21. Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-One
Konrad
A s I speculated, dawn is just beginning to gleam as our raft approaches Trotzdem . Already, I see the confused stances of early morning fishermen taking in our craft. I nod toward them, playing it casual while I alternate rowing and trying to clean the last of the dried blood from my skin.
What I did to those pirates will haunt me even if I didn’t take a single life— at least not directly. Will any die of their injuries?
Grabbing the oars again, I try to lose myself in manual labor. I did it to protect Valda and likely Eloise.
Yet, none of us would have been in that situation if I hadn’t parted with precious coin and hired them to help me abduct someone. I can say it is for honorable vengeance all I like, but it goes directly against the Creator’s creed given to the Elder.
How far will I continue to fall out of His favor?
I force my eyes open, because no matter how much I want to lose myself to horror, I cannot afford to. I need to direct the raft and ensure our surroundings remain safe. My passengers depend on me .
Eloise stirs but doesn’t awaken. Sir Pigeon circles us like a vulture for some reason. And Lady Valda . . .
Hands grasp my shoulders, gripping tightly as if to drive out the tension residing there. “Good morning.”
I try not to shiver from the way Valda’s cool breath dances across my skin— worse, the way her low tone with those words makes my body warm despite her icy touch. Unfortunately, I do not think I am successful, because Valda’s sultry laugh rings out behind me. Why must every single thing about this woman be desirable?
“Good morning,” I greet cooly. I mentally applaud myself for keeping my voice at the very least. It helps I can focus on my itching neck to distract me from her beauty. “Did you sleep well?”
Valda’s fingers slide from my shoulders and trail down my arms, still braced for rowing. “Better than I ought. You should’ve woken me to take a turn at the oars.”
I snort. “What kind of host would I be to make the damsel I abducted do hard manual labor?”
“Obviously not a well-rested one.” Valda’s gloved hands grasp mine where they still clutch the oars, though I am not moving them at this moment.
I’ll never move them again if Valda wishes to stay in this position forever.
She leans closer so that I feel her breath on my neck. “If you want to rest awhile, I’ll keep watch.”
“And escape?” I turn to face her and accidentally brush her cold no with my lips. As clammy as her skin is, the touch heats my entire body. It nearly banishes the sensations the nightmarish memory left me with.
“After all we’ve been through, you don’t trust me?” She pretends to pout .
“Why don’t we just finish this? Then we never have to suffer each other’s company again.”
Valda’s grip tightens possessively, her fingers digging into my sore muscles in a way that somehow relieves the stress there. “What if I don’t want to be free of your company forevermore?”
I crane my head again, this time being careful not to accidentally kiss her hand. It is the wrong move, though, because her gaze is liquid night and I want nothing more in this moment than to be lost in that darkness forever. “What are you trying to say, Valda?”
One of her hands creeps up to the side of my face and slowly caresses it, playing with my stubble. “Kiss me, Konrad.”
Her words almost lure me the rest of the way, but then they shock me away.
Stiffening, I pull back so that I smell a little less of her never-fading floral scent. “Lady Valda!” My tone sounds so disapproving, like I’m her father. “You cannot go around kissing the men who’ve kidnapped you. It simply isn’t done!”
“But you’re so much more than the man who kidnapped me.” Valda leans forward, resting her temple where my shoulder blades meet. “You were also my hero with those pirates.”
I snort and pull free of her before turning to face her. “I am also the one who put you in that dangerous position to begin with. You need to raise your standards.”
Valda lifts her face, and I’m lost again in the endless night of her eyes. “You took such good care of me on the island . . .”
“Because you’re a valuable asset. And once I return you to your father, my investment will pay off.”
She leans closer so that I have to keep leaning backward to avoid her touching me. If we’re not careful, I’m going to fall into the ocean— or worse, onto Eloise. That would be hard to explain . (“Oh, I’m sorry, pup, but Lady Valda really felt like kissing me again this morning for some strange reason, and I’m trying to be the most gentlemanly captor she’s ever had.”)
Valda stops leaning, but one finger pokes me in the chest. “I can be so much more than an asset, wolfman. And you are more than just my villainous captor. You’re capable, I’m bored, and my father is wealthy. We could come to an agreement. You can be my protector while I explore Constantinium— ensure no one else abducts me.”
I stare at her blankly. “Do you even hear what you’re saying? Because none of it makes sense.”
“Maybe I don’t want to make sense.” Her fingers walk up my chest to grab the collar of my shirt. “Maybe we’ll never make sense together, but I’d like to find out one way or another.”
“One way or another?”
She rolls her eyes dramatically. “Just kiss me. Make it your choice this time. Just this once.”
“This is part of your vengeance, isn’t it?”
“My vengeance is for you to beg me, not vice versa. It looks like you won.”
“Won what?”
“My affections.”
I nearly fall into the ocean. “You surely don’t mean that.”
Valda crosses her arms over her chest. “I certainly wish I didn’t. Now kiss me.”
I glance back at Eloise, still sleeping soundly. Then I turn back to the most perplexing bounty I’ve ever had the misfortune of abducting. “I know you’re used to getting what you want—”
“And making you like it? I know you have the same feelings for me. I can read you like a book.”
Inhaling sharply, I turn back to her.
Valda lowers her face. Then she looks up at me from beneath her long lashes and from under her hood that does nothing to conceal her beauty. “Just kiss me . . . Please? ”
That simple word shatters what little self-control I have left.
Clutching Valda’s chin, I duck my head and claim her lips with mine.
I know I should pull back— or, barring that, at least conceal some of the pent-up emotions I certainly shouldn’t have let myself start to feel.
But this doesn’t seem to be the morning for good decisions, because as she returns my kiss, I cannot make myself pull away.
One hand continues to hold her chin. My other braces the raft as I lean over her. Valda’s own hands are both on my chest, clutching my shirt like she’s the captor in our relationship who can’t let me go.
“Do you think this makes me more tolerable?” Valda murmurs against my jaw.
“ Significantly .” I place my mouth back on hers.
She drifts to kiss my jawline. “And does it make you less chivalrous?”
I nibble at the corner of her mouth. “Terribly so.”
We’re in danger of falling overboard, but at this moment, I don’t care. I don’t care about anything but the sweet taste of Valda, the scents of lavender, violets, and bleeding heart, and her cool but perfect skin—
“ Abi , what are you doing?”
Eloise’s word snaps me out of the spell I’ve fallen into, and I jerk away from Valda.
Unfortunately, we’ve moved a little closer to the edge of the raft than I realized. In my desperation to pull away from Valda, I accidentally push her overboard.
For a moment, I stare at the splashing water where Valda just was.
“ O h— I get it.” Eloise nods sagely. “You were getting revenge for her pushing you overboard.”
“Um . . . yes. ”
Valda doesn’t emerge in the next moment, and I sigh.
Then I dive into the water to fish out a Baroness.