Page 22 of Sea and Sky
“Have you seduced him?”
Kyler snorted. “I’m sure I have him.”
“Keep it up. And get me that stone.” Vex sounded too giddy.
“Yes, captain.”
“And I’ve changed my mind. I still want the thousand silver coins.”
“What?! We agreed to the change. I’m risking—”
Captain Vex laughed. “Who are you to make demands, child? Don’t defy me or I’ll have your pretty little tail. Don’t fuck this up like before.” Captain Vex ended the communication, and Kyler’s body relaxed on its own. The hum of fear was no longer there.
Before. Captain Vex still held it over his head. Kyler was a child. He’d been sick. Shaking his head, he pushed back the memory, never wanting to relive it.
“Fuck.” He thumped the back of his head on the door. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”
He’d gotten himself into quite a mess and wasn’t sure of the best way to proceed. So he’d do what he’d done since that first scheme got him whipped. Play his part.
What sounded like a door shutting on the opposite side of the room had him moving. Had he been heard? He hurried to the far door and flung it open, but no one was in the hallway and he didn’t hear anyone walking away. He stood in the doorway for what felt like forever before he shut the door again. Not sure how much time he had before Gavin would come for him, he took in his surroundings.
The library was just like the bedroom, wall to wall bookshelves. But here there were several rows of freestanding shelves, too. A big stone fireplace radiated cold air. He stepped further into the room to investigate more. Several plush velvet chairs and lounges circled around the fireplace. Kyler thought to put his hand through the white blue flames to see what they felt like, but the door opened. When he looked up, it was Gavin.
“It’ll still burn if you touch it.”
Kyler pulled back with a nod. Gavin was dressed after his own bath, much to Kyler’s disappointment. Simple clothing like Kyler wore. He had a green book in his hand.
Gavin strolled to a bookshelf. “Do you like to read?”
“Can’t read.” Shame washed over him. He wouldn’t look at Gavin. Couldn’t take whatever pity showed on his face.
“Do you want to?”
“Can’t.” Kyler strolled up next to him and pulled a thin book from the shelf. The leather binding had gold lettering and a spiral on the cover. He stared at the letters, trying to will his brain to put it all together, but as usual, he failed. “I’m too dumb. Captain Vex tried. A few of the crew. Everything just jumbles together. It morphs strangely in my head. I can’t.” He flipped to a page. “I know my letters. Separately. But I can’t string them together to make sense.” He lifted the book closer to his face. Again, trying to will his brain to have everything make sense. Nothing. “Vex used to hate it because it meant I couldn’t help with inventory. But we devised a plan when I was younger.” Kyler stopped. Why was he telling Gavin all this? He slammed the book shut and slid it back on the shelf.
“Which was?”
Kyler huffed out a breath from his nose. Of course, Gavin wanted to know. “I draw little pictures and make slashes for how many.”
“Clever.”
“Not really. It’s expensive because it takes up more space than if I could just write out the words.”
Gavin sat in one of the lounges. “I could teach you if you wanted.”
“What part of I don’t get it, do you not understand?” Kyler took a step back and sat in the chair beside Gavin.
Gavin slowly turned to face Kyler. “Do you think I’m dumb?”
Kyler scrunched his face. “Everyone knows Prince Gavin is a scholar and respected researcher.”
“The letters jump around for me. They seem to twist and turn. It takes a lot of concentration when I’m tired, but I still can’t stop devouring books.” He gave Kyler a slow smile. “You’re not too dumb to learn. There are different methods and you just haven’t gotten the one that works for you.”
“You’re like me?” Kyler whispered. It wasn’t entirely true. Gavin was a prince with everything at his disposal. Tutors that groomed him into the man he was today. Kyler was a bottom feeder. A street urchin. Useless.
Gavin nodded. “I had a lot of trouble learning as a kid. My mother said it was because I had too much energy, but my teachers knew. They helped. I can—”
“No.” Kyler stood. “I’m too stupid.”
