Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 137226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
“Because it doesn’t matter how well you know your city,” he says, his gaze hard. “This time you’re returning as someone who has worked for the Kolbecks. I don’t trust anyone around you.”
“You can trust my aunt.”
“I’m going to have to.”
“Brynla,” Toombs says, calling me over to the helm. I lock eyes with Andor for a moment and join the captain at his side. “I’m afraid I’ve never taken any ship this far south,” Toombs admits, rubbing at his chin. “Do you know of any reefs in the area? The charts aren’t very helpful…or trustworthy.”
I give him a reassuring smile. “Watch out for shoals when you get closer to shore, the tide can be drastic and unpredictable, but if you anchor here you should be fine. Are you staying on the ship?”
“Aye,” he says. “Tromson and I will stay behind and guard her. We can’t get very far without a ship and, no offense, but I don’t trust a Freelander as far as I can throw them.”
“None taken,” I tell him with a raise of my chin. “Trust here is earned and rarely given. If you were closer to the borderland canyons I would be more wary of raiders, but rarely does anyone come down this far unless they’re heading to the Midlands or Sorland.”
He leans in close and fixes me with a sharp eye. “And let me ask you, when it comes to Andor, has he earned your trust?”
His question throws me off guard. “I trust him,” I admit.
“And have you earned his?”
Ah. This is what he really wanted to ask me. Not about anchoring a ship.
“I know you care about him,” I say, “but I care about him too.”
“I can see you do, my lady, but that doesn’t mean he can trust you. Doesn’t mean I can trust you either. I need that boy to return in one piece, preferably with you along with him. But if for some reason you have a change of heart and wish to stay in the Dark City with your aunt, please just let Andor go. Don’t get him involved. Make it easy for him to leave. Sometimes he acts without thinking, and the last thing I want is for him to lose his life doing something silly to protect you or bring you back.”
I’m touched at how much affection the grizzled captain has for Andor. In some ways it seems like the way a proper father-and-son relationship should be, much more sincere and honest than the one Andor has with his own father.
“I’m sure you won’t hold my promises to a high regard if you don’t hold my trust,” I say, “but I promise you that I will cut him loose if he at any point seems in danger.”
He stares at me for a moment, then nods and slaps me on the back. “Good. Now we just have to hope and pray he has the sense to listen.”
I let out a small laugh. “That might take more than a hope and a prayer.”
Lemi barks for my attention, and I look to the side of the ship where they are loading up the rowboat.
“Anchors down!” Toombs yells, and clanking and clattering sounds begin as Rolph and Tromson start lowering the anchor. I make my way over to Andor, Kirney, Feet, and Lemi at the boat.
“Are you ready?” Andor asks.
I nod, feeling strangely shy around him suddenly. It doesn’t seem real that moments earlier he had me pressed against the wall belowdecks and was kissing me.
Kissing me as if he doesn’t expect to return.
After talking to Toombs, I’m going to assume the whole crew thinks he’s heading on some sort of suicide mission. I understand why they’re so paranoid too. All the stories they must have been told about Freelanders and what goes on in the Banished Land, thanks to Soffers propaganda, has them thinking any outsider won’t survive. But that’s not the case at all. Freelanders are outsiders by nature; that’s the whole reason we were banished to begin with. We’re naturally suspicious of newcomers because the Black Guard will often infiltrate our networks, gathering information about some of Esland’s most wanted who are in hiding. But even so, they’re usually easy to spot. Andor, like the rest of us, is an outsider too. I think he’ll fit right in.
It’s my aunt I’m more worried about. And the fact that Andor mentioned that it might be known that I’m working for the Kolbecks. But other than House Dalgaard, I don’t think anyone will care, and it’s not as if anyone from that syndikat can just waltz into the underground unnoticed.
I take in a steadying breath, trying to stay positive, though that’s never been an easy feat, and I get in the boat, Lemi taking the easy route and shifting beside me.
As soon as the anchor is set, Kirney, Feet, and Andor climb inside the boat while Toombs and Tromson lower it down to the sea. We’re about a hundred feet from the coast, the water startlingly clear and the lightest of aqua blues as it gets closer to the shore. I peer over the side and see the shadow of the boat on the bottom, and a few fish darting about.