Page 42 of Return of the Vengeful Quee

He scrubbed a hand over his face, ran it through his hair, and then sat back in the chair. “No.”

She froze, her chin lifting as she stared him down. “What did you just say to me?”

“I said no.” He sounded calm—a bold choice given that she was absolutely certain the look on her face screamed murder.

Her hands curled into fists, and he gave her a rueful little smile.

“Hit me if it will help you feel better. I won’t try to block it.”

She sat up straighter. “I don’t need your permission.”

“That’s true, but you do need my help.”

“I’d rather die.” She threw the truth at him, the words vibrating with fury and pain, and his eyes darkened.

“I’m sorry, Charis.” He tried to hold her gaze, but she looked past him at the faint sheen of starlight drifting in through the porthole. The apology of a traitor was worth nothing.

“Leave me alone,” she said again. She wasn’t going to untangle the sheets from her legs and subdue her hair with him as an audience.

“I will, but first we need to talk.”

“I have nothing to say to you.” A lie, but one she’d defend with her last breath. Better to shut him out completely than to risk showing him just how badly broken she felt inside.

“Fine. Then you can listen.” He shot a glance at Holland as though checking to make sure he couldn’t overhear them, but his snores remained undisturbed.

She opened her mouth to protest, sure he was about to dive into a discussion about their relationship, but instead he said quietly, “We are going to discuss your assumption that you’re close to death once I’ve earned enough of your trust for you to listen to me.”

Her lip curled, and he hurried on. “In the meantime, I have information that you need. I’ve been gathering it for weeks.”

“By cozying up to your enemy, no doubt. One of your greatest talents.” Her words were dagger-sharp and bleeding fury.

“It worked.” His voice was flat. “I gained their trust, and they no longer pay attention to me as I wander the ship.”

“How foolish of them.”

“Maybe.” He leaned his forearms on his knees, and Charis ignored the treacherous flutter of her heart when this motion brought him closer to her. “There are several Rakuuna aboard this ship who are terribly sick. Skin flaking off, unable to eat, feverish, lungs filling with fluid. Maybe other problems, too, I’m not sure. Sometimes I volunteer to help. Two weeks ago, I overheard one of the Rakuuna who runs the medical bay say that the serpanicite from Rullenvor’s mines was nearly gone.”

“Serpanicite?” Charis frowned. Lady Ollen from the royal council had worn a huge serpanicite ring, proud to own such a rare piece. “What are they buying with it and from whom?”

Why would the Rakuuna focus on such a rare gem when others were more easily accessible? What was so expensive that they needed serpanicite to afford it? And which of the sea kingdoms was bartering with the Rakuuna?

“I don’t know.” Tal stretched, his back popping as he arched it. “I’ve also learned that the captain is the queen’s nephew or uncle . . . his Caleran is rudimentary, so I’m not certain. Anyway, they’re related.”

She looked away. That meant the captain was privy to accurate information about the queen and her plans, which meant the assumption that Charis was being taken to her execution was likely true.

How could she keep her promise to free her people if she was going to die once she reached Calera’s shore? The answer that came to her made her clench her jaw until it ached.

She’d rather use Reuben. Holland. Any member of her crew.

Anyone but Tal.

But of every captive on board this ship, he had the best chance of survival. His father was the one who had the jewels the Rakuuna needed, which meant Tal had leverage. The Rakuuna queen wouldn’t risk angering King Alaric enough that he’d refuse to make a deal with her.

Fine. She’d use him. Her people mattered more than her pride.

But there was a fine line between using him and allowing him into her inner circle, and she wasn’t going to forget on which side of the line he belonged.

“King Alaric agreed to help me retake my kingdom. Perhaps you and Holland can use some of his serpanicite as leverage to bargain with the Rakuuna queen. Obviously, he doesn’t have enough to satisfy them or he’d have already paid the ransom for you, but you just need to distract the queen long enough to stage an attack she doesn’t see coming.”

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