Page 15 of Behind the Mask

"I was," Kasumi said.

"Yes, but why?"Luther pressed."You're avoiding the question."

"I am one of the highest ranking bodyguards in the clan.Only two are above me, and even they concede it is more a matter of experience.Until I erred and was kidnapped by you, I probably was the best.This, obviously, has demoted me."

Unbearable.It was bad enough he was not good enough to take the role which should have been his birthright…to fail now at the only thing hewasgood at…

Luther rolled the map back up and stowed it."You are not saying much of anything, are you?"

"You know more about me than I know about you," Kasumi snapped."Do not think I'm so stupid I don't notice you extract information without giving it."

"That's because I'm boring," Luther replied lightly."There are dozens of me scattered about every coastline.Orphan shunted about from home to home, workplace to workplace.I was working a ship when it was taken by pirates.As there was no one who would pay a ransom for me, the Captain had intended to kill me.I persuaded him to give me a chance.I have been a pirate ever since."

Kasumi said nothing.

"Told you it was boring," Luther replied."Not even a scandal, me.I always wanted to be the runaway son of a Duke.That makes for a much more interesting pirate's tale.Maybe a lost love for whom I still pine.A bit of tragedy would make for a much grander story, don't you think?"

"I think you're an idiot," Kasumi replied.Honestly.The more time he spent with this man, the more he wondered how much of that bumbling scholar he'd portrayed had been mere artifice.

Luther laughed.

A knock at the door prevented Kasumi's next scathing remark, and he strode irritably across the cabin to open it.The cabin boy entered bearing a heavily-laden tray, setting it down on the table before sketching a bow and vanishing—sneaking a lingering glance at Kasumi.

"I suspect," Luther said with another chuckle, "that if you ask that boy for something, he will give it gladly.Though honestly, I think you have the entire ship under some sort of spell."

Kasumi balled his hands into fists."I cannot help my looks," he snarled."I wish you would stop mocking me."

Luther quirked a brow and moved toward him, neatly catching the hands that came up to warn him off."Mocking?Hardly.Do you not understand just how breathtaking you are?If I believed in magic, I would believe your looks to be the result of witchcraft indeed."

"They are," Kasumi snapped."It's a curse of the clans, and I will thank you to stop rubbing it in my face."

Damn it, he just wanted his mask.Angrily turning away, he sat down at the table and helped himself to the food and ale set out, eating neatly and rapidly.Nearby Luther ate at a more leisurely pace, and Kasumi knew eating quickly was unnecessary, but the habits of a lifetime made it impossible to slow down.

Finished, he shoved away from the table and prowled the cabin, ending up at the maps again."What are these symbols?"

"Sea runes, they're called," Luther said, standing up and joining him."The language was common years and years ago.Wars change things, including language, but here on the sea some of the old language lingers."He pointed to the first mark of each slot."These represent the nine oceans.From there, the second and third marks denote which section of a particular ocean."He pointed to other maps."These are strictly land maps, of little use for sailing."He indicated another set."These are world maps."

Kasumi nodded, memorizing the marks as best he could.He would study them further later, now that he knew roughly what he was looking at.

He returned to prowling restlessly about the cabin.Normally he had no problem holding still—it was a vital skill.However, at present he had no one to protect.No suspicious persons to watch, nothing to do whatsoever.

"You cannot be more than twenty-five," Luther said suddenly.

Kasumi froze, and shot him an icy look."Twenty six."

"Barely, I'd imagine," Luther said, grinning.

The bastard was trying to make him angry.Damn it.He'd never met someone so damned infuriating in his life.Three weeks stuck on a ship with this man.At least in town he'd had ways to escape his presence for a time.His own bed.

Right now he would only sleep in peace if he took the cabin which had been allotted to him—which he wouldn't do, because he refused to go where he could be locked up and easily betrayed.

Part of him whispered that such caution was unnecessary, but Kasumi ruthlessly squashed it.Of course he could not trust this man, and he would not any more than he strictly had to—nothing personal the man might say, but he didn't doubt the bastard would not waste a chance to turn a profit.

He wondered if it had occurred to Luther that Kasumi would be worth a pretty ransom.His family would much rather pay for his return than lose him, even if he wasn't all that he could and should have been.

Luther appeared in front of him, and Kasumi abruptly found something shoved at him.A book, he realized.He frowned at Luther.

"Sit down and relax, you're going to drive yourself crazy pacing about like that."He grinned and backed up a step."I'd say take a walk about the ship but I'd prefer my men get their work done."

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