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“Whatever you’re thinking…” Lorian murmured in my ear, his warm breath making me shiver.

I cast him a narrow-eyed look over my shoulder. “I’ll continue thinking it,” I said, parroting his own words back to him.

His mouth twitched, and I climbed down the last step.

Daharak winked at me as she took her seat at the scarred wooden table in the galley. “The fae are possessive, obsessive, and impossible to wrangle. You’d do much better with a hybrid of your own.”

Lorian let out a growl so low, it was almost soundless.

Clearly, the pirate queen was looking for some kind of response from me, so I ignored that too. “What is it that you think I can do for you?” I asked.

“First, how about I tell you whatIcan do foryou.”

I took the seat across from Daharak, while Telean sat on the outside of the table where it was easier for her to maneuver with her bad back. Lorian stood, leaning against the wall. Daharak’s shadow did the same, his gaze continually drifting over each of us. She still hadn’t introduced him.

“Bold move traveling through Gromalian waters after pretending to be the prince for so long.” Daharak smirked at Lorian. “Of course, you didn’t have much choice, given that pesky barrier.”

I was watching her closely enough that I caught the naked longing that flashed through her eyes at the word. To ask about the barrier would only solidify my ignorance. Thankfully, Daharak kept talking, shifting her focus back to me.

“The Gromalians know you’re here. They’re on the way. At best, they will attempt to detain you—forcing you to meet with their king. At worst, they will attempt to kill you. Either option will waste precious time. Time you need to continue your travels down to the fae lands.”

Again, she was proving just how much she knew about our plans. And if the Gromalians attacked…

I took a deep breath. “You’re offering to help us?”

She nodded, crossing her legs at the ankles. “Most of the Gromalian fleet is currently…preoccupied elsewhere. They don’t have enough ships to engage with my fleet. If we were to escort you out of their waters, you could meet the king later at your own leisure.”

I glanced at Lorian. His expression was blank. If he was leaning toward trusting Daharak, I couldn’t tell. Lorian could kill anyone who followed us. The problem would be what came after. I was hoping to convince the Gromalian king to see reason and to ally with us against Regner. If Lorian were forced to start killing, that would never happen. But I didn’t want to talk to the Gromalian king now. Not athispleasure. Not before I’d talked to the others. And especially not while I was still so unprepared.

I kept my expression carefully blank. “And what is it that you’d want in return?”

“A favor,” Daharak said. “To be used whenever I like.”

The pirate queen was greatly overestimating me if she thought I was capable of completing the kind of favor she likely needed. But…I may as well hear her out.

“What kind of favor?”

She just shrugged. “One of equal value.”

“She’s not giving you a life debt,” Lorian finally spoke.

“I would never assume such a thing.” She grinned.

My eyes met Lorian’s. And I realized this was a test. He wasn’t going to get involved because he wanted to see what I would do. As if, even now, after all that had happened, he was still trying to prepare me. To make me stronger. Something warm settled beneath my ribs, and I attempted to smother it.

I shifted my attention back to the pirate queen. There was no doubt that it was beneficial for us to meet the Gromalian king on our terms. The alternative meant we would risk any kind of cooperation from him at best—and start a new war at worst.

“A favor equal to protective transportation,” I said.

Daharak smiled. “Yes.”

My mind whirled, but I forced myself to lean back in my seat, the way she had. “I have an alternate suggestion.”

She raised one eyebrow. “Do tell.”

“You escort usintoGromalian waters, help us dock safely, and provide us with security so we can move through the capital. We’ll travel alone through Gromalia from there. And you escort our ship out of Gromalian waters so my aunt stays safe.”

She burst out laughing. “You wish to travel through Thobirea unimpeded while the king is itching to make an example of you? Would you like me to kill Regner while I’m at it?”