Page 48 of The Last Heir of Elsewhere

“How’s this, Elowyn,” Ambrose said, hovering by the door. “You must join me for meals, and so long as you’re sitting at the dinner table I will tell you anything you like.” His grin took on a wicked gleam. “You will not eat while on this ship unless it’s with me, and for every question I answer, you must answer one of mine in return.”

My eyes narrowed. That was not going to happen. “How could you possibly have questions for me, when you know everything about everyone in the world?”

He pressed his hands into his pockets and moved around me to reach the door. “I suppose you’ll have to come to dinner and ask.”

“No,” I said stubbornly.

He shrugged, and reached for the handle of the door again. “Fine. Come and find me when you change your mind. I expect hunger will overtake your spitefulness eventually.”

I fumed.Fucking rebels. Fucking…fairies.

No matter how much my opinion on certain Fae had changed lately, I was always rudely reminded that on a whole, most were spiteful, wicked creatures who took pleasure in tormenting me. Ambrose Dullahan was no different from the nightmares I’d had all my life.

“Wait,” I said suddenly, as the object of my derision moved to close the door behind him.

Dullahan looked back, his expression curious, rather than angry. “Have you changed your mind so soon?” he asked in an almost pleasant tone. No doubt he was putting on an act, luring me into a false sense of security. I would not fall for it.

“So, if I refuse to eat with you, am I to be a prisoner here?”

He cocked his head. “We are all prisoners here. We’re in the middle of the ocean, Elowyn.”

“But do you intend to keep me in this room forever, or am I allowed to see the sun at some point?”

He seemed to think about it, then shrugged. “I suppose there’s no reason you shouldn’t be allowed to go where you wish aboard the ship, but be careful. Don’t do anything foolish.”

“Like what?” I asked, in spite of myself.

“Like trying to escape. You would not make it very far, as even I could not swim to shore from here without falling prey to one of the creatures that lurk beneath the waves.”

“Fine.” I smiled, picturing him being eaten whole by some slimy serpentine creature. I supposed there was always hope he’d fall overboard. Fall, or get pushed…whichever.

He took another step toward the door, holding it open this time as he hovered on the threshold. “Oh, and don’t think you can sneak down to the galley and I won’t know about it. You will not eat unless it is with me, and should you try, I’ll know.” He tapped his temple. “I know nearly everything that goes on this ship.”

My smile fell from my lips.

That had indeed been what I’d planned to do; find my own food, then perhaps steal a life boat and make my escape. “If I didn’t know you were an Everlast, I would now. All of you love to offer bargains, and throw me around as if it’s your source-given right to do so. You’re exactly like your family.”

He glanced over his shoulder at me as he unlocked the door, and his black eyes flashed with sudden anger. “Wrong, love. I’m nothing like them. I’m worse.”

20

LONNIE

ABOARD THE FORESIGHT

Several hours passed, and I laid flat on my back on the creaky, single-person bed, my eyes squeezed shut.

I remembered Scion’s explanation that his brother was not omniscient, but I wasn’t willing to risk it. If the Dullahan really could see everything within the ship, all he would see of me was that I was sleeping. He wouldn’t know that I was waiting for the sun to set outside the small port window, or that I was silently planning my escape.

There was no possible way I would willingly remain on this ship, bound for Aisling knew where, without any means of protection. Neither though, did I think I could fight my way out. I assumed that the ship’s crew was made up of the same rebels who had stormed the obsidian castle, and attacked our party in the harbor. Whatever else one might say about them, it was clear they were well trained and fiercely loyal to their leader. It seemed unlikely therefore that I’d be able to hold my own against any of them, or find a friend on the ship to help me.

I was well and truly on my own, but that only made me more determined to escape.

As the sun slowly descended below the horizon, the once busy sounds of the crew working on deck began to fade. I supposed they would all have to eat eventually, and perhaps there was less to do on a ship like this during the evening. Not that I had any idea what sort of ship we were on, but I imagined it must be large to carry an entire army to Nevermore, or wherever else we might be going.

Finally, when the sky outside the window was nearing total darkness, I rose from the bed.

Creeping toward the door as if my mere footsteps would send the rebels running, I held my breath and tried the latch. To my shock, it opened readily, and a huge gust of salty winter air flew in to greet me. It rustled the maps on the wall, and the tattered ruins of my clothing—still destroyed from the last few days’ events.

---