I cringed at the sudden memory of my thorny agreement with King Delphi—Apollo. At the time, I’d been blind to many truths. I’d never hold Rylander to such an obligation. But might he wish to stay with us anyway? Now that things between us were different?

I opened my mouth to ask, even to express my desire for a “yes” in answer, only to have another sentiment spill out. “You’ve paid your service to my crew and myself tenfold.”

Rylander attempted to speak, but I held my finger up. “And even if you hadn’t killed the Siren Queen and rid the sea of their bloodlust, you showed an act of mercy by ending my father’s suffering. For that I am forever grateful. Your debt no longer exists.” I reached up and cupped his face. My voice softened. “You should go back to your ship with your men. It’s the right thing to do.”

Rylander’s lips fell into a deep frown that nearly tore my heart apart. It took sheer force of will and a painful bite to my tongue to turn away from him. But I did. Because letting him go was the most selfless act of my thieving life, and knowing I was capable of such love was treasure enough.

Chapter thirty-five

Rylander

I ran my hand along the etched banister of The Sea Singer. My fingers traced the damage from a siren trying to claw her way out of the spiked nets. I remembered the day. I’d ordered the crew to stand back to avoid her poisonous talons. What finally secured her was a punch square in her jaw, giving me a moment to subdue her with my powers.

Now that Yemma had been crowned, no more siren attacks would mar my ship. Each piece of wood had a story, a purpose, a plan, all forged in the effort to end the War of the Sea. The crew, the ship, and I had no idea what journey to embark on next. The unknown stretched before us. Once we reported to Cava and King Delphi handed out the rewards, what would come of us? Would my men return to the royal navy? Would we become the pirates we’d always pretended to be? Would we abort sea life and return to land? For once, my future looked like blank parchment, unwritten.

Lou plagued my mind, as if she had been a dream. The way she’d dismissed me on the shores seemed so uncharacteristic. No bickering or biting remarks. She’d offered nothing but an olive branch, freeing a man who had sworn his fealty with claims it had already been paid.

She let me go.

A hand clasped my shoulder. “We all thought you’d stay with The Freedom,” Bernard said, caution lowering his low voice. “Hell, most of us wanted you to bring us with you. It’ll be different without the likes of them women.”