her?”
To that, Barren didn’t respond immediately, and when he did, he just said, “I never knew her. I don’t need to chase another memory.”
There were few she found who had also lost their mother, and perhaps that’s what made her say what she did.
“My mother’s name was Kenna. Father says she was killed by pirates.”
Leaf looked perplexed and Barren even inclined his head toward them.
“Do you happen to know the name of the pirates responsible?” asked Leaf.
“No,” Larkin shook her head.
“Do you know if they are dead?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Father never said,” then she narrowed her eyes. “Why? What do you know?”
“It’s just…more than likely we would know the name of your mother’s killer. It’s against the code for us to kill women or children, and those who do, hang.”
***
Silver Crest came into view. Gold lingered on the horizon, bathing the Orient in richness, and casting things in shadow. Larkin watched the island grow as they came closer. She wasn’t sure why, but her stomach formed knots and she wondered how the people there would react to her. Would they know her name? Everyone she had come into contact with seemed to know her, and she sort of resented it. Would they hate her because of her name? And would Barren protect her if they did?
Lights ignited in the distance and glimmered like welcoming beacons, awaiting the sunset. Larkin felt someone beside her. She glanced to her right and saw Barren. There was something commanding about his presence. She took a deliberate breath, her heartbeat speeding up as she watched him. His eyes were on Silver Crest too, and the air between them filled with apprehension. She wondered if he was hesitant to return to this place, or to speak with her.
“How do you feel about going to Silver Crest—the center of everything you hate?”
Larkin wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Did she hate everything piracy stood for? She had before Barren kidnapped her, but now she couldn’t be sure. This was freedom. “I don’t know how I feel.” Her voice sounded small and she cleared her throat, hating how uncertain she sounded.
“Jonathan would be more than happy to escort you back to Maris. In fact, I would prefer it. He will take you as a diplomat from Arcarum, as long as you swear to keep his secret.”
Larkin pressed her lips together. If anything, she should agree to this—she did not belong here, and to head into Silver Crest was probably a death sentence. Instead, she hated that he suggested she return to Maris, that he really hadn’t found her valuable.
“You did not ask me if that is what I want,” she said, her voice shook a little.
“Do you know what you want?” It wasn’t about knowing what she wanted; it was about knowing what was right and what was wrong. If given the choice, she should go back to Maris. That was the right choice. She heard Barren sigh impatiently. “I will ask that you decide before I let you see Silver Crest. Once you enter…the way you view the Orient will change.”
She wondered if he was joking with her. She stared, captivated by his gaze. There was something missing—his eyes were sort of lack-luster, not bright and passionate like they usually were when he was kidding. She found herself wondering what it would take to bring that look back.
“I will go with you to Silver Crest,” she said quickly, stopping her thoughts from exploring the subject further. Barren raised his brows in surprise, and the corners of his lips turned upward in amusement. He probably thought she was making a bad decision—one that would be entertaining to him, but there were too many things Larkin had been told and had seen now; she wouldn’t allow herself to ignore them. While William and her father kept things from her, Barren was offering answers and she wanted them.
“Then I will ask you to put aside your prejudice because what you see and hear will shock you.”
Larkin gave him a
To that, Barren didn’t respond immediately, and when he did, he just said, “I never knew her. I don’t need to chase another memory.”
There were few she found who had also lost their mother, and perhaps that’s what made her say what she did.
“My mother’s name was Kenna. Father says she was killed by pirates.”
Leaf looked perplexed and Barren even inclined his head toward them.
“Do you happen to know the name of the pirates responsible?” asked Leaf.
“No,” Larkin shook her head.
“Do you know if they are dead?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Father never said,” then she narrowed her eyes. “Why? What do you know?”
“It’s just…more than likely we would know the name of your mother’s killer. It’s against the code for us to kill women or children, and those who do, hang.”
***
Silver Crest came into view. Gold lingered on the horizon, bathing the Orient in richness, and casting things in shadow. Larkin watched the island grow as they came closer. She wasn’t sure why, but her stomach formed knots and she wondered how the people there would react to her. Would they know her name? Everyone she had come into contact with seemed to know her, and she sort of resented it. Would they hate her because of her name? And would Barren protect her if they did?
Lights ignited in the distance and glimmered like welcoming beacons, awaiting the sunset. Larkin felt someone beside her. She glanced to her right and saw Barren. There was something commanding about his presence. She took a deliberate breath, her heartbeat speeding up as she watched him. His eyes were on Silver Crest too, and the air between them filled with apprehension. She wondered if he was hesitant to return to this place, or to speak with her.
“How do you feel about going to Silver Crest—the center of everything you hate?”
Larkin wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Did she hate everything piracy stood for? She had before Barren kidnapped her, but now she couldn’t be sure. This was freedom. “I don’t know how I feel.” Her voice sounded small and she cleared her throat, hating how uncertain she sounded.
“Jonathan would be more than happy to escort you back to Maris. In fact, I would prefer it. He will take you as a diplomat from Arcarum, as long as you swear to keep his secret.”
Larkin pressed her lips together. If anything, she should agree to this—she did not belong here, and to head into Silver Crest was probably a death sentence. Instead, she hated that he suggested she return to Maris, that he really hadn’t found her valuable.
“You did not ask me if that is what I want,” she said, her voice shook a little.
“Do you know what you want?” It wasn’t about knowing what she wanted; it was about knowing what was right and what was wrong. If given the choice, she should go back to Maris. That was the right choice. She heard Barren sigh impatiently. “I will ask that you decide before I let you see Silver Crest. Once you enter…the way you view the Orient will change.”
She wondered if he was joking with her. She stared, captivated by his gaze. There was something missing—his eyes were sort of lack-luster, not bright and passionate like they usually were when he was kidding. She found herself wondering what it would take to bring that look back.
“I will go with you to Silver Crest,” she said quickly, stopping her thoughts from exploring the subject further. Barren raised his brows in surprise, and the corners of his lips turned upward in amusement. He probably thought she was making a bad decision—one that would be entertaining to him, but there were too many things Larkin had been told and had seen now; she wouldn’t allow herself to ignore them. While William and her father kept things from her, Barren was offering answers and she wanted them.
“Then I will ask you to put aside your prejudice because what you see and hear will shock you.”
Larkin gave him a
Similar Books
