I’d seen Jack with no shirt on, and flowered Speedo or no, Luc had nothing on him. But I didn’t say that.
“We should go in,” I said instead. I shoved my knife back into the makeshift sheath I’d made of cardboard and stuck it in my bag. “I have to call Alistair and Lydia back.” My father and sister had both left me messages earlier. I couldn’t tell whether they genuinely felt bad about our fight, or were worried about me, or were just trying to make sure I hadn’t run away. I tried not to care, but I couldn’t help hoping they hadn’t given up on me. If we found the tomb—when we found it—everything could be different.
That made me remember something I’d been meaning to ask Jack for days. More important stuff had kept crowding it out. “Dev Rajesh—” I bit my lip. If talking about every dead person we knew was going to be this difficult, I was in for a hard time. “Dev said something, at dinner the other day. About an Oliver Saxon.”
Jack, who was picking his jacket up off the railing, stiffened. “What did he say?”
“He just mentioned the name, and I didn’t get a chance to ask any more.”
Jack’s face had gone blank as a mask. “It doesn’t matter. It’s not something you need to worry about.” His words were clipped.
“But—”
“I’m going inside. I think Elodie wanted to do dinner soon.”
The cabin door swung shut behind him before I could respond, and I was left trying to talk to empty air. What was that?
I made my way out of the sun and back into the boat’s cabin, and I heard Stellan’s voice.
“Why don’t you tell her anything? You can only keep her in a bubble for so long.”
I stopped, holding the door so it wouldn’t slam and give me away.
Something banged on the counter. “I’m keeping her safe.” It was Jack. “You know what the Circle can do to people.”
“I do. That’s why you shouldn’t keep things from her. Let her make her own decisions.”
“I don’t recall asking for your opinion.”
“You used to.” Stellan’s voice was mock wistful. “Remember those days when we were in things together?”
“No.” I heard the refrigerator close and footsteps recede.
“I’m just saying,” Stellan called, “If you’re not careful, she’s going to realize she has other options. You see how they all look at her. It’s not even just the eyes. She’s so little and pretty. It’s like blood in the water.”
A cabinet door banged shut so loudly, I jumped.
“I said they,” said Stellan, but it was obvious he was goading Jack on purpose. “This is just business for me. A business transaction with historically wide-reaching political, moral, and personal implications. The usual.”
“Would you please stop talking?”
“Only saying you don’t have to worry. Wide-eyed innocent isn’t my type. I wouldn’t touch your not-girlfriend.” Stellan paused, and I could hear a grin in his voice when he said, “Unless she asked me to.”
Okay, enough.
I made a show of slamming the door and clomping loudly down the stairs, and not a moment too soon. Jack looked ready to punch him. “Elodie was talking earlier about getting dressed up for dinner,” I said, so cheerful I’m sure I sounded fake. “Are we stopping somewhere?”
Jack shot one more glare at Stellan, who sat at the dining table, his legs stretched out along the booth on one side, a laptop open in front of him.
“I assume Elodie wants to do a formal dinner on the boat. She loves family dinners,” Stellan said. “We don’t get to do it that often.”
The sun was starting to set, and as I watched, the strings of white lights flickered to life out on the deck. Elodie appeared, still in her bathing suit, holding an armload of flowers and candles that she plunked down on the long table in the outdoor dining room. Colette flitted in after her, with napkins and silverware.
I squeezed Jack’s arm. “Let’s go help,” I said, and pulled him outside. I wondered what Stellan had been talking about.
“Wait.” Jack stopped me in the breezeway. He chewed his lower lip. “Oliver Saxon was Lydia and Cole’s older brother. He was killed in an accident two years ago.”
I froze. “What?”
Jack tugged on the sleeve of his T-shirt, obviously uncomfortable.
“The oldest son of the Saxon family was killed?” I repeated. “Does that not sound exactly like what’s going on now?”
“It was a freak accident. I don’t think it has anything to do with the current attacks, which is why I didn’t tell you. No need for extra worries.” An unconvincing smile touched his lips. “Shall we go help Elodie with dinner?”
I nodded and followed him slowly, trying to picture the half brother I’d never know.
CHAPTER 13