Cordelia’s face was grim as she didn’t meet my eyes, twisting at the gold rings adorning her fingers. “You should be careful who you make your enemy,” she said, gritting her teeth.
“I’m not aiming to make enemies,” I responded, pushing the food away from me with a grimace. “My only concern is surviving; it’s your Captain who seems to be at odds with that goal.”
I watched her face soften, ever so slightly. Whatever she might have said was lost as the door opened abruptly, and we both looked up. The small sense of comfort I’d taken from the food was washed away by the nauseating mix of fear and anger as I realized Captain Valkyrie had come looking for me.
He painted less of a striking figure, without his throne and room full of treasure. He was dressed more casually than when I’d first seen him; his extravagant hat was missing, as was his long coat. Without the wide brim hiding his face, I could see how attractive he was; he could only be a few years older than me, at most. There was a prominent scar crossing his face, from his eyebrow to the jaw on the opposite side, etched across his nose where the wound had just missed his eyes. His eyes were bright against his jet-black hair as he watched me. He was intimidating even though he seemed disheveled, his clothing slightly askew and his hair ruffled around his face.
I dropped my gaze from him, hands curling in the blankets beneath me, fighting against the impulse to run.
The Captain sucked in a deep breath, his broad, muscular chest puffing out for a moment before he let out a sigh, as if he were preparing himself to deal with me. Raising his brow at Cordelia he said harshly, “If I ever catch you gossiping with a prisoner again–”
“I’m sorry, Captain,” Cordelia said quickly, bowing her head.
He grunted, gesturing towards the door. “Get on, then.” Moving out of Cordelia’s way, she didn’t look at me as she made her way to the hallway, closing the door with a sharp snap… leaving me alone with the Captain.
I stared at the closed door, smothering the sense of guilt that she’d been reprimanded for sitting with me. Scowling, I brought my attention to the pirate. “She was only warning me to respect you, Captain,” I said sharply, looking down at the food she had brought me. Grimacing, I reminded myself he held my life in his hands, and tried to calm the irate tone of my voice.
“Is that what it is?” he said, slowly taking Cordelia’s seat across from me as he threw his arm over the back of the chair and folded one leg across the other. He smirked slightly, saying, “Well, maybe I can’t be cross with Cordelia after all, since you’ve gone and called me ‘Captain’. That must have been quite difficult for you.”
Hissing out a breath between my teeth, I knew irritation was clear on my face as I felt the heat rise to my cheeks. “I do have a sense of manners, Captain, though you seem to be lacking.” I forced myself to look at him, trying not to sink to his level. He was goading me, looking for a reaction, and I didn’t need to give him any more reasons to throw me overboard.
“Is that so?” He pressed his lips into a tight line, poorly trying to hide his amusement. There was no longer a smile on his face, a cold, chilling look behind his blue eyes. “Well then, let me ask you in the politest way possible… What exactly can you offer me?”
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