His smirk told me yes. I noted the curve of his broad cheekbones, the hint of a dimple in his right cheek, and the strong edge of his jaw. I looked forward to slashing my dagger across them later. Dark waves curled over his forehead, the skin there kissed by the sun during countless hours above deck. A cognac-colored leather tunic—too expensive for a common pirate—lay open, exposing a sweat-drenched linen shirt clinging to the peaks and valleys of lithe muscle. A large cutlass swayed from a matching bandolier, and a gilded amulet filled with water dangled from his neck, resting just below his collarbone. The liquid sloshed of its own accord like a captive wave. I’d never seen such a talisman. In all, he had a bold, memorable presence, which doubtlessly lent itself to the countless tavern tales.

I dropped my arms to my sides but did not speak.

“I’ve been looking for you for some time. The Freedom is a hard ship to track.”

“Well, you found me.” I waved my hands, gesturing to everyone on the deck. “You found all of us. What do you want of The Freedom? Or did you come all this way to see my hair let down?”

Rylander chuckled while his first mate’s eyes narrowed. From the way he held himself and the deep creases around his mouth, I guessed Smitter at twice Rylander’s age, an experienced adventurer.

“It’s beautiful, lass, but nay, that is not why we boarded your fine ship.”

I ignored them and took stock of my weaponless crew, their injuries, and potential opportunities for an uprising. My throat hitched; I shared the feelings of powerlessness in my crew’s faces. In the blink of an eye, we had been rendered helpless. It had all been a blur. One moment, we’d been loading cannons and shoving back their boarding planks, and the next, we were disarmed and captured. Although none of the wounds appeared fatal, the blow to our pride was a harsh one. I needed to stall, prepare a move.

The smell of gunpowder lingered in the air, tickling the back of my throat. I covered my mouth with a fist and coughed. “Well, if you wanted a tour of The Freedom, all you had to do was ask nicely.”

“I may take you up on that later, but it’s not why we boarded.” He motioned to Smitter. “Fetch Captain Lou some water.”

I waved him off. “I’m shipshape. I’d rather get on with your mysterious business here.”

Rylander nodded. “We will have plenty of time for pleasantries later, certainly. Let me get straight to the point then. I’ve come to make a deal with you on behalf of King Delphi.”

My jaw popped open.