He smiled, a gentle expression that set a warmth sizzling along her skin.
“You do realize,” she began, wanting to push away from her confusing emotions, “you have not yet shared how you were able to walk away?”
“Yes, that—well, I demonstrated my powers.”
Niya frowned up at him. “But you insisted that we didn’t.”
“Yes.” He nodded. “And I still stand by that.”
Niya let out a tired sigh. “Please, Alōs, I have used up my patience today. Speak this next part plainly.”
“Of course. I apologize.” Amusement danced in his glowing eyes. “After you were taken away, I was put in their kitchens. And let me tell you, that place made their trophy room look like a relaxing bath house. As I stood there watching their cook sharpen knives and mix spices, I decided one thing: if I were to die by their hands, it would only be after the biggest fight of my life. So when the cook was turned, I froze my glass jar, shattering it. As you could probably guess, the cook came running. I knocked him down, however. Their eyes,” Alōs explained, seeming to notice her dubious expression. “They don’t have such thick skin around their eyes. The trick, of course, is reaching them. But yes, I got that one bent over, howling in pain, only for two more to enter, then three. The entire kitchen was taken up by their massive forms as I tried to outmaneuver them, make it to some crack or opening to escape.” He lifted up a vine for her to duck under. “By the end, the entire kitchen was practically covered in ice. I was exhausted, could barely stand for draining my energy so thoroughly. I had been prepared then to feel their heavy palms squash me like the pest they no doubt believed me to be. But then nothing happened, the kitchen was silent, and that’s when I realized the giants were still. They have never seen ice before, you see. Have never felt such chill as what I put into the air. As you know, this is a hot land, made of eruptions in fall and humid summers. Cold is an entirely new invention for them. This is when I saw my in. I was brought before the chief, where I quickly explained my gifts, the benefits of ice—how it helps keep food from spoiling, can feel refreshing on the skin—but what really did the trick was chilling his cup of ale. I have never seen such a large, childish grin. He was utterly charmed. So I made a bargain: my services in exchange for my freedom.”
“Why not just keep you prisoner to cool them forever?” asked Niya.
“Their chief had a similar idea. But I quickly showed how long I’d last as a prisoner.”
Niya studied the red cut Alōs displayed along his neck. “You were prepared to take your life.”
His silence was answer enough, and Niya frowned as a sliver of distress ran through her, thinking of him in such a desperate situation. “That was a risky gamble.”
“I had nothing left to lose.”
“I did.” The words were out of her mouth before she even thought to say them.
Sapphire eyes snapped to hers.
Held hers.
A tension of longing filled them.
If they had been alone, Niya knew Alōs would have reached out to touch her then. A flutter filled her stomach; she wished he would anyway.
“What bargain did you make, Lord Ezra?” Larkyra’s voice chimed in from behind. “That would satiate such greedy giants?”
Alōs dug into his pocket, revealing a green glowing orb.
“A Connection Stone?” Niya blinked up at him. “But you said—”
“Twice a year I must return and refill their ice supply or be summoned if I fail to do so,” he interrupted her. “Such pain seems a trifle, really.” He shrugged. “For my freedom.”
Freedom.
But was it freedom if he was now tied to this island indefinitely? At least with a binding bet, once it was paid, it went away. This, well, this was meant to be forever. A burden he would have to fulfill even when old and unable to sail across such waters. What then?
Niya looked over at Alōs, wishing to ask, but something in his hardened gaze told her he did not want to speak of it.
Perhaps because he had already come to such conclusions.
Sacrifices. These were things Alōs knew. Continued to make.
Her feelings for him swelled then, blossoming like a midnight orchid under a full moon. He thought her life more valuable than his. For such a notorious pirate, he was far more selfless than any could know.
But she knew.
And something about that pulled the man walking beside her deeper into her heart.
A dangerous sensation, for in the end, both were held to responsibilities that would lead them elsewhere.
As their group stepped from the shade of the jungle and onto the beach, the aggressive sun had Niya shielding her eyes. The warm breeze was a welcome whip along her sweating skin. In the distance the Crying Queen sat like a black smudge in the otherwise-pristine blue sea.
Alōs came to her side, and together they stared out to what would bring them to their final journey.
“I could have left without you,” admitted Niya after a moment.
“Yes,” answered Alōs. “You could have.”
But I didn’t, was her unspoken response, which seemed to fill the silence.
But I didn’t.
Once this was all over, however, Niya knew she would.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Daggers and knives winked along with sharp snarls as a ship full of pirates stood at the ready.
The sight momentarily amused Alōs as he slid from the banister to the wooden deck.
“What a lovely greeting this is,” he said.
“Captain!” Kintra pushed forward. “You’re alive.”
“Sorry if that disappoints.”
“We were coming to save you.”
“Save me?” Alōs raised his brows. “What nonsense. Pirates are not in the business of saving anyone.”
“But Niya said you were to be eaten by giants, and then the crew said the Mousai showed up—”
Her words faded as the aforementioned creatures swung over the banister behind him. Black robes swirled by their feet, hoods pulled up, faces shrouded in gold masks.
As they floated to his side, his crew tightened the grips on their blades.
Boman spat onto the deck between them. “How dare you return to this ship, cretins!”
“We assure you,” came Arabessa’s cool reply behind her disguise, “we are as thrilled to be back here as you are to see us.”
“Then why don’ts yous jump back overboard?” Emanté suggested. “Or would yous rather we throw yous instead?”
“I’m sensing some tension here,” Alōs observed.
“These lackeys of the Thief King knocked us all out,” grumbled Boman.
“They can’t do that, Cap’n!” cried Bree.
“Yet it appears that we did,” said Larkyra.
Though she was masked, Alōs could hear the smile in the youngest Bassette’s voice.
“Nobody takes on the Crying Queen without consequences!” Saffi shouted.
His pirates rumbled their agreement.
“Then by all means.” Alōs stepped to the side, revealing the Mousai. “Seek your revenge, but know Niya called them to help with similar intentions as all you.”
“As we told them we were,” said Arabessa. “But I’m afraid you employ dim-witted souls, Lord Ezra; they forced us to fight.”
“We didn’t force anyone—”
Alōs raised placating hands, cutting off Saffi. He was too tired for this. “Please, while I’m flattered that so many of you care enough to want to save me, as it turns out, I didn’t need it. I saved myself. Which, can any of you really be that surprised to hear?” He raised a brow.
“No, Cap’n,” said Saffi. “But . . . that means”—she turned to Kintra, who stood beside her—“Niya was telling you the truth. She did fetch aid like she said she was gonna. I told you she was one of us.”
Kintra did not reply, merely kept her narrowed eyes suspiciously trained on the black-robed trio.
“Where is that girl anyway?” asked Alōs, breaking the tension and feigning to look around the deck.
“We don’t know, Cap’n,” answered Bree.
“We searched everywhere,” said Therza.
“She wasn’t on the boat when I woke up,” Kintra explained.
“Woke up?” Alōs looked to his quartermaster. “My dear Kintra, you must not have been that concerned if you were able to take a nap before my rescue.”