have before Draxen wakes.
“Can we talk somewhere else?” I ask. “Back in your room, maybe? I’ll
answer all your questions. It’s cold out here.”
He still eyes me suspiciously, but he finally consents, weaving the way back
toward his room. There’s extra force in his strides. Riden leaps onto the main deck, not bothering with the stairs. The night watchmen turn their heads to see
the cause of the racket. When Riden wrenches open the door to his room, I can’t
help but smile. He’s in a mood.
But my amusement vanishes almost instantly. I have a big problem. It’s taking everything I have not to panic. Maybe I should go back and kill Draxen.
When he wakes up, everything will go to hell anyway. And Draxen deserves to
die.
I’m just not sure I could do that to Riden. For reasons I can’t explain, he loves his brother. I think he would be devastated at his death. Maybe even broken.
But what other choice do I have? Where else could the map possibly be? If it’s not on the ship and Draxen doesn’t carry it on his person—
I’m staring at Riden’s back when it hits.
What if Riden has it?
After I searched Draxen’s room on the first night of my capture, my next thought was that he might’ve given the map to Riden to hide. But what if Riden
hides it on his person? How could I be so slow? I’ve had ample opportunities to
check Riden for it. On the night I sang him to sleep, not even a hurricane could
have woken him.
Now I suppose I’ll have to knock him out like I did Draxen. I can’t really do any more harm now, can I? I’ve already sabotaged the mission. Or perhaps not.
Maybe when Draxen wakes, he’ll do no more than put me back in my cell. But I
doubt it.
When we’re alone, Riden stands expectantly, arms crossed. As soon as I knocked Draxen out, I released the siren part of me. It takes its toll on my mind after a while. It’s hard to explain, but I lose myself in others if I’m focused on their feelings and desires for too long. They start to become my own, and I forget who I am. It’s terrifying. Father would push me, help me understand how
long I can endure being consumed in others before I start to become like them.
I’ve never allowed myself to pass my breaking point since then.
If that weren’t enough, I have to deal with the short-term side effects as well,
the feelings of otherworldliness. I hate the desires and emotions that are as clear to me as paint on a canvas. They’re not mine, and I don’t like feeling them, sensing them. Besides, I don’t need to read Riden. I just have to be careful because he’s already suspicious and confused. If I’m to get the drop on him, I’ll first need to get him to relax, to talk. I’ll need to give him lies mixed with truths.
“I’m worried, Riden,” I start. “My father—he may seem as if he cares for me,
as if he’s eager to have me back in exchange for a ransom, but he’ll be furious
with me.”
“Why?” he asks.
“For getting caught in the first place. He’ll think me careless and stupid. And
he’ll rage about the money he lost as a result. I—I don’t know what he’ll do to
me once he gets me back.”
Riden glances down at my legs, no doubt remembering the scars he once saw
there. “I can believe that, but what was with all of that?” He jerks his thumb in the direction of the deck. His face hardens.
“I was trying to get Draxen’s attention. I needed to speak with him about it. I
thought maybe we could work something out. Find a way for him to get his money and for me to be set free.”
“And?”
“Draxen wasn’t interested in talking.”
Riden winces at that. He puts his hand up to his face, scratches the back of his
head. “I’ll speak to him.”
I don’t have to fake my confusion. “About what?”
“I’m sure there’s a way we can get our money and then let you walk free.
You’ll have to divulge all the information you’ve been holding back, but you don’t have to return to your father.”
I laugh, a short, doubtful sound. “Where else would I go?”
“Anywhere.”
“He’ll find me no matter where I go.”
“Then don’t leave. Stay.” Riden’s mouth widens at his own exclamation.
“Stay? Why ever would I do that?”
“I don’t know why I said that. Forget it.”