Defend the Dawn (Defy the Night #2)(87)

I learn more about the crew during the game than I have in three days on the ship. I see who can fight and who can trick and who is quick to yield.

Across the deck, I watch Rian’s keen eyes determining the same exact thing when the dagger points to my guards.

A bottle of liquor has been passed around during the game, and when it reaches Tessa, I see her hesitate. There’s a bit of a lull in the conversation, so I can hear Rian when he says, “It’s very sweet. But there’s a bite.”

Her eyes flick up and find mine across the deck.

She holds my gaze, turns up the bottle, and takes a long drink.

I know she means for it to be a dismissive gesture, but I find myself watching the movement of the bottle, the way her throat moves when she swallows, the way the wind tugs tendrils of hair free. The way a few drops cling to her lips.

Her eyes haven’t left mine, and her eyes are full of fire. She mouths three words.

Mind your mettle.

I smile in spite of myself. Mind yours.

Then she turns and hands the bottle to Rian, and it’s like she dumped an entire bucket of icy water over my head.

But then I hear a gasp from some of the crew, and I look up.

The dagger has stopped on me.

I’ve lost track of the game, so I have no idea who spun until Gwyn says, “I have half a mind to ask you for an hour of babysitting, Your Highness.”

A bit of laughter erupts among the crew. It’s funny, and I should laugh, too, but my thoughts are still tangled up in Tessa and Rian and the fact that I’m trapped on this boat.

“Go ahead,” I say, and Anya beams with glee.

I like the lieutenant, and I don’t want to upset her daughter, so I frown as if trying to think of a difficult challenge, then say, “Whoever can spell their name fastest wins.”

When Gwyn wins, I sigh and tap Anya on the nose. “I suppose I’ll be stuck with you for an entire hour.”

“Tomorrow?” she says hopefully. “Will you teach me a game from Kandala?”

“Sure,” I say, and I absently spin the blade. Someone passes the liquor my way, and I take a long drink without even thinking about it.

But when I lower the bottle, I find Tessa looking at me.

I feel too warm, and it’s too quick for it to be the liquor. The bottle is still in my hand, but I watch that weapon spin and spin, until my heart seems to beat in time with the rotations.

Suddenly, I realize it’s going to stop on her. As the blade slows, I can see it coming, and my breath nearly catches.

There are so very many things I want to ask for.

A night. An hour. A minute.

Forgiveness.

Tessa isn’t watching the blade. She’s watching me.

The blade stops, but I don’t look down. She doesn’t either.

Someone in the circle whistles, and then another. A bunch of shouts go up. I swallow and pass the bottle to the next person.

But then I realize what they’re saying.

“He’ll ask for the ship!”

“Nah, he’ll ask for his girl back.”

“Make him walk the rail, Captain!”

What? I frown and snap my gaze down.

The blade didn’t stop on Tessa. It stopped on Captain Blakemore.

I’m frozen in place. My thoughts weren’t ready to realign so quickly. Across the deck, the captain has gone absolutely still, too. The jeering from the crowd has become a dull roar in my ears.

“Go ahead,” Rian says, and the crew quiets. He hates this, I can tell. “Tell me what you want.”

There’s been only one thing he’s refused me since the moment I got on this ship. “You know what I want.”

“Then ask for it, and we’ll fight for it.”

A dark cloud winds through my thoughts, cool and familiar. “You want to fight me?” I say darkly.

“You haven’t asked for anything yet,” he says.

“Fine,” I say. “I want to see the inside of that locked room.”

“Fine.” Rian stands and begins unbuttoning his jacket.

All right, then. Adrenaline burns through my veins. I uncurl from the deck and unbutton my own.

Rocco had been by the railing, but, seeing this, he’s at my side in an instant. “Your Highness.”

I shove the jacket at him. “Hold this.”

“I must advise that you—”

“Stand down,” I say.

Tessa looks between the two of us. “Corrick,” she says in a rush. “Rian—stop. You don’t know— He can fight—”

“So can I,” we say at the same time, and we both scowl at each other.

I have no idea which one of us she was truly warning.

Then Lochlan says, “The prince broke my wrist with his bare hands,” and a little murmur goes through the crowd.

Rian looks at me steadily. “I’m hardly surprised.”

Despite my order, both Rocco and Kilbourne have moved closer. Any levity is gone from the air now. The whole crew has gone silent.

“If you wanted to fight for it,” I say, “we could have settled this yesterday.”

“That’s not my challenge.” Rian nods at the main mast, then walks to where the ropes and rigging are connected to the crossbeams. “I’ll race you to the top. Go.”