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He paused before he answered. “Good.” He had dark eyes that reminded me of Wrath’s. Dark like the earth after a heavy rain, almost the color of mud. There was an emptiness to his gaze, something he hid from me.

“You don’t sound good.”

The corner of his mouth lifted in a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He remained mired in subtle despair. “I just worry about you.”

“I’m okay, Dad.”

“Physically, yes. But you’re different.”

“New places and new experiences change a person.”

“But I see the shadow of grief on your face. I see the burden of emotion. I wish I could help you carry it.” His pained eyes looked into mine with unconditional love, his heart on his sleeve.

“I’ll be okay, Dad. It just takes time.” Time to accept the fact that I would live while the others would be eaten by fish and their bones would litter the ocean bed for eternity. I couldn’t save them.

He gave a slight nod.

“I knew what I signed up for when I left.” I didn’t quite expect all those terrible things, but I had been prepared to face them when they hit me head on. “I just wish I wasn’t the only one who made it back.”

“It wasn’t your fault. The fault lies with Captain Hartshire when he ignored your pleas.”

“He didn’t do it on purpose.” He didn’t want his whole crew to end up dead—including himself. “He made a mistake. It happens.”

His eyes softened. “I’m glad you got that from your mother.”

“What?”

“Empathy. I’ve never had much of it.”

“But you’re so kind.”

He smirked, amusement entering his gaze. “To you.”

I knew of his heroism and his victories and nothing else. It was hard to imagine him being ruthless when he was always so giving to his family and his people. “Who have you been unkind to?”

“A lot of people.”

“That’s hard to imagine.”

His eyes moved elsewhere, and he brought his new tankard closer. “I was a different person than I am now. I was angry—really angry.”

Because his uncle killed his family and took his kingdom. That would piss anyone off. “I can’t even imagine.” If someone came to the Southern Isles and murdered everyone I loved right before my eyes…

“I’m glad you don’t know that anger—and hopefully never know it.”

“Yeah, me too.”

He took a drink of his pint then turned quiet for a while. His gaze settled elsewhere, like he thought of different matters. But then his eyes came back to me, his expression sharper. “I hate to broach this subject. I wanted to give you some time before I brought up the incident, but it’s something we need to discuss.”

Was he going to ask if I’d traveled to the forbidden island to the west? If I’d disobeyed his wishes and encountered a vengeful god? My heart was just seconds from exploding. If he looked me in the eye and asked for the truth, I wouldn’t be able to lie.

“You said the men who killed your crew were on a fleet of warships. As the protector of the Southern Isles, I need to know everything you can recall.”

I tried not to look too relieved because the topic was still serious. “Honestly, I can’t recall much. It all happened so fast. But they were men no different from you and me. But their ships were made of gold.”

“Made of gold…” He said the words slowly, like he couldn’t believe what I said.

“Not entirely. But I could see frescoes of gold on the sides of their hull. See it in their railings. At the top of the crow’s nest. A very obscene display of wealth for a ship that could easily get lost at sea.”