“You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. You’ve never wanted for anything—so why would you require swordsmanship skills?”
“I require them because people like you exist,” she said. “My father wanted me to be well-prepared.”
“So it was your father? And where did he obtain such skill?”
“He was a commander during the Ore Wars,” she replied sharply. “Tasked with destroying your father’s ship, the Imperial .”
Recognition settled on Barren—so that was where Lord Lee’s hatred of Jess Reed came from. The Ore Wars had occurred during Cathmor’s reign and had begun over an unnamed island that contained an Ore Mine. The island bordered both the Orient and the Octent. The people had gone to battle for it, and Jess had undermined the king’s attempts to conquer more territory by destroying battleships. What most did not understand was that Jess also destroyed ships from the Octent. The public believed that Jess did this out of jealousy of his brother, Tetherion, who was first-born, and to inherit the crown, but Barren knew his father never wanted such a restraining position. No, his father had destroyed those ships out of his belief in Saoirse—in freedom.
In the silence, Larkin spoke up, changing the subject. “Where did you learn to fight? Your brother does not fight like that.”
“My father taught me,” replied Barren, taking a gulp of water. He wiped his lips and handed the canteen to her. “William had no desire to learn from my father. Do not make the mistake of thinking he isn’t a good swordsman, though. He is playing dumb. He is superior to anyone in the Orient. My equal, in fact.”
“You still think he will come.”
“Your knight and shining armor? Yes.”
“You may be waiting a while,” said Larkin, taking a gulp from the canteen. “People only rescue the ones they love.”
“Ah, I see,” said Barren. He pressed a finger to his lips. “Even if William does not love you, he will loathe that I have you in my possession….even if it wasn’t as easy as I anticipated.”
“You speak of me as an object,” she sounded disgusted. “I belong to no one—not to William and not to you.”
Barren laughed humorlessly. “It’s not I who says you belong to anyone—that’s what society says. Once you marry William, you are his to tame.”
She ground her teeth together and crushed the roll in her hand. “I don’t want to listen to you anymore. My father will come for me.”
“Oh no, the terrifying Lord Christopher Lee,” Barren said colorlessly. While Barren wasn’t afraid of him, he had no wish to meet a man who felt his father was better off dead.
“Do not mock him; he is not to be trifled with.”
“If you’re trying to scare me, it won’t work,” said Barren. “I do not fear what men can do to me.”
“What about women?” Larkin raised a brow.
Barren smirked and lifted the sleeve of his shirt. “You did manage to get a hit on me, but I could take you, given that there’s no sand.”
Barren noticed her lips twitch. It was the first time he’d seen her smile since she’d tried to kill him.
“You should think of this as a peaceful break,” said Barren. “You didn’t actually want to marry my brother, did you?”
“You make it sound like I won’t marry him now.”
“Will you?” Barren nodded to the chain around her neck that held her ring. “You do not wear the ring he gave you.”
She was silent before she responded—if anything, that answered Barren’s question quite directly.
“I don’t want to marry him, but it is not my choice,” she replied evenly. Barren could tell she was forcing herself to sound resigned.
“How isn’t it your choice?” he asked, confused.
“You are a pirate and abide by no law—moral or societal. You would not understand loyalty,” her voice cut through Barren like a knife.
“You misread me, Lady.” Barren’s voice was surprisingly steady for how angry he felt. He watched her squirm
“I require them because people like you exist,” she said. “My father wanted me to be well-prepared.”
“So it was your father? And where did he obtain such skill?”
“He was a commander during the Ore Wars,” she replied sharply. “Tasked with destroying your father’s ship, the Imperial .”
Recognition settled on Barren—so that was where Lord Lee’s hatred of Jess Reed came from. The Ore Wars had occurred during Cathmor’s reign and had begun over an unnamed island that contained an Ore Mine. The island bordered both the Orient and the Octent. The people had gone to battle for it, and Jess had undermined the king’s attempts to conquer more territory by destroying battleships. What most did not understand was that Jess also destroyed ships from the Octent. The public believed that Jess did this out of jealousy of his brother, Tetherion, who was first-born, and to inherit the crown, but Barren knew his father never wanted such a restraining position. No, his father had destroyed those ships out of his belief in Saoirse—in freedom.
In the silence, Larkin spoke up, changing the subject. “Where did you learn to fight? Your brother does not fight like that.”
“My father taught me,” replied Barren, taking a gulp of water. He wiped his lips and handed the canteen to her. “William had no desire to learn from my father. Do not make the mistake of thinking he isn’t a good swordsman, though. He is playing dumb. He is superior to anyone in the Orient. My equal, in fact.”
“You still think he will come.”
“Your knight and shining armor? Yes.”
“You may be waiting a while,” said Larkin, taking a gulp from the canteen. “People only rescue the ones they love.”
“Ah, I see,” said Barren. He pressed a finger to his lips. “Even if William does not love you, he will loathe that I have you in my possession….even if it wasn’t as easy as I anticipated.”
“You speak of me as an object,” she sounded disgusted. “I belong to no one—not to William and not to you.”
Barren laughed humorlessly. “It’s not I who says you belong to anyone—that’s what society says. Once you marry William, you are his to tame.”
She ground her teeth together and crushed the roll in her hand. “I don’t want to listen to you anymore. My father will come for me.”
“Oh no, the terrifying Lord Christopher Lee,” Barren said colorlessly. While Barren wasn’t afraid of him, he had no wish to meet a man who felt his father was better off dead.
“Do not mock him; he is not to be trifled with.”
“If you’re trying to scare me, it won’t work,” said Barren. “I do not fear what men can do to me.”
“What about women?” Larkin raised a brow.
Barren smirked and lifted the sleeve of his shirt. “You did manage to get a hit on me, but I could take you, given that there’s no sand.”
Barren noticed her lips twitch. It was the first time he’d seen her smile since she’d tried to kill him.
“You should think of this as a peaceful break,” said Barren. “You didn’t actually want to marry my brother, did you?”
“You make it sound like I won’t marry him now.”
“Will you?” Barren nodded to the chain around her neck that held her ring. “You do not wear the ring he gave you.”
She was silent before she responded—if anything, that answered Barren’s question quite directly.
“I don’t want to marry him, but it is not my choice,” she replied evenly. Barren could tell she was forcing herself to sound resigned.
“How isn’t it your choice?” he asked, confused.
“You are a pirate and abide by no law—moral or societal. You would not understand loyalty,” her voice cut through Barren like a knife.
“You misread me, Lady.” Barren’s voice was surprisingly steady for how angry he felt. He watched her squirm
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