More confirmation of what he’d already suspected, so he said, “Congratulations,” hating the selfish Lara’s gaze sharpened. “Pregnant or not, I’m the one who will figure out a way to extricate you and Zarrah.”
He did need her. But that didn’t mean he was willing to be used as a tool for her self-destruction.
“Congratulations on your pregnancy. I’ve lost count of my nieces and nephews, but this one will be So Keris said, “I’m not going to say a damn thing to anyone, but perhaps remind yourself of the outcome of the last time you kept secrets from Aren.”
The blow struck like a knife, and Lara flinched. “You’re an asshole.” She twisted on her heels and stormed from the room.
Sighing, he followed the thud of her bootheels back onto the deck, watching as Lara strode directly to Aren, who was backlit by the setting sun. The other man set down the length of rope he was holding, brow furrowed as he followed her to the empty fore of the ship.
Keris turned his back on them and went to the rail. “How go the fishing efforts?”
“Got what we need, Your Grace,” an Ithicanian said, gesturing to the bleached trunks of trees fixed to the ship with ropes.
Keris stared at the driftwood bobbing up and down on the sea, the water dark and frigid and nothing like the turquoise oceans off the coast of Maridrina. As deadly as Ithicana’s waters, for the cold was mindless and indiscriminate.
“We’ll tow them as close as we can with the longboats,” Jor said, scowling. “The less time you spend in that water, the more likely you are not to die. Not that I’d miss you.”
Keris was inclined to agree about the temperature. Especially given he wouldn’t be climbing out to warm fires and hot drinks, but rather to face frigid night air and the worst criminals Valcotta had to offer.
Lara glared at him. “The Ithicanians are going to think I got pregnant to protect myself. To earn their
“No sense delaying,” Jor said. “Have something to eat. Take a shit. Do whatever you feel you need to do before you get into the water, because there won’t be opportunity later.”
“I’m ready,” Keris answered, the thought of eating turning his stomach. Lifting his gaze from the driftwood, he stared into the fog in the direction of the island. If all went according to plan, he’d be
Keris hesitated, uncertain of whether this was a conversation that he should involve himself in. But on the same ground as Zarrah within the hour. Beneath the same set of stars, never mind that they were hidden by mist.
A cough broke the silence, and both he and Jor turned to find Lara and Aren standing behind them.
Aren was grinning like a fiend, his arm wrapped around Lara. Her eyes were red and her cheeks damp, but the agitation that had radiated from her moments ago was gone.
“You look awfully tickled, given the circumstances,” Jor said. “Why are you grinning like a madman?”
Aren looked down at Lara, who smiled and nodded, and then the King of Ithicana blurted out,
“Lara’s pregnant. There’s going to be another Kertell for you to watch over, you old bastard.”
Jor gaped at them, then flung his arms around the pair of them, pounding Aren on the back. “Let’s hope the little bugger inherits their mother’s brains, because I won’t survive another idiot like you!”
Word spread through the Ithicanians, smiles breaking over their faces and soft words of
congratulations filling the evening air, and Keris stepped away. This wasn’t his moment; it was theirs.
Walking to the front of the ship, he checked that all his weapons were firmly in place. That his
“It’s not your problem,” she finally said. “Though I’d ask you to keep this development to yourself. boots were tied tight. That his hair was fastened away from his face.
“I’ll get you out.”
He turned to find Lara behind him, the pieces of blond hair that had escaped her braids blowing in the wind.
“I’m not sure how, yet,” she said. “But between Aren and I, we’ll get you two out.”
Lara’s gaze sharpened. “Pregnant or not, I’m the one who will figure out a way to extricate you and They stood in silence while darkness fell and the ship sailed toward Devil’s Island. As the glow of its entrance appeared, Keris said, “If things go badly for me, help Sarhina take the throne. She’ll be twice the ruler of any of our idiot brothers.”
“Does she want to be queen?”
“Not in the slightest,” he answered. “Which is exactly why she’ll do a good job of it.”
Aren abandoned the helm and approached. “We’re going to stop here and go the rest of the way by longboat. We’ve got supplies, though there is only so much you can take in. You ready?”
Sighing, he followed the thud of her bootheels back onto the deck, watching as Lara strode directly Could one ever be ready for something like this? “Looking forward to it.”
Aren handed him a wax-wrapped package. “Once you’re in and safe, put some of this into a fire at night and cover your eyes. The glow is bright enough to blind permanently, which is why we’ll see it.”
“And if I don’t survive long enough to do so?”
“We’ll do what we can for her, within reason,” Lara answered. “I won’t promise more than that.”
Lara told you that she won’t risk her life for Zarrah, but in the moment, she’ll change her mind.
And she can’t keep dodging death forever. So please use this journey south to ask yourself just how much you’re really willing to lose, Aren’s voice said inside his head, and Keris reached out to grip her shoulders. “I’m not willing to lose you again, sister. Don’t do anything you shouldn’t.”
She bit her bottom lip, then nodded. “Good luck.”
Keris was inclined to agree about the temperature. Especially given he wouldn’t be climbing out to Keris clambered over the rail and down the ladder, landing with a thud in the now-lowered
longboat. He sat on a bench, the wood wet and cold through his trousers, a prelude of what was to come.
“No sense delaying,” Jor said. “Have something to eat. Take a shit. Do whatever you feel you need Moments later, Aren landed with a soft thud, settling himself next to Keris, eyes on the faint glow cutting through the fog. “Row.”
on the same ground as Zarrah within the hour. Beneath the same set of stars, never mind that they were hidden by mist.
A cough broke the silence, and both he and Jor turned to find Lara and Aren standing behind them.
Aren was grinning like a fiend, his arm wrapped around Lara. Her eyes were red and her cheeks damp, but the agitation that had radiated from her moments ago was gone.
“You look awfully tickled, given the circumstances,” Jor said. “Why are you grinning like a madman?”
Aren looked down at Lara, who smiled and nodded, and then the King of Ithicana blurted out,
“Lara’s pregnant. There’s going to be another Kertell for you to watch over, you old bastard.”
Jor gaped at them, then flung his arms around the pair of them, pounding Aren on the back. “Let’s hope the little bugger inherits their mother’s brains, because I won’t survive another idiot like you!”