Page 83 of Hijack the Seas: Seismic

“He took responsibility,” I added. “That night in the forest, he told me—”

“I know what he told you!” He walked over to the door and jumped up to peer out of the small, high-set window, although he had to grab the windowsill to do it since it was at fey height. But I guessed he didn’t find anything helpful because he jumped back down.

And turned around, leaning against the door and looking frustrated. Maybe because Pinkie and the Brain were nowhere in sight. I assumed that was who he was looking for, but I didn’t expect them. Bodil wouldn’t have attacked us if she didn’t already have a plan for dealing with them.

But she better not have harmed them, or there would be hell to pay, I thought, thinking of Pinkie’s loyalty.

“I need a cigarette,” the incubus said abruptly, making me blink.

“Does Pritkin know you smoke?”

“I don’t smoke,” he said savagely. “I don’t do anything. And I don’t have what you want, so leave me be!”

“But you do,” I insisted. “You wouldn’t have been able to surface just now if you didn’t. And there’s been a ton of other indications—”

“There has not!”

“You’re not as good of an actor as you think you are,” I told him dryly. “Pritkin would have never worn that crazy get-up to dinner, court protocol or not. He’d have worn what he liked, which would have probably included a lot of weapons—”

That got a snort of laughter, at least, because it was true.

“—and if others didn’t like it, they could lump it. Yet last night, he dressed like an Aquaman extra, a particularly sexy one, and didn’t think twice about it.”

“Around here, that get-up, as you call it, is positively monkish,” the incubus informed me. “You saw what the rest were wearing.”

He looked envious, as if he’d have preferred to go to dinner looking like Lord Bling and outshining everyone. I, for one, was glad he hadn’t, but still. My point remained: he had influenced Pritkin’s choices to a degree at least, which meant he had more power than he should have.

A lot more.

“That wasn’t the only thing,” I said. “He also doesn’t flirt, even mildly, with pretty waitresses. He doesn’t even flirt with me all that much unless you count sword practice—”

“And knowing him, he probably does!” the incubus said scornfully, but he returned and sat down.

“—and yet last night it was almost automatic,” I continued. “Pritkin also doesn’t stroll along with feline grace. Or pull admiration from a pissed-off fey woman who’d just had her stuff raided by a giant wad of snot—”

That got another small snort.

Well, at least I’m funny, I thought, my temperature rising.

“—or try to charm a ten-thousand-year-old demigod and almost succeed! Bodil was going to recruit us until she met me. Until I reminded her too much of my mother, and she threw a fit. And Pritkin never did that, never charmed someone like her. I’m more charming than he is, and I’m not charming at all—”

“You have your moments,” he said dryly.

“—so, yeah, you’ve been surfacing a lot. And that takes power, power you didn’t have before but do now, and I need to know how much.”

“Not enough.” He started to get up again, but I pulled him back down. And he let me, even though he didn’t have to. My skinny arms weren’t trapping him; knowing how much trouble we were in was doing that.

I just had to get him to admit it.

“I thought you two were reintegrating!” I said. “Pritkin told me he took responsibility for what happened with Ruth and knew you weren’t at fault. He said—”

“A lot of things!” As it turned out, black eyes could flash, too. “He was feeling horrified over what happened to you in that camp and was beating himself up over it—as usual. But in the light of day, nothing changed. He still doesn’t trust demons, especially me. He still doesn’t listen to anyone, especially me! And he isn’t going to.”

I started to speak, but he didn’t let me. I’d forgotten how much this version of Pritkin liked to talk, and now that he was on a roll, I was getting a lecture. I supposed that was better than nothing, so I shut up.

“If I had the power you seek—and I’m not saying I do—giving it to him would only trap me again. Leaving me at his mercy when he doesn’t have any mercy, not for my kind! And I’m not doing that, you understand? I can’t.

“It was hard enough when I thought I deserved it, when I was doing penance for my part in that bitch’s death. But now?” He shook his head violently. “No, just no.”

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