Riden shrugs. “You’re a woman and the pirate king’s daughter at that. Something tells me you wouldn’t budge under torture. We needed to approach you in a different way.”
“Damn you. And your blasted crew. Is any of this real?”
Riden sits up and regards me seriously. “Is any of what real?”
“Your story? This?” I gesture about the room. “All the niceties? Are they just a way to get me to open up?”
He stands and puts his hands on my shoulders. “Most of it is real, Alosa, even though it shouldn’t be.”
I shove him back and wince at yesterday’s wounds. “What is that supposed to mean? You’re playing a part. The conflicted first mate. You’re a lie.”
“So are you. Why don’t you tell me what you’re really doing on this ship?”
“I’m not doing anything!” I scream. “Just let me go. I want to go now!”
It’s hard keeping up appearances when I’m so furious. But it needs to be done.
“Can’t do that. Not unless you want to tell me where your father’s hideaway is? Then we’ll take you right to him.”
I can feel my whole body tense. I’m going to explode if I don’t hit something.
“Ah,” Riden says. “I’ve come to understand that look. I’ll leave you alone for a while.”
He leaves right before my foot connects with the door.
*
I try to tell myself that it doesn’t matter. What do I care if Riden’s been trying to gather information from me? I already knew he was doing it. I just hadn’t expected him to try using a sentimental approach.
Nothing’s changed. I’m still trying to get the map. And as long as I keep the location of my father’s keep a secret, I can continue searching for it. So what if Riden gets a little clever now and then? He can’t touch me.
I’m sitting on the edge of Riden’s bed, waiting out the day, when the door opens. Was it too much to hope it wouldn’t be Riden?
He grabs my upper arm. “Captain wants to see you.”
I try to punch him in the stomach, but he’s expecting it. He catches my fist. “Come on, Alosa. Let’s see what he wants.”
“I don’t want to see what he wants. Every time I see Draxen, something terrible happens. I want to be left alone. I’m done with you, and I’m done with being on this ship.”
“Come on.” He drags me toward the door. “Something terrible won’t happen.”
I give him a look.
“Something terrible probably won’t happen. Just give Draxen whatever he wants.”
“How about if I give Draxen what he deserves?”
He laughs as he drags me the rest of the way. Up the companionway. Into Draxen’s quarters.
“Ah, here she is,” Draxen says. He has a couple of men already in here with him: Kearan and Ulgin. I suppress a shudder. “I think it best that the princess be kept in irons when she’s not locked up.” He nods toward Ulgin, who pulls a set of manacles from his belt.
“She’s still weak from yesterday, Captain,” Riden says, jerking his head toward my wrists. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”
“If you say so, Riden. Alosa, have a seat.”
“I think I’d rather stand.”
“I wasn’t asking.”
Riden moves me in front of a chair and puts pressure on my shoulders. Reluctantly, I sit. If I don’t like what happens next, I can always get back up.
“We received word from your father yesterday.”
“How’s that? I was told no one knew our location.”
“We’ve been using yano birds.”
I don’t expect to hear that. Yano birds are used for carrying messages out to sea. They’re very fast and excellent navigators. They’re also perfect for silent communication, because the birds don’t utter a note of song. But they’re extremely rare. My father himself has only five of them.
“How did you come by one?” I ask.
“I’ve a crew of men who are very good at getting things done. Your concern should be what happens to you within the next five minutes. I want to know where your father’s keep is.”
“He didn’t tell you in his letter? Shocker, that.”
Draxen scowls at my tone.
I ask, “What exactly did his note say?”
“He’s willing to negotiate a ransom. I just have to name an amount and location.”
“So do it, then.”
Draxen smiles his evil smile, baring his gold tooth. It’s a calculating, malicious grin matched with cold eyes. So different from the way Riden smiles when he thinks he has the upper hand on me. Riden’s is victorious, even cocky, sure, but harmless somehow. But Draxen—his is laced with poison.
“See now,” Draxen says, “I have this feeling I would show up and be surrounded by ten of your father’s ships. I think it would be far better to surprise him and negotiate when he is unprepared, don’t you?”
“My father’s promise of peace isn’t enough to sway you?”
“Riden’s informed me that you are special to your father. It seems to me that when it comes to you, we can’t count on promises. We need something more to work with. I told you what would happen if you continued to be uncooperative with Riden. I’ve grown impatient. I need your father’s location now.”
“I’m not giving it to you.”
Draxen clenches his teeth and jerks his head violently to the side. “I was going to let Ulgin have you if you weren’t cooperative, but I find I’ve got far too much of a desire to handle this interrogation myself.”
This is not going to be pleasant.
Draxen gets behind me and yanks my head backward by my hair. I grimace at the pain. He strikes the side of my face with a closed fist.
“Where is Kalligan’s keep, girl?”
I don’t answer. He hits me again.
“Draxen.” It’s Riden.
“What?”
“This doesn’t sit right with me.”
“Then leave. It needs to be done and you know it.” I receive another blow to the head. My nose starts to bleed.
You can’t fight back, I tell myself. You can kill Draxen yourself when this is all over, but right now you can’t fight back. It’s my father’s voice in my head.
“Draxen, please,” Riden tries again.
“I said ‘leave,’ Riden.” Draxen hits me with his other hand. This one bites more deeply. I think it’s his ring hand, where he bears the seal of the Allemos line. It cuts my cheek.
“Brother,” Riden tries again. This time more forcefully. It’s the most backbone I’ve seen from him.
Draxen’s eyes must be alight with blood lust. But he halts at that one word. He sighs as if to clear his head. “Fine, Riden. If you insist. Are you ready to talk yet, princess?”
I remain silent.
“What do you think, Riden?” Draxen asks, and I don’t like the new tone his voice takes. “The pirate king doesn’t need a daughter with hair, does he?”
I hear a knife slide out of a sheath.
Riden doesn’t protest at this. Why would he? It doesn’t hurt to have one’s hair cut, but he seems not to understand the value a woman’s hair has to her.
And I’ve no intention of losing mine. “Stop!” Drops of blood spray outward as I speak. The blood from my nose has run into my mouth.