for a long time, and at last a smile, the Josie grin that meant trouble for someone. Him, probably. “If you tell anyone I said that, I’ll kill you.”
Van Gast laughed and kissed the top of her head. “I know. Bullet in the face, right?”
She laughed with him, kissed him back as though her world would end if she didn’t. “Right. And don’t you forget it.”
The chill of night bit at Van Gast’s naked chest. “So, I take it the plan went a bit tits-up? Any chance you’re going to tell me what the plan is, or was?”
“Van, I thought you were a smart man. Haven’t you figured it out?”
“The Yelen gold? How does us being in this cell help?”
She winced at that. “That was where it all went wrong. You had the key, and I’d no reason to think they’d search Mr. Ibsen too much, a trader slung in here for taking liberties with Brimeld’s wife. Then me and Skrymir come down, spring you and here we are, right by the strong room and you with the key. But while Mr. Ibsen wasn’t a threat, Van Gast is. Not a cell in the world can hold him, that’s what they say, isn’t that right?” she teased.
“Well, yes. They do say that. And usually it’d be true, but, Josie, all I’ve got is my breeches, my bells and a set of bones. What’s left of the dagger, but nothing we can use, just tiny bits of glass. Not a lot even I can do with that. At least they left you your clothes.”
“Traitor on your ship. Someone knew about this, about me and Skrymir pretending to be ambassadors. About our names.”
“More than one, I think. Gilda knew nothing of this, though it was her that swapped the notes, I’m fairly sure, and her that gave me away in the square. The other is locked up nice and tight in my brig. Shame really, I think Holden took a bit of a fancy to Tallia. Pissed Ilsa off, I know that.”
Josie sat up and gave him an odd look. “You put Tallia in the brig? What for?”
“She makes my trouble bone itch, and she knew Holden’s name before he told her. Plus, she was most uncomplimentary about me.”
“Van, Tallia’s not the traitor—I told her Holden’s name. And, yes, she’s not your biggest admirer, but she wouldn’t turn me in.”
“So—”
“So whoever it is, they’re still out there somewhere, and they told Rillen who we all are.” She stood up and went to the tiny light-well that was all they had to illuminate the cell. Moonlight etched her naked body in hard relief—soft light and sharp shadows. “They want us bad, Van. How in Kyr’s name are we going to get out of this?”
Van Gast had a very bad feeling he knew the only way to get out of this—do whatever Rillen asked. Or at least agree to it, and then try to twist out of it. Yet that would be nigh on impossible once Rillen bonded him. Because he knew, without a shred of doubt, that was going to be his decision if it came to Rillen’s choice.
He watched Josie as she looked up at the tiny slice of moonlight, the way it played over her, making her a thing of shadows, as if she might be blown to mist if he tried to touch her. She’d taken the bond once before, for him, though he’d not known it then. Now it was his turn. He wouldn’t shirk, not from this. Not when Josie was at stake.
“There could be a way,” he said. Not that it had a hope of working, but anything to stop that look on her face, the pinch of fear around her eyes at the thought of the bond. “But it’s a pretty stupid plan. Might not even work. Probably won’t.”
That was better—the lopsided grin spread across her face, sending a shiver up his spine.
“Stupid but thrilling, I’m guessing?”
His own grin was just as wide, the familiar surge of joy and dread running his bones. “You expected anything else? You, er, might want to get some clothes on first though.”
“Now there’s a sentence I never thought I’d hear you say. All right, Van. Looks like we’re going to blow something up.”
She moved in front of him, and this was the Josie he loved, who could go from heartbreak to laughing in a heartbeat, who showed the world her bright cutting words and her brighter sword and screw anyone