Page 82 of Ship of Shadows
Iclosed the door to his cabin as Bastian settled against his desk and crossed his muscled arms over his chest. “Well?” he asked in a flat tone.
“I’m going to rescue my brothers with or without you.”
“You can’t rescue your brothers without me,” he gritted out. “It’s a suicide mission.”
“See, I don’t think so.” I took a few steps forward. “I think you want me to believe it’s a suicide mission.”
“Why would I want you to believe that?”
“Because you don’t want me to get hurt,” I said softly, and his jaw ticked for just a second, but it was enough to give me the courage to go on. “I think you’re protecting me from the shadow court, a specific person in the shadow court, if I’m correct.”
A mischievous grin overtook his lips. “Or maybe I’m just as much of an asshole as everyone says I am.”
“But everyone doesn’t say that,” I said. “See that’s the other thing. You’re the most feared pirates on the Dark Seas. Yet in our time together, I haven’t seen you pillage, attack, raid, anyone. I think your bard spins quite the tales about you, tales that bolster your fearsome reputation.”
Bastian quirked a brow. “Barty’s not that creative. And I’ve been on my best behavior.” His eyes dipped down to between my legs. “Well, mostly.”
I wouldn’t let him use his charms to distract me. Not this time. I ignored the heat that pooled where his gaze was set, forging on. “I see the way your crew respects you, cares for you. They’re not cold-blooded killers. Mia? Kara?”
“I told you that it’s my fault they’re here. I try to spare them from as much as I can.”
I took another step toward him. “But you couldn’t keep them from losing their shadows along with the rest of you. That’s what happened, right? They came to find you and their shadows got taken too. That’s how they became trapped on this ship.”
He stilled; the only movement was his chest as it rose and fell. “That’s not possible, love.”
“Well, then let’s go check.” I gestured outside. “It’s a sunny day. Let’s just see if you have a shadow.”
He clenched his teeth, then straightened. “Fine.” He spread out his arms. “You figured it out. We don’t have our shadows. Haven’t had them for sixty years.”
My brows drew together. “Since the Shadow War?”
“That’s right. And I don’t have to explain a damn thing to you.”
“Don’t you get it?” I swiped some hair from my eyes. “You can’t stop me from going to the shadow court. My best chance at survival, at saving my brothers, is you. If you won’t help, then I’ll go alone. It’s your choice, Bastian. But I’ll tell you this: I will not work with you until you tell me the entire truth about your past, about why you took our boys. Everything, Bastian. If you’re not willing to do that, then I’ll march back to our little boat and sail away to Sorrengard with Driscoll and Leoni.”
He looked up at the ceiling, Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “You’re the bane of my existence. You know that?”He finally let out a long breath and gestured toward the bed. “Might as well sit and get comfy, then. It’s a long tale. And, love? There’s no going back.”
With a confidence I didn’t particularly feel, I strode toward the bed and sank down onto the edge. “I’m listening.”
“Everything I told you about my childhood, finding the crew, my sisters, it was all true. But I left out a few key details. My age being one.”
I tilted my head. “How old are you?”
“Ninety-five,” he said. “I was fifteen when those pirates destroyed Aramis and killed my parents.”
My mouth dropped open. I’d suspected as much but hearing him confirm it was something else. “How did it happen?” I asked.
“Remember when I told you about getting washed up on that island, finding the Lost Boys?”
I nodded.
“Well, we banded together, and we stole ourselves a ship. We began pirating, becoming exactly what I’d always abhorred. People feared us. It felt good. We pillaged, we raided, we drank, and we grew older and older. We kept on like that for over ten years. Rulers of the Dark Seas. Eventually, I wanted more. I’d heard rumors about the shadow court, that it was a place full of dark magic, mysterious items that had power. I’d also heard that no one who went there to steal those items came back out alive.”
I tugged the end of my braid. “You were seduced by the challenge of it.” I knew that feeling all too well.
“Aye. We all were, my whole crew. We’d grown arrogant, foolish. Reckless.” He fingered the silver chain around his neck. “We didn’t even plan. Just sat around drinking one night and someone mentioned the Shadow War, that it had severely weakened the shadow court. We decided that would be the best time to strike. That was that. We sailed to the island, anchoredour boat offshore. The island was...” He trailed off, his eyes growing distant like he was back there again. “Beautiful. Tall palm trees, turquoise water. Black glittering sand.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Where were all the people? The shadow people?”
