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Irritation flared beneath his skin, and a streak of black unfurled froertips Jinan stared Kifah pretended not to notice, which only irritated him further
“Did you go to school?”
Jinan’s eyes narrowed “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Then you would kno dire it is when I say the Lion of the Night is alive,” said Nasir, and the assassin in hi her eyes He didn’t tell her of the heart the Lion had stolen He didn’t care about that, or even irl wouldn’t understand Nasir hie compulsion in his blood, this concern for another huht had faded with his mother’s supposed death “Did you think Benyamin tripped on a rock and died?”
Jinan turned aith another frown and Kifah leaned against the et him back”
It wasn’t Benyamin she spoke of
“I wasn’t worried” He didn’t look at her
“No, of course not,” Kifah drawled “I’ myself aloud that he’s Altair and he can handle hi us to take hi fool so ‘He’s all yours’”
It was a lie, and they both knew it Uncertainty rang painfully clear in her nor voice
Nasir looked to the sea beyond, toward the island of Sharr Part of him expected to see another ship in pursuit, dark and fearsoo, Nasir had been ready to kill Altair—he was ready to kill anyone in his path, but when he closed his eyes now, he saw the blinding bea from Altair’s open palms He saw the sharp facets of the Lion’s black stave protruding from Benyamin’s heart
Sacrifice, Benya but death in a romantic farce Nasir knew—he’d been born for death and darkness, and it was hard to have a heart when one had stopped that of so ood when it would be shadowed forever by his wrongs
Somewhere on Sharr his heart had found a beat, and he intended to keep it going He intended tothe very ic that had destroyed his family
And he would start by rescuing Altair and vanquishing the Lion
He looked at Jinan “Five days is too long Make it three”
Jinan sputtered “That’s impos—”
He was already turning for the steps leading belowdecks “Make it three and I’ll double Benyamin’s silver”
The young captain’s shouts were instant Chaos erupted as her ragtag crew leaped to attention, the rough inflection of Zarairl would do with so h to spare