Ashton Rycroft was not known to be an emotional being. Kelia did not know much about her handler, save for the fact that while he was good at strategy and coordinating missions, he lacked the ability to fight when the situation called for it. Instead, he would stay on base during missions, training Slayers on strategy, planning, and how the best fighters in the world were no match for a carefully crafted plan.
What was his plan now?
“I would say,” he began slowly, his voice occupying every inch of space in the room, “that you have a lot of explaining to do.”
Kelia bit the inside of her cheek, hanging her head so Rycroft would not see her frustration—with him, with herself for getting caught, with the way everything was spiraling outside of her control and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
“Well?” he asked. “What have you got to say for yourself?”
Kelia knew better than to respond right away. This could be a trap. Just because he said he knew what she was doing did not make it true. This was one of the first lessons she had learned regarding being a Slayer: should she ever fall into the clutches of a Sea Shadow, she was not supposed to say anything first. See what they knew, wait for them to speak, and then use that information to her advantage.
Rycroft could be testing her. Or he could be completely oblivious to what he was doing, given the fact that he seemed determined to get some sort of information from her.
Information she was not quite willing to part with.
“Have you suddenly lost the inability to speak, Ms. Starling?” Rycroft asked.
There was a tremor of impatience in his usually indifferent tone. Kelia could work with that. She knew what he was feeling, considering it was her that typically needed answers now and had difficulty controlling her own temper.
“No,” she finally said, lifting her gaze so it locked with her handler’s. She was not quite sure how she should play this—should she be hard, stoic, and unflinching? Or teary-eyed and apologetic? She would wait and see how this played out before deciding. Time was her biggest weapon right now. “I am waiting for an explanation of why you’ve chosen to detain me.”
“Detain?” Rycroft seemed amused now and did not bother hiding the small smile that spread across his face. “You would call leading you to my office as detainment?”
“You prevented me from leaving,” Kelia said. “Even though it is well within my right. I am not breaking curfew. Instead, you led me here. And now, I am waiting for an explanation as to why.”
Rycroft started chuckling, a low, hollow sound that did not coincide with happiness of any kind. It gave Kelia chills.
“You think I owe you an explanation?” he asked between laughter. “You think you have that right to demand an explanation? You should know, Ms. Starling, that the freedom to come and go is a privilege, not a right. Do you think the Sightless are able to leave the fortress at all?”
Kelia’s instinct was to give him a smart retort, but she did not think that would help her—even if it might feel good.
“You have an arrogance in you I had not realized you possessed,” Rycroft continued. “You think you are above the rules. You think you know everything there is to know. The truth of the matter is, Ms. Starling, you know nothing.”
Except, that was not true.
She did know something. She knew many things. She knew her father had not committed suicide. She knew he was attacked by Sea Shadows and somehow paralyzed, so he would be unable to flee the attack, unable to fight back. She learned that The Society was responsible for creating Sea Shadows in the first place, though the reason for that was still murky. She knew it had something to do with the East India Company, but she did not know the intricacies of that plot just yet.
“Tell me,” Rycroft said. “Who were you going to visit just now, before I stopped you?”
“I thought you already knew,” Kelia said slowly, trying to keep her voice neutral rather than biting. She did not wish to push his buttons just yet, especially considering it was a difficult thing to do.
Rycroft growled, causing his chubby cheeks to push up and his nostrils to flare. He narrowed his eyes at her from behind his spectacles but kept his lips pressed into a thin line, a warning sketched out into his face.
“If you must know,” Kelia said, thinking quickly and dropping her gaze back to her lap, hoping to look demure rather than antagonistic. “My father had a friend in town. A lady friend. She came by the fortress a few days ago. I find that she’s helped me recover from his death. Usually, she’ll pour me tea and tell me stories about him, stories I hadn’t heard before. It comforts me.”
Kelia brought her face up to look at him. If she felt the need to smirk, she would have. She knew it wasn’t ideal to feel so smug, but she could not help it. That explanation was brilliant, and she was proud of herself for thinking of it. What could Rycroft say? Emma had stopped by to visit her, using the same excuse—that she was a companion of Kelia’s father. It would make sense for Kelia to seek shelter with someone who had known him, even if it was a whore.
When Kelia locked eyes with Rycroft, he did something that caused her heart to stop. His lips curled up into a dark smile. His eyes twinkled with arrogance, and he leaned back into his chair, observing Kelia over his nose.
“You are brilliant, my dear,” he murmured, adjusting the spectacles on his nose. “You are getting more and more apt at lying. I wonder, has Drew Knight taught you such a thing?”
Kelia froze the indifferent look on her face as best she could. She would not flinch. She would not even blink.
“See, I know where you’ve been going these last few days. Ms. Starling,” Rycroft continued, his voice delighted at the prospect of besting her. “I know it hasn’t been to commiserate your father’s death with a whore. You’ve been seeing Drew Knight. I know you have.”
Kelia snorted, not caring in the slightest how unladylike it was. “That’s preposterous,” she managed to get out.
“Really?” Rycroft asked, raising an eyebrow. “Why would Charles lie about such a thing?”
“Charles?” Kelia could not stop the sharp tone from tainting her voice if she tried. She looked at Rycroft, a silent question passing between them.
Rycroft grinned at this, a simple gesture that had nefarious undertones.
Kelia looked away, frustrated that she had revealed her ignorance. She might know more than he realized, but there were some things she still did not know. “What does Charles have to do with any of this?”
“You mean you do not know?” Rycroft asked, leaning back in his seat as his grin turned into a full-fledged smile. “Charles never stood out as a Slayer. The only reason we took him in was because his mother died in a vicious Sea Shadow attack and his father paid us a hefty sum. He is average in nearly everything except wielding a sword and crafting weapons, which was why he’s been assigned as an apprentice to our blacksmith. He grew into a strong man, but despite his skill with a sword, he is better suited off the battlefield than on it. He is not a fighter but a craftsman. Of course, Charles also has something one simply cannot teach. He has unwavering loyalty to a cause he believes in. Since his mother’s death, he has been dedicated to the cause, even if he lacks the talent and the wit most Slayers typically possess.” He leaned forward and twined his fingers. “When your father took his own life, I knew you would react. You always react. Your temper is predictable, Ms. Starling, something I counted on. I had a feeling you wouldn’t let it rest. You would have to investigate. And I wanted to see what you would stumble on.”
Kelia found it difficult to breathe. This whole time, he had known? She could not believe it, refused to believe it. Did he know she knew about her father? Did he know she knew The Society was responsible for Sea Shadows? She had only discussed such things with Drew Knight on his ship, and there was no way he would betray her. Besides which, what would Drew Knight have to gain from telling anyone? Nothing.
So no, there was no way Rycroft knew everything.
But he must know something.
“I know who you have been visiting past curfew,” Rycroft continued. “I know you have a special relationship with a wanted Sea Shadow. I know that, at this very moment, you know exactly where Drew Knight is.”
Kelia still refused to say something. He could be bluffing. In fact, if he had followed her—or if Charles had—and saw her meeting with Drew Knight, then he would already know where Drew Knight was. They would have invaded the ship already.
Kelia stopped herself from smiling. She needed to keep her cards close to her. Play them at the right moment.
“You see, Charles is smitten with you,” Rycroft went on. “Anyone can see it. The boy looks at you all the time, and I don’t believe you notice. If you told him you would give up this life to marry, he would propose to you in a second. Did you know that?”
Kelia felt her face turn red. She did know that, and she avoided it. It always made her feel guilty because she knew he looked at her with longing. She could recognize it because he hadn’t tried to hide it away. This was something she did not understand—why he would choose to show his weakness for her so blatantly when she had never indicated anything in return that would tell him that she felt the same way he did. And yet, he continued to hold onto these feelings, as though he was waiting for her to change her mind.
Which she had no intention of doing. But that didn’t mean she didn’t feel bad.
“Ah, you did know,” Rycroft said with an easy smile. “You’re a cold, heartless woman, aren’t you? Charles is quite a catch, and you refuse his advances. What does that say about you?”
“It says I have other priorities than simply saying yes to every man who shows an interest in me,” Kelia said before she could stop herself. “And it says Charles was motivated to lie to you.”
Rycroft’s face turned beet red. A vein bulged in his neck. Yes, she had him there. Finally, he let out an irritated breath and steepled his fingers, placing the tips on his chin. “Interesting word to use, Ms. Starling,” he murmured as he continued to regard her behind those spectacles. “Priorities. Let me ask you a question. I understand what you might have gone through with your father, in that females tend to get emotional during a loss. I expected you to push past it because you have a strength inside of you that isn’t common, even amongst the males. I was wrong on that front.”
Kelia did not let his words affect her like he intended them to. He was avoiding her point now, which meant she was right. He didn’t know where she was going, even if he had his suspicions. She crossed her arms over her chest, allowing herself a moment to really hear his words.
“However,” he continued slowly, “I feel as though you owe yourself a chance at redemption. This behavior, this dalliance with the devil, is unlike you, Kelia, and I believe in giving you the benefit of the doubt. I believe in giving you a chance to do the right thing because this is the first real issue you’ve had with us. You’ve been exemplary besides that, and instead of punishing bad behavior, I wanted to reward you for the good.”
Kelia held her breath. Where was he going with this?
“And what is it you would like me to do?” she asked slowly.
“You know where Drew Knight is,” he stated. “And don’t think your clever talk arounds will convince me otherwise. I want you to tell me his location.”
“I thought you said Charles followed me,” Kelia pointed out. “How come he cannot show you where Drew Knight is?”
“Charles is not as good with direction, especially at night,” Rycroft pointed out.
She knew that wasn’t it, but she couldn’t exactly argue with her handler.
“Since you have been multiple times,” he continued, ignoring her previous denials, “I know you know how to reach him with ease.” He paused, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes at her. “So what will it be? Are you loyal to The Society or to that Sea Shadow?”
Chapter 20
It didn’t take Kelia long to figure out how to respond to Ashton’s question, but she wanted to buy as much time as she could.
“Sir,” she said slowly, her hands in her lap, her gaze resting on them. She knew if she looked at him right now, her eyes would be filled with a hatred she could not hide. Drew had taught her many things she did not want to admit she lacked. However, one thing that remained true before Drew and remained as such even now was Kelia’s quick reactions, how she was unable to hide her emotions. She still had a long way to go to fully being able to meet such a goal, but she could at least hide her emotions by directing them somewhere else since she could not completely rid her face of them. “This is a lot to think about.”
“It should not be,” Rycroft said, sitting back against his chair and regarding her with a genuinely perplexed expression on his face. “I am offering you something I have not offered many others. You could be a Sightless if I so chose it. And perhaps I still will. But for now, you could be a crucial asset to The Society. You could make up for this mistake you’ve made. The mistakes your father made.”
She swallowed around the lump in her throat. This was it. Whether he really knew the truth or not—regardless of if he had any proof—he was right. She knew where Drew Knight’s ship was located. And he’d just spelled things out for her very clearly. If she didn’t do as he asked, she would end up Sightless. She couldn’t play this game any longer. She’d have to give him what he wanted.
“You’re correct,” she told him, raising her head. Kelia hoped she came across as mild, perhaps even demure. It went completely against her typical personality, but she found that when she gave a man something he wanted, he deemed the regular behavior as a flaw or a mistake rather than the new, calculated behavior. “I just realized how stupid I have been the past couple of weeks. I cannot even bring myself to look at you because I’m so ashamed of my actions. And you, Handler Rycroft, with your grace and mercy, have given me the perfect opportunity to redeem myself. If you let me rest, if you let me take a few hours to myself, I will tell you everything you need to know.” She made her bottom lip tremble and forced tears to her eyes, something she did not think she had the capacity to do. “It’s just that this night has been long and arduous, and I’ve been so alone since my father’s death that I…”
“Come, come,” Rycroft said, giving her a long stare. It was obvious he did not know whether he should believe her. Kelia was surprised he was that clever. Then again, she shouldn’t be. “Go to your room. Take a walk through town while the weather permits. Gather your thoughts. Do whatever it is you must do…because you will come and tell the council everything you know tonight, after supper.”
Kelia stood. She always seemed to know when Rycroft was dismissing her, even if he did not explicitly tell her as much. She gave him a curt nod, even though it was the last thing she wanted to agree to.
There was nothing left for her to say.
She turned. Just as her fingers closed around the doorknob, Rycroft’s chilling voice stopped her.
“Ms. Starling,” he said. She could hear him push back in his chair and stand, though he did not move from his position behind his desk.
“Do not think for one second that just because I give you this opportunity for redemption that there will not be consequences to your choices. There will be. If, for whatever reason, something goes awry, you will be blamed and punished accordingly. Do I make myself clear?”
Kelia tensed. She did not like the shiver that slid down her spine at his tone, the chill that captured her body at his words. Rycroft had never been dangerously intimidating in their everyday life. Certainly he raised a fright in inexperienced Slayers, and there was always something off about him that Kelia could not put her finger on, but besides that, Rycroft was nothing more than ordinary.
Finally, she nodded, deciding it was not appropriate to speak just yet. Then she pushed open the door and, as controlled as she possibly could be with her legs threatening to give way beneath her, began to walk to the staircase that would lead her to her bedroom. Her
fingers shook, and she tried to ball them into fists to control them better, but she could not seem to shake the chill until she was safely behind her bedroom door.
“Key?” Jennifer asked in a whisper, her brown eyes wide.
Jennifer.
With everything that had happened, Kelia had completely forgotten about Jennifer and what had happened to her at the Festival.
“Jennifer,” Kelia murmured, nearly collapsing onto her bed. Relief washed over her at the sight of Jennifer. Besides a small distortion on the left side of her face, Jennifer looked completely normal. She had changed out of her lovely gown and taken out the pins in her hair. For Jennifer, she looked tired, but still beautiful. That had to be a skill unto itself. “How are you?”
“I’ve been better,” she said, face drawn. “But I feel as though I owe you my life.”
Kelia opened her mouth, preparing to tell Jennifer everything, but then stopped herself. She looked at her friend and was suddenly filled with absolute hatred for Rycroft, even for this society. They were the reason Kelia was suddenly filled with self-doubt about whether she should tell her friend what had happened—what she thought had happened to her.
“I know you know more than you are saying,” Jennifer said tentatively. “Key, will you tell me what happened to me? You left here so quickly I did not have a chance to ask you myself.”
Kelia sighed. “Honestly, Jennifer, I do not know,” she said. “I was prevented from attaining the answers I had hoped to get by Rycroft. All I have is speculation.”
“I suppose that would be better than nothing,” Jennifer said, making her way to Kelia’s bed. “Would you mind sharing with me? You are the smartest Slayer I know.”
Kelia huffed a breath. Up to this point, the only person she trusted with what was going on was Drew Knight. Which had been a surprisingly good decision. But if she had someone here she could talk to, someone who knew The Society as she did, she was certain it would help her as well.
Sea of Darkness: Book 1 in The Vampire Pirate Saga Page 16