“Are you all right?” Dean asked her.
Waverly’s only reply was a silent stare. She was still furious with him. Dean figured that if she was well enough to hold on to her anger, she was well enough to talk.
“Just so I’m clear, is the wedding back on now, or what?”
Waverly’s whole body jolted. Her face was so full of rage it looked like white-hot lava might erupt from her eyes. “There isn’t going to be a wedding. I hate you.”
“You have a funny way of showing it. I mean, you did save my life back there, after all. Almost got yourself drowned for your trouble.”
Waverly scoffed. “Everyone makes mistakes.”
“I’m glad you feel that way. I came after you, hoping you might forgive mine.”
“There’s no forgiving what you’ve done. Saving me doesn’t change anything, Dean. Trusting you is the worst mistake I ever made. The orchard is lost. The island is doomed. You lied to me. You’re a pirate, for God’s sake!”
Verrick cleared his throat and leaned in to offer Waverly a spyglass. “Things aren’t always what they seem, my lady.”
Curious and confused, Waverly took the glass from Verrick. She got up and raised it to her eye. As she looked to the island, Dean kept his eyes on her. He knew what she would find in its sights. Beneath the light of the moon, the dancing water of the Aqualine Palace was visible in all its blue brilliance.
When Waverly put down the spyglass, she was startled to find Dean standing so close to her. He had crossed the deck to show her the cut in the sigil on his arm. She touched the mark that had turned the water blue.
“It can’t be.”
“Maelstrom ho!” someone called out from the crow’s nest.
Dean snatched the spyglass from Waverly’s hand. He focused the lens and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the ship emerge from the fog behind them. It was headed back toward Zenhala with Ronan at the helm and the golden orchard intact. Dean flipped the glass over, handing it back to Waverly.
“I don’t understand,” she said. “Are you the prince or aren’t you?”
Dean said nothing. She had asked the crucial question.
The answer was entirely up to him.
CHAPTER 36
NEW HORIZONS
I can’t believe you told her you weren’t the prince!” Ronan complained.
A day had passed, and Dean and Ronan were back on board the Tideturner. It was early in the morning, and One-Eyed Jack’s ship, the Maelstrom, was docked in Zenhala’s main harbor alongside them. The work of bringing the trees back to the orchard and replanting them was under way. Everyone on the island not moving trees was fast asleep. The two boys were alone on the main deck, getting ready to put to sea.
“I had to tell her,” Dean said.
“No. You didn’t. The only people who knew the truth was our crew and One-Eyed Jack. The Pirate Youth wouldn’t have said anything, and One-Eyed Jack’s dead! Even if he hadn’t been gobbled up by that sea serpent, no one would have trusted a word he said. Your blood turned the palace water blue. That’s all anyone cared to know. You were in.”
Dean couldn’t argue with Ronan’s logic. He was right. They could have gotten away with it. “It was a good trick. Wiping your blade with flowers from the golden trees before you cut my arm? That was quick thinking.”
Ronan grunted. “Had to do something, didn’t I? They were gonna have your head, and mine right after. Someone had to save our lives.”
“I owe you for that, Ronan. That and more. You’re a good friend.”
“You’re not so terrible yourself, but I’ll be tarred and feathered if I understand you, mate. All you had to do was keep your mouth shut and you could have been king—a real pirate king!”
Dean shook his head. “No. It wouldn’t have been real, because it wouldn’t have been true. I’m done lying about who I am. I didn’t come here chasing life in a castle. I came to earn my freedom. I told you I’d do whatever it took to get it.”
“Aye, but to give up the greatest treasure in all the Caribbean!”
“Depends on how you look at it,” Dean said. Waverly and her father appeared at the end of the dock. “Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t.”
Ronan saw what Dean was looking at and shook his head. “She could’ve been your queen. I’ll give you two some time alone and see how Verrick’s doing. Have a few more things to check before we head out to sea.”
Ronan disappeared below deck, and Dean went to the gangplank to wait for Waverly and her father. When Dean had brought her and the orchard home safe the day before, Lord Kray had wanted to crown him king right there on the dock. By then, Dean had already told Waverly the truth. He wasted no time telling her father. It was a relief to do so. That night, completely unburdened, Dean slept the deepest sleep he’d ever slept. For the first time in his life, he relaxed. Truly relaxed. One-Eyed Jack was gone, and Dean’s life as a spy was over. When he woke up that morning, dawn’s light brought a new day and new horizons to pursue.
“You’re really leaving,” Waverly said when she reached the ship.
Dean turned up his palms. “I asked you here to see me off, didn’t I? Verrick’s given me the Tideturner. He said that when he told me it was mine, he meant it.”
“But why so soon?” Waverly asked.
“The storm’s only getting worse. If I wait too long, I won’t be able to leave at all.” Dean pointed out across the sea. Dark clouds swarmed the horizon, but they kept their distance and the sun shined down happily on Zenhala’s colorful landscape.
“Why don’t you stay here?” Lord Kray asked. “I understand your shipmates have all opted to stay. Why not you?”
“I just can’t,” said Dean. “I’m sorry.”
“Stay for my coronation at least. It would hardly be worth celebrating if not for you.”
“Father wants to give you a medal,” Waverly added. “Zenhala would have been lost if not for your actions yesterday. We avoided disaster, thanks to your bravery.”
Dean chuckled. “The only disaster you avoided was the one I brought here with me. Funny how no one seems to mind that now.”
The regent, soon to be the king, smiled. “All’s well that ends well.”
Again, Dean could not argue. All had ended well. One-Eyed Jack’s crew was locked up in the tower, and the Pirate Youth were retiring from piracy, making Zenhala their home. The golden harvest would be used to help the needy once again, and the island of Zenhala would finally have the king it deserved. The Ralian family’s scheming had all been in vain. Neither Junter, Jin, nor Jarret would ever occupy the seat of power they coveted so greatly. As for their father, Dean saw him up on the Maelstrom, frantically searching the deck for his trees. He wouldn’t find them.
“What’s going to happen to him?” Dean asked.
Waverly’s father sighed. “It’s already happened. We have no proof of Arjent Ralian’s crimes as you described them, but that is of little consequence. Even if we did, I can imagine no punishment more fitting than that which he has brought upon himself. Without his family trees, he is ruined. Without his sons, his line will end with him. The House of Ralian is finished.”
Dean almost felt bad for Arjent Ralian. Then he thought about all the times he’d tried to have him killed.
“I wonder what happened to his sons,” Waverly said. “Do you think they got out?”
Dean thought a moment before answering. The Ralian brothers had left before the Black Fleet invaded, like rats deserting a sinking ship. “They got out. I’d bet my boots on it. We haven’t seen the last of them.”
“What about us?” Waverly looked sad. “Have you and I seen the last of each other? Is this good-bye?”
“I’m afraid so,” Dean said. “Unless …” He gave a shrug.
“Unless what?”
“You could come with us.”
Dean’s offer caught Waverly off guard. “Come with you where?”
Dean pointed. “Out there. Way out there. Anywhere.”
&
nbsp; “You want me to come with you?” Waverly asked again.
Dean nodded. “And you want to go.”
Waverly looked to her father, no doubt worried what he must be thinking. “I was afraid this might happen,” he said.
“Your Grace,” Dean began, relieved to call someone else by that name. “I told you I didn’t know what to expect to find when I came here. That was the truth. But what I found on this island was worth far more than the gold in its trees. For the first time in my life, I have friends. People I care about who care about me. Your daughter is one of them. With your permission, I’d like to ask her to come with me when I leave.”
“With my permission,” Lord Kray repeated. “You’ve already asked her. I suppose this is the price of my crown? The lost prince giveth and the lost prince taketh away, is that it?”
“I’m not the lost prince,” Dean said. “I’m nothing special. Just plain old Dean Seaborne.”
Lord Kray shook his head. “You might not be a prince, but you’re a special young man, no two ways about it. Only one soul in ten thousand would have given up this crown. You have great honor.”
“It’s new,” Dean said. “Yesterday, I was going to ask her to run away with me.” Lord Kray looked upset. “But that’s not who I am anymore,” Dean added, putting up his hands. “I’m done taking things from people. I’m asking if you’ll let Waverly come with me.”
Lord Kray’s face took on a pained expression. Dean was well aware of the magnitude of his request, but he had to ask. Lord Kray looked at his daughter. She looked back with hopeful eyes. “Is this what you want?” he asked her. Waverly clasped his hands with a pleading expression. Before she could reply, Lord Kray turned away. “Oh, don’t answer that. It’s obvious you want to go more than anything. I can see that as plainly as everyone else here. The truth is, I’ve known for years.”
A hatch on deck opened up, and Ronan emerged with Verrick.
“There you are,” Verrick announced. “Stocked up with enough provisions for six months at sea. It’s a fine ship, but I still say you need an extra hand or two to sail it.”
“Not to worry, Captain Verrick,” Lord Kray said drily. “Young Seaborne is recruiting new crew members now.”
“Oh?” asked Verrick. He looked at Waverly and understood Lord Kray’s meaning. “Oh. I see.”
Lord Kray shook his head at Dean.
“You place me in an impossible position. On the one hand, how can I refuse the boy who saved my kingdom? On the other, how can I let my daughter go to sea with pirates?”
“Technically, I was more of a spy than I was a pirate,” Dean said.
“That’s true,” Ronan piped up, eager to help. “Me and my crew, we were the pirates. But we never hurt anybody. Not if we could help it. Conning people out of their ships, that was our bread and butter. We were more like seafaring con artists than anything else. Our captain taught us to be honest thieves.”
Lord Kray grumbled, his face stern and unamused. Waverly had her head in her hands. Dean glared at Ronan.
“I’ll stop helping,” Ronan said.
“That would be wonderful,” Dean said. “Thank you.”
“Thirteen years ago, pirates took a child away from this island,” Lord Kray said. “Here it is, happening again.”
“He is asking for your blessing,” Verrick argued in Dean’s favor.
Lord Kray shook his head. “She’s my only daughter, Verrick. I can’t allow her to leave this way.”
Dean and Waverly shared a helpless moment, their hopes fading before their eyes.
Lord Kray put up a finger.
“Not without an escort.”
Waverly and Dean’s faces lit up at the possibility. Verrick understood perfectly. “Very good, my lord. If the lost prince is gone, my duty as a seeker is no more. I now owe my allegiance to the king and his daughter, the princess. Should you choose to let her go, it would be my privilege to serve the crown in defense of her life and honor.”
Lord Kray closed his eyes and nodded reluctantly. “Very well, then. You have my blessing.”
Waverly rushed to her father’s side. “Truly, Father? Do you mean it?”
“I do,” he replied. “You are free to go, by order of the king.” He shrugged. “Well, a king soon enough.” Waverly clutched her father tightly, and he opened his arms to do the same. “I know I can’t keep you here forever, no matter how much I’d like to. I just hope you know that no matter how far you go in this world, you always have a home to come back to.” He looked up at Dean. “And I expect you to bring her back, young man. For one month a year, at the very least.”
Dean nodded. “You have my word.”
“I hope so,” said Lord Kray. “After all, this place is home to you too.”
Dean smiled at that. A home. A true home for him, not someone he was pretending to be. “Thank you. I’ve always wanted that.”
Waverly hugged her father again. “Thank you, Father.”
Thunder rumbled in the distance. “I still don’t see why we can’t wait until the storm breaks before we leave,” Ronan said. “I could use a vacation.”
Dean wouldn’t hear of it. “I’ve waited thirteen years for my life to begin. I can’t wait another day, let alone ten months. Anyway, don’t waste time thinking about those clouds out there, Ronan. Think about what’s on the other side of them.”
“And what might that be?”
“Every place you ever wanted to go but couldn’t.”
“What about sea serpents?” Lord Kray asked. “You’re not concerned about them?”
“Not a problem,” Dean said. “Snappy will look out for us.”
“Snappy?” Waverly asked.
Dean banged a hand on the gunwale and whistled loudly. “Snappy!” he called out. The snapdragon surfaced off the starboard bow. It let out a playful bark as it circled the ship. “What? I had to call her something, didn’t I?” Dean took great pleasure in the stunned looks on everyone’s faces.
“Take care of my daughter,” Lord Kray told him, offering Dean his hand.
“I promise we’ll stay out of trouble,” Dean said. They shook on it.
Ronan put a hand on Dean’s shoulder and spoke softly in his ear. “Thought you said your lying days were done.”
Dean raised his right hand in a pledge. “On my honor as a gentleman,” he said with a wink. He turned to Waverly. “Are you ready?”
Waverly shivered with delight as she stepped on board the ship. “Let’s see. I haven’t packed a thing or planned a step. I’m not at all dressed to travel.… Yes. I’ve been ready all my life. I can’t believe this is really happening.”
“Neither can I.”
“Where are we going first?”
Dean’s imagination called up an ocean of possibilities. For the first time ever, he was free to explore every last one. “We’ll find out when we get there. It’s a big world. Let’s not keep it waiting.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
It has been a while since I have had the privilege of writing an acknowledgments page for a new novel. Three years, in fact. I have to admit, there were moments during that time when I wondered if I ever get to do it again. If you are reading this, know that I am more thankful than ever to be in this club of published authors. It is not something I take for granted. The feeling I get when I walk into a bookstore and find one of my books on a shelf remains as much a thrill to me today as it was the first time it happened. It has become something I need in my life, and I don’t get to that place alone. I have lots of help.
The first person I want to thank is you—for reading. For keeping me in this club. I hope you enjoyed Dean’s first adventure. There are more on the way.
I also want to thank Chris Richman for being the first person to believe in this story apart from myself, and for ultimately selling the book. Thanks are also owed to Greg Ferguson, who acquired the book for Egmont USA, and Jordan Hamessley, my editor. The opportunity to work with a talented, insightful editor such as Jordan is a
gift, plain and simple. Her guidance and ability to read between the lines pushed me to get Dean’s story right. The book you are currently holding would not be the same without her.
I also want to thank the entire Egmont team, including Andrea Cascardi, Margaret Coffee, Michelle Bayuk, Georgia Morrissey, and Joy Simpkins. I have said it many times before: I may have written the story, but they are the ones who make it a book. Working together with all of you and collaborating on Matt Armstrong’s wonderful cover has been one of the highlights of my career.
Finally, I want to thank my family for always being there. My mom, my brother, my two boys, and my beautiful wife … together we make so much good stuff happen. I love you all.
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