Page 18 of Pearls of Salt and Sacrifice

His smile faded as he turned to look over the cove. “Unfortunately, I learned nothing new about what happened to the Destan ship.”

When she opened her mouth to protest, he lifted a hand to silence her.

“That is the truth, Princess Reva, I swear on my life. I’m still uneasy though. You should be extra careful until we figure out what’s going on.” He hesitated, his hand straying to the pocket that held Calix. “Whatever happened yesterday…I don’t think it was from natural causes.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” he answered, stressing the words, “that I think magic was involved.”

An itch rose on the back of Reva’s neck and shivered down her spine. First Rency talking about curses, and now Jareth and magic…

What had happened to the Endellion?

Chapter Six

Before Reva had a chance to answer, someone shouted her name.

She spun, her fingers itching to reach for the dagger in her boot, but it was only Cassandra, who had finished her morning toilette surprisingly early. Her stepmother waved for Reva to join her at the fire.

“We’ll finish this discussion later,” she whispered to Jareth.

Angry voices washed over her as she drew closer. She could smell the flattened rice cakes the Perseus’s cook was preparing for breakfast, a common morning dish topped with cardamom. Isla and the cook both crouched beside the fire, and Reva would have given her own left leg to join them. Her stomach growled, but breakfast wouldn’t be headed her way anytime soon.

Not if the bickering had already commenced.

Nothing to be done for it, she told herself staunchly. Might as well have the meeting.

With any luck, she’d be able to enjoy her breakfast afterwards, in peace and quiet.

“It’s rude to make Prince Felix wait,” Cassandra said, smoothing the folds of her green silk dress as Reva approached with Jareth at her heels.

She raked her gaze over Reva’s appearance and pursed her lips. Isla rose and turned from the fire, holding a steaming pewter mug in her hands. She made a face behind Cassandra’s back, then circled the regent to hand Reva the mug.

“Wait for what?” Reva asked, accepting the cup of steaming coffee and carefully avoiding eye contact with the first mate, lest she be tempted to laugh at the sailor’s antics. “Are we resuming discussions before breakfast?”

Cassandra’s narrowed eyes rimmed with dark kohl. She looked worthy of a court appearance and was far too overdressed for negotiations on a barren rock island.

“We haven’t discussed yet how I’m going to get home,” Felix said, his sunburned cheeks even redder than usual. “I want to go home right away.”

“Felix,” Cassandra said, her voice soothing and playful, “why are you in such a hurry? If you wait a day or two, you can take Reva with you—”

“I don’t want to wait.”

“Felix, if this is what’s worrying you, please put it from your mind.” Reva nearly rolled her eyes but held herself still. “Rest assured, someone will make sure you get home.”

What a self-centered snob.

“Either that, or we’ll leave you here with plenty of food and supplies and send word to your people to dispatch ships for you. That is, if you don’t trust my crew to see to your wellbeing…”

“No, no, that’s unacceptable!” Fury and something akin to panic twisted his face. “I demand you and your mother—”

“Stepmother,” Reva interrupted, earning a glare from Lady Cassandra.

“—take me home at once,” he blustered. “That is the only acceptable solution for a prince!”

“A third prince, and not at all likely to gain the throne.”

Reva jumped at the whisper in her ear. Rency had oozed his way in between her and Jareth, just like Calix worming his way around her tent and pocket, trying to make himself at home someplace where he didn’t belong.

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