Page 61 of Found at Sea
19
Fletcher
“He’s maddening,” I said, sliding off the rock, being careful not to damage my lute. “And pompous, rude, and…”
“And devilishly handsome?” Alek said, coming ashore.
“No,” I said with a scoff, glaring at my best friend. “Yes.”
Alek laughed as he bent to grab his shirt and pants he’d discarded earlier. “I do believe you’re smitten, Fletch.” He then proceeded to make kissing noises at me, and I shoved against his shoulder. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. He can be charming when he wishes to be.”
“I amnotsmitten,” I countered before pulling on my shirt as well. “I desire his body, but his soul is too dark. I fear becoming lost in the void.”
The smile on Alek’s face fell as a contemplative look took its place. “Do you truly believe he is so terrible? In my years with him, I’ve seen him do horrendous acts, but…he’s been different since you got here.”
“There are moments when I almost believe he is good,” I said, recalling the times when Kellan had been gentle with me; how he’d cared for me and even became playful in my presence. “Then I remember the reason for him being cursed. Any man who can do such a wicked thing surely does not possess any good within him.”
We found the trail through the forest and started the hike back to the village. The sun was setting, and it’d be dark soon. After Kellan left the cove, we’d stayed a bit longer than we’d intended, mainly because I’d been postponing returning to the ship.
“Fletch?” Alek’s blue eyes focused on me. “Do you believe men can change? Or do you think their past defines them?” He looked toward the dirt. “You’re my best mate. I’d do anything for you. But I wonder if you’d feel the same about me if you knew some of the thingsI’dhad to do in my past to survive.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“Stealing,” he answered before nudging aside a rock with his foot. “There were times I had to fight men, and some of them ended up in pretty bad shape. I even had to sell myself to strangers in order to get some food in my belly or a roof over my head during a cold, winter’s night.”
“That’s different,” I said, touching his arm and stopping him. “What you did was for survival. Kellan killed innocent beings that’d donenothingto him. And for what? To make some coin?” I shook my head. “No, that isnotthe same, Al.”
“I’ve noticed you call him by his name now.” Alek studied me. “You are only so bothered by his past because you want to be a part of his future. And it frightens you. It is why you treat him so harshly at times…to distance yourself.”
I said nothing, neither confirming nor denying his assumption.
I couldn’t lie to myself, though. As much as Ishouldn’tcare for Kellan, he’d still found a way to touch my heart.
After leaving the coverage of trees, we walked through the marketplace. Back in Helmfirth, it was one of my favorite places, apart from the hill I used to escape to. I loved the smells in the air, both from food and the fire from the blacksmith’s shop, and I liked admiring all the trinkets.
Being so poor, I’d never been able to afford anything that nice, but I used to pretend I could. I’d hold up a decorative pin or a ring and, for just a moment, I’d pretend I was wealthy enough to own such a beautiful item.
As I scanned the assortment of jeweled daggers, blown-glass figurines, necklaces, and pins, the merchant caught my attention.
“Hair of fire,” she said, motioning to me. “You’ve been kissed by flames, young one.”
Everyone seemed to be so obsessed with the shade of my hair. Admittedly, I’d only ever met one other man like me. Most redheaded folk, from what I’d heard, lived in the north. It was still odd to be looked at as if I were some magical creature, though.
Alek grinned and looped his arm through mine before pulling me away from the woman. “I do believe she wanted a taste of your fire, my friend.”
I scrunched up my face. “You lie.”
He arched a brow. “So it was only my imagination that she looked at you as if you were a juicy mutton chop she wanted to devour?”
I playfully shoved him away from me before holding up my lute and plucking the strings as we walked. He seemed to be in a happier mood compared to the serious one from earlier, and I was pleased with the change. The tune I picked out was random, and I was doing it mindlessly.
“You do that when you’re nervous,” Alek said, looking to the lute.
“I’m not sure what to expect for this evening,” I admitted, still strumming. We were almost to the launch that we’d taken from the ship. “He’s never told me to wear anything specific before. What if he intends to sacrifice me? Like slit my throat and drink my blood out of a fancy goblet.”
“Your mind must be a frightening place sometimes.” Alek laughed as he unfastened the tiny row boat from where we’d tied it to a tree at the shoreline. “Captain Flynn has no intentions of murdering you.”
We pushed the boat into the water before hopping inside.
