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‘Well, don’t be such a hypocrite.’

Storm clouds brewed in Aron’s grey eyes. My second warning. ‘I’ve been livin’ three hundred years, lass,’ he said. ‘I’ll take yer advice once ye can say the same.’

I huffed. ‘You can’t expect me to stay where I’m not wanted.’

I looked between the four of them, their faces pained, Golde’s shoulders slumped. Sebastien wasn’t the only one who’d shown me how to be happy in a place like this, how to live. Just the thought of leaving them all opened an ache in my chest that threatened to consume me.

I released a sigh. I wasn’t going anywhere without at least trying to understand why.

‘Fine.’

When I stepped out to face the cold, I saw him. Sebastien sat on the snow-covered steps, staring out at the empty deck. I stood in the doorway for a moment, watching snowflakes drift across his broad shoulders.

He sat with his legs set apart, arms braced against his knees, so deep in thought that he didn’t glance up until I stood in front of him. But the warmth I’d come to expect from his presence was missing. He remained stiff, unresponsive.

We stewed in silence for a moment longer, two stark figures in a dome of white. But my need for warmth wore down my patience and I moved closer, nudging my way between his legs to fix him with a waiting stare.

Sebastien gave in a fraction, reaching out to graze his fingers down my sides over the folds of his cloak. So lightly, as though he didn’t dare touch me properly. It only made me colder.

I lifted my chin, gaze sharpening. ‘What changed?’

‘Nothing’s changed.’ His reply was icy as the frost. He faced the horizon, eyes fixed on something that wasn’t there. Goosebumps prickled down my arms.

‘You’re pushing me away.’

Snow swirled in Sebastien’s gaze, a dark mirror to the world around us. ‘We can’t pretend that this won’t break us any more,’ he said. ‘Can’t have a princess thinking she’d have a better life with pirates.’

‘Don’t call me that.’

He exhaled. ‘You don’t want the title, so go home,’ he said dismissively. ‘Before it’s too late and you end up a pawn to a man who cares about you even less than I do.’

‘You’re unbelievable,’ I snapped, fighting the urge to laugh and cry all at once. His words stung too much to admit. I thought about the cottage, about my sisters’ empty stomachs and our father’s empty coffers. I couldn’t turn my back on them. But I couldn’t pretend a future there could ever make me happy, not now that I knew what it actually meant.

‘We’ll reach Whale Rock in two days,’ he said. ‘Bane will be waiting with an army, like you said. I can only protect you from him for so long. It’s better if you’re gone before things . . . get worse.’

I opened my mouth, then closed it again. ‘If this is your way of trying to save me,’ I said after a moment, ‘why don’t you just say that?’

‘What does it matter?’ Sebastien snapped. ‘Do you want to see your family again or not?’

‘Of course I do!’

‘Then go. This might be your last chance.’

Any sane person would’ve left the moment he suggested it. Turned and run. But it had become glaringly obvious over the past few months that I hardly qualified as sane.

‘How many more need to die before you let go of this damned vendetta?’ I pressed. ‘You’d really give up everything just to kill a man who betrayed your trust?’

‘Can’t let go,’ he muttered. ‘Not even for you.’

I took a deep, steadying breath. Nothing was going to convince him – any of them. For whatever reason, they were sailing into this battle like they had nothing to lose. But if I could find Bane first, try to negotiate with him, maybe I could save them. Save someone . . . I shook my head, chasing back those thoughts. I wasn’t going to sacrifice myself for a secret they didn’t trust me to keep.

‘Does this have something to do with the curse?’ I prompted. ‘You think the sea might attack again?’

Sebastien clenched his jaw, looking away. ‘I’ve already told you too much. We don’t need you any more. Why isn’t that reason enough?’

It was the word we that cut deepest. I fought to blink back the burning behind my eyes before it could take hold.

Sebastien glanced up at me, catching sight of my expression. ‘I’m letting you go before Bane can get his hands on you. He’ll be dead by the time you’re with your family again and King Oren will never hear so much as a word of any of this. Isn’t that what you want – to be free?’