Page 26 of The Queens and the Kings
“Since we’re avoiding Narpurra and cutting across regular shipping lanes,” Einar called as he blinked his eyes open, “that means it’ll be a ten- or twelve-day trip to the mainland, right?”
“No,” Pedr said.
“How long?”
“Five.”
“Half the time?” When Pedr ignored him, Einar whistled. “Not bad.”
Henrik swiped the back of his hand over his mouth and reached for a leather water flask. He didn’t have the energy to ask how Pedr cut the time in half, nor the desire to understand. Five days less on the water? He’d take it.
Einar joined Henrik, chuckling. “Pedr is something else, isn’t he?”
“Sure,” he muttered.
“No, I meant it. He’ssomethingelse.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Can you imagine a merchant ship sailing this fast? No. Have you ever heard of a Captain holding random arcane magic? No. He changes the currents in the sea to move us faster. Currents.” Einar shook his head, blinking. “It’s . . .”
“Odd?”
“Different.” He hummed. “It means something. Just not surewhatyet.”
Einar’s lacking conclusion fell between them. Feeling marginally better with his mouth swished out, Henrik leaned against the railing. Einar hooked his hands around the edge and leaned back, elongating his arms, rounding his shoulders.
“How about that wyvern?” he asked. “Pretty wild, eh?”
“Doesn’t speak to anything good,” Henrik said, sketching a brief review of General Helsing’s requirements. Einar absorbed each fact.
“She knows something about the mainland that we don’t,” he concluded.
Henrik nodded, grim. “Agreed.”
Einar shook his head. “Shite.”
Henrik let his thoughts eddy, but Einar straightened, tilted his head to the side, and motioned with his thumb to the hatch leading to the holds below. A silent question filled his expression. Understanding exactly what Einar meant, but not wanting to answer, Henrik asked, “What?
Einar slugged him in the shoulder. “What’s going on with Britt?”
“Nothing.”
“You touched her. Willingly. I’ve never seen that before.”
Henrik scowled.
Einar laughed.
Henrik didn’t want to give details. Didn’t want to define the undefinable, or verbalize value where it existed. Affection was unwise, inefficient, and counter to the existence of a soldat. And yet . . . he wasn’t asoldatanymore. Those steel-like threads had crumbled and no longer held his life together. With every day that passed, the truth spoke a little louder. But he wasn’t ready to talk about his affection toward Britt or what it meant.
When others knew, there was no going back. No safety for her.
“I like Britt,” Einar said. “She’s good to people. She seems to genuinely care about Agnes, and anyone that makes Agnes smile is worthwhile to me.”
Henrik studied his brother, so boldly his opposite. How did hecare about Agnes so fully and without fear?
“You take it up, Einar.” Henrik said.Take it up. A colloquial Stenberg saying that meant his care for Agnes ran high. Serious. Some might even call it love. The statement held no question.
