Chapter 14

14

CASSANDRA

" D oesn't matter," I say to Ryland with a shake of my head, only after staring at the empty space where Hunter was for a long time. It doesn't surprise me that Hunter just walked off. I just can't understand why he would talk to me so softly, like he actually cared.

"Why don't you come in?" Ryland asks me, but doesn't wait for an answer as he walks back into the room. I shut the doors behind me, looking at the stained glass. The glass is a mixture of oranges and reds blended together. It looks like a sunset, and is very lovely. I turn and walk into the room, stopping to look around. The room is larger than I would have expected from the outside. There is a bed tucked into the one side and a massive, wooden table in the middle. The wall near the bed is full of shelves, with books piled on them. The table is full of things, everything from maps to gold cups and jars of random things. The walls are red in here, and there's a big window where I can see blue sea for miles. There isn't a cloud in the blue skies, and in the far distance, I can see two ships. When I look closer, I can see their black sails. More pirates.

I walk over to the window and stare out at the sea and the ships. I can feel Ryland's eyes on me, but it's such a gorgeous view. The sea is so beautiful, and I'm guessing it's the Middle Sea, because it's not green. It's a deep-blue that sparkles as the bright sunlight hits it.

"Must be strange to see the sea," he comments as he moves to stand next to me. We both just stare at the ocean for a while, watching as birds fly through the skies.

"Very," I reply. It is very strange, but somehow, it feels right. I feel more at home on this ship than I ever did in my home.

"The king will be looking for you by now. He was expected at your island two days after you ran," Ryland tells me and steps away. He doesn't have to tell me what I already know. I know the king will send the guards after me, and the last place I want to be is with the king. I'm sure he would make a spectacle of killing me, to warn others and make me out to be dangerous. I turn and watch as Ryland goes over to the big table and picks up an aged scroll. He unrolls the scroll out on the table and leaves glass paper weights on the corners. When I look around, I see the massive sword in a holder by the side of his bed. The silver sword handle catches the light and I wonder how he manages to lift such a heavy looking sword. What is with these pirates and big swords?

"Come here, Cassandra," he says softly. I walk over and stand next to him as I look down at the map. It's of our world, all the seven islands and the seven seas. It's a very detailed map, with each island showing their elements. Even the seas have drawings on them, from tornados for the Storm Sea and shipwrecks for the Lost Sea.

"What is this line?" I ask him. There's a black line connecting all the islands and little dates written next to each island. There is no year on the dates, just months.

"That's the route the king takes and the months he visits each island. You see, he is at Onaya now, and that is his last place before he returns home to Foten," he says as I run my finger across it.

Ryland takes my finger and moves it across the map to another set of lines. His hand feels rough and warm as it holds mine. I glance at our hands and then up to Ryland. He is really handsome; his features are more rugged than his brother's, and there's a certain feeling of power that comes from him. I wonder what his story is. How did he become a pirate who runs a ship?

"This is where the guards patrol. They will be at Sevten when we are there, for the auctions," he says and lets go of my hand. I glance down at the purple line he has shown me. It's a slightly different route from the king's, but he is right, it looks like the guards will be in Sevten this month.

"Auctions?" I ask. I have never heard of any auctions, but then I know little of Sevten. My books only told stories of the shape of the land and the weather.

"Not everyone is free. The auctions sell poor people to the richer families, and sometimes they sell a changed baby," he tells me. I move my hand away from the map to look at him.

"Why buy a changed baby to only have the king send his guards to kill them?" I ask. My tone is sharp, but it's not directed at him. I hate speaking about the deaths of the people like me. They never have a chance to live because of the king.

"The only people who win the changed babies are guards, Cassandra," he says softly. Ryland moves closer and places his hand on my arm. His thumbs running soothing circles as I look at the map in anger.

"So they can kill them?" I snap out, pulling my arm away and walking over to the window. I don't want to be soothed.

"Yes. It's a perfect way to make sure all the changed ones are given to the guards. The auctions offer them money or food in exchange for the child. Most people would give up anything for either of those. I'm honestly surprised your mother or father didn't," he tells me. I don't look at him as I stare out the window. I wonder if my father knew of these auctions, and I wonder if he would have always kept me a secret.

"Why did you show me this?" I ask him, choosing not to comment on the mention of my father and why he hid me. I don't want to tell him about my mother and her death. I find it hard to speak to anyone about my mother. I don't move as he comes to stand right next to me, his arm pushed against mine.

"I'm not sure," he says, looking down at me. Ryland's eyes trace every part of my face before he leans forward, getting a wayward piece of my hair and tucking it behind my ear. I watch as he looks up from my eyes to the mark on my forehead and suddenly pulls away. Ryland walks over to the table, his back to me, but he looks very tense. I feel the same way as he does. I'm too drawn to these pirates.

"How do you know all this? Where the king will be?" I ask him. My father said no one knows what routes the king and his guards take so that they can't be attacked. This kind of information would be priceless to the people who hate the crown.

"Let's just say I know the king and queen well. I grew up in the castle," Ryland says as he looks down at the map.

"What are they like?" I ask. I have read many books on the royal family. I know there was once another family that ruled before the changed one destroyed everything. They died with the millions, and the royals we have now took the throne. I'm sure there's more, but I can't remember all the history I've read about them.

"The king is cruel, and the queen has lost her mind," he says, his voice dripping with hate. I don't understand his strong reaction, but to call the king cruel? Cruel sounds like a personal word to use.

"‘Lost her mind'?" I ask, repeating his words instead of touching the subject of the king. I have heard little of his personality. My father always said he respected the king, but didn't respect the hunt on the changed ones. My father never told me anything important about the queen. Only once did he tell me something, and that was when he had a bit too much purple juice. The purple juice is what makes him fall over, and Everly told me they call it ‘getting drunk'. My father said that the queen has beautiful, black hair before he passed out.

"There is so much you do not understand, Cassandra, and I wish you never learn any of it. It's best that you forget all of us when you step on to Fiaten and start your new life," he tells me. I can see he has shut down, and he won't look at me.

"I . . .," I say, but find I don't know what to say to him.

I have a feeling I couldn't forget these pirates if I tried.