Page 36

The Banished Land appears on the horizon like something out of a barren dream.

A white haze barely visible beyond the shimmering heat lines and the sea.

The closer we get, the more the haze takes shape into a dune-colored land that slopes up gently from the shore.

A line of sharp cliffs and canyons runs along the north, a natural divider between the Banished Land and the rest of Esland, while the land slopes to the south.

Far in the distance are chalklike mountains that lead to a giant volcano.

I believe it’s dormant since there’s no smoke rising from the crater, but it’s a formidable beast all the same.

And somewhere, in the empty lava tubes left behind by that volcano’s last eruption, is the Dark City.

“It looks so pretty from a distance, doesn’t it?” Brynla says as she sidles up to me.

I glance down at her, surprised to see her up already. Most of the crew is sleeping still.

“I thought you’d sleep in,” I tell her, noting the dark circles under her eyes and her uneasy pallor, though she still looks absolutely stunning, even under this harsh desert light.

“I woke up to a racing heart and the urge to vomit,” she admits. “Thought fresh air would be the best thing for me.”

“You’re probably right. Though Toombs should start passing out the hair of the dog soon.”

She grimaces and squints into the sunlight. “I guess I owe you an apology.”

“For what?”

“For acting like an utter fool last night.”

“You weren’t a fool,” I tell her. “You were just drunk.”

“Same difference.”

“Nah,” I tell her, tapping her elbow with mine. “Believe me, I know. You were fine. In fact, you were better than fine. It was nice to see you with your hair down, so to speak.”

At that her eyes go wide. She swallows.

“Did I…?” she begins.

“Did you what?” I ask, enjoying this too much already.

She licks her lips, her brows furrowed uneasily as she looks away. “Did I…Did we…I have a memory, a feeling…”

“Ah,” I say, giving her a reassuring smile. “You were drunk, that’s for certain, but you were fine. You didn’t do anything stupid.”

Relief floods her features and her shoulders lower. “Oh, thank the gods,” she says, giving me a nervous smile.

I nod and look back at the land. “You did kiss me, though.” She gasps. “Sorry it wasn’t very memorable,” I add.

I glance at her with a grin and she blinks, her face paling even more, holding her hand at her chest. “I’m so sorry,” she says, glancing at me only briefly. “I don’t know what came over me.”

I chuckle. “I do. You were drunk on grog rum or rum grog and your inhibitions were tossed overboard. Don’t worry, I found it mostly amusing.”

She breathes out shakily. “We didn’t…”

I shake my head and lean sideways against the rail, facing her. “No. We didn’t do anything else. Your dog would have never let that happen.”

She looks chagrined. “I guess that’s good to know. Wait. You found it mostly amusing?”

I give her a pointed look. “I enjoyed seeing that side of you, lavender girl,” I say, my voice lowering.

“And I encourage you to let her out more often. But perhaps stay sober next time. So that I can take you up on it and not let my stupid morals get in the way. Though I have to say, if it weren’t for your dog, perhaps I’d be one moral less this morning. ”

Her dark eyes widen slightly and I reach out, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. “Saying no to you was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do.”

She gulps audibly and I run my thumb over her knuckles, knowing I might be overstepping my bounds, but after last night perhaps anything goes now. “It was the best kiss I’ve ever had,” I add. “I hope you decide to do it again one day.”

Her cheeks flush pink and she shakes her head, looking down at the deck. “Now I think I’m going to be sick.”

I laugh and let go of her hand. “Just what a man wants to hear. Not only is he an unmemorable kiss, but that same kiss has the ability to make a woman sick.”

She looks up and gives me a pained look, unsure of what to say.

“I’m just giving you a hard time,” I tell her, smacking her on the side of the arm. I lean in. “And I’m pretty good at giving it hard.”

Then I walk off down the deck to discuss our landing operations with Toombs, knowing that Brynla is watching me go.

“Not much longer, is there?” I say to Toombs as I take my place beside him at the helm.

“Not much,” he agrees. “You should get the rest of the crew up soon. I’m surprised the lady is standing up on her two legs.”

“She’s tougher than she looks,” I tell him.

“That’s what worries me,” he says, his voice lowering.

“I know,” I tell him, meeting his kindly eyes. “But it’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

“Because you’re smitten with her,” he says gruffly.

“Yes,” I agree with a long sigh. “I am.”

“This won’t end well, Andor,” he says.

I ignore the pinch in my ribs. “No. It probably won’t. But I’m used to that by now.”

Now he sighs and places his meaty palm on my shoulder. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt, my boy. I want to trust her and I want her to be good for you. Maybe she can be, what do I know? I’m a grumpy old sea captain. But I still worry. You deserve a good woman and an equal match…”

“She is a good woman and she is an equal match,” I say to him, my tone coming out sharper than I intended.

He blinks. “Perhaps,” he allows. “But even if you do bring her back onboard with her aunt, even if she keeps working for House Kolbeck…what are you going to do about the woman you’re betrothed to?”

I close my eyes, resentment bubbling up inside me like acid.

“I am not betrothed to anyone,” I tell him adamantly. “That is just a dream of my father’s. I haven’t agreed to it.”

“That’s because you don’t need to,” he says. “Because it’s the only thing your father has ever asked of you that you’re able to give.”

Fuck.

“The princess and I don’t even know each other,” I tell him. “We’ve never met.”

“You know that doesn’t matter when it comes to the houses. That’s why I’m grateful as the blazes that I’m not rich. I can marry whomever I please and turn down as many ladies as I like,” he adds with a chuckle.

“Vidar is the true heir,” I say. “He’s the one who will be married off. My father thinks an alliance between us and Altus Dugrell is the way forward, but let the royal houses figure this one out. We’re not royals; why should the pressure fall on us?”

He just gives me a steady look. We’ve discussed this many times.

The thing is, even though my father has some idea that I’ll get married to Princess Frida of Altus Dugrell, there’s never been any commitment on either side.

I don’t think about her, I don’t think about the marriage.

It’s not going to happen no matter how much pressure my father puts on me.

Though I guess at one point I might have been more likely to follow through.

All of that has changed since I met Brynla.

I stare at her as she stands at the bow, her lavender hair blowing in the breeze of her homeland, Lemi at her side. I don’t want a princess. I want a thief.

“Your happiness is my happiness, boy,” Toombs says, putting his hand back on the wheel. “I hope beyond hope you get exactly what you want. You deserve it.”

I give him a grateful smile, though it’s hard to ignore the tension in my chest now. So much at fucking stake.

“I’ll go wake up the crew,” I tell him.