Dark cropped hair. Black Titan wear.
Roldan.
My palms itched as I watched him skip the ramp and hop over the edge of the ship onto the docks, walking toward a few Untouchables. Roldan followed in the direction of mainland, and I knew he was heading to the palace.
The ship just sat there. Taunting me with its waving sail and its hidden secrets. The two Titans who had walked down the ramp to stand in front of it were only a roadblock. Two large and formidable roadblocks, but I guessed we’d find out how immovable.
I took a step towards them.
“Be careful, missus. Even worse sort over there. Would stab you in the back. Can’t win against ‘um, even face to face.”
I turned to glance at him.
He faltered with the pipe to his lips.
It was my eyes—always was. Sometimes I could make them appear young and innocent, other times I didn’t care, and let the dark deepen.
“There’s a way to beat them, you know,” I said softly.
He raised a brow, taking a drag on his pipe and letting the smoke out in a contemplative puff. “What’s the secret, then?”
I smiled, glancing at the dark ocean water.
“You die.”
My footsteps were hollow against the wood.
Nostalgia, the slimy feeling that leaves you with a heavy heart and a sense of loss rushed over me for whatever reason as I saw the determined and strong gazes of the Titans who stood in front of the ship, looking more like statues than humans.
I forced more cheer into my voice than necessary. “Gentlemen? Do you know what time it is? My mother is always saying I need to bring one of those new pocket clocks around, but—”
“No,” one of them barked. He was taller than the other, his face a li
ttle sharper. He wore the same thing I’d always seen Roldan wearing: a fitted sleeveless jerkin, loose pants, and boots. All black. And just like Roldan, neither had a red ring incorporated in their brand, only a couple of thin black lines circled their forearms.
The church bell rang, alerting me of the hour and I smiled. “Oh, nevermind!” And then I tripped, spilling my coin purse all over the dock, the rattle of coins spreading across the wooden planks.
“Oops,” I said, glancing up apologetically to see both Titans with a look of distaste marring their features. “I’ll, ugh, just pick these up . . .”
“Leave them and go,” the taller one snapped.
“But—”
“Go.”
I got to my feet. “Now, listen here. I’m not some crying maid you can scare off. These coins are mine, and I’ll stay to pick them up!”
An outstanding performance, if it wouldn’t be a little presumptuous to admit.
They both stared at me blankly, like they couldn’t believe my insolence. But then the one doing all the speaking walked slowly toward me. A thrill of anticipation rolled through me, and I met him with unwavering eyes. He reached me, standing so close I was forced to take a step back. “You have three seconds to disappear before I decide this ship needs a woman to liven it up.”
“Does it usually work to threaten your adversaries with a good time?”
I could have choked out a laugh at his dumbfounded expression.
“She’s mad,” he spit out to the Titan standing behind him who only grunted in reply.
“Hopefully you have no reservations against bedding a crazed woman,” I said.