“What's your name?” the boy asked. He was leaning forward in his chair, elbows resting on his thighs. His thick, raven colored hair tumbled down into his eyes.
“What's yours?”
He chuckled. I'll admit it was a lovely sound to hear. I mean, after being in a storm... “I asked first.”
“...Rhynn.”
“Rhynn,” he drew out my name, rolling it off his tongue before smiling at me. “That's a pretty name. I'm Jace.”
“Mmm.”
After a few moments of silence, he spoke again. “I found you, laying washed up in the cove. You were covered in blood, heart barely beating and almost dead. But I cleaned you up and brought you here, somewhere safe.” He paused and nodded to my bruised and exposed legs. “Oh, and sorry about your dress. It was too heavy.”
“Where am I?”
“An attic.”
I shot a withering glance in Jace's direction. He grinned before elaborating on his answer. “Below the attic is my home, and below that is the shop I work in.”
“Is this the mainland?”
He shook his head. “This is an island. The Isle of Typp. It's not too shabby, but it's nothing fantastic. I've lived here my whole life and, so far, you're the best thing thats happened.” He peeked at me from underneath his hair, eyes sparkling, and smiled. I felt my face grow hot and turned away, fiddling with a piece of straw.
“So where were you heading before the storm hit?”
As I was always taught, I lied. “I was sailing with my father, a captain of the Royal Navy. We were just sailing home when the storm hit.”
He paused for a moment, looking at his hands, before quietly responding, “You know, I saved your life. The least you could do is tell the truth. Or lie better.”
“Excuse me?”
“I know you're lying.”
“I don't know what you're talking about...”
“You said you were sailing with the King's Navy. Navy ships possess the most advanced technology in the Western Sea. Don't you think a Navy ship could easily avoid a storm, especially as big as the one you were caught in?” I fell silent, not knowing how to respond. “See? I knew you were lying, pirate.” A smirk played on the edges of his lips.
My heart started thumping as I panicked. He couldn't know I was a pirate. I'd be killed, my body strung up with a rope to serve as a warning to other pirates.
“Don't bother trying to cover up. I know you're a pirate, little one. The brand mark on your shoulder proves it.” His smile grew wider as he leaned back in his chair, draping a lazy arm over the back.
My face flushed as my mind went into overdrive.
YOU ARE READING
Token of the Western Sea
AdventureWhen a young redheaded girl washes up on the shore of the cove after a nasty storm, island boy Jace knows he must rescue her. But when he discovers this girl, Rhynn, is a pirate, she turns his entire world upside down, dragging him into adventures a...
