Page 36 of The Tempest
“I know Triton’s Hellions because they are linked tae Blackchurch,” he said. “I also know the Demons of the Sea because I spent a year with them, serving on board one of their ships.”
Her eyes widened. “Youare a pirate?”
He shook his head. “Nay,” he said flatly. “I only did it tae pay off a debt and nothing more. But I also know of the Irish faction, Kraken’s Horde.”
“Have you ever heard of Titans of the Deep?”
He cocked his head in thought. “I think I heard them mentioned, once,” he said. “French pirates, I think. Or from lands further east.”
“They are Aragon,” she said. “Have you heard ofEl dios del mar?”
“Who is that?”
“The Sea God.”
The light of recognition came to his face. “Aye, I’ve heard that name,” he said. “Why do ye ask?”
“Because your mother did not overtake a merchant ship when she took me captive,” Astria said quietly. “I had just stolen two ships from my stepson, who had stolen them from me last year right after my husband died. The ducs of Tarragona made their money in merchant shipping, but they also had another line of work—piracy. I only found that out when I married into the family.”
Payne was listening intently. “I see,” he said. “But… butyestole ships?”
“I did.”
“I dunna understand.”
She sighed softly, finding it difficult to tell him what she must. “I was The Sea God until my husband died.”
Payne’s face didn’t change expression but he suddenly sat up, staring at her, clearly in disbelief. “What’s this?” he demanded. “Yewere The Sea God?”
She nodded. “My husband was old when I married him,” she said. “It was usual in the San Miguel family that the father should manage the merchant business and the son would become The Sea God, only my husband did not wish to relinquish anything to his son because the man is very greedy and he is very ruthless. Therefore, I assumed the business in my husband’s stead and spent nine years keeping it away from Arnaldo, but when his father died, by his hand no less, and helegally became the duc, most of the pirates became loyal to him as my husband’s heir. It was tradition. But some continued to serve me because they do not like Arnaldo, and it has been a battle for a solid year for the control of the San Miguel empire.”
Payne was shocked. Genuinely shocked. “God’s Bones,” he muttered. “He killed his father?”
“He did,” she said. “I had the proof, but Arnaldo escaped to sea before justice could be served. I was in the process of taking away what he’d killed his father for when Maude found me.”
Payne lifted his eyebrows at the dark tale. “Then I suppose it makes sense that ye’ve fought so hard against captivity,” he said. “The punch ye threw intae my eye was well aimed. I would venture tae say ye’ve had tae do it before.”
Astria nodded. “Aye,” she said honestly. “But I am not telling you this to boast. I am telling you this because the two ships your mother took from me belong to Arnaldo and he is going to want them back. It is my belief that he is following Medusa’s Disciples even now. How many ships does your mother have?”
Payne had to think. “I know of three for certain,” he said. “Ships she calls The Three Magi. There are more at Lismore, but I dunna know how many. Why?”
Astria sighed sharply. “Because The Sea God and his Titans of the Deep have thirteen,” she said. “They are all heavily armed. If he brings all of them, he will easily destroy your mother and her fleet, and her along with it.”
His expression cooled as the reason for her confession became clear. “And ye dinna want me tae tell her this?”
Astria struggled through her answer. “I do not want her to know that I was The Sea God,” she said. “The truth is that I should want Arnaldo to destroy your mother and her ships for what she’s done to me. But you have saved her, my lord. Your kindness to me has prompted me to show kindness in return. If you can think of a way of warning her without telling herthe information came from me, that would be best. Arnaldo is a killer and he will not hesitate to murder her if he can.”
She had lain an enormous burden on him with the revelation. Payne pondered the situation without a rather serious expression on his face as Astria sat there and looked at the ground. She was having a difficult time looking him in the eye. He watched her lowered head, wondering if this was some kind of plot to betray him or his mother.
That was his professional training talking.
Part of what he taught at Blackchurch was a class that assessed an enemy by reading body language, the tone of the voice, where the eyes were focused, and other things. That was part of what he did best—read people.
And he was reading her at the moment.
The most important thing that stuck with him was what she had said about withholding the information from Maude—if she hadn’t said a word about it and her stepson showed up to obliterate Medusa’s Disciples, then that would have been a betrayal. He would have judged her quite harshly for not warning Maude of what she had gotten herself in to. But, instead, she had told him so he could warn his mother. If anything, she seemed embarrassed to tell him, but he knew why she did it. It kept going back to the same thing.
If ye are lying tae me in any way, I’ll never trust ye again.
