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“I’ve never met her, however, if the boy was her creation, she’s connected to your pirate somehow, whether through shared interests or innate talent.” Erick smiles as he speaks. “It was a pleasure to visit with you again, love. I do hope you’ll have a brilliant evening.” His words are a dismissal as he toasts the empty air in front of him with his glass. “Please tell Amelia I miss her company and expect a visit soon.”
I stand. “Thank you, Erick Chapman.” I don’t know what I’m thanking him for. All he did was confirm everyone’s suspicions and raise a few more questions.
“My pleasure, Elsbeth Abernathy.”
I leave the bar, not sure what the hell just happened. Erick oozes of charm, but I feel like I was just put in my place without a finger lifted or his tone raised.
I’m back on the busy street in minutes, mixing with the unsuspecting humans. I feel the twinge of familiar energy not far from the bar.“Alex?”I ask through my mind.“Are you following me?”I’m met with silence. I continue moving when the sensation hits me again.“Alex, I feel you.”I stop, searching for his energy.“There’s no point in staying quiet, I know you’re here. I’m okay.”
“I’m sorry, Elsie,”he says a few seconds later.
“It’s not your fault. It’s not anyone’s fault.”I sigh through our connection.“I’ll wait here for you.”
Seconds later, bright blue eyes are in front of me. Hedoesn’t speak, just wraps his arms around my waist. “Don’t leave me.”
I pull away from his embrace. “I’m not leaving you, Alex. What makes you think that?”
He shrugs, wiping a tear. “You left everyone.”
“I needed to get away for a minute. I’ll never leave you or Thorne.” I pull him close again, hugging him tight.
“Good, because I’m not far behind Alex,”Thorne’s words echo through my mind, making me laugh out loud.
“You can’t get rid of us,” Alex says, smiling.
“I don’t want to.”
Thorne is in front of us in a blink of an eye. “Are you okay, acushla?”
“Aye. I’m sorry I left.”
“Don’t be.” He laces his fingers through mine.
“I talked with Erick.” I mindlessly rub my thumb across his. “He met Kragen decades ago, and thinks Kragen is special.”
“Like us special?” Alex asks.
“Aye, likeus.” Adding me to that feels foreign to my thoughts.
“I knew it. That’s why he wanted you,” Thorne fills in the blank.
“That leaves me with the question of why all the games? Why pretend he wanted me to kill him? Why pretend you killed his wife? Why let me escape and run for two hundred years? What the hell is he doing?”
“I don’t feel like the whole Eudora and Marnie thing was a lie.” He looks around the area. “To be honest, I’m a little surprised neither of them has popped up during all of this.”
My stomach knots, thinking about all of the drama going on in our lives right now.
“Alex? When you said you could feel Patrice earlier in the water, do you think she was actually in the water?”
His tiny shoulders raise. “I don’t know. I could just feel her.”
“Then I should go to them,” I answer with resolve. “It’s me that Kragen wants. If Amelia is right, I’m the only one who can defeat him.”
“What if she’s wrong?” Thorne asks. “What if this is all part of Kragen’s games? Hell, he had you on his ship not long ago. If he wanted you for anything other than to torture or kill, he would’ve done something then. None of this makes sense.”
“Kragen thrives off of doing the unexpected. He’s a sick bastard, and I’m tired of playing his games.”
“I won’t let you go in there alone, acushla. Don’t ask me to let you go to him twice. I made that mistake once, I won’t make it again.” Anger pours off Thorne.
