Page 71 of The Secrets of Jane: Reborn

Oh.

That’sinteresting. The ruby earrings, back in the Pit…

“For whatever reason, Jane being a Cinder is important to Misery. It’s what started all of this, back when I had Melona take her to safety,” Ritter immediately answers.

Her eyes widen, and it’s the first time I’ve seen her genuinely surprised, as if Ritter knew all the right things to say to catch her interest. “Cinder? Those are… this is what started it all? Is that related to Nora being killed? She would have been one, too.”

“Yes.”

“Why does Misery need a Cinder? And why were you in hiding for so long? You could never answer me in the letters.”

Her gaze burns at him like the act itself might command his obedience.

Definitely don’t intend to piss off the captain of the ship any time soon.

Ritter glances my way, and I get the message that this is private. “I took a lot of oaths that required a lot of specific behaviors, and one of them was to remain a mystery until it was time.”

Tempest licks her broad lips. “So…” she begins, lacing her fingers. “We either protect Jane and hope that we fuck with Misery, or we give her to Misery in order to spare losing resources and men?”

Ritter’s entire being is flooded with murder at the mention of sacrificing Jane. “If Misery has his way, he plans to take over the Balar Coasts, and it will be centuries before they’re reclaimed, ifever.”

The bodies of my men cross my mind, knowing they died for that very cause. That more of us will, too.

Tempest’s eyes flare, her meddled aura unifying in her sense of betrayal. “Interesting. Maybe that’s why Blackwell really wanted me in the Crimson Isles, to get my ships out of these ports… and what information is this all based on?”

He groans, as if he’s a child that is about to admittheywere the one that lost their parent’s very precious item. “Cypress.”

Tempest’s eyes flash with true murder, much like how my body does if someone references my sister. “You bring that witch near me, and I’ll feed you to the ocean. Those earrings are the most I will tolerate.”

I lean my head forward. “You find her among us, and I’ll help feed her to whatever the fuck you want.”

Tempest doesn’t seem entirely pleased, but is willing to let it go. Thank the fucking gods she can’t read me like I can read her, even if she’s enigmatic. She’d know that Cypress is so ingrained in this we might as well be encrusted with rubies.

Tempest moves on. “So, why did they kill Nora if they want Cinders?”

“They want Jane for something in particular, as in Misery wants Cinders, but Jane is targeteddirectly. I honestly don’t know what that is,” Ritter answers.

She nods, looking away like she’s far from accepting that answer as the closing of this conversation, but also wants to process it on her own.

“And since I saved your hide just now, how about a deal that your army back home will be used if we need feet on soil?” she asks, tilting her head.

He hardly reveals any emotion. “I already assumed as much.”

“Then you can all go below deck and rest, and tomorrow morning we interrogate Shade. We’re leaving him overnight with no sleep or food, and I want the port to be out of view before we begin dissecting him further, to distance ourselves from Misery, in case he can hear any remnants of him. We can discuss what happens next once on my island. I’ll fetch Jane for you… and for now, Charles, we are even.”

With that, the pirate queen’s back is to us, the crew around her eyeing us with scrutiny but I can tell they’re slightly terrified for what comes, and yet thrilled to be a part of somethinglarge.

Perhaps it’s time to make Jane tell me what Cypress promised her, to claim clarity ineverything.

J A N E

Well, I think I prefer land. And if I have to hear one more joke about my sea legs, or lack thereof, I’m going to stab someone. I’ve only been in here for a short amount of time, and it’s all anyone can comment on when I don’t sway properly with the ship. Especially when I was being taken to the captain’s quarters, and the ship steered pretty sharp—inmyopinion—and I was the only one to wobble with it.

I’m sitting here, in what seems to be a waiting room in Tempest’s portion of the ship. I don’t know much about these layouts, but I’m pretty certain it isn’t common for this to be so large. There’s even a circular window that perfectly frames the view of the ocean. It’s taller thanme—which, perhaps, is not as significant as it feels. The rest of the room is still opulent for a ship, though, with a candle chandelier hanging on a chain, and there are carvings of sirens throughout the walls.

Staring through the window, the view slightly shifting side to side, Skull’s Row is clear as day, officially behind us.

It’s actually quite amazing to see it from this angle, with the Spiraling Stone rising high above the cliffs.