Jim’s expression hardened, “None of your business. It’s for the Captain.” He screwed the paper into his fist, and marched off to find her.
Tyler shrugged, he hadn’t really expected any different. But he’d wanted to push it anyway. Whatever it was, that message was important. And it had certainly hit a nerve with Jim.
~
He didn’t have to wait long to find out what had happened. Irena called the entire crew out to fill them in on the contents of the letter. “The Pirate Lord is dead. The albatross arrived earlier today. As such we have been called to council. His will is to be read, and another named for succession. If the council approves of his choice there won’t be a problem. But if not…we’ll deal with that when we come to it. I’ve been invited to attend.”
Tyler didn’t completely understand the implications of the summoning until later, when he asked Ollie about it, and to his surprise received less than the usual barrage. “She isn’t normally invited to council, she’s not a member. In fact this ship has never docked at his Island. Not once. Even when I joined it was via another port.”
“So why now?”
“Not sure. She is a Wolf though. You know how close my grandparents were to the Lord. Maybe one of them has already been picked.”
“You’re a Wolf too, aren’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“But you’ve never had dealings with the Pirate Lord?”
“My dad kept me out of that side of things. I grew up on the Island, that’s as close as I got.”
“But he had no problem with you becoming a pirate?”
Ollie shrugged, “Irena is his sister, my auntie. I guess he knew I’d be safe with her. Or safer than I would be elsewhere anyway.”
“Safer even than home?”
Ollie shrugged, already starting to wander off. “After what happened to my dad he couldn’t trust the Pirate Lord with my future.” Tyler knew well enough when people didn’t want to share, and for the sake of their friendship decided not to push it any further. The crew were still filing past, most of them muttering a variation of the conversation he’d just been having with the young Wolf, minus the personal stuff of course. Tyler let himself get caught in the current and joined the bulk of the crowd as it headed for the galley. He was surprised to find Anya absent from her usual post, instead Milon and Jackie had been enlisted into kitchen duty. Milon had tied his beautiful long hair back in a thick plait, and Jackie was up to her elbows in a stodgy looking dough, flour smeared across her face.
Milon stabbed the knife he’d been using back into the chopping board and rubbed his hands on part of his shirt. “She doesn’t want to see you.”
“I know that. But if I wanted to apologise?”
Jackie picked at the worst of the sticky paste, her one eye narrowing at him, “She’s in her room. And if you don’t do something to make this right I’ll–.” She left the threat empty, instead pounding at the dough once again.
Tyler got the point, ducked out of the steamy kitchen, and hurried back the way he’d come, to the Ladies quarters.
He knocked first, then decided not to give her time to send him away. His shoulder hit the locked door hard, and he swore loudly.
“Go away Tyler.”
“I just want to talk. Please, you know a locked door won’t stop me, I’m a thief remember.” He stood back, rubbing at his aching shoulder, his ears pricked for movement beyond the door. The bolt clicked, a thin crack revealed Anya’s face.
“What do you want?”
“Do we have to do this here?”
She sighed and let the door fall open as she backed further into her room. Her arms locked across her body. She’d bitten her nails almost down to the quick. Tyler shut the door gently behind him, tried his best to stay out of her personal space in the small room.
“I don’t know how to act with women. Flirting comes naturally to me, so that’s what I do. Beyond that I’m kind of useless. Conversation wise I mean…I’m not saying this very well. Look, I just want you to know that I’m really sorry. I just don’t feel the same way about you. I never intended to hurt you. I’m an idiot, and I can understand if you never want to have anything to do with me ever again, but, we’re part of the same crew. I’d like to be friends, if that’s possible.”
“If that’s possible?”
“Yeah, if you can look at me without wanting to punch me.”
She smiled fleetingly at that, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to hit you that hard.”
“I deserved it.”
“Yes, you did.”
“So…does this mean – friends?”
She nodded. “Friends.” Anya stared at her hands, “What are you going to do about Irena?”
“Nothing. She’s engaged, end of story.”
“You really care about her don’t you?”
“Feelings don’t go away just because you find out someone’s already in love with another person.”
“Things would certainly be a lot simpler if we could just fall for the ones that loved us.”
“I’m not worth it Anya, you know that.”
She waved a hand, dismissive, casual, though Tyler knew she felt anything but. “I’ll get over you.”
It still felt bad when he walked away, but he was glad she’d let him apologise.
Tyler was so lost in his own thoughts that he almost missed the crumpled figure in the corner at the end of the corridor. His head was drooped, his face in shadow, his arms draped over his knees, though his palms were clenched into fists.
“Jim?” He barely moved at the sound of his name. “What’s up with you?” Jim still failed to answer. He probably didn’t want to be seen, didn’t want to acknowledge his presence. Still, Tyler sat down beside him, resting his back against the wall with a sigh. He picked at his nails for a while, waited.
Jim looked up. Not at him, but focusing on some shadow on the wall. “Did you get on with your parents?”
“Never knew them.” The lie came all too easily, as always, “I was a street urchin. That’s how I fell in with the black market. I already knew how to steal.”
“I was found floating in the wreck of a ship, with no memory of how I got there, or who I was. Tristan took me on. I was only six, but he let me stay with them, taught me everything I know. I found out when I was eighteen that my father was alive. That I had a past after all.” He took in a shaking breath, his voice breaking. “Merek, he was my father.”
“You’re the son of the Pirate Lord?”
“I was. When I found out it shocked me, enough that I hesitated about meeting him, that I kept my distance from him. I met him once. Only once. I always meant to go back, to face him again. But I was too scared. And now he’s dead, and I don’t know…he was my father, my blood, and I barely knew him. I didn’t give him a chance. I don’t feel sad, I feel guilty. Is that right?”
“I’m sorry for your loss.” Tyler was at a loss for what else to say. It seemed like the most natural thing that came to mind given the situation.
“Her brothers live there, on the Island. They worked for him once. But they’d never let her visit them there – other rendezvous would always be made. Or we’d wait outside the reef. It was an agreement her parents made. Sometimes we were so close I could see his castle, sometimes I debated heading back with Jon and Kris to see him. But I could never work up the courage.”
“Does this mean you will be the next Pirate Lord? By inheritance?”
He shook his head, “Doesn’t work like that in our circles. Besides, I never wanted that. If I had then I’d have stayed with him.” Jim sighed, rubbing at his temples before staring at the wall opposite them. They sat in silence for a time before Jim spoke again, “I wasn’t expecting you to stay.”
“Would you rather I had left?”
“No. Whatever you are to her, you’re good for her. She’s better with you around. You wouldn’t have noticed, you didn’t know her before. You don’t know her like I do.”
“Do you –.”<
br />
“I love her. I always have and I always will. But I know a lost cause when I see one. To her I will never be anything more than her brother. I’ve accepted that and I’m happy as long as I can stay at her side. But you…if I didn’t think you had a chance I would have told you to leave. All I’ve ever really wanted is for her to be happy.”
“And you don’t think Howard can make her happy?”
“Do you?”
“That’s none of my business. I’m not the sort of person who breaks up relationships. Howard is her fiancé and he can have her, if that’s what she wants.”
“Please. Don’t give up on her.”
Tyler didn’t bother to respond. Didn’t bother to say that what Jim was asking of him was impossible. He had to give up on her. He had to let her go. She’d told him from the start the deal with their relationship. He’d known where they stood, where she stood. He wasn’t supposed to let himself love her, and he’d let himself fall anyway. He’d got carried away. It wasn’t her fault…but she should have told him. First, he had to figure out if he could even stand to be around her anymore. And if he couldn’t, then maybe it was about time for his reincarnation.
~
Irena barely managed to shut the meet room door, fumbling with the handle. Her hands were still shaking as she lifted the rum bottle to her lips, took a huge gulp. Another. Why? Of all times, why now? Why her, why this? She’d never set foot on that Island. The very idea of it terrified her. But he wasn’t there anymore. He was dead. Irena had never told anyone, but she had a very faint memory of the man who had claimed her parent’s freedom. She could recall the smell that day, the fear in the crew’s eyes. Men that she had never seen afraid. Chop’s harsh scowl, Daley’s knuckles near popping as he gripped the hilt of his sword. Irena grabbed the edge of the table, cursing to herself. She needed a distraction. She needed him. Irena swept the door open, only to almost collide with Jim. Not the man she was looking for, but. Tears formed in her eyes.
His own were glistening. “I need to talk to you.”
Irena let him in.
Jim collapsed into one of the chairs, rubbing frantically at his eyes with his knuckles. He never liked to cry in front of her, he knew it set her off. And she hated to cry. “I’m scared Jim.” He was the only person she’d ever admit that to. The only one she would reveal her weaknesses to.
“Me too.” He sucked in a ragged breath. “Were you ever told what he was to me?”
“The Pirate Lord?”
Jim nodded, continuing in response to the blank look in her eye. “He was my father Irena. I’m Merek’s son. Or was. I don’t know how to say this.”
Fresh tears burned at Irena’s eyes, these ones more out of shock than anything else. They had no secrets from each other, or she’d thought they didn’t. She’d always been kept out of the loop, too young to understand, by the time she’d grown up enough the moment had passed and she knew there were certain things her parents and her brothers kept from her. Some part of their past that she was separate from. She’d thought it was different with Jim.
“I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time, but it’s not something I admit even to myself. I’ve never thought of him as a father. Tristan was more of a father to me, you know that. Even after I found out, I never went to him. I never accepted his invitations, and when I went with you I knew he’d have no further reason to call upon me. As long as I was with you he couldn’t touch me. It was in the contract.”
“Contract?” She’d known some sort of agreement had been made, but nothing as formal as a contract.
“The one your parents signed the day they accepted his terms. Your mother made sure to keep you out of it, wanted you to be untouchable. That’s why you were never invited, were never welcome at council. You think a Captain with your reach wouldn’t be called for? He wanted you there, you can count on that, but he wasn’t allowed to. He was more afraid of your mother’s wrath than he let on.”
“My brothers were a part of the deal, weren’t they.” Irena had already figured that out herself. It wasn’t hard to realise there was a reason why they’d been trained as assassins and she hadn’t. She wasn’t quite asking, just taking the opportunity to fill in some gaps.
“Your parents wanted to keep them out of it, but they couldn’t. I didn’t mean to keep it from you, or tell you like this, it’s just how it’s happened. I didn’t think we’d ever have reason to go there.”
“He’s dead Jim, there was no need to tell me anything. Whatever went on, it’s over now.”
“You’re not mad?”
“I’m not my mother Jim, I know there are some things you won’t want to share with me.”
“I don’t know how I should feel right now, he was the last of my blood and now I know it really is just me left. For the first time I’m actually alone and I know it, and I don’t know what to do.”
“You do what you always do – stay at my side, protect me, and be the one to tell me when I overstep the mark. You’re my first mate Jim, I need you to be that for me now more than ever.” She wasn’t quite sure how he ended up in her arms, one minute he was sitting, the next he was there, head buried into her shoulder, arms wrapped tightly around her. She gripped him all the harder, crushing her brow against his chest. His smell was as familiar as her own, he was family even if it wasn’t by blood. Mine. It was possessive of her perhaps, but she’d always thought of Jim that way. The one who’d always been there, who she couldn’t imagine being without for even a day. The one who’d trusted her, who’d come with her when she’d struck out on her own. The one who should have been enough.
Irena sniffed, stepped out of her first mate’s arms. Jim wiped at his eyes once more, smiled humourlessly and made for the door. She spoke up as his palm flattened against the wood, “Jim, could you bring Tyler to me?”
His muscles tightened, but he didn’t look back at her, “Don’t ask me to do that.”
No wonder people thought her cold. Sometimes she forgot her heart existed. Jim bit back whatever other words had risen to the forefront of his mind, though she saw him hesitate before he stormed off. She made it to the door as it slammed in her face, knuckles catching the handle. Irena didn’t care anymore. They could think what they liked. What she needed right now was something to distract herself, and what was better than someone who was looking for exactly the same thing. She didn’t want to worry about the Pirate Lord, or the council. She’d finished with panicking about crossing that labyrinth, seeing her family, having to leave them again. Her brothers would be there, Clarke, The Oriental Prince. And there was no quick escape from the Island. It wasn’t hers, she couldn’t run, she didn’t have a choice. Irena flattened her palms against the door, hauled in breaths that felt thick enough to choke her. Her heart steadied, she rested her forehead against the cool wood. Taking one more breath, she hauled the door open and went off in search herself. Being alone wasn’t an option right now. He had to see that. She knew how easily he could see through her.
Her eyes stung as she spotted him. She schooled her expression, hauled back anything that could be seen as vulnerability. His yellow-flecked eyes flicked up, his expression hardening. He turned his attention back to the ropes he was tidying away, tugging the huge coils across the deck with renewed force.
“Tyler.”
“Captain.” He chucked the remaining rope to the floor and turned his back. Walking away again. Why the hell was he acting like this all of a sudden?
“I just want to talk.”
He halted, folded his arms across his chest. “Go on then.”
“Why don't we go to the meet room?”
Tyler turned to look at her then, his grim smile saying more than it needed. “No.”
That word again. Suddenly Irena realised what he was so pissed off about. He was a liar, and it was a fault of most liars that they didn’t like to be deceived. She’d hurt his ego; a thief who prided himself on fabricating everything about himself hadn’t seen through her. No doubt he’
d be thinking back on every word she’d said trying to spot the gaps. But there wouldn’t be any, she’d never tried to hide anything from him. The best liars told the truth.
“You knew the deal.” She couldn’t help the irritation that crept into her words. They’d made no promises. She’d never claimed they were exclusive. Was his pride really that much of a measure for him?
“I know. I just wasn’t told all of the rules.” He began to leave.
“Does it really matter? I made a promise, that’s all it is.”
Tyler turned, took a step back, like he was trying to drop it but something wouldn’t let him. “You don’t strike me as the sort of person who’s very good at keeping those.”
“Which is exactly why I have to keep them. Especially the promises I make with myself. Otherwise what’s left?”
He stopped as if his back had hit a wall. Hope rose up in her chest. Had she convinced him? Did he understand now? It had never meant anything so there was no reason to stop. She wasn’t going to be hurt like that. “I think you’re already past that point. And so are we.”
Tyler walked away, ignored her completely the next day, even dismissing the messages she sent via Ollie. After that she understood that he would not be coming to her quarters anymore, no matter what she said.
Chapter 17
The council
Tyler had expected something like Crescent Bay, which was the most piratey place he’d ever seen. Something hewn of wrecked ships, dark and sinister-looking, surrounded by pirate ships from every corner of the seas. Instead they seemed to be going hull-first into the side of a pretty substantial looking reef. Then the path came into alignment, and he saw the gap. He’d heard of the labyrinth before, it was discussed in many thief circles. What person who made their living skirting around the many ways people tried to protect their valuables, wouldn’t be interested in something that was known as impenetrable?
The Siren’s Call was making the crossing by escort and, Tyler being Tyler, he was memorising the route. You never knew when certain information could come in handy. Plus it helped him ignore the fear that he was about to die every time they rounded a corner. Cat flipped from the rigging somewhere above him.
Daughter of Wolves Page 13