Destin poured more cider for both of them. When he passed Evan the cup, their fingers touched briefly. He said, “I’ll give you fair warning, Pirate, I’m plying you with cider because persuasion doesn’t work. If we’re going to work together, I’ll need some answers.”
“What if cider doesn’t work?” Evan said, stretching out his legs and wiggling his toes.
“Then I’ll have to find something that does,” Destin said, pinning him to the wall with those smoke-and-whiskey eyes.
Evan straightened, his heart beginning to hammer. What the hell did that mean? With this boy, there were so many possibilities. The soldier clearly wanted something from him. Was it something Evan would be willing to give?
To distract himself, he tossed a bit of fish to the gulls. That turned out to be a huge mistake. Flocks descended on them, in waves of black beaks and gray and white, so that he had to drive them off with a gust of wind. Breaker charged back and forth across the quarterdeck but came away with nothing more than feathers.
“So ‘Lucky Faris’ is not your real name,” Destin said, with an air of getting down to business.
“No,” Evan said, leaving off bird-herding.
“I’m so relieved. I have a hard time saying ‘Lucky Faris’ with a straight face.”
Evan laughed.
“Why did you change it?”
“Right now, certain people think I’m dead, and I’d like to keep it that way,” Evan said. He paused, debating whether to go on. Joining up with Destin had given him the leverage he needed to stand up to Kadar. Without Destin, he’d be begging for crumbs at the harbormaster’s table, waiting for someone to betray him to Celestine.
After more than six months, Destin was still keeping secrets. Yet Evan had to find a way to trust somebody. He couldn’t go it alone forever. He couldn’t help hoping that he would find a new life and a livelihood with Destin by his side.
Ship of dreams.
And so, taking a deep breath, Evan went all in. He told Destin about his life on the streets of Endru, his recruitment by Strangward, the encounter with the empress off Tarvos, and his escape from the ship and the empress’s bloodsworn crew.
Destin raised an eyebrow. “So, do you think you’re the long-lost heir to the Nazari throne?”
“If I were, I hardly think Celestine would want to take me alive. She’d want to eliminate the competition.”
“Is that why you declined the honor?”
“I don’t trust Celestine. Right now, I don’t trust anyone.”
“Always a good policy,” Destin murmured, sliding him a look, as if questioning Evan’s decision to trust present company. “This magemark you’re talking about. May I see it?”
Evan shrugged. “Why not? Maybe you’ll have some insights.” He bowed his head, pushing his hair out of the way. “Captain Strangward said that I needed to keep it hidden or it would stir up the crew.”
“What the hell?” Destin’s breath warmed the back of Evan’s neck, and his fingers whispered over his skin. “Can you feel that?”
“Yes.” Gods, yes, he could feel it.
“There’s definitely magic in it, though maybe it’s just drawing it out of you. Have you heard any stories about the Nazari mages carrying any sort of badge or marking?”
“No.” Evan shivered, acutely conscious of Destin’s fingers on his skin. “What do you see?” Despite repeated gymnastics with a mirror, Evan had never been able to get a good look at it.
“It’s abstract, but it resembles wavelets, clouds piled in a pyramid like a storm is coming, lightning bolts. Weather, basically.” He tapped it. “Is this what the empress wants?”
“I don’t know, but she definitely knows about it. It—it seemed to . . . It began to burn when she got close enough.”
“Was it a warning or a greeting?” Destin murmured, as if to himself. “Have you tried to pry it off?”
“No!” Evan turned abruptly, and they were all but nose to nose. “It doesn’t come off.”
“Don’t worry,” Destin said, his hands still loosely circling Evan’s neck, his eyes fixed on his lips. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, his voice thick and wistful. All at once, as if coming to his senses, he jerked back his hands and dropped them into his lap, as if he’d been caught reaching for a forbidden treat.
Evan sat back, cheeks burning, heart racing, disappointment mingling with relief. You are in deep water, Pirate, and you’ve forgotten how to swim. Do not fall for this dangerous, moody, mercurial boy. It will lead to heartbreak or worse.
Destin scowled, lips pressed tightly together, as if weighing the pros and cons of opening them again. But what came next was not a confession of love, but a major change in subject.
“Not everyone is convinced by your recent death, Pirate. The empress Celestine is still looking for you.”
“What?” This came as a shout that sent the gulls spiraling away. “How do you know?”
“I took a trip up the coast. Some of the bloodsworn mages you describe were stationed on the quay in every port, watching comings and goings. Most of the taverns have posted placards offering a reward for your capture and delivery to Celesgarde. It’s probably a blessing that Kadar hasn’t given you any contracts lately.”
“So . . . you’ve known this all along?” Anger rose up inside Evan, mingled with mortification. So much for his heartfelt confession. So much for his fragile hope of sanctuary.
“Easy, Pirate,” Destin said. “I haven’t known it all along, but I’ve known it for a while.”
“But you didn’t see fit to share it with me.”
Destin shrugged.
“So you’ve been spying on me.”
“I have been gathering information, yes,” Destin said, without a trace of remorse. “I need to know who I’m partnering with.”
Partnering? Evan’s mouth went dust dry. “Could you . . . be more specific?”
“I have a business proposal for you, Pirate,” Destin said abruptly, as if signaling that the time for moonstruck yearning was over. “I’d like to set you up here in Tarvos. You have one ship now, and eventually you’ll have more. You hire a crew, security, all of that.”
“You’d like to . . . set . . . me . . . up?” That was an unfortunate use of language.
“Exactly,” Destin said, rushing ahead. “With my money, and your talent, you should have no trouble making a go of it.”
Clearly this soldier was not used to charming his way to a yes.
“This is all very generous,” Evan said warily, “but what’s in it for you?”
“I want you to look after my mother,” Destin said. “She’s very fond of you, and I believe it’s mutual. My share of the profits will go to her, for her support. I would ask that you stay at the cottage with her when you’re not at sea, and hire staff to make sure she gets the help and protection she needs. She’s a strong woman, but she’s no soldier, and she’ll need help for some of the heavy work.”
“Ah,” Evan said, hope ebbing. “And where will you be?”
Destin’s face closed like the steel door to a vault. “I have business elsewhere.”
“Where?”
Destin returned his gaze impassively.
“Are you coming back?”
“I hope so,” Destin said, making no promises. “If I don’t, the business will be all yours, with a split to Frances. So. What do you say? Can we be partners?”
It was an astonishingly generous offer. A suspiciously generous offer. And Evan was tired of being blindsided and trampled by this wetland soldier mage.
He shook his head. “It’s your turn,” he said.
“My turn?”
“I need to know who I’m partnering with,” he said, taking great pleasure in mimicking Destin’s phrase. “I don’t even know your real name, or where you came from, exactly, or the source of your money, or who might show up at my door hunting you and find me instead.”
Destin stared at him for a long moment. “My real name is Destin,” he said finally.
“That’s a start,” Evan said. “Go on.” He settled back, gesturing, as if anticipating a long story.
“What’s wrong with you?” Destin said, furiously. “You’re refusing the most generous—”