I glared back at him. “You think I’d ever be so cowardly?”
“Enough of this!” Frustrated with me, Mott threw his spoon down. “If you insist on us not bowing to your royalty, then I’ll treat you like the obstinate boy you are. Why are we here? I demand an answer.”
“Or else what?” I grinned and folded my arms. “I can beat you in a sword fight, and we all know what’ll happen if you lock me in my room.”
“Nothing so complicated as that.” Mott also folded his arms. “I’ll simply decide not to like you anymore.”
My smile widened. “That’s a serious threat.”
“It gets worse. I’ll call you only by your title and quietly roll my eyes when you give me orders, and I won’t make it fun for you to insult me ever again.”
“Well, we can’t have that.” I couldn’t help but laugh and even Mott broke into a smile. My eyes darted from him over to Tobias. “If we must discuss the truth, then I need something to drink. I noticed a half-finished bottle of cider in the buttery. Not much but it’ll do. Retrieve it, will you?”
Tobias leapt to his feet and scurried from the room.
I turned back to Mott. “What if you don’t like what I have to say?”
“I rarely like what you have to say. So I’ll expect the worst.”
“I promise not to disappoint you there.”
Mott shifted in his chair, but I barely moved while we waited for Tobias to return. He came in a few minutes later with the cider and three goblets. I held out my hand for them and poured the drinks myself.
“You should have the most,” Mott said when I handed him his goblet.
I shook my head, insisting he take the cup that was being offered to him. “I already know my news. Trust me, you’ll want enough to drown your anger.”
He frowned but toasted a cheer in my honor. They drank to my health and long life. The part about health never concerned me, but I hoped the devils heard the part about my long life and were inclined to grant it.
I remained silent until Mott cleared his throat, prompting me to begin. I looked at him and said, “If I don’t turn myself over to the pirates in nine days, they’ll attack Carthya. They’ll fight until either I’m dead, or all of them are.”
“War,” Tobias mumbled.
“The regents have made it clear that they won’t support a war.” I took a slow breath. “They believe the best way to avoid war is to let the pirates have me. That’s why we’re here, and not where the regents wanted me to hide.”
“Just because they want a steward doesn’t mean they want you dead,” Mott said.
“Maybe not. But what if you’re right and a steward is chosen? Do either of you really believe that puts me out of danger? I’ll be sent to the schoolroom, to watch those fools pretend that all is well while our armies crumble.”
“Then find a way to prevent them from naming a steward,” Tobias said.
“Until I’m of age, I can’t stop that vote.” I shrugged. “I’ve already lost it anyway.”
Mott’s eyebrows were pressed close together and his hand was wrapped so tightly around his goblet I thought he might crush it. “And you have a solution to all this?” he asked.
I sat forward with the intention of speaking directly to them, but in the end my courage failed and I lowered my eyes to talk. After a moment’s hesitation, I said, “I’m going to the pirates, alone. You two will return to the castle without me.”
There was a long silence while the news soaked in. Mott spoke first, surprisingly calm. “I don’t believe you’d give yourself up so easily.”
“I’m not surrendering. I’m joining them.”
“What?” Mott’s eyes widened. “Jaron, no. Please tell me you’re not that foolish.”
Foolishness was a trait I could never deny with much credibility, but my temper warmed anyway. Pounding a fist on the table, I said, “I’m out of options. Every solution leads either to my death or to the destruction of my country. This is all I have left.”
“So your plan is to walk into their camp? How does that accomplish anything but helping them kill you faster?”
“What if I could turn the pirates’ loyalty? Get them on my side. Then if Avenia attacked —”
That was as far as I got before Tobias snorted his contempt for the idea and Mott began staring at me as if I had blisters on my brain.
“Exactly how do you plan to turn these enemies into allies?” he asked.
“I don’t know! But it’s better than the alternative.”
“Which is?”
I huffed. “The pirate Conner hired four years ago to kill me is a man named Devlin. He also provided the poison that Conner used to murder my family, and he’ll be the one behind the attack on me last night as well. If I can’t turn his loyalty, then I’ll have to remove the threat.” Feeling the racing of my heart, I added, “I’ll have to kill him.”
Those words hung in the air for a moment before Mott said, “And you’ll do this alone?”
I nodded.
Mott shoved his chair behind him and stood, then began to pace angrily. “Nobody comes back from the pirates,” he muttered. “Ever.”
“I did, four years ago.”
Mott stopped right in front of me. “No, you escaped the ship before the pirates were anywhere near it. Luck saved you that day, nothing more.”
Tobias tried taking the rational route. “What if they recognize you?”
“Roden and the man who came with him will be at sea. The other pirates would know my name, but not my face.”
“You can’t do this,” Mott said, shaking his head. “I won’t allow it.”
That made me even angrier. “I’m not asking for your permission, Mott, or your approval! You asked me to tell you the truth about my plans and I have.”
“Your plans will get you killed!”
“Doing nothing will get me killed! Staying at the castle and pretending everything is fine — that will get me killed!”
Mott’s face was fiery red, and I think if I were anyone else I’d have found myself thrown against the wall to force me to my senses. But that was not an option for him, so after taking a deep breath, he sat back in his chair and clasped his hands.
“You’ve made your decision, then?” he asked.
“I have.”
“Then here’s mine.” Mott stared directly at me and spoke slowly so I wouldn’t miss a word. “I will not allow you to go, not alone.”
My hands folded into fists. “As king, that is my order.”
“Forgive me, but the king’s order is the most reckless thing he’s ever said, which we both know is quite an accomplishment. If you want to stop me from dragging you back to Drylliad, then you’ll have to kill me here.”
“I can’t do that,” I said. “Who’ll make sure Tobias gets back safely? He can hardly cross a road without endangering himself.”
“I can too,” Tobias said.
Mott barely reacted and kept his focus on me. “Jaron, listen to reason. You are my king, but you can’t expect me to accept such a foolish plan.”
