nothing to put aside. Murder is murder…even I cannot forgive William for his sin.”
“Yes, murder is murder, but that boy saved your life. Do you think it was for his own gain? Indeed, if he were as ruthless as you say, he would have let the Orient take you. Trust me, it would have been easier.” His face was cold, and though it unnerved Larkin to see him angry, she still glared at him. She wasn’t used to Jonathan the pirate, and it still irked her that he defended Barren.
“How can you take his side after all that he has done?”
“After twenty-five attacks, Larkin, you would have to wonder why no one was trying to stop Barren.”
“We did try to stop him! We sent ships to meet him—”
“Do you know that for sure?” Jonathan raised a brow. “Or did your father and William tell you that? Or wait…perhaps the king?”
“What are you saying?”
“I am saying that one simple order from the king for William to sail out and meet his brother in battle might have silenced what you find so appalling about Barren.”
Larkin was quiet. She had never been sure if she liked King Tetherion. He seemed nice enough, the few times she had spoken with him, but there was always something about him that made her uneasy. Perhaps it was his relatives: they were all pirates. Or maybe it was his false ignorance when it came to Barren attacking ships off the coast of Maris. Even keeping those things in mind, she had never considered how involved the king was or should have been in the endeavors of his nephews. Now that she thought about it, why wasn’t he more conscious of what was going on? Or was he? Did he enjoy what was happening to his people?
“Come, we will be arriving soon. Leaf has prepared some medicine for you. It will make you feel better.” Jonathan held out his hand. Larkin took it and let him help her out of the cabin. The day seemed far too bright, even though it was late afternoon. She felt dizzy and nauseated, and she forced down the bile rising in her throat.
“There you are,” said Leaf.
He and Barren were above them, standing next to Sam at the helm. Barren’s features were perfectly cold. It was then Larkin realized Jonathan was still holding her hand, making sure she didn’t fall. Though she wasn’t sure what made Barren angry, his gaze made her feel self-conscious. She let go of Jonathan’s hand quickly and ascended the stairs leading to the helm.
“Gave us all a fright last night,” the Elf continued. He produced a cup filled with a warm liquid smelling of herbs and handed it to her.
“What is it and how did you make it warm?” asked Larkin suspicious of the drink. As far as she knew, there was no way to heat water in the middle of the ocean.
Leaf smirked. “The warmth comes from the herbs—it’s medicine. Drink it, it’s like tea.”
Larkin hesitated for a moment, but placed the cup to her lips and drank the mixture. She instantly felt warmth running through her veins, relaxing every pain and subduing her pounding headache.
“Amazing,” she said, still eyeing the drink with concern.
“You are very skeptical of Elvish things, even though you are one.” Leaf pressed a finger against his cheek and observed her with amusement.
Larkin touched her ears self-consciously and Leaf chuckled. “Oh, that’s not your only Elvish feature, Lady.”
And it wasn’t—as Leaf had observed before, her almond-shaped eyes and high cheekbones were signs of her heritage. “My mother was Elvish…” she said quietly.
“Barren’s mother was Elvish, too.”
Larkin knew that because William had the same pointed ears as she did. He never talked about his mother, and she never asked. She guessed she wasn’t used to having a mother to talk about, so it didn’t seem like something to mention. She wasn’t sure what prompted her to ask her next question.
“What was her name?” Larkin asked.
Barren shrugged, still refusing to look at her. “Her name was Sysara.”
“Do you miss
“Yes, murder is murder, but that boy saved your life. Do you think it was for his own gain? Indeed, if he were as ruthless as you say, he would have let the Orient take you. Trust me, it would have been easier.” His face was cold, and though it unnerved Larkin to see him angry, she still glared at him. She wasn’t used to Jonathan the pirate, and it still irked her that he defended Barren.
“How can you take his side after all that he has done?”
“After twenty-five attacks, Larkin, you would have to wonder why no one was trying to stop Barren.”
“We did try to stop him! We sent ships to meet him—”
“Do you know that for sure?” Jonathan raised a brow. “Or did your father and William tell you that? Or wait…perhaps the king?”
“What are you saying?”
“I am saying that one simple order from the king for William to sail out and meet his brother in battle might have silenced what you find so appalling about Barren.”
Larkin was quiet. She had never been sure if she liked King Tetherion. He seemed nice enough, the few times she had spoken with him, but there was always something about him that made her uneasy. Perhaps it was his relatives: they were all pirates. Or maybe it was his false ignorance when it came to Barren attacking ships off the coast of Maris. Even keeping those things in mind, she had never considered how involved the king was or should have been in the endeavors of his nephews. Now that she thought about it, why wasn’t he more conscious of what was going on? Or was he? Did he enjoy what was happening to his people?
“Come, we will be arriving soon. Leaf has prepared some medicine for you. It will make you feel better.” Jonathan held out his hand. Larkin took it and let him help her out of the cabin. The day seemed far too bright, even though it was late afternoon. She felt dizzy and nauseated, and she forced down the bile rising in her throat.
“There you are,” said Leaf.
He and Barren were above them, standing next to Sam at the helm. Barren’s features were perfectly cold. It was then Larkin realized Jonathan was still holding her hand, making sure she didn’t fall. Though she wasn’t sure what made Barren angry, his gaze made her feel self-conscious. She let go of Jonathan’s hand quickly and ascended the stairs leading to the helm.
“Gave us all a fright last night,” the Elf continued. He produced a cup filled with a warm liquid smelling of herbs and handed it to her.
“What is it and how did you make it warm?” asked Larkin suspicious of the drink. As far as she knew, there was no way to heat water in the middle of the ocean.
Leaf smirked. “The warmth comes from the herbs—it’s medicine. Drink it, it’s like tea.”
Larkin hesitated for a moment, but placed the cup to her lips and drank the mixture. She instantly felt warmth running through her veins, relaxing every pain and subduing her pounding headache.
“Amazing,” she said, still eyeing the drink with concern.
“You are very skeptical of Elvish things, even though you are one.” Leaf pressed a finger against his cheek and observed her with amusement.
Larkin touched her ears self-consciously and Leaf chuckled. “Oh, that’s not your only Elvish feature, Lady.”
And it wasn’t—as Leaf had observed before, her almond-shaped eyes and high cheekbones were signs of her heritage. “My mother was Elvish…” she said quietly.
“Barren’s mother was Elvish, too.”
Larkin knew that because William had the same pointed ears as she did. He never talked about his mother, and she never asked. She guessed she wasn’t used to having a mother to talk about, so it didn’t seem like something to mention. She wasn’t sure what prompted her to ask her next question.
“What was her name?” Larkin asked.
Barren shrugged, still refusing to look at her. “Her name was Sysara.”
“Do you miss
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