Thomas shook his head. “Your friend Dalgren took an oath to serve his country and he broke it. He fled and left his comrades to face the danger.”
He did not go so far as to accuse Dalgren of cowardice, but the words hung unspoken in the air.
Kate bristled. He had no right to judge. But when her gaze went to the scar on his cheek, a pale slash in the moonlight, she realized perhaps he did have a right to judge. Still, he didn’t know the whole story.
“Dalgren was not a coward. He fought and was wounded at the Battle of the Royal Sail. Do you know what happened there?”
“I have read accounts,” Thomas replied. “The battle is infamous in Estaran history.”
“I’ve never heard of it,” said Phillip. “What did happen?”
“During the Battle of the Royal Sail, a Rosian naval commander fired a broadside on his own dragons and their riders,” Kate explained.
“Good God!” Phillip exclaimed. “Why would he do such a mad thing?”
“The Rosians were laying siege to a fortress claimed by the Estarans,” said Thomas. “The captain of the Dragon Brigade had agreed to surrender terms for the fortress, saying the Estaran soldiers would be permitted to withdraw unmolested. A Rosian captain refused to honor the agreement, saying he was going to blow the fortress out of the sky and no one could stop him. The Dragon Brigade had given their word, and the dragons and their riders formed a line to protect the fortress. The captain fired on his own troops.”
“That was how Dalgren suffered that wound to his leg,” said Kate. “He was young, and he was grievously hurt. He had just seen his comrades die, killed by their own navy. He was upset and angry and confused. And so he left the Brigade and fled Rosia.”
“I grant you that he and the other members of the Brigade acted bravely and with honor,” said Thomas. “But that still doesn’t excuse desertion.”
“How did they catch him?” Phillip asked.
“He surrendered,” Kate said. “When the Dragon Brigade came to the Aligoes, Dalgren turned himself over to them. He went back to the Dragon Duchies willingly to stand trial. And I need to be there to speak on his behalf. But I don’t know where the trial is being held or when it will be.”
She looked from Thomas to Phillip. “I was thinking one of you could find out.”
“We can ask Captain Thorgrimson,” said Thomas. “But, Kate, to reach the Dragon Duchies, you will have to travel through Rosia. You just heard what we told you.”
“They will be keeping watch for you,” Phillip agreed. “They have pictures of you from the newspapers.”
“In those drawings I am jumping off the back of a dragon with a knife between my teeth,” Kate said, laughing. “No one will recognize me, especially now that my hair is gone.”
She grew serious. “Dalgren is my friend. He has been my friend for many years. I cannot let him down … again,” she added, but softly, to herself.
“Say, here’s an idea!” said Phillip. “Kate could fly to the Dragon Duchies on griffinback. That would be safer and faster than traveling overland.”
“We could arrange with Little Dimitri for one of his griffins to carry her. Will that suit?” Thomas asked Kate.
Kate looked from one to the other. “I have said ‘thank you’ so many times, the words seem very stale and flat. I am truly, truly grateful for everything you have done.”
“This means you owe me a second dance, Katherine Gascoyne-Fitzmaurice,” said Thomas with a wink.
* * *
A night’s rest, food, and warmth restored Akiel and many members of her crew. Kate informed them that her friends were working on a plan to obtain pardons for all of them. She couldn’t promise them anything, but she was hopeful. They would have to remain hidden in the cove and some groused at that, but she reminded them of the danger they still faced from the Rosians. Eventually everyone agreed, and they set to work making camp.
Thomas and Phillip helped, hauling water from the stream, while Akiel went foraging in the jungle to find fruit and nuts. He also brought back some insects he claimed were edible, but Olaf said he would starve to skin and bones before he would eat a bug.
“I shudder now to think what you’ve been putting in my chicken stew all these years,” Olaf growled.
Hearing that, Thomas and Phillip took their pistols and went out hunting for game. They returned with Dalgren’s favorite treat: wild hogs.
The sailors took down the sails from the Rose and draped them over tree branches to form makeshift tents. Kate assisted Akiel in cooking up healing potions and salves to help the wounded.
When night came, they sat around the fire and told stories. Many of the crew remembered Captain Alan Northrop and the Rose Hawks, and Phillip kept them laughing with his tales of their adventures outwitting the Rosians, sinking their ships, and making off with their treasure.
Thomas sat apart. He often looked at Kate, as though he would like to talk to her, for this would be their last night together.
She avoided him. She did not want to hear anything he had to say. She stayed near Olaf. She had not yet told him she was planning to go to Dalgren’s trial and she dreaded the argument that would ensue. Olaf felt the same as Thomas about Dalgren being a deserter. Olaf would not be happy to hear Kate was planning to go to the Dragon Duchies, putting herself in danger.
Kate considered just telling him she was going back to Freya, but her days of lying were over. Well, mostly.
She had a mission of her own to perform in Freeport, but she kept quiet about it, for she knew they would all be appalled, tell her the risk was too great. Kate didn’t want to waste time arguing, though she knew they were right. The risks were great. She wrapped herself in a blanket and lay down on the deck. When Thomas came over to talk, she pretended to be asleep.
The next day, he and Phillip made preparations to leave.
“We can stay if you need us, Kate,” Thomas said.
“No, we cannot,” said Phillip sternly. “The griffins said they would return today and they will be furious if we’re not there to meet them. Besides that, the Rosian navy must be deeply concerned over the fact that they have mislaid the future king of Freya. They will be sending out search parties, and that might endanger Kate and her crew. Time for the dream to end, Tom.”
He gave his friend a meaningful look. Thomas looked grave and started gathering up his few belongings.
Kate was going to take them to Freeport in the island hopper. Once she did what she needed to do there, she would return to camp with the supplies. All was arranged, until Olaf announced he was going with her.
“I need to go back to the Parrot,” he said. “Gert doesn’t know anything about running a tavern. I probably don’t have a customer left!”
“Olaf, it’s not safe,” Kate said
“You’re going,” Olaf said, glowering at her.
“Only as far as the lighthouse,” said Kate, hoping she might be forgiven just one more lie. “You can’t leave. You are second-in-command now that Marco is dead. You have to stay here.”
Olaf grumbled, but he agreed.
Phillip and Thomas said their farewells, and Akiel gave them his blessing and bruising hugs. Olaf, in an emotion-choked voice, thanked them for rescuing Kate.
They boarded the island hopper, and Olaf threw off the lines and waved until they were out of sight.
Kate took the helm, and Phillip sat in the prow, ready to handle the sails and wield the boat hook. Thomas was supposed to be helping him, but he came instead to sit beside Kate, much to her ire.
“You’re in my way,” she said. “Go up with Phillip.”
“I am leaving today, and I want to spend every moment I can with you,” said Thomas.
His eyes were very blue in the early-morning sunlight, his gaze earnest, warm, and intense. The boat was small and he was forced to sit near to her. She was acutely conscious of his body close to hers, almost touching.
“What do you want from me?” Kate asked abruptly.
; Thomas was startled by her question. “What do you mean?”
“You are obviously trying to make me fall in love with you. What do you expect in return?”
Thomas regarded her, troubled. He clearly didn’t know how to respond.
“Suppose I do fall in love with you,” Kate continued relentlessly. “You are engaged to be married. When you are the king of Freya, what will I be? The royal mistress?”
“No, of course not,” Thomas said, flushing.
“Then what?” Kate asked.
He did not answer because at that moment, the boat entered the narrow, tree-lined channel that meandered through the jungle islands and Kate had to concentrate on negotiating a particularly narrow stretch of channel. Thomas, saying nothing, joined Phillip at the prow with the boat hooks, fending off rocks.
When the hopper had reached a clear place in the channel, Thomas returned to his seat.
“As for the Princess Sophia, I have reason to believe she is interested in someone else.” He smiled as he said this, his gaze went to Phillip. Thomas regarded his friend somberly a moment, then he turned back to Kate. “As for me, if I were king, I would marry you.”
“Marry a pirate?” Kate snorted in disbelief.
“Why not?” Thomas asked, adding with a teasing smile, “You are ‘worthy.’ Pip tells me you are the granddaughter of a viscount. Though I would marry you if you were the granddaughter of a—”
“Pirate?” Kate said archly. “Let me tell you about my grandfather the viscount. He gambled his way into debt then blew out his brains so as not to have to face the disgrace. He left my mother penniless and she died insane. My father was a gentleman rogue who swindled people out of their money and got his skull bashed in for his trouble. So, you see, Your Highness, my ‘noble’ blood is somewhat tainted.”
“I am in earnest and you mock me,” said Thomas. “I am falling in love with you, Kate!”
She shook her head. “You only think you are. I am the damsel of some romantic tale you’ve read about in the newspapers. Suppose I fall into your arms in the next installment? What happens to us in the chapter after that? You go back to your world of wealth and luxury and royal balls. I go back to my world of trying to survive. We were born to be what we are, Tom. Neither of us had a choice in the matter.”
Her voice faltered. She tried to hide the tremor, but Thomas was quick to hear it.
“You are saying that if we did have a choice you could love me.”
“I did not say that,” Kate snapped. She jostled him with her elbow. “Go sit with Phillip.”
Thomas smiled. “I believe you do love me. Maybe just a little, but that is enough for now.”
He put his fingers on her lips, stopping her denial. “No, Kate, don’t ruin my dream. You need to hear me out. I told you I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about you since Braffa, and that is true. I was intrigued. You were so different from any other woman I have ever known. Since we have been together, my feelings for you have deepened. You made me think seriously about my life, Kate, about what it means to be a prince.”
“Now you are mocking me,” said Kate.
“Hear me out and I will explain,” said Thomas. “My mother wants me to be king. She has plotted and schemed her entire life to put a crown on my head. I do have a claim to the throne of Freya, but the possibility that I would ever become king was remote. Queen Mary had an heir, the crown prince had a son. I never gave the matter serious thought. And then, Crown Prince Jonathan and his son both died and now, suddenly, I am the one with the best claim.
“Factions in Freya are against me. The queen terms me ‘Pretender.’ I have an army.” Thomas frowned into the shifting mists. “Two thousand men and transport ships led by a Captain Smythe, who has trained them to accompany me to Freya to seize the throne by force. I would say they were men prepared to die for my cause, but the truth is they are mercenaries who will die for any cause so long as you pay them.
“I have never seen my army. I never planned on seeing it. I told my mother and my father and Captain Smythe that I will not be party to deposing the queen. Yet my mother keeps plotting and Smythe keeps drilling his blasted soldiers and my father keeps paying for all of it.”
Thomas had been gazing into the mists. Now he looked back at Kate.
“Freya is teetering on the brink of disaster. The only other heirs are the queen’s bastard half brother and her Rosian sister and they are both acquiring allies to vie for the throne. Freya could be torn apart by civil war. And what am I doing to help my people?” Thomas asked bitterly. “As you accused me, I am going to royal balls and dancing with princesses.”
He was in earnest, sharing his fears and doubts and sorrows with her. Kate was silent, uncertain what to say. She felt ashamed of what she had said already.
“When you were sitting in the bosun’s chair, Kate, you talked about what it means to be a captain. You were willing to risk your life because you are responsible for the welfare of your crew. That made me think. I need to be responsible for my people. I am the heir to a throne. I cannot abrogate those responsibilities just because I find them onerous or inconvenient.
“I love you, Kate. More than that, I admire you. When I leave here, I am going to obtain pardons for your crew and then I am going to go see this army of mine and talk to Captain Smythe, find out what is truly going on. I owe this to you, Kate.”
Kate flushed. “Please don’t say things like that. You don’t know me…”
“I know you are strong and brave and smart. I know you are beautiful.”
“Now I know you are making sport of me,” said Kate, laughing self-consciously as she touched the red kerchief she wore tied around her shorn head. “I saw my reflection in the pool.”
Thomas smiled. “Your hair will grow back. But for now, when the sunlight hits your eyes, the hazel shines and the gold dances.” He raised his hand and gently touched her cheek. “I can see the fine bones of your face and the fullness of your lips.” He added with a grin. “Although that may disappear when the swelling goes down.”
He was teasing, but Kate could not laugh. Her breath came too fast. His touch seemed to thrill through every nerve. Thomas rested his hand on hers.
“I am not a romantic, Kate. I know that I will never see you again. You will go your way and I will go mine. My way will be easier if I know that you love me—just a little.”
Kate watched the play of sunlight and shadow dapple his face as they sailed beneath the thick foliage. His eyes were bright blue in the sunlight, darkened to deep azure in the shadow.
“Maybe…” said Kate softly. “Just a little.”
Thomas spoke gruffly, not looking at her. “Wherever I am, I will be loving you. And I will try to live up to the example you have set me.”
He brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed it, then he stood up so quickly that he caused the small boat to rock alarmingly. He made his way forward to join Phillip.
Kate didn’t know what to do or think. She was confused, upset, and angry. She was not angry at him for loving her. She was angry at him for making her love him when she would never see him again.
She didn’t like the feeling, and she hoped when he and his blue eyes were gone, the pain of loving him would go with him.
* * *
Kate sailed the hopper to the lighthouse and tied up the boat. Phillip and Thomas hefted their gear and Kate led them through the jungle to the open field where they were going to meet the griffins.
They did not talk much. Shared danger and fear and sorrow, shared triumph and relief had brought the three very close. They had only one word left to say to each other and that was good-bye.
They arrived at the meeting site early; the griffins were not around. Thomas moodily walked around the field. Kate fidgeted, wishing they were gone, all the while knowing she would miss them. Phillip scanned the sky, searching for the griffins.
As generally happens, the three decided to break the awkward silence by all talking at once.
“I will send back a griffin—”
“You can tell the griffin to meet me here—”
“You must give me five days to negotiate the pardons—”
They each stopped talking, looked at one another, laughed, and felt better.
“You first, Pip,” said Thomas.
“I was about to say that I will have Little Dimitri send a griffin here to take Kate to the Dragon Duchies,” said Phillip. “I just hope Dalgren’s trial doesn’t start before you arrive.”
“I am not worried about that,” said Kate. “Noble dragons never do anything without formal ceremony and proper protocol. They will have to locate those dragons who served in the Brigade, as well as human officers who were present at the battle to give testimony. That will take time. I probably have a month or more before the trial could possibly take place.”
“And as I was about to say, I will need time to negotiate for the pardons for your crew,” said Thomas. “Can you give me five days? I will write you a letter and send it back with the griffin.”
“Five days will suit me,” said Kate. “I have my own business to attend to. Tell the griffin I will meet it here at noon five days from now.”
“Speaking of griffins,” said Phillip. “Time to be going.”
They all looked up to see the beasts circling overhead. Thomas signaled to them and the griffins swooped down for a landing.
Phillip advanced to greet them, thank them for coming, and ask permission to stow their gear. Thomas took out one of the pistols and handed it to Kate.
“To remember me by,” he said with a smile. He added, more seriously, “I think you might need it.”
Kate was going to refuse, then she remembered her pistols were on the side of a mountain in the Deep Breath. She thanked him and thrust the pistol into her belt.
The griffins made certain the farewells were short. They did not like this place that smelled of dragon and they began snapping their beaks, indicating they were ready to leave—with their riders or without.
Kate held out her hands, one to Phillip and one to Thomas. “I owe you both a debt of gratitude that I can never hope to repay.”
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