, the one person he knew he could absolutely trust was leaving. He just hoped Phillip could keep them off Adalina’s trail for as long as she needed.
People turned to gawk as Shane made his way through the heart of the city. The sleek black carriage with the family crest on both sides and their small flags flapping in the wind drew attention. The roads cleared though. Everyone made way for the royal coach, and they arrived just as the Rayerna ship docked.
Shane took a deep breath and left the coach. He looked for Michel as he walked toward the people unloading luggage and supplies. It wasn’t hard to find him. Even if they hadn’t known each other, it would have been easy to spot the prince. He was tall, well dressed, and surrounded by people trying to help him. Shane chuckled under his breath at the annoyance the prince failed to hide. Excusing himself, Michel approached Shane with a guard of his own in tow.
“Welcome, Prince Michel,” he said as they clasped hands.
“I did not expect such a personal welcome from my gracious hosts,” Michel joked. They were a couple years apart in age, but Shane had always liked the easy-going prince.
“Yes, well, there have been a few things going on that I thought might be best to explain before you hear the gossip on your way to the castle,” Shane said, trying to sound casual.
With a look of concern, Michel stepped closer and asked quietly, “Is everything all right?”
“Ride back with me?”
Michel nodded, told a few of his people what he was doing, then got into the coach. As soon as they started to move and the wheels rattled beneath them, Shane leaned in close and quickly told the prince to just go along, that he’d explain where they wouldn’t be overheard. The guard sitting with the driver wasn’t one he knew well. He didn’t know if it was someone loyal to his father. And he didn’t know Michel’s men, who’d joined on the back of the carriage.
“Princess Adalina is missing.” Michel’s eyes widened, but Shane held up a hand and shook his head. “She’s been gone for almost a week, and there’s no sign of her. My father is sending out a fleet of ships today to search for her.”
“Do they think someone might have taken her? Kidnapped her?” Michel asked. Shane let out a breath of relief as the prince played along.
Shane explained the theories of her being kidnapped and the steps they had taken so far, telling him what everyone else knew. When they reached the castle, he invited the prince up for a drink before getting settled. The prince agreed, saying it had been a long trip and he could use something to calm his nerves. They kept up the concerned chatter about the princess. It wasn’t until they entered Shane’s rooms that Prince Michel stopped. He looked at Shane in question as he moved the tapestry out of the way and revealed the hidden door. To his credit, the prince only hesitated a moment before following.
“You’re in danger,” Shane said once they were both in the tunnel, safely away from the eyes and ears of any who might report back to the king.
“What’s going on really?”
Shane told him. He told him everything from what Adalina overheard to her leaving to find help. He left out the part of her looking for the Nihryst, instead just saying that she was searching for a group that might be able to stop the king. Michel stayed quiet, listening and shaking his head occasionally.
“Do you know why?” He didn’t need to clarify.
Shane shook his head.
“What do we do? I don’t want to put my people in danger.” Michel sighed and rubbed his temples.
Shane trusted him. He knew he was a good man, and his people loved him. Because Adalina looked forward to one day marrying him, Shane knew she trusted him implicitly. Michel deserved to know all of the information and make his own choices.
“It’s up to you, but I think the best option is that you stay here and go along with things as normally as possible.”
“I won’t just let my people be massacred.”
“I know, but I think leaving would do more harm. My father would be suspicious and may use your leaving as an excuse to attack Rayerna sooner,” Shane said. Michel cursed, and Shane added, “I have no intention of letting your people be killed.”
“How are you going to stop it?”
“We still have a few weeks until the ball. The plan Phillip and I had was to keep up appearances until we heard from Ada. Beyond that, I’m not sure… but there’s more.” Shane told him about the group of rebels he’d met and the Kald. The prince was just as surprised as he had been and thought the disease cured ages ago. “I am looking for anything to prove whether or not my father is involved.”
“I knew things with your father were getting worse. Adalina told me a little, but I had no idea it was this bad.”
“Me either,” Shane replied quietly before leading the way back to his rooms.
The crystal blue water lapped at the sides of the ship in a soothing rhythm. Large clouds appeared like cotton floating in the wind. To avoid being seen, they’d decided to travel the long way around the island to get to Tugora. It would add on a little more time, but Ada knew it was better than the alternative.
She sat sideways on a bench at the bow of the ship with her knees up against her chest and a book balanced on top. The wind made the pages flutter, but she held it firmly. Her attention wasn’t on the book though. It was on the waves surrounding them. The sea was beautiful, she couldn’t deny that. No matter how much it frightened her.
Footsteps approached and stopped beside her, but she didn’t take her eyes from the water. A hand swatted her feet, and she lowered them to make room.
“Breathtaking, isn’t it?” Ada nodded at Lee’s words. “You’ve moved reading spots.”
“I just wanted a few minutes.” She looked to the captain sitting in front of her, his body turned to face her. “I don’t really see the difference in me sitting up there to read or down here.”
Surprisingly, he didn’t argue. Instead, he reached for the book. “What are you reading now?”
She tried to stop him, but he snatched it out of her hands and held it away from her. He stilled when he looked at the cover, careful not to lose her spot. It suddenly felt like she had invaded his privacy—that she shouldn’t have this particular book.
“Where did you get this?” he asked quietly.
“It was on the shelf,” she said. “I finished most of the others. It was just there. I’m sorry, I know you said not to go through your stuff.”
At that, he looked up with a soft smile. “It’s fine.”
When he handed it back to her, she said, “It’s one of my favorites. Always has been. I was surprised to see it in there, and it’s been comforting to have something familiar at night when I’m alone.”
She didn’t know why she told him all that. There was something about the look he gave her that made her want to just keep talking. It was as if the hard mask he wore every day had dissolved. In its place were kind eyes that almost took her breath away. Biting her bottom lip, she hugged the book to her chest.
“It was my favorite when I was you
nger,” Lee said. “My mother read it to me as a child. Something about the man stealing from the rich to give to the poor always stuck with me.”
Ada couldn’t stop the corner of her mouth from lifting. It was like meeting a whole new person. Someone who didn’t drive her crazy. He cleared his throat and looked out to the water. The mask started sliding back into place, and without thinking, she placed a hand on his arm. He glanced down at her fingers. She wanted to say something, anything to keep this version of him around a little longer.
“Lee,” she whispered.
He brought up a hand to cover hers. “How’s your wrist?” A thumb brushed the faint bruise.
“It’s fine.”
Lifting her hand, he pushed up her sleeve and examined her wrist gently. Her breath shook as she realized how close he sat, their legs almost touching and both leaning in toward one another. A shiver went through her as his fingers skimmed across her skin. Misunderstanding her reaction, he pulled her sleeve back in place and stood. She looked up at him in confusion before he began removing his coat.
“It can get cold out here,” he said, holding it out to her.
She stood and turned around, accepting his offer. Her arms slid into the sleeves as he pulled it up onto her shoulders. Before she could turn back around, his hand went to the back of her neck and gently pulled her long red curls out of the fabric. Her eyes fluttered shut as his knuckles brushed the nape of her neck.
“Better?” he whispered near her ear.
She nodded and faced him. “Yes, thank you.”
His hand slowly moved from her neck down her arm. It stopped, barely touching the side of hers. His fingers curled around her pinky as he opened his mouth and whispered, “Ada—”
“We’re making good time, Captain,” Brienne said, interrupting their moment.
Lee turned and abruptly took a step back as she approached. She looked from one to the other, but before she could ask, he said, “We need a plan.”
Brienne’s eyes narrowed, full of suspicion. She looked to Ada, who quickly stared at the ground and pulled the coat tighter around herself.
They walked to the captain’s quarters together. Ada sat on the edge of the bed, with Brienne joining her. Lee leaned against the table with crossed arms, staring at the princess.
Palpable tension filled the air.
“Are we all right?” Brienne asked.
“Fine,” Lee said just as Ada replied, “Yes.”
Brienne shook her head. “Fine, so, what’s the plan? How are we playing this out in Tugora?”
“Well, if our princess here would tell me what we’re looking for, it would make things a lot easier.” Irritation filled the captain’s voice.
“I told you, it’s my own business. You don’t need to know.”
“Yes, I do,” he argued. “I will be going into town to retrieve whatever it is you need, and you’ll be staying on the ship.”
“Because that worked out so well last time,” she muttered.
“Last time—”
“Stop,” Brienne yelled, cutting him off. He gave her an incredulous look. “She’s right. It’s her business. She knows what she needs, so it’s best for her to go.”
“If you’re suggesting that she,” he held his hand out in Ada’s direction, trailing his eyes up and down her body, “go into Tugora alone—”
“Of course not,” Brienne said.
Ada insisted, “I can take care of myself.”
“It’s safer for someone to go with you.” Brienne turned toward her more. “From what I was told, you have skill, but you still shouldn’t go alone.”
“If anyone’s going with her, it’s me,” Lee said to Brienne, who smirked at him. He quickly added to Ada, “They’ll be able to smell the money on you. You can’t handle an entire island of pirates.”
“That’s true,” Brienne said, looking to Ada apologetically. “You are going to stand out on the island. Regardless of who goes with you.”
“She needs a backstory, a reason for being in Tugora. Something that won’t draw excessive attention but will be believable if someone questions her presence.”
“Why can’t I just pretend to be one of you?” Ada asked.
Lee’s head fell back as he let out a bark of laughter. Ada glared at him and asked why that was funny. With a sigh, Brienne placed a hand on her shoulder.
“No one would buy it.” Lee said before Brienne had a chance.
“Fine, then what do you suggest?” Ada crossed her arms, mirroring his stance.
“Actually, I have an idea.” Brienne looked back and forth between them before adding, “But you are both going to hate me.”
They went over the plan several times, and Brienne was right; neither of them were happy about it. It was a good plan though. Or at least the best they had. They would arrive the following evening, with just Ada and Lee going into the pirate-inhabited town.
Because her wrist no longer bothered her, Ada went back to doing more physical work that afternoon. She had just finished helping clean the galley when she passed a cracked-open door to a small storage room she hadn’t noticed before. With a hand on the door handle, she paused, but a loud crash had her moving forward.
Brienne knelt around a spilled box of supplies. A pad of paper sat beside her, and she sighed looking at the mess.
“Need help?” Ada asked as she squatted across from the girl.
“Umm…” Brienne hesitated. Ada looked around and realized why. They were surrounded by medical supplies. The stolen medical supplies.
Ada pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath. Once the irritation passed, she looked to her friend and said, “I don’t understand why you need all this, but you might as well put me to work.”
“Thanks.” Brienne nodded. “I’m trying to take inventory.”
“Where do we start?” Ada asked, picking up the pad of paper and holding it out to her.
“Let’s get this cleaned up, and then I’ll tell you what we have. You jot it down.”
They got to work, talking as they went. The medical supplies were plentiful and varied. When they reached one of the last boxes, Ada shook her head at the vials of different medicines.
“Why do you need all this? No one on your crew seems remotely sick,” she said.
“I told you.” Lee startled her as he came up behind her. He snatched the dark container from her hand and placed it back in the box. “I like to be prepared.”
“You look like you’re preparing for a massive epidemic,” she countered. When he didn’t reply, she continued, “It looks like you have enough for an entire village here.”
“Ada.” Brienne gave her a pleading look to stop.
A thought occurred to Ada. “Are you selling stolen goods?”
Lee’s sarcastic laugh rang through the air. “Always assuming the worst of us.”
“Well, you are pirates. What else would you be doing with this much?” Silence. “If you’re not going to tell me the truth, you can’t be mad at my assumptions.”
“Like you are so willing to be honest with us?” He stepped closer, invading her space. “Tell us why we’re going to Tugora, and I’ll consider telling you what this is for.”
Muttering something about needing to get work done elsewhere, Brienne left quietly and shut the door. Ada stared at the captain, refusing to be the first to back down. They were too close, and she couldn’t breathe. When a hand reached up to her cheek, she let out a small gasp. Calloused fingers slowly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as Lee took a step closer. She could feel his breath on her cheek.
“You are incredibly frustrating,” he whispered.
With a great amount of effort, she said, “You’re one to talk.”
His quiet laugh stirred her hair. His hand moved to her jaw, making her cheeks flush. Ada lifted a hand to his chest, and her eyes fluttered shut. For the second time that day he made her feel that way. She wanted to hate it more than she did. His breath caressed her lips, and she f
ound herself leaning into him.
When the ship rocked suddenly, she lost her balance. Lee’s hands went around her as she began to fall sideways. Her eyes snapped open and met his. Less than an inch separated them, and a magnetic force pulled her to him.
“Ada,” he said softly, holding her close. “Tell me why we’re going to Tugora.”
She froze, and her mouth dropped open. “Seriously?” she snapped as she stood upright. When he didn’t let go right away, she leaned closer, her mouth almost against his ear. “You’re unbelievable.”
His grip tightened on her sides. Ignoring the flutter in her stomach, she shoved him away.
“Not going to work on me,” she told him.
When she turned to leave, he grabbed her hand and reeled her back around. “That blush says otherwise.”
She narrowed her eyes, opening her mouth to argue, but the words wouldn’t come.
“If you weren’t so stubborn, it would’ve worked just fine,” he said with a grin. She pulled back, but he moved closer. Against her hair, he whispered, “And we could’ve had a little fun.”
As soon as it was out, he let go and walked past her out of the storage room. She stood locked in place. The quiet space felt small once alone. She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her traitorous heart. She quickly turned out the swinging lantern before heading back upstairs.
Once on deck, she went to the wheel to find Brienne. The sun had poked its way through the clouds at last, warming up the day. “Stars, it’s hot out here,” Ada said, walking up the steps.
When she reached her friend, she was surprised to find Lee standing there too. Their heads were close together as they whispered back and forth, arguing about something. Ada cleared her throat, and his eyes snapped to hers.
With the swaggering grace only a pirate captain could pull off, he walked toward her and winked. She didn’t know how she ever missed it before. Between the cocky arrogance and weapons, there was no way he was anything else. Even the black shirt that hung open halfway down his chest screamed pirate. The temperature grew even more. She started to move past him, to her normal bench, when he reached out and grabbed her forearm.
