So I Married a Sorcerer (The Embraced #2)

Brigitta poured herself a cup of water. “Why not?”

“’Cause he’s a mean old drunk,” Jeffrey muttered.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Brigitta motioned to one of the chairs. “Would you like to join us?”

He glanced back at the door, then took a seat. “I guess I could stay here a little while.”

“Of course.” Brigitta sat next to him and passed him a slice of cheese.

Sister Fallyn handed him a piece of buttered bread. “Ye poor lad. Have ye lost yer parents?”

Jeffrey nodded as he ate. “About five years ago.”

“Ye must have been so young,” Brigitta murmured.

He paused with his mouth full and gave them a sheepish look. “I don’t really remember them very well. Is that bad?”

“Nay.” Sister Fallyn poured him a cup of water. “’Tis to be expected, lad.”

“So how did ye end up on a pirate ship?” Brigitta asked.

Jeffrey drank some water. “Rupert and the captain saved me.”

Brigitta’s curiosity flared. “How?”

“Well, after my parents died, my uncle took me in, but he made me clean chimneys all day, then he spent the money I earned on whiskey. And if I complained, he hit me.”

Brigitta winced. “That’s awful.”

“Ye poor child.” Sister Fallyn regarded him sadly. “Did ye run away?”

“No.” Jeffrey shook his head. “I didn’t have anywhere to go. But one day, after I’d earned a few coins, I went to the market to buy myself some food. And that’s when I saw Rupert and Captain Landers. They were buying supplies. But then my uncle saw me eating an apple, and he started beating on me. And guess what? The captain yelled at him to stop, and when he didn’t, Rupert pushed him away!”

“With the wind?” Brigitta asked.

“No, with his hands. Then my uncle said he was my guardian and could treat me however he wanted. And Rupert offered him five gold coins for me!”

Brigitta sat back. “He bought you?”

Sister Fallyn shuddered. “I should have known. These pirates are nothing more than slavers.”

“No!” Jeffrey looked appalled. “After my uncle took the gold and ran off, Rupert told me I was free to go. And the captain asked if I had family elsewhere who could take me. But I don’t have anyone else, so they said I could live here. I like it here.” His nose wrinkled. “Except when they make me read boring books and write essays.”

“They’re educating you?” Sister Fallyn asked with an incredulous look and Jeffrey nodded.

“Mostly the captain. He has a ton of books. He taught Rupert when he was growing up.” Jeffrey’s small chest swelled with pride. “And now he’s teaching me.”

“Are ye saying Captain Landers raised Rupert?” Brigitta asked.

Jeffrey scratched his head. “Well, I think he did.” He shrugged. “Rupert says if I study real hard, I could be a captain someday.”

“Is that what ye want?” Sister Fallyn asked.

“Of course! I want to be like Captain Landers.” Jeffrey lowered his voice. “I can’t be like Rupert. He has magical powers.”

Brigitta nodded. “I noticed.”

Jeffrey beamed. “No one can beat Rupert!”

Brigitta suspected that was true, but Sister Fallyn scoffed. “All pirates come to a bad end. ’Tis only fitting, given their evil ways.”

Jeffrey frowned at her. “They’re not evil.”

Sister Fallyn snorted. “They’re teaching you to be a pirate.”

“They’re not bad,” Jeffrey grumbled. “They only steal from Gunther because he’s a stinking—” He gave Brigitta an apologetic look. “Sorry.”

“’Tis all right.” Brigitta thought back to what Rupert had said. The only person I rob is your brother, Gunther. Why did Rupert hate the Tourinian king? Was it somehow connected to the visions she’d seen?

A whistle sounded overhead, and Jeffrey jumped up from his seat.

“I should go.” He dashed for the door.

“What’s wrong?” Sister Fallyn stood. “Are we going into battle again?”

Jeffrey grinned. “No, they’re dropping the anchor. We’ve arrived in Danport.”

As quickly as she could, Brigitta washed up and dressed in the privy one deck below. Sister Fallyn insisted on keeping guard outside the door, since she claimed the mere sight of Brigitta in that thin nightgown would make a man want to ravish her.

Brigitta didn’t want to admit that Rupert had already seen her in the nightgown. And if the look on his face had been any indication, he’d certainly had some impure thoughts. Her cheeks still burned whenever she recalled that hungry look in his eyes.

But he hadn’t harmed her. He’d rescued Jeffrey. And Sister Ellen. He’d protected the village of Danport.

Could it be true? Her instincts said yes.

Rupert was a man of honor.

Perhaps she could convince him to help her. And perhaps, the Telling Stones had not been playing with her after all. For it seemed very possible that he was her tall and handsome stranger.

After she was dressed, Brigitta accompanied Sister Fallyn up on deck to see what was happening. Dinghies were being launched from all ten of Rupert’s ships, presumably to fetch food and supplies from the small town. She spotted Rupert’s hat with the false plaits and Captain Landers’s fancy hat. They were on a dinghy drawing close to the pier of Danport.

Along the shore, the villagers had gathered, and they waved and cheered as Rupert approached.

“They must know they were rescued from the bad pirates,” Sister Fallyn observed.

Brigitta nodded. It seemed that Rupert was indeed a hero. But he didn’t trust them enough to remove his hat. With a spurt of satisfaction, she wondered if she was the only one outside of his crew who knew his secret.

She glanced at him. There was only one other rower aboard his dinghy, for Rupert was also rowing. No wonder he’s acquired such strong muscles. And he didn’t consider himself above manual labor.

Her tall and handsome stranger. She smiled to herself. Apparently, her overly dramatic stories could actually happen, for she’d found a young and dashing hero.

Captain Landers threw a rope up to a worker on the pier. As the worker tied off the dinghy close to a ladder, a swarm of young women rushed onto the pier. They squealed so loud, Brigitta could hear them from the ship.

“Rupert!” They crowded around the ladder, pushing and shoving so much, Brigitta half expected one of them to fall into the sea.

Her mouth fell open when a few of them lifted their skirts halfway up their calves. Others leaned over to welcome him, and their breasts nearly fell out of their low necklines.

Sister Fallyn huffed. “Such wanton behavior!”

Brigitta winced. Apparently being a hero came with a few perks. More than a few. There had to be at least twenty women competing for his attention.

Sister Fallyn sighed. “Well, I suppose we should consider this a blessing. If the captain and Rupert sate their beastly desires in the village, then they will be less likely to ravish us.”