As he came to the maze of tubes that directed water, coolant, and lubricant to various parts of the ship, he paused. He set the data pad down and wedged himself inside the recess in the wall where each tube emerged from the floor, snaking up to various openings in the wall. Where each tube emerged, a label identified their purpose. Zed sank to his knees to getter a close look and realized each one was also labeled with miniscule instructions on how and when to flush them. He grimaced as he realized most of them were overdue.

“Well, add that to the list,” he mumbled to himself.

As he stood, his eye caught on something wedged in the back corner of the small space. He leaned forward to get a better look and his heart nearly stopped when he recognized the device.

“Tesh, Yuna!” he called as he ran back into the common space. He skidded to a stop when he rounded the corner and almost collided with them both.

“Woah there,” Teshva said. “What is it?”

Zed presented his open palm in response, a look of fierce excitement in his eyes.

“Is that…?” Yuna began.

“Yes,” Zed said. “A proximity alert. I found it hidden in the engine room. It’s probably been there for years. This is how she knows we’re coming! This is why she’s always gone when we show up!”

“Well, fucking hell!” Teshva exclaimed.

“Give me that,” Yuna said, snatching the device from Zed’s hands and rushing to their work station.

“Can you use it to find out where she is?” Zed asked.

“You fucking bet I can,” Yuna said, their eyes and hands focused on the device as it rested atop their computer’s scanning pad. “And I can disable it before it alarms. She won’t know what hit her.”

A rush of energy filled Zed’s body as he realized how close they were to the end. He was finally going to catch her.

Then what? said a small voice in the back of his mind. He quickly squashed it.

19

The next morning brought a breakfast of broth and watercress salad, and the three pirates traveled on toward Almogia.

After hours of steady riding, the town emerged, a bright spot amidst the rolling hills of brown and green. As they approached, Zander saw white stucco buildings with terracotta roofs. Gardens and orchards dotted the landscape surrounding the town. They rode in on packed dirt roads lined with people chatting, cooking, and doing business. Zander took a deep breath, the smells of food and fire filling him with hope—they were almost there.

They dismounted and walked their horses to a set of stables, where they paid for them to be fed, watered, and looked after until the afternoon. Then they walked to a narrow path lined with stunning mosaic tiles, at the end of which lay an inn. Inside, two men played guitars. Most of the tables scattered around the room were empty, but a handful of people ate or drank. There was a pleasant hum of chatter beneath the lively music.

Yarrow approached a woman behind the bar when they walked in. Zander hung back with Theo, who was looking around and smiling appreciatively at the place, a nostalgic smile on his face.

“Is this where you and Ace used to meet?” Zander asked him.

Theo nodded. “The very place.” He pushed a quick sigh through his pursed lips. “Never thought I’d be back here.”

Yarrow returned and pushed a key into Zander’s hand.

“I got us a room for a few hours. We could all use a chance to freshen up, and I need a place to tend to Theo’s wounds. You go up first, Zander. There will be a fresh water basin and some food waiting. Theo and I will talk to a few people here first.”

“You’re sure you don’t want to go up first?” Zander asked.

Yarrow shook their head. “I already see some people I want to talk to. I’d rather get it out of the way before they leave. Besides, I need to purchase fresh bandages before I can tend to Theo. You go on, love. Eat. Get cleaned up. Put some more of that oil on your feet.”

Theo nodded in agreement. “Take a few deep breaths before the plunge,” he said, clapping Zander on the back.

Zander made his way past the dining tables and musicians to a narrow set of stairs. Upstairs, a narrow hallway led him to a door marked with the number two, the same number painted on the key’s filigree.

He unlocked the door and pushed it open to find a bed, a table with a full washbasin, and a plate containing something that looked like an omelet stuffed with potatoes. He obeyed his stomach first, sitting down on the edge of the bed and devouring the tasty meal. Then he removed his boots and stockings, followed by his jacket, pants, and shirt. He took the cloth from the edge of the basin and dipped it in the water.

As he worked the cloth over his skin, wiping away days’ worth of dirt, sweat, and blood to reveal bruised and battered skin, Zander thought of nothing but Ace. His fingers itched, as if he could reach out and touch her.

He could feel that she was alive. Something taut in his chest grew looser with every inch he progressed in her direction, like a chain connecting their hearts.

But once they saved her, would she still want him?

Her face flashed in his mind, the scene of a raging battle behind her on the deck of The Valerian. She’d said she loved him. She’d also knocked him unconscious with the handle of her blade, albeit to disguise him as a dead body. Still—if that wasn’t mixed signals, he didn’t know what was. Despite the growing surety with which he felt their connection, he couldn’t help wondering now, at the precipice of her rescue, whether he’d only imagined she felt the same.

What if she’d only said it because she thought she’d never see him again? If so, chasing her across Spain with a trail of bodies in his wake would seem rather desperate. He didn’t want to be just another man who sought to win her, to control her. He didn’t want her to feel stuck with him, or even worse, indebted to him.

He knew what he wanted. He wanted to cut his chest open and lay his heart bare. He wanted to offer himself up like a sacrificial lamb, every dark secret open to her scrutiny, every desire transparent to her gaze. He couldn’t carry on with her as they had, a mountain of secrets between them, and with it, an ocean of doubts.

But would she want the same?

Having cleaned himself, Zander opened the shuttered window by the bed and leaned out, his bare torso welcoming the fresh air as he bent down and beat his clothing against the side of the building. Clouds of dust escaped and blew away on the breeze. When he was satisfied, he dressed, emptied the water from his basin, and made his way downstairs. Not seeing Yarrow or Theo, he returned the key to the woman at the bar and asked if she’d give it to his companions when they returned.

He wandered through the quaint streets of Almogia for a while, debating whether he was proficient enough in Spanish to ask any of the people he passed about the comings and goings of Lord Sanz, until he heard a familiar voice up ahead.

Theo was speaking animatedly with a stout man who appeared to be in his sixties. His short, dark hair was painted with thick grey streaks, and his muscular arms were folded as he listened to Theo speak, a serious expression on his face. Seeing Zander approach in his periphery, Theo gestured to him and spoke rapidly in Spanish. Zander couldn’t make it out, but he deduced that Theo was explaining who he was. The man gave Zander a friendly smile and held out his hand to shake.

“Zander, this is Hugo,” Theo said, nearly breathless with what sounded like relief. “Hugo Vidal, Ace’s uncle.”

Zander’s grip on Hugo’s hand tightened, as if he could feel Ace’s blood running through the veins beneath his skin.

“It’s good to meet you, sir,” he said. “My name is Zander.”

Hugo nodded, looking appraisingly at Zander. He felt suddenly self-conscious.

“Hugo and I were just filling each other in,” Theo said. “You know how I said Ignacio moved the wedding up after Ace’s parents died? Well, Hugo came down from Aviles to handle his brother’s affairs after the fire—”

“And take care of my niece,” Hugo interjected.

“And see to Ace,” Theo agreed, nodding. “But when he showed up, the wedding was already underway.” Theo leveled a questioning look at Hugo. “I didn’t expect you to still be here. I thought you would have gone north by now, back home.”

“I had reasons to stick around,” Hugo said. “This is home now. But I can tell you about that later, along with everything else I know. Come inside. There are some things you should be aware of.”

Theo nodded, then smiled as he looked behind Hugo. Yarrow was approaching swiftly, a look of purpose on their face as they made their way toward Theo. But upon seeing Hugo, their face lit up and they sped into a jog. The two embraced, and Hugo laughed and rubbed circles on Yarrow’s back affectionately.

“Hugo,” Yarrow said emphatically as they broke away. “What a pleasure to see your face again. What the hell are you doing here?”

“I’ll tell you,” Hugo said. “But first, come in for some food. There is much to talk about.”

The three pirates followed Hugo into a quaint white house with a row of yellow flowers in the front. Inside, the simple, cozy home was decorated in warm colors. Hugo gestured to a sitting area and began busying himself arranging a variety of food on a large, wooden platter.