Page 38 of Queen's Griffon

“But then I’d have to live with the fact I didn’t prevent you from sacrificing yourself on a foolish quest,” he barked. For some reason, that mattered.

“My life is my business, not yours,” Avera yelled back.

“You’re under my care.”

“Only because you kidnapped me!”

“I think I’m going to see if the cook has some treats.” Simhi slipped away while they argued.

“I regret that choice every day,” he growled.

“There’s an easy fix. Drop me off in Verlora, then you won’t have to deal with me anymore.”

“No.”

“Why must you be so annoying about this?”

“Why must you ignore all the evidence?” They stood toe to toe, him leaning slightly down so as to better scowl in her face.

“Because I have no choice. My kingdom is besieged on two fronts. My family murdered. My life and well-being threatened. I have to do something.”

He heard and understood her frustration for it plagued him as well. A leader without a country. A son who felt as if he should have done more for his father. A man who wanted nothing more than to give his people back the home they’d lost.

Emotion seethed within him, boiled over, and what did he do?

He gave in to the urge inundating him since the first day when she’d stood up to him. He grabbed Avera and dragged her upwards, slanting his mouth against hers, a touch to electrify the senses.

It might have ended quickly had she reacted negatively. To his surprise, her arms curled around his neck, her lips softened against his, and she kissed him back.

He was kissing the one woman he shouldn’t.

“The little tiara will stick a knife in you.”

His mother’s words rose to haunt him, and he thrust Avera from him and stalked away. Kept stomping out of the castle and down into the town where his glower kept people from talking to him. He didn’t stop until he reached the pier and noticed a flurry of activity aboard Captain Koonis’ ship. They must be readying to depart.

Good. Of all the vessels docked,The Emperor’s Follywas the only one he worried about. With it gone, he knew those that remained, primarily owned and manned by residents of Saarpira, would never dare to steal his queen.

Yes, his. And he wasn’t about to question that feeling. Not now. Maybe not ever.

He boarded his nameless ship, whose previous identity was stripped as per tradition when one captain passed on their vessel to another. Despite convention, he’d never given it a proper name. The crew had. They called itThe Griffonwhen he wasn’t in earshot. He, however, didn’t give in and agree because to give it a title would perversely affirm it belonged to him, that this would be his life. A pirate forever stealing. A privateer with no true home.

If only Avera could truly fix things. If he thought for a moment she could….

He’d kidnap her.

In that moment it occurred to him why he’d taken her. Why he’d wanted her in his care. Kreed was right. A tiny part of him did wonder if she could pull off a miracle. After all, she’d destroyed an object of evil in Seaserpent Bay with simply a few drops of blood. What if she was the key to getting Verlora back? It occurred to him then that his biggest objection to trying wasn’t because he thought she’d be killed—although that played a part—but because he feared having hope.

What if he let himself believe she could make a difference and he was wrong?

The epiphany followed him as he headed from the pier back through the town. As he passed various stalls, he noticed a vendor named Lonny unpacking a box of statues. Tiny crab figurines. There had to be a few dozen of them. A strange thing to bring to market, especially in such a great number.

“What are those?” he paused to ask.

“Trinkets,” Lonny said as he paused to talk to Griff.

“From whom?”

“Captain Koonis. Got them dirt cheap too. Apparently, the initial buyer who prepaid for them lost their life in a fire and so the captain wanted to get rid of them.”

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