Page 109

I like the lieutenant, and I don’t want to upset her daughter, so I frown as if trying to think of a difficult challenge, then say, “Whoever can spell their name fastest wins.”

When Gwyn wins, I sigh and tap Anya on the nose. “I suppose I’ll be stuck with you for an entirehour.”

“Tomorrow?” she says hopefully. “Will you teach me a game from Kandala?”

“Sure,” I say, and I absently spin the blade. Someone passes the liquor my way, and I take a long drink without even thinking about it.

But when I lower the bottle, I find Tessa looking at me.

I feel too warm, and it’s too quick for it to be the liquor. The bottle is still in my hand, but I watch that weapon spin and spin, until my heart seems to beat in time with the rotations.

Suddenly, I realize it’s going to stop on her. As the blade slows, I can see it coming, and my breath nearly catches.

There are so very many things I want to ask for.

A night. An hour. A minute.

Forgiveness.

Tessa isn’t watching the blade. She’s watching me.

The blade stops, but I don’t look down. She doesn’t either.

Someone in the circle whistles, and then another. A bunch of shouts go up. I swallow and pass the bottle to the next person.

But then I realize what they’re saying.

“He’ll ask for the ship!”

“Nah, he’ll ask for his girl back.”

“Make him walk the rail, Captain!”

What? I frown and snap my gaze down.

The blade didn’t stop on Tessa. It stopped on Captain Blakemore.

I’m frozen in place. My thoughts weren’t ready to realign so quickly. Across the deck, the captain has gone absolutely still, too. The jeering from the crowd has become a dull roar in my ears.

“Go ahead,” Rian says, and the crew quiets. He hates this, I can tell. “Tell me what you want.”

There’s been only one thing he’s refused me since the moment I got on this ship. “You know what I want.”

“Then ask for it, and we’ll fight for it.”

A dark cloud winds through my thoughts, cool and familiar. “You want to fight me?” I say darkly.

“You haven’t asked for anything yet,” he says.

“Fine,” I say. “I want to see the inside of that locked room.”

“Fine.” Rian stands and begins unbuttoning his jacket.

All right, then. Adrenaline burns through my veins. I uncurl from the deck and unbutton my own.

Rocco had been by the railing, but, seeing this, he’s at my side in an instant. “Your Highness.”

I shove the jacket at him. “Hold this.”