They had Theo.

  Now it made sense why the entitled man had been gone for so long as well as how Sir Kaeso knew so much about us. Theo had told him. I closed my eyes and took in a ragged breath. My body tingled, and I didn’t like that sensation any more than I cared for the memory of Max in that same position. I’d been powerless to stop Max’s death, but I wasn’t powerless now.

  “Why you…” Val snarled as she marched forward.

  “No, no, no.” Sir Kaeso grabbed the chain to the collar around Theo’s neck and pulled the blonde Touched back. “No fighting yet.”

  “How do you think you’re going to get away with this?” Captain Jace gestured at us. “There’s a Bokor and a Bokor trained Touched here. There’s no way you can stop them now that they’re on your ship.”

  “I don’t have to fight them.” He nodded at the deck. “I have men in the belly of this ship with awls ready to punch holes in it. The one that made the ice bridge isn’t here and I’m told…” He looked at me. “That you can’t swim.”

  The captain shrugged as he looked at Val. “If you attack me, the remaining crew will sink the ship and your chance to escape. Maybe you survive, but I doubt all of you would. The fish you ate was poisoned.” He jerked his thumb at me. “Even if he could swim, he’ll drown out there right now.”

  I shook my head. I was a little numb, but not as bad as he was letting on.

  “So your plan was what? Order us to throw down our weapons and surrender?” Captain Jace shook his head. “I don’t need this ship.”

  Sir Kaeso pulled on the leash. “If you’re that eager to end up in chains, that can be arranged.”

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  “You’re not stupid.” Val spat out the words. “Why did you really think we were going to surrender?”

  “Why, in exchange for them, of course.” He waved towards the beach. “While you were busy trying to play house, I went and got twenty of the nastiest men I could find and turned them loose on the southern tip of the island. It sounds like they reached the encampment now.”

  I followed his hand and my chest tightened. That didn’t sound like too many for Fyga to take on, but that was by herself. With an entire storehouse full of people, I’m not sure how many she could take on.

  “The bunker is a solid rock room with a single tunnel into it. Eve and Fig could last for days while your men try to get down that tunnel.” Val tapped Captain Jace on the shoulder with her free hand.

  The bald man came over to me and put his arm on my shoulder. “How’re you holding up?”

  “Tingly, but okay.” I looked at his lone eye. “You ate six helpings of the fish. How are you still standing?”

  “Meh, I developed an immunity to most toxins years ago. He didn’t use anything fast acting, so for me, it was just seasoning.” He dug in between his teeth with his pinky nail. “Kinda tasted like lemon.”

  “Your accent-”

  “We can talk about that later.” He clapped me on the back. “Things are about to get interesting.”

  “... Oh really? What if I just cut you down and then jump off the side? You think your men are going to sink this ship when there isn’t a threat on it?” Val took another step, which pushed Sir Kaeso closer to the railing on the opposite side of the ship from the beach.

  “They’d rather die than give up the ship, besides…” The captain motioned. Six men carrying loaded crossbows burst out of the doors to the hold on the other end of the ship. He looked at me, a sneer covering his face. “I doubt you can dodge them when they can see.”

  “Girlie, it’s time to go.” Captain Jace nodded, then grabbed my arm and pulled me to the railing.

  I didn’t have time to react as I went flying. I realized I wasn’t holding my sword anymore right before I hit the water.

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