a concern to me than Kearan. I’ll have someone keep an eye on him, but that can be sorted out later.
Mandsy leans over the cushioned table in the room, where Riden lies on his back, asleep. His breeches have been sheared at the thighs to allow easy access to the pistol wounds. The room smells of ointments and blood.
“How is he?” I ask.
“Things are looking really good, Captain. The ball has already been removed from his thigh. The shot at his calf went clean through. I bandaged him up as best I could, including the lighter cuts and stabs on his arms.”
Something inside me relaxes, and breathing comes more easily. “Good. Has he been conscious at all?”
“Yes. He woke up once and looked at me funny.”
“Did he say anything?”
“He said, ‘You don’t have red hair.’ Then he fell back asleep.” She smiles knowingly. “He was awfully disappointed I wasn’t you, Captain.”
“Nonsense. There are plenty of redheaded women.”
“If you say so.”
“Alosa?” The voice is faint and unsteady.
“Riden.” I step up to the head of the table so I’m in his line of vision.
“I’ll just leave you two for a moment,” Mandsy says.
“Yes, thank you, Mands.”
She closes the door behind her.
His face is pale, but his chest still rises and falls, filling with air then releasing it. I never truly appreciated that motion until now. His arms and legs are covered in bandages. There’s barely more skin than white strips of cloth.
“How do you feel?” I ask.
“Like I got shot. Twice.”
“If you weren’t so injured already, I’d beat you for what you did back there.”
“Freeing us?”
I shake my head. “No, you idiot. Getting yourself shot! Twice!”
“Pain goes away eventually,” he says. “Death is permanent.”
“You’re awfully lucid for a man who was shot.”
He smiles before his face turns to seriousness. “I’m sorry for what those men did to you. I can’t possibly know how awful it was for you, but I imagine it was horrific.”
I look at him incredulously.
“What?”
“Do you see me?” I ask.
“Yes. What—”
“I’m standing. I have no injuries. No gunshot wounds, and you think I had a horrific time? I’m fine.” Although I’m furious that Theris—the real Vordan—is still alive.
“How is my brother?” Riden asks.
“He’s in my brig.”
“Alive?”
“Yes, alive! You think I want a corpse stinking up the place?”
“Thank you, Alosa.”
I wave him off like it’s nothing. “I trust you find your own accommodations satisfying?” I ask when the silence becomes too long.
“I’m on a table.”
“Yes, but it’s the only thing in the room aside from Mandsy’s case of healing supplies. Not a mess in sight. There’s nothing for you to obsess over.”
He laughs. When he’s done, he asks, “What happens now?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. My father and I have some planning to do. The men from your crew who are still alive, I’ll drop off at some port. I can’t let Draxen go free. He clearly won’t let his defeat go, so he’ll remain my prisoner for now. But no harm will come to him or you if I can help it.”
He locks eyes with me. His expression is so grateful, so relieved—you’d think I’d made him king of his own island.
“You saved my life, Riden. I’m simply returning the favor.”
“Is that really all it is?”
“Yes.”
He takes a deep breath. “When we were on that island, I learned so much about you. I accused you before of enchanting me, of toying with my mind. I know now what it really feels like to be under your control. I realized you were being honest with me before, and that what I think—what I feel—has nothing to do with your abilities, but everything to do with you.”
“Riden,” I say, stopping him.
“Yes?”
“You’ve lost a lot of blood, and I’m pretty sure you were dead for a time. Maybe you should take some time to reclaim your strength—and your head—before you say or do anything mad.”
“Like get shot twice?” he asks, relieving the tension in the room.
I laugh. “Yes, like that.”
“Fine, but since I know so much about what you’re capable of, would it hurt if I asked you a question?”
“You may ask.” Doesn’t mean I’ll answer.
“What’s so special about your birth? How did you come to possess the powers of sirens without fully becoming one? You said you’d tell me in exchange for the map. Though I didn’t offer it to you freely, you have it now, and I’d still like to know.”
Riden does know so much about me. He witnessed firsthand all the horrible things I could do to him if I