Page 28 of Queen of Whispers and Mist

They lapsed into a comfortable silence before she quirked a brow and asked. “I know you didn’t simply happen upon me and intervene on poor Archie’s behalf. What is it you truly wanted?”

“I was tasked with bringing you down to dinner.”

“Down to dinner?” she repeated. “You mean with the crew?”

He nodded. “Aye, ‘twas the captain’s request. You made quite an impression on her, it would seem.”

Shadow could feel the beginnings of a blush working its way up the back of her neck. Her barbed exchange with Ronan on the deck this morning was arguably not her finest moment. She wasn’t one to engage in such public disputes. Her preference was to deal with disagreements by more intimate andpermanentmeans.

“I... uh... that is—”

“If you’re trying to find a way out of it, there isn’t one. Her ship, her rules. We have a long way to go yet, so you best get used to it.”

“Fine,” she said with an inward sigh. “Lead the way.”

They walked side by side for a few beats, Shadow feeling much steadier despite the gentle roll and dip beneath her feet. “So, where are we going?”

“To the captain’s quarters,” Bronn said, giving her an odd look.

Stars. She’d envisioned some sort of mess hall, but private quarters made more sense. A smugglers’ vessel such as this would want to use any extra space to store precious cargo. Still, that wasn’t what she was asking.

“No, I meant... you said we have a long way to go. I was asking after our destination.”

He raised a brow. “You sought passage on our ship without knowing where it was heading?”

“To be fair, I didn’t have much say in the matter.”

Bronn, darkness bless him, went stiff. The gentle sea breeze began to gust, making the ends of her hair lift and snap across her face. “Are you here against your will, lady?”

Well, that was a question now, wasn’t it? She had little doubt, were she to say that yes, she was, Bronn would do everything in his power to free her. Despite his lifestyle and the reputation that came with it, he struck her as a good, honest man. And while she could definitely argue she’d been taken against her will, the truth was she didn’tfeellike she was in danger. Confused? Certainly. Out of her depth? Without question. But not at risk.

“It’s complicated,” she eventually said as they started down the stairs. “But it’s not what you’re thinking.”

“Well, we have ways of uncomplicating things if you have need.” His grin was a little more pirate and a little less gallant gentleman. It suited him. As did the glint of a gold hoop in his ear.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

He steered her to the left, and she had to file behind him as they moved down the hallway.

“For what it’s worth,” he called over his shoulder, “not one of us questioned his intentions with you. If we had, we never would have left you alone with him—or allowed him passage at all. But the way he held you when he came aboard... the man looked as though he’d take on Nereus himself to keep you safe.”

“Nereus?”

“The god of the sea.”

Shadow didn’t know why hearing that made her heart race, but she blamed Bronn and the mental picture he’d provided for the organ’s uneven tempo and resulting hitch in her breath. Yes, those were Bronn’s fault... not the man whose icy blue gaze met hers the second she crossed the threshold into the captain’s private rooms.

“Shadow,” he greeted, the deep rumble of his voice sending pleasant chills up and down her limbs.

“Prick,” she returned with a tight smile, much to the amusement of the others.

“Lady Shadow, I trust you remember these scallywags,” Bronn said, gesturing toward the round table in the corner of the room where Ronan, Tiny, Calypso, and Jagger, along with his pretty bird, were already seated. She was surprised to see the minotaur, but only because he practically dwarfed everyone else. There was no way he fit into the same chairs they did. They must have had something custom designed for his bulk.

There were only two remaining chairs, which she assumed were for her and Bronn. As they neared the table, everyone, including the captain, stood. Ronan reached for her seat at the same time Bronn did. There was an uncomfortably tense moment as they glared at each other, each silently demanding the other to let go of the seatback.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” she muttered, plunking herself down and roughly scooting the chair forward out of their grasps.

The other guests chuckled again, making Shadow feel like she’d somehow become the evening’s entertainment as they reclaimed their seats at the ornately set table. She couldn’t help but wonder if this was a common occurrence or if Calypso was going out of her way for this evening’s meal.

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