So I Married a Sorcerer (The Embraced #2)(30)

“Here you go.” Nevis set the new tray next to the old one that was now stacked with empty dishes. “Damn, Brody. Are you sure you’re actually human and not a pig?”

With a pig-like snort, Brody pulled at the waist of Nevis’s breeches to show how loose they were. “I’m not the one carrying extra pounds.”

“This is muscle.” Nevis tapped his extra-wide stomach.

“Right.” Brody grabbed a loaf of bread off the new tray, tore it in half, and handed a piece to Nevis. “I have news.” While he slathered butter on his bread, he explained how one of Queen Luciana’s sisters had been kidnapped.

“Damn.” Nevis dropped his piece of bread on the tray. “I had no idea Brigitta was a Tourinian princess.”

“Neither did I.” Brody ate his half of the bread.

“And that bastard Rupert took her,” Nevis grumbled. “I’ve been trying to capture him for months.”

“He’ll be hard to catch. The local people will protect him. They consider him a hero.”

“What? Why?”

Brody downed his cup of wine, then described what had happened with the three pirate ships.

Nevis stiffened. “So two of the ships were run aground? Where?”

“About five miles north of here. The men were scrambling to get ashore.”

“Now you tell me?” Nevis shoved the flap of his tent open and yelled at his men to ready their horses. “We ride now!” He dashed about the tent, grabbing his weapons. “Dammit. You should have told me that right away!”

Brody shrugged as he helped himself to Nevis’s discarded piece of bread. “I think you should send a message to Leo that Brigitta and Sister Fallyn are safe. I’ll go back to the ship to keep an eye on them.”

“Write the message yourself,” Nevis growled as he buckled on his sword belt. “If all goes well, I can deliver it to Ebton along with some pirates.” He ran outside, and soon Brody could hear the sound of his troop charging away on horseback.

Brody refilled his cup with wine, then removed the first tray from the desk so he would have room to write. After a brief description of all that had happened, he added a few lines about Rupert.

I believe he will keep the ladies safe. In fact, he seems intent on keeping all the Eberoni people safe. The only one he steals from is the Tourinian king, whom he hates. I don’t know why yet.

I will continue to watch over the women and keep you informed.

Brody signed the letter, then smiled at the food on the second tray. It would be a shame for any of it to go to waste.

*

Still hidden behind the barrels, Brigitta watched the dinghy from the last surviving ship slowly approach. There were four men on board—two rowers and two sitting stiffly with feathered hats on their heads. They must be the captain and an officer, coming to surrender their ship.

She glanced up at Rupert, who was standing perfectly still in the crow’s nest. Apparently, he wasn’t going to use his power to move closer to the dinghy and make it easier for the surrendering pirates.

Meanwhile, Captain Landers was busy giving orders. Sails were lowered, the anchor dropped. Was Rupert intending to stop here for the night?

As the dinghy drew near, Captain Landers had the crew line up, all well dressed in clean clothes with sword belts strapped on. A display of power and wealth, Brigitta assumed. She also figured Rupert would be coming down from the crow’s nest to meet the newcomers, so she had better move belowdecks before he or the captain spotted her.

“Let’s go,” she whispered to Jeffrey, and they scurried back along the wall, then slipped through the door.

Sister Fallyn was sitting on the bottom step and jumped up when they descended a few stairs. “Finally! I was so worried. These pirates are having a bad influence on you, lass. Ye’re doing things that are far too dangerous.”

“No one saw us.” Brigitta assured her, then described everything that had happened.

“So the even-more-evil pirates are coming onboard?” Sister Fallyn motioned toward Jeffrey, who lingered at the top of the stairs. “Quickly, child, close that door!”

Jeffrey peered outside. “They’ve arrived.”

“Wait.” Brigitta stopped him from shutting the door all the way. “I want to hear them.”

Sister Fallyn scoffed. “We mustn’t let them see us. They would ravish us for sure!”

“I’ll be careful.” Brigitta eased close to the crack in the door and heard Captain Landers introducing himself and Admiral Rupert in the Tourinian language.

“I am Captain Wermer,” a gruff voice replied, then mumbled something Brigitta couldn’t catch. She opened the door a bit wider.

“Don’t ye dare go out there,” Sister Fallyn whispered. “’Tis too dangerous.”

“I know.” Brigitta hunched down on the first step next to Jeffrey.

“And this is my first officer,” Captain Wermer said. “Commander Stahl.”

Sister Fallyn gasped.

“What’s wrong?” Brigitta asked, but the nun hushed her and leaned over Jeffrey to listen.

“An honor to meet you, Admiral, Captain,” the commander said.

Sister Fallyn gasped again, a hand pressed to her chest. “Nay. It cannot be.”

“What?” Brigitta whispered.