Cutlass (13 page)

A snickering laugh escaped from the corner, a laugh she recognized also. Larkin spun and saw the pale face of Senator Hallow Dallon. Bright blonde hair made his eyes seem blacker. He leaned lazily against the hearth, white arms folded over each other.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he observed when her eyes fell upon him.

Larkin pressed her lips together. “None of you are pirates.”

She knew them: they had gone to state dinners, balls, and coronations. They had sat in the dining hall with the king. How could they also sit in the middle of Silver Crest? Or embrace Barren as a friend?

“We are not pirates in your world,” corrected Cove.

“There is one world and it is Mariana,” she said evenly. “And in it, you are either loyal to your crown, or a traitor.”

Barren rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. “You think
everyone
is a pirate if they sail the sea and disagree with you. Don’t get her started, Cove.” He pushed past her, moving into the room. “She’ll lecture us all on how we’re traitors to our crown and barbaric men. Although, she’s somehow still breathing.”

“Barren Reed,” said Cove with a laugh, and it was evident in his glittering eyes that he was both happy and relieved to see the pirate. “It is very good to see you here, and surprising that the Lady Larkin is in one piece.”

Barren swiped a glass of wine from the table. “She’s been my headache ever since I picked her up in Maris.”

Larkin clenched her fists as Barren’s gaze landed on her, but he smirked, eyes taking on an amused glean.

“You had your chance to let me drown.”

“And be responsible for your death?” Barren laughed at the idea, and took a drink from his glass. “No.”

A tense silence fell between them. Cove cleared his throat and Larkin moved her gaze to the Ambassador.

“It is actually very good Barren didn’t let you die, no matter how tempting. It will be easier to clear up this situation and merely return you to Maris. I will escort you, if you’d like.”

“No,” she said defiantly and Cove raised both brows, surprised by her response. “No.”

“I already tried that,” said Barren.

“I’m surprised—you seem so appalled by us. It would be better for you to be with your kind.”

For some reason, those words stung Larkin, and she wanted more than ever to be seen as their equals. Why, here, was she treated as if she didn’t belong? As if she were something to step upon? These men were pirates. As she looked around, however, her thoughts produced acid in her mouth. She knew these people—they were all senators and lords from Arcarum; they were kind, gracious, and known for their good deeds. These were not the people of horror she had learned about. Perhaps her first mistake was thinking pirates were beneath her.

“I want the truth,” she said, her face felt hot. “My father won’t give it and neither will William. So my only option is you.”

Cove stared at her for a long moment and then nodded. “What do you want to know?”

“Who are you?”

“I am Ambassador Cove Rowell...when I am in Arcarum.”

“And now?”

“I am captain of a crew of what you would consider to be pirates.”

“Why?” her voice sounded harsh and angry, but she felt betrayed. “Why be like him?” she pointed at Barren angrily, though he was still smiling.

“What exactly are you accusing us of, Larkin?” asked Cove darkly. She did not miss how he disregarded her title. It was no matter, did it really have any significance here?

“You take what does not belong to you,” she said. “And murder those who protest. You, who are supposed to abide by the laws of your king.”

“You are just like your father—you hear and see only what you want,” Cove’s voice was biting and his eyes became slits of ink. “For what it is worth, Larkin, I was born into this life, I did not begin it.”

“Born into this life?” she questioned. “Your father was killed by pirates—that should be enough reason for you to reconsider what you are doing!”

Cove’s eyes blazed. She guessed she had unlocked all the anger and hurt associated with his father’s untimely death. She had to admit, the grief was still fresh—she had only attended the funeral about two months before.

“My father betrayed me. His death was due,” Cove spoke harshly.

Larkin flinched. “What do you mean?”

“My father began this—sailing to fight those who threatened us at sea. He, too, corrupted his purpose and hoarded riches, and his greed overpowered him. My father was giving information to Christopher Lee regarding his crew. Only he claimed I led the Arcarum Pirates, when it was his creation and still his crew. On the day he was to expose us, the crew he led rose up and murdered him. He cared nothing for us, and he cared nothing for me.” Cove was silent for a moment, and then he leveled his gaze on Larkin. “Though I have a different title on land and another at sea, it does not make me a thief or a murderer. Reconsider your words.”

Silence followed and Larkin found that she could not meet Cove’s gaze anymore. She was both angry and embarrassed by her assumptions, and being compared to her father in this situation seemed very much an insult, especially coming from the pirates.

“Cove is not like me,” Barren spoke up in the silence, and Larkin looked at him. He was standing with his arms crossed, leaning against the dark walls. There, the light from one of the sconces poured over him, illuminating his cheekbones, but keeping his eyes in shadow. His body seemed broad and strong, and a lump rose in her throat as she studied him. “His crew is not like me, and my crew is not like me. What I have done, all that I have done, has always been my decision, and I never want my actions to speak for all pirates, because they do not. Cove fights privateers—men you would say do good for their islands, but men we would say have corrupted their purpose.”

“What do you mean they have corrupted their purpose?”

“Privateers are glorified scoundrels. They are men with letters of the marque which make them exempt from facing punishment for their deeds at sea,” said Cove. “King Cathmor, Barren’s grandfather, wanted a force to combat his son, Jess, after he betrayed his title and his blood to sail the sea. For a while, their only purpose was to seek pirate ships and fight them. They did little good, really. It is difficult for a group of rogue men to fight skilled pirates, but they soon found that they could attack any innocent sailors—traders, refugees, and even government ships—and plunder if they posed as pirates. They would bring a percentage of the goods they stole to their respective islands and seem like heroes, when, in truth, they were just giving pirates a bad name and hurting innocent people. My purpose is to fight them, and I do, just as other pirates of Silver Crest do.”

“But that would not make you a pirate.”

“It does,” said Cove. “I am caught in a very ironic situation. Because I fight privateers, men who are hired by the government—your father and your fiancé, to be exact—I am committing a crime against the government and would be considered a pirate.”

“My father is responsible for this?”

“It should be of little surprise. Your father has always hated pirates,” said Cove. “His goal is to wipe piracy off the face of Mariana.”

It was hard to believe that her father would be so careless as to allow people who were meant to combat an evil, to instead conduct such malicious acts.

“He cannot know what the privateers do,” Larkin said at last. “He fights for the innocent lives Barren destroys!”

Barren chuckled. “Does he fight for them? Or does he just send more into my hands?”

Larkin glared at Barren. How could he be laughing?

“He has a point,” said Cove.

“It is sweet to wish that your father is a good man,” said Barren, though his tone mocked her naivety. “But in many ways, he is just as bad as me.”

“What does the king think of this?”

“I can do nothing against your father,” said Tetherion. Larkin jumped and whirled around to see the king’s outline in the doorway. He loomed above them, tall, powerful, filling the space with his greatness. He had salt and pepper hair, brown eyes, and his jaw, like Barren’s, was strong and defined. He was dressed as if he had been traveling—black boots crusted with mud, brown pants, a black shirt, and a brown cloak. Nothing on his person hinted that he was a king, except he had that same prideful grace that also surrounded Barren.

Datherious and Natherious entered the room on either side of him, melding with the crowd as if they weren’t Princes of the Orient. Larkin had the urge to curtsy before him, because every other time she had seen him, it was customary, but in this crowded room of pirates, not one person moved to honor him, and so she stood still and instead questioned him.

“But you are not a pirate.” She felt like she had been saying that a lot lately. As it was turning out, it seemed that everyone in the government was a pirate.

“Not in the way you would think.”

“But you supported Jess’s death.”

He glared at her for a moment, and she knew she had overstepped her boundaries.

“Uncle, what a surprise to see you,” said Barren quickly. He moved past Larkin. “In Silver Crest, of all places.”

Teth’s eyes shifted to his nephew. “It is safest. Come, I must speak with you.”

Larkin’s gaze passed between the two. She never expected to see this encounter. She wasn’t sure what relationships existed between them, but she had imagined it wasn’t very good. Tetherion seemed to support William and his rise in status in public. Even so, Teth had never openly condemned Barren for his deeds, and every action taken against the pirate had been the result of her father’s or William’s order.

She watched as Teth turned from the doorway, but before he took another step, he paused and turned slightly, glancing askance at Larkin.

“You, too, Lady Larkin.”

Barren followed without hesitation, but Larkin stayed behind. Even she didn’t understand where the sudden doubt came from. She had trusted Tetherion up until this point. Perhaps it was the environment that made her stay—everyone in the room was looking at them now. Barren turned to her. “Come, don’t keep him waiting.” 

Barren and Larkin followed the shadow of Tetherion up the stairs. Once at the top, he turned to the left and entered a room. Barren held the door open for Larkin and she slipped past, avoiding his gaze. They were in a study where most of the walls were lined with books. A fireplace protruded from the far wall, and windows interrupted the rows of shelves behind a desk. Amid the various colored spines, were pieces of treasure from the Orient—gems and jewels that shone beneath the lantern light, gold statues with glittering eyes, and navigation pieces—compasses, spyglasses, and sextants.

Tetherion moved behind the desk, and Barren closed the door loudly before making his way to the fireplace and leaning against the mantle. It was his way of telling Teth he didn’t intend to stay long. Teth didn’t sit either, moving instead, to close the curtains behind him. Only then did he look at Larkin. His eyes no longer possessed the darkness they had before; now they just looked worn.

“I did not expect you to have the Lady Larkin with you, Barren,” said Teth at last, then his gaze met Barren’s. The pirate raised a brow.

“I didn’t expect to have her, either, but she refused to go home.”

In a swift movement, Barren took out his sword. He didn’t miss the way Larkin watched him—she was guarded. He sat down beside her, and lay the weapon across his knees.

“Well, I am glad to hear the rumors are false, then,” said Teth. His voice taking on the tone of his eyes—grave and tired. He sat down.

“What do you mean?”

“I heard you had murdered her.”

Barren chuckled, but Larkin was in disbelief.

“Believe me, I wanted to kill her more than once.”

Larkin scowled. “Barren wouldn’t have captured me if Leaf had stayed out of it!”

For a brief moment, Tetherion looked amused, but that was soon replaced with seriousness. “Neither of you realize what you’ve gotten me into, do you?”

“Me? Being kidnapped was hardly
my
fault!” Larkin crossed her arms over her chest. “And I am obviously
not
dead!”

“No,” the king answered and Larkin was under his eyes again. “You are not.”

“What are you talking about?” Barren demanded.

“You were sent for because your brother announced Larkin’s death, and, as a result, a revolt has begun in Maris. I cannot be certain if Christopher Lee was involved, however, it is my belief that he either believes you are dead as well, or is conspiring with William. If the former, Barren will be met with war, if the latter, I will be forced to deliver justice.”

“It wasn’t meant to go this far,” Barren said quickly. “I only kidnapped her to lure William to me, but once they attacked the Cliffs, I could not return her.”

Tetherion clamped a hand over his mouth and then dragged it down his beard.

“What if I went back? My father would see that I am alive. The revolt would cease,” Larkin suggested, and she moved toward the end of her seat. Barren didn’t miss that she’d already assumed her father’s innocence.

“It goes deeper than that, I am afraid,” Tetherion’s voice sounded so grim. “This is about easing fear. They feel I am not doing enough to protect them from Barren. You’ve never crossed the shore of Maris to capture one of their own until now. They are afraid. How am I to ease their fear, Barren? I warned you our relationship would not be easy the day you chose piracy. Now do you see why?”