The Runaway King
Page 31

I caught Imogen’s eye, but only for a moment before she looked away. Had she volunteered to bring us the food so that I would know she was here, or had she come reluctantly, and only on orders?
“The pirates rarely get visitors,” she said. “So we were all surprised when you rode in.”
Fink pointed to me. “He has something for them.”
“Ah. And what could a ragged boy like him have that’s worth offering Avenian pirates?”
Fink looked at me, unsure of whether he should answer her. I was too consumed with questions about Imogen to care if he did or not. She had been in my court only five days ago. To be here now, she must have come directly to Tarblade, and yet I couldn’t believe she had any prior connection to the pirates. There were very few people in this world whom I trusted completely. Imogen was one of them.
She smiled at Fink. “Is your friend a mute, or is he just pretending that he can’t speak? What’s his name?”
“Oh, he can speak plenty, though most of it’s not very nice. His name is Sage.”
Imogen’s cheery expression deflated when she looked at me. “Really? Something so familiar?” A frown formed as she dropped the pretense of being a stranger to me. “That can’t be your name.”
Fink looked from Imogen over to me, and back to her again. Clearly confused, he asked, “Do you know each other?”
Recovering, Imogen shook her head, dismissing our friendship as coldly as I had rejected her back at the castle. “I once knew someone who looks like him. But no, I don’t know this boy at all.”
“I demand to know what’s happening,” I finally said, sounding as angry and confused as I felt.
“Your friend has a harsh tone to his voice,” Imogen said to Fink. “Does he always talk that way?”
“Yes,” he said. “I warned you.”
“Then tell him he’s in no position to demand anything from me,” she said.
Fink looked over as if to tell me that, then saw my hands already in fists and wisely decided against it. Obviously, she was still upset for how I’d sent her away. But if this was her idea of revenge, it made no sense. Why was she here?
Fink said, “I didn’t think they let girls become pirates.”
“I’m only hired help,” Imogen said. “We work in the kitchen mostly and serve the food.” Then she looked back at me. “But I hope my time here is very short.”
It would be. I’d make sure of that.
“Can you explain why your friend keeps staring at me?” she asked Fink. “Does he know how rude that is? How obvious it is?”
Fink giggled. “Maybe he likes you.”
“Maybe I think this is no place for you,” I said.
“As if a boy like you would ever care about me.” She dipped a ladle into a bucket of water and held it out for Fink, who eagerly drank. Then she put the ladle back in the bucket and moved to leave.
“None for me?” I asked.
She frowned. “Not until I can see some humility in you. From now on, you’ll speak politely to me, like a true friend, or not speak at all.” And as our vigil returned to his post, she whisked herself upstairs.
There was a brief silence before Fink said, “Wow, she really hates you.”
I ignored him and instead used a small stool in the room to prop myself up high enough to see out the window again.
“What do you see?” Fink asked.
“Stop talking and let me think!”
“This is why people don’t like you,” Fink said. “You’re lucky I’m more patient.”
There she was, crossing away from the prison. She paused as if she could feel me watching her, then stopped and turned around. She marched to the bars and held the water bucket by the handle and base, then without warning splashed it all in my face.
“Stop staring at me, filthy thief,” she said.
I fell backward off the stool, with the top half of my body soaked. Both Fink and the vigil launched into fits of laughter.
“Never seen the flower girl so upset,” the vigil said.
I wiped my hair off my face. “Flower girl?”
“She’s only been here a day or two, but so far she has spent every free moment collecting flowers in the woods and replanting them around the camp. Says they beautify the place, but I think just having her here does that. Don’t you?”
Rather than answer, I considered reaching through the bars to choke him. She was nearly half his age.
“Devlin wouldn’t let her plant them at first, but then he decided why not?”
I knew why not. Because she had no business being here.
“That’s the most I’ve heard her say yet,” the vigil continued. “Something about you really offends her.”
“Yep, she definitely hates you,” Fink agreed.
I shook my head to get rid of the dripping water, but a small flash of metal nearby caught my attention. Imogen hadn’t only thrown water at me. She had hidden something in the bucket, a hairpin. I palmed it and let it fall into my boot. It probably wouldn’t be too much longer before the pirates released me, but if they didn’t, Imogen had given me a way through the locked doors.
Maybe she didn’t hate me so much after all.
We remained in the cell for several hours. I was going mad in the confined space and began pacing in circles like a caged animal. What could be taking so long?
At least I had a confirmation that Imogen was on my side. I wasn’t sure how she knew I’d be coming here, but I was furious she had inserted herself into my plans. Her presence here made everything more complicated.
“Calm down,” Fink said through a wide yawn. “Erick will take care of us.”
“I never trust anyone to take care of me,” I muttered.
“Well, you should. That’s why you came to us in the first place, right? You couldn’t do this alone.”
“Sit down,” the vigil said. “You’re making me nervous.”
I was in no mood to take orders from someone like him. “Why don’t you go find Agor and tell him I’m no good to the pirates locked up down here?”
“Tell me that yourself,” Agor said, walking down the stairs.
I stared at him a moment. “It’d only be repetitive now.”
“Erick and I had a long talk about you. He says you’re a thief.”
“I’m a lot of things.”
His eyes passed over me. “Can you fight? It was a fine sword you had.”
“It’s an excellent sword,” I agreed. “And I’m a very good thief.”
“Ah.” Agor took the keys from the vigil and unlocked my cell door. He shook his head for Fink to remain where he was but held the door open for me to leave.
“Walk with me,” Agor said.
I fell in beside him once we stepped outside. The sleepy morning had blossomed into a bustle of activity. It was hard to know how many pirates lived here, but Gregor had been right in one thing: If the pirates and Avenian armies combined, my Carthyan soldiers wouldn’t stand a chance.
As we walked, Agor pointed out the various areas of Tarblade Bay. Everything was exactly as Erick had described it, with the meeting area farther up the hill, living area surrounding me, and sleeping areas on the beach below me. So other than a few details, I already knew the layout.