Page 131 of Daughter of the Dark Sea

Silence continued. It was unbearable as Barron surveyed them, his beady dark eyes assessing every square inch of Blake, and then Kora. Her lips trembled, threatening to explode with secrets just to alleviate the palpable quiet.

“No, this is about somethingelseyou’ve done.”

Barron clenched a hand around the pillar of the bed, his knuckles turning white. He radiated power, and it filled the room to the point she felt she were being crushed by his presence.

“I haven’t done anything,” she whispered. Her pulse fluttered, and she glanced back to Blake. Was it about them? Had they found out about their relationship? Her emptied heart twisted. Their vow was as broken as her dagger.

Theywere broken.

Barron chuckled, rubbing his stubbled chin. “Stop looking athim.Look at me.”

She whipped her watering gaze back to the dark figure before her. Was that a hint of jealousy in his voice? The Ironwharf viceroy cleared his throat, the kindness in his eyes replaced with irritation.

“It’s come to our attention that you are not . . . satisfied with your position,” Barron dragged out the words, and she clenched her legs shut. “You have decided it fit tostealfrom the empire. To take unsanctioned plunders and reap the profits for yourself.”

“I . . . what?” The blood loss was making her lightheaded.

Barron clicked his fingers, and a guard handed him two leather-bound books. The colour drained from her face and dread coiled in her gut.

No.

“We found these stashed in your chambers today during a routine search.” Barron opened one of her ledgers, reciting the contents ofHell’s Serpent’s plunders over the years—and everyamendment of the treasure they’d acquired. To protect her crew, she’d only listed the profits going to herself.

She was a stupid,stupidgirl.

“By my estimate, you have stolenthousands,” Barron whistled. “That’s quite a debt to owe.”

“What . . . how . . .” She cleared the dryness in her throat, her mind racing. “When did thisroutine searchhappen?”

She’d given those ledgers to Erick when they’d returned to Stormkeep Fortress with Jack Flint. How had they ended up in Barron’s hands? Erick wouldn’t betray her . . .would he? Shit, where was he?

“That’s none of your concern,” Barron dismissed her, but he inclined his head to Blake.

Blake’s jaw twitched. He glanced down at her. His darkened eyes flashed, his fists clenching.

And he bowed his head to Barron . . . in submission.

“You!” Kora bolted forward, rage dulling the tearing agony as she staggered to her feet, thrusting her shackled hands at Blake. She’d depleted her magic from healing him—what astupidmistake. He deflected her attack, spinning her around and wrapping his arms around her chest, pinning him against her.

“Don’t do anything rash,” he whispered in her ear like a lover. “If you want to stay alive . . . and Erick, then you best behave.”

She glared at him, tears brimming in her eyes. How dare he. How dare he threaten Erick. She couldn’t believe she’d ever loved this fucking bilge scum.

“Where’s Erick?” she seethed.

“Stop entertaining her,” the Ironwharf viceroy huffed. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Where is Erick?” she screamed. “Erick!”

“Just a moment, Garvan.” Barron approached her, flipping through her ledgers. “This is rather impressive . . . such a shame.” Barron invaded her proximity, a twinkle glistened in his eyes as he stared down at her. That twinkle made her stomach lurch, as he stroked the edge of the ledger across her jaw, to her lips. Blake stiffened, his grasp tightening across her chest. “You were going to be veryvaluableto me in this war.”

“Fuck your war,” she spat at him. With Barron this close, her head felt like it was going to explode.

Barron released a long exhale, wiping her spit from his face. Then he licked his fingers. She shoved against Blake in disgust as Barron smiled. “Do you not want to save the world, Kora Cadell?”

“Not if it means killing innocents for power.”

She was so blind. The empire was as bad as Galen. Countless, futile wars, and for what? These islands deserved the gods' abandonment.