Page 45 of A Storm in Every Heart (Enchanted Legacies #2)
ODESSA, PRESENT
T he first town we come across is barely more than a few ramshackle huts along the side of the road, but compared with the bank of the swampy river, it might as well be paradise.
“Eat first or sleep first?” Jett mumbles to himself, a smile spreading across his face as we land in front of the largest shack. “I can’t decide. Do you think somehow I could do both at once?”
“I think if anyone could, it would be you,” I reply.
He grins. “Stop, you’re making me blush.”
I smile back at him, glad to see that his mood has improved since leaving the swamp. Seeing a serious look on Jett’s face kind of creeps me out.
We find the tiniest, most dilapidated inn I’ve ever seen and traipse inside.
It’s a small, square room, with a few small tables on one side and a short bar on the other. There’s a door at the far end that looks like it leads upstairs. The room is empty except for a weathered-looking bartender, who startles as we walk in as if he was about to fall asleep on the bar.
I make a beeline for the bar and slump against it, exhausted. “Four rooms, please. Oh, and something to eat…and if you could have bathtubs brought up to the room, that would be excellent.” I suck in a breath. “ Please. Sorry, did I say that already? Thank you so much.”
The man looks a bit dazed by my rapid questions, and doesn’t have time to answer before Jett comes up behind me and leans on the bar to my left. “Actually, make it three rooms. I don’t think we should let Connell out of our sight for too long. I’ll tie him to the end of my bed or something.”
Captain Connell shuffles up behind Jett, his wrists still bound. “Would you compromise my virtue like that?” he asks sarcastically. “Scandalous.”
Kastian elbows Connell out of the way and stands on my other side. He puts a hand on my lower back. “Two rooms. I’m not letting you out of my sight either.”
“Are you going to tie me to the bed too?” I ask acidly, not really thinking about what I’m saying.
His eyes flash. “I think we can work something out.”
I choke, and Jett thumps me on the back, all the while holding back laughter.
“We’ve only got one room,” the innkeeper says, interjecting for the first time. “And I can make you something to eat, but you won’t find an inn for miles that will offer bathtubs.”
My face falls. “One room? But there’s no one else here.”
The innkeeper squints at me. “It’s the middle of the night, girl. All the rooms are taken. You can have the one or go somewhere else, but I’ll warn you, it’s a long trek to the next town, and no one is going to lend you a wagon at this hour.”
My heart sinks. “Is there at least more than one bed?”
The innkeeper doesn’t answer, just bends to pull an old-fashioned key out from under the bar. “That will be thirty gold.”
I cough. “You’re not serious. That’s outrageous, I?—”
“Take fifty,” Kastian says, reaching over my shoulder and passing a handful of coins to the innkeeper. “And bring the food up to the room as soon as it’s ready. Thank you.”
Kastian takes the key and ushers me toward the stairs, Jett and the pirate following behind us.
“You didn’t have to overpay him,” I grumble.
“I did. We’re traveling without any luggage, the pirate is bound with a belt, and all of us look like we’ve been in a fight. I doubt we’ll run into any of Magnus’s guards, but the last thing we need is for that innkeeper to get suspicious and send a message to the nearest outpost.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. “Fine, you’re right. One room though…”
“It’s better than being swallowed up by quicksand.”
I laugh hollowly. “Things could always be worse, right?”
We reach the top of the stairs and find our room.
It’s not quite as revolting as I’d imagined, but that isn’t saying a lot.
There are two rickety beds with mismatched linens and a small wash table in the center.
No lamps except for a candelabra, and the only bathing room is down the hall.
I use it quickly, and console myself with the thought that even if there were a bathtub available I probably wouldn’t want to use it in a room with three men.
I snort at the thought; how very un-siren-like of me.
When I return from the bathing room, I find Jett tying Connell’s restraints to the end of the nearest bed while the pirate complains loudly. Kastian is sitting on the other bed unlacing his boots. I stop in the doorway, not entirely sure where I’m supposed to go.
Kastian catches my eye and pats the bed next to him. My eyes widen and I shake my head once.
He grins. “Don’t worry about it, Princess. I’m going to eat my supper and then fall asleep in seconds. I’m so tired I doubt even you could tempt me to stay awake.”
My cheeks heat, and I look down to hide my smile even as I scold myself.
Stop being stupid. You know better than this.
I do know better, but I’m too tired to care. I kick off my own boots and climb onto the bed next to Kastian, just as a knock sounds at the door and the innkeeper arrives with our dinner. It’s not especially exciting—cold soup, bread and cheese—but my heart leaps, anyway.
“How do you expect me to eat soup without the use of my hands?” Connell complains from the floor. He looks over at me and winks. “Unless you want to feed me, darling. Then I’d gladly stay bound.”
Kastian goes stiff as a board beside me and sucks in a couple of deep breaths before his shoulders relax again. When he speaks, his voice is firmly even. “Can you die of starvation?”
“No,” Connell grumbles, “but it’s not a pleasant experience, and I won’t tell you shit about who wanted to kidnap your darling until you feed me.”
“How about we won’t feed you shit until you tell us?” Jett asks around an enormous mouthful of bread. “This can go both ways, you know.”
The pirate narrows his eyes. “Out of curiosity, are you planning to let me go at any point?”
“No,” Jett and Kastian say at the same time.
“Then what’s the point of my helping you at all? We’re nearly out of the swamp and you can’t keep me tied up forever. I’ll escape eventually.”
“You can try,” Jett says, a menacing edge creeping into his tone.
Connell also notes Jett’s tone and cocks his head curiously. “Have you got two different personalities, mate? No judgment, I’d just like to know who’s sleeping next to me.”
“Alright,” I say, standing up before Jett can respond. “Enough of this.”
My legs ache with exhaustion as I cross the small room in two steps. I’d far rather eat and go to sleep, but I get the strong feeling that until we’ve resolved things with the pirate, no one will get any rest.
I bend down until Connell and I are at eye level—which isn’t exactly hard given that even seated, he’s more than half my height. I grab a large piece of cheese from the tray and shove it into the pirate’s mouth. “Here, chew on that for a minute while you listen to me.”
His bright-blue eyes widen with something like interest, but he nods and remains silent, his mouth full of cheese.
“Right, so let’s review.” I hold up my fingers, counting them down as I talk.
“I heard you talking to Elio on the train, and I can already guess that he had something to do with why you were there.” I put a finger down.
“I know you were sailing under Solistinian colors but your ship was obviously built in Vernallis.” Another finger.
“And I know, just from having spent any time with you at all, that whoever hired you would have had to pay a hell of a lot.” I make a fist with my remaining fingers.
“That’s a lot of information right there, and I’m sure I’ll figure out the rest just as soon as I get to Hydratta, at which point all your bargaining power will be gone. ”
Connell swallows his cheese and grins at me. “You’re bloody sexy when you’re angry. God, I fucking love redheads.”
Kastian stands up, looking murderous. “I’m going to put my fist through your skull and pull out your fucking spinal cord. How’s that for sexy?”
Connell licks his lips. “I’ve never tried that one before. Alright, have at it. Give it to me slow and deep.”
Jett snorts something between a laugh and a sound of derision, and Kastian takes another menacing step toward Connell.
“Wait!” I put up a hand to stop him. “I’ve got this. I don’t need your help.”
To my surprise, Kastian stops, but doesn’t sit back down on the bed.
I can feel him looming over me like a shadow, and oddly I don’t hate it.
I grab a piece of bread from the tray and shove that in Connell’s mouth too.
This time, he opens wide, ready for it. “You’re much more tolerable when you don’t talk. ”
He shrugs, and winks at me as he chews his bread. He already looks more relaxed, which is exactly what I intended.
Thus far, Kastian and Jett just keep threatening him, but I can already tell that won’t work with Connell. There are two ways to persuade someone to help you—the carrot and the stick. It’s time to try a little carrot.
“Let’s try this again,” I say. “You are probably never going to get away from us. If you could be killed, I’m sure these two would have done it already, and you’re not going to get any better treatment back in Vernallis.
I doubt my brother would bat an eye at keeping you in our wine cellar and letting Jett here try his hand at defeating true immortality. ”
Connell’s eyes narrow, and he tries to say something around the bread in his mouth. The tone of his muffled words is harsh and angry.
I put up a hand to quiet him. “You didn’t let me finish. See, I’m not personally a fan of torture which would make me a very good friend for you to have.” The corner of my mouth tips up in a sneer. “Understand what I’m saying, darling ?”
Connell swallows and grins. “Why don’t you give me more of that cheese before I think of something to say about our new friendship that will set off your attack dog.” He winks at Kastian. “How are you doing over there, mate? What’s it like to have your woman taking?—”