The Princess's Revenge Chapter 153

Valencia’s POV

The woman poured three mugs and slid them across the bar. "What kind of information?"

"We're looking for Captain Garrett."

The woman's expression didn't change. "What do you want with Garrett?"

"We need passage on his ship."

She laughed. "His ship's not going anywhere. Been docked for two weeks now. Elton's got it locked down tight."

"We'd still like to talk to him," Logan said. He placed a gold coin on the bar. More than the ale cost.

The woman looked at the coin, then at Logan. "He's usually here around noon. Drinks away his troubles every day."

"We'll wait," Logan said.

The woman pocketed the coin and moved away.

We took our ales to a table in the corner. From here, we could watch the door and the rest of the tavern.

The morning dragged on slowly. A few more customers came and went. Nobody paid us much attention.

Finally, around noon, the door opened and an old man entered.

He was thin and weathered, with skin like old leather from years at sea. His gray beard was unkempt. His clothes were shabby. But his eyes were sharp as he surveyed the tavern.

The woman behind the bar called out, "Your usual spot is open, Garrett."

The old man grunted and walked to a table near the window. He sat down heavily.

Logan stood. "Stay here," he said to Kai and me. "Let me talk to him first."

I watched as Logan approached Garrett's table. He said something I couldn't hear. Garrett looked up at him suspiciously.

They talked for several minutes. I saw Logan gesture toward us. Garrett's gaze swept over Kai and me, assessing.

Finally, Logan returned to our table. "He'll talk to us. But not here. Too many eyes. He says to meet him at his ship in an hour."

"Do you trust him?" I asked.

"Not completely. But we don't have many options."

An hour later, we stood on the docks in front of a mid-sized sailing vessel. The name "Sea Wolf" was painted on the hull.

Garrett appeared from behind a stack of crates. "Follow me."

He led us onto the ship. We descended below deck into a small cabin that smelled of salt and wood.

Garrett closed the cabin door behind us. The space was cramped, with a small table bolted to the floor and a few wooden chairs.

"Sit," Garrett said gruffly.

We sat. Garrett remained standing, his arms crossed over his chest.

"So," he said. "You want passage on my ship. Where are you trying to go?"

Logan leaned forward. "Before we discuss destination, let's talk about your situation. We heard your ship has been seized as collateral for debts you owe Alpha Elton."

Garrett's jaw tightened. "What of it?"

"How much do you owe?" Logan asked.

"Fifty silver pieces. Might as well be five hundred for all the chance I have of paying it."

Logan reached into his coat and pulled out a leather pouch. He set it on the table with a heavy thunk. "Ten gold pieces. Enough to pay your debt and have some left over for supplies."

Garrett stared at the pouch. His eyes widened slightly. "That's a lot of gold. What do you want in return?"

"Passage for the three of us. There and back. No questions asked."

Garrett picked up the pouch and opened it. He examined the coins inside, then looked back at Logan with narrowed eyes.

"Where are you going that's worth ten golds?"

I took a breath. "Ravencrest Island."

The effect was immediate and violent.

Garrett's face went white, then red with rage. He slammed the pouch down on the table.

"Get out!" he roared. "Get off my ship! Now!"

I stood up quickly. "Wait, let me explainâ€""

"I said get out!" Garrett moved toward us, his hand going to the knife at his belt. "Ravencrest Island! Do you have any idea what you're asking?"

Kai's hand went to his sword. His eyes went cold and dangerous.

"Kai, no," I said sharply.

"He's threatening you," Kai said. His voice was flat but his body was tense, ready to fight.

"I don't care. We're leaving."

Logan stood and put his hand on Kai's shoulder. "Come on. We're going."

Garrett followed us as we climbed back onto the deck. His face was still flushed with anger.

"Don't come back here," he said. "And don't ever mention that cursed place to me again!"

We walked off the ship. Kai was rigid with fury beside me.

"He threatened you," Kai said again once we were away from the Sea Wolf. "I should have cut him down."

"That wouldn't have helped anything," I said. "We need information, not more enemies."

"He was disrespectful," Kai insisted.

"He was scared," Logan said. "Did you see his face when Valencia mentioned Ravencrest Island? That wasn't just anger. That was fear."

I nodded slowly. "You're right. Something about that island terrifies him."

"We need to find out what," Logan said. "Let's go back to the tavern. We'll stay a few more days and watch Garrett. Learn what we can."

We returned to The Anchor. The gray-haired woman behind the bar looked up as we entered.

"That was quick," she said. "Didn't work out with Garrett?"

"Not exactly," Logan said. "We'll need our rooms for a few more nights."

"Suit yourself." She took Logan's payment. "But if you're waiting for Garrett to change his mind, you'll be waiting a long time. That man is stubborn as a mule."

Over the next two days, we watched Garrett. He came to the tavern every day around noon, drank until evening, then stumbled back to his ship. He didn't talk to anyone. Didn't seem to have any friends.

On the third night, I couldn't sleep. My mind kept going back to Garrett's reaction. What had happened at Ravencrest Island? Why was he so afraid?

I got out of bed carefully, trying not to wake Logan. I walked to the window and looked out at the dark street below.

Then I heard it. The sound of steel clashing. Fighting.

I pressed my face closer to the window. On the rooftop across the street, I could see dark figures moving. One person running. Several others chasing.

My instincts sharpened. Something was wrong about this.

The running figure leaped from one rooftop to another. For a moment, they were silhouetted against the moonlight.

My breath caught.

I recognized that build. That way of moving.

"Logan," I said urgently. "Wake up."

He was awake instantly. "What is it?"

"There's a fight on the rooftops. I think it's Amara."