Page 64 of Pearls of Salt and Sacrifice

He shoved Calix and the other kraken into her hands and began to dig through his own pockets. Her eyebrows rose as he pulled a bracelet out and then a signet ring. These too he thrust into her hands.

His cheeks had gone as red as a blazing sunset. “It’s the krakens, you see,” he mumbled as he retrieved a necklace with an emerald set in a gold casing, and then a small box that was all too familiar. “Would you believe these fellows are the worst thieves?”

“Those are my earrings!”

“I’m sorry. I truly intended to return everything, but I didn’t want anyone to think I was the one stealing. I was afraid they’d hang me just for being an elf.” Jareth regarded her sheepishly.

Reva’s lips firmed as she shook her head. “Perhaps,” she said wryly, “you can find my missing dagger, as well.”

“You mean this?”

The dagger appeared from a deep pocket at the bottom of his vest, a kraken clinging to the hilt with all eight arms.

“Yes, that. Now the pearl?”

He searched the rest of his pockets, but Reva’s flickering hopes vanished when he produced no pearl.

“As happy as I am to have my possessions back, I need the pearl, Jareth,” Reva said, accepting the dagger and earrings from the tiny pink thieves.

“I have another pocket to search,” he mumbled, continuing to dig.

He withdrew a golden chain with a pocket watch dangling on the end.

Now who had recently complained about a missing watch…

Blistering sands and pearls!

“Rency,” she gasped.

She should have known he’d try something like this to make sure he got paid. When had he stolen the pearl, when he leaned her up against the pillar? When he’d hugged her here on the beach? Some other cleverly concealed moment when he’d distracted her while picking her pocket?

Jareth’s searching hands fell still, and his gaze shot to the sea beyond Reva.

“That thieving scoundrel!” she snarled. She thrust the krakens and all their stolen plunder back at Jareth and spun, dashing to the waterline and plowing into the waves. “Rency!” she shouted to the pirate dingy bouncing across the water. “You thieving liar! I know what you did! Get your deceitful, pilfering carcass back on this beach!”

Rency’s laughter echoed across the sea. He stood from his place in the back of the boat and waved merrily to her. “Afraid I can’t do that!” he shouted back. “It seems I have a maiden to rescue from slavery! And you know me—I can’t resist the gallant side of my nature!”

Then, he reached into the pocket of his greatcoat and drew out a shiny black pearl, which he waved grandly in the air.

“Many thanks, Reva!” he shouted to her. “I vow to keep it safe and use it wisely.”

“Rency!”

“Farewell, Princess Reva! Live long and happily with your elven prince, and I shall do the same with my plundered treasure!”

He kissed the pearl soundly before stowing it back in his pocket. Then he blew her a kiss as well before turning his back and waving wildly to his crew, who began to row with renewed vigor.

“Oh, that man!” Reva snarled, thigh deep in the water. “He’s going to get himself—and who knows how many other people—killed if that thing still works.”

Could she swim fast enough to catch up with him? Jareth waded in beside her, still trying to stuff Calix’s plunder back into various pockets.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Reva asked him, pointing toward the escaping pirate dinghy.

Jareth successfully stuffed the last item into his vest and reached to grab her hand in his. “That you’d like a necklace made of pirate teeth?”

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking. Are any of your big krakens about?”

Jareth flashed her a devilish smile. “What do you think?”

“Well, call them. Call them all.” Reva waded deeper into the water as Jareth caught her hand and tugged her alongside him.

“Am I allowed to breathe for you?” he asked. “If we’re going swimming, you’re going to need to breathe, you know.”

Reva wasn’t sure if she should laugh or smack him for his impertinence. “Of course you can breathe for me. I’ll give you all the kisses you want if you just get me to that sands-blighted boat!” She jabbed a finger toward Rency’s dinghy as it plowed wildly toward the Andromeda.

Jareth lifted her hand and kissed her damp fingertips. “Aye, aye, my lady,” he said with a wink. Then he wrapped her in his arms and plunged them both beneath the aquamarine waves.

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