Unhooked(48)

“Do you?” he growls. “You knew, then, that the boy was dying, aye? That he’d been sliced clean through the gut. That when the infection hit—as it would have—his would not have been an easy death?” His mouth goes tight, and the expression on his face is like flint, his features so sharp and hard, ready for the strike that will make a spark. “And I suppose you knew as well that, had I not accepted what the Dark One offered, the boy’s death would have been for nothing?”

“You expect me to believe that excuse?” I ask, searching his face for something to give away the lie in his words.

“I don’t rightly care what you believe, lass.” He releases me then and backs away, putting enough space between us that I can almost breathe again. “I know the truth,” he says darkly.

“And what is the truth?” I challenge, but he doesn’t answer. “Why would the Dark Ones offer you anything? Unless . . .”

My mouth falls open. How stupid I’ve been not to see what was staring me right in the face this whole time. “No . . .”

His eyes narrow at me. “Unless what, lass?”

“Unless you’re with them,” I whisper. “Or unless the Dark Ones are with you.”

Though his brows rise slightly, as if he’s surprised by my words, his expression doesn’t otherwise change.

“Unless you’re the one who sent them to London in the first place.” I think of the blonde on his ship, the one who was also in London, and the air in the room feels thin, dangerous. “Is that why you’ve come back for me now?”

“You think I’m the reason you landed in this world?” the Captain asks, all humor gone from his voice.

“I ended up on your ship. I saw you working with those monsters,” I say, putting the pieces together. “And I saw Fiona in London, before I saw her on your ship.”

“You think I brought you here?” The Captain doesn’t give me time to respond. He’s already answering, his voice growing louder with each point he makes. “You’re not exactly what I look for in my crew,” he says, narrowing his eyes at me. “You’re pretty enough, to be sure, but not exactly handy in battle, aye? Every time I turn around, you’re needing rescuing, and here I am again, risking myself and mine to save your ungrateful behind only to have you throw this accusation at my feet.”

Olivia, who has been watching the entire exchange, whimpers behind me, and I understand why. With his white-hot scar and wicked dagger, the Captain can cut a terrifying figure when he wants to. And right now, he definitely wants to.

But I won’t be intimidated. “No one ever asked you to save me,” I say as I take a step toward him. I glare up at him, my temper spiking.

His mouth is so near that if I just lifted a bit onto my toes—

“No. No one bloody well did,” he says, stepping away suddenly. He runs his hand through his hair again, disheveling it even more.

I’ve never seen the Captain so rumpled, so undone. It makes him seem that much more human—and that much more dangerous.

He turns back to me, his expression grim, mocking. “I suppose you believe your new protector will be taking over the task of saving you now.”

“I don’t need him to save me,” I snap.

“Well, that’s a relief, since I doubt he’ll be doing anything of the sort.” The Captain pins me with his eyes. “You see, lass, if you want to know who it is that commanded the Dark Ones to bring you to this world, you’d do better to look to Pan than to me.”

“Pan?” I ask, thinking of what he’s told me about his mother, the Queen. “He has more reason than anyone to hate the Dark Ones.”

“Does he?” The Captain smiles, but it’s not a pleasant expression. More a baring of his teeth than anything else. “All lies, Gwendolyn, tied up in a package of pretty words. I did warn you of that.”

“And I’m just supposed to believe you?” I charge, feeling suddenly unsettled and less sure of anything than I was just moments ago.

“I’ve never lied to you about who or what I am, lass.”

I huff out a hollow laugh. “You left out enough.”

“I’ve never promised to ply you with pretty words.” His grim mouth tightens. “But it’s not a lie when I tell you Pan brought you here because he intends to use you. And it’s not a lie when I tell you he’ll not allow either you or your friend to return to the world you came from. Especially not you, Gwendolyn.”

“Why not?” I ask, suddenly unsettled by how quiet his words have become. How his eyes are clouded with something that seems like regret.

His expression goes tight. “There’s more to all of this than I’ve time to be explaining to you right now. Come with me, and I’ll tell you all.” He doesn’t demand this time. He simply holds out his hand again, an offering. “It’s past time for us to be going.”

The battle is still raging below, and the sounds that carry up to me remind me of the look on Owen’s face when Pan’s dagger found its mark, and the amusement on Pan’s face when the boy’s body dropped to the floor.

But I’ve seen what the Captain can do as well. I’ve seen him kill just as ruthlessly. And I’ve seen him take an innocent life. Neither of the two is safe. Neither is innocent.