down here. Do you know what I had to endure? I set out to find the two of them and kill them before I left. They aren’t men. They don’t deserve to live.”
“I know. That’s why I let you kill Sheck. Because I couldn’t do it myself. But
why risk it? You could have gotten away easily if you had just left.”
“I have a hard time letting things go. I wasn’t about to leave until everything
sat right.”
I can’t tell if he believes me. He’s still trying to read my face.
But then his eyes travel down to my bags.
I step in front of them protectively. “What are you looking at?”
“You know I’m going to have to search your things. Unless of course you want to tell me how you got out of here?”
“I just got out, all right? Leave me and my things alone.”
“I can’t do that. Now step back.”
“No.”
He steps forward and reaches for me, trying to physically move me out of the
way.
I kick him square in the chest with my uninjured leg. The force is enough to
knock him onto his back. Oh no. I put way too much into that one. I’m practically telling him all my secrets. He’s the one most suspicious of me. I need to pull back. But he threatened my clothes! They’re all I have on this ship, and
I’m rather attached to them. I don’t want his sticky fingers going through them.
And I suppose it wouldn’t be good if he looked too closely at my books.
When Riden stands, he looks at me with new understanding. “You’ve been holding out on me.”
“It was a pretty decent shot, eh?” I try to make it sound like I got lucky, but I don’t know if he falls for it.
“I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if I have to.”
Ha. As if he actually could if I were trying my hardest. That line of reasoning
is dangerous, though. I relax my face, trying to add a hint of fear. And though it goes against every instinct I have, I step away.
Riden leans over my clothes in such a way that he can keep an eye on me as well. He’s not about to let me get the jump on him from behind. He’s learning.
He searches through my clothes. I notice him quickly scanning over
undergarments, careful not to touch them. Interesting. The larger, pocketed clothing, he searches through most thoroughly. Unsurprisingly, he finds nothing
except some rather sharp hairpins, which he pockets. He passes over the books
quickly.
Until he comes across a volume titled Etiquette: A Guide to Raising Proper Ladies. I had no problems hollowing out that one. The entire concept is ridiculous. Unfortunately, Riden thinks so, too.
“What is this?” he asks.
“A book,” I answer smartly.
“Am I to believe you would actually read a book like this? You’re a pirate.”
“And a lady, too.”
“I don’t think so.” He flips through the pages. When that doesn’t prove fruitful, he tears at the book, separating the binding from the spine.
Stars!
A small vial containing a purple liquid falls into his hand.
“What do we have here?”
“It’s a tonic for seasickness.”
“Then why would you hide it?”
“It’s embarrassing.”
“That’s interesting, because this liquid is also the same color as a tonic used
to help people sleep. When inhaled, the compound renders a person unconscious
almost instantly.”
“What a coincidence,” I say.
“Yes, I’m sure.” He starts tearing through the rest of the books, finding different weapons. Miniature throwing knives, wires for choking, more poisons,
and many other things.
Pockets overflowing, Riden stands and moves for the door.
“Where are you taking those?” I ask.
“I’ll put them in a safe place.”
“Also known as the bottom of the ocean?”
He grins before disappearing.
I’m really starting to despise that man.
Chapter 8
ENWEN AND ANOTHER PIRATE come down to the brig not long after Riden leaves. I’m sure the replacement is necessary because Kearan is still passed out
somewhere.
“This is Belor,” Enwen says. “He’s come to help me watch you. And a fine
pirate, he is. He understands the importance of maintaining a healthy amount of
superstition.”
“No doubt,” I say, though Belor seems to be more interested in watching the
sack of coins that hangs from Enwen’s belt.