Page 143 of Daughter of the Dark Sea

“You said you were ambushed?” she recalled.

“As soon as you’d been taken by Barron, we grouped in my chambers. I know what you’ve been doing on those ledgers Kora. I’ve always known.” His pointed stare made her blush likea scolded child. “I admire your passion for your crew and their wellbeing, but there are rules and laws for a reason.”

“They were starving,” she whispered. “Even when we were the most successful in the armada, they still starved. Their children starved. I couldn’t allow all it, or allow the empire to reap all the benefits from our plunders.”

“I understand—”

“Do you? We live in a manor in the mid-district. We haveservants.Those servants’ husbands are inmycrew, bringing home whatever they can to survive. The Citadel is made of literal gold! They have more than enough, yet they keep taking more.”

Her gaze caught on the insignia branded on his armour. It meant unity. What a load of bullshit. What kingdom is united when it’s forced into varying districts, favouring nobility over the impoverished. Erick’s brown eyes flashed, followed by deep thought. His lank salt-and-pepper hair curled around his face, and she tunnelled on the wrinkles settling into the tanned planes of his skin.

“I’m sorry. I know that’s not your fault.”

“Your passion is outstanding Kora, it always has been.” His lips curled into a small smile.

“The ambush . . .?” She sat back on the deck, hiding from the afternoon sun in the white sail’s shadow.

He cleared his throat. “Samuel hatched his plan rather quickly, but it took us a while to map out the castle, figure out the best areas to target with the explosions, even with my knowledge of the layout. We had a few delays.” Indeed, the Citadel was a labyrinth. “We learned the guard’s rotation schedules, and then we had to find which ones we could bribe. Those not entirely loyal to Barron.”

“How long was I down there?”

“Just over a week. Itkilledme that I couldn’t get to you sooner.” Erick spoke thickly. “Having to act normalaroundBarron, pretending I approved of his decision.” He almost snarled. “Marwood strutted around like a damned peacock.” Her gut twisted. “We were all set to go. But just as Samuel began the trigger of explosions, a group of soldiers in the barracks attacked him, led by Garvan’s son—Egon. Apparently, he didn’t appreciate Samuel’s allegiance to you.”

Kora flinched.

“Us and a couple of rogue guards intervened, giving Samuel time to get away and start the sequence.” He gestured to his wounds and she nodded slowly, understanding sinking in.

“They’re going to kill him,” she whispered shakily. “All because of me.”

“No, they won’t.” Aryn popped up from below deck. Shadows rimmed his eyes, and his floppy hair was slicked back with water. “They’re going to use him.”

“What? How?”

“If they wanted you dead, they would’ve killed you instantly.” He stepped onto the deck. “They put you in that dungeon and left you alone for a whole week for a reason. They want you alive, and they will use him to get to you.”

Blake’s words echoed through her mind.We need you. Your power is unique.

The pinnace listed in the sea, and Aryn grabbed onto the broken sail, his eyes pinned on Kora—on her scar. The ocean water sprayed onto the deck, circling around her as her mind relived Blake’s betrayal.

“I don’t know why,” she spat. “I assumed it’s because I’m a Cadell.”

Erick lifted both brows.

“No other reason?” Aryn pushed.

“I don’t know? They said I owed the empire, and that they owned me.”

Aryn scoffed. “No one could ever own you.”

Something lingered beneath his words, and she glanced between Aryn and Erick. The former stared at her so hard his eyes bulged, and Erick curiously inspected the water on the deck, following it down to the ocean.

“What’s going on? There’s something you’re not telling me.”

“There’s somethingyou’renot tellingus,” Aryn replied.

His ancient voice unnerved her, and his golden stare sent hairs prickling down her arms. Was this male truly her mystery voice? They didn’t sound the same, and right now Aryn frightened her. His youthful demeanour rippled, and beneath it, something old and deadly lurked.

“I don’t know what you mean,” she lied.