“How generous of you.”
Charlie doesn’t look at me. “It’s what you did for Wendy.”
“Lest you hold Maddox to a higher standard than you intend, you might remember that I did try to murder her first.”
“Yes, and as much as I will always disapprove of that choice, you were placed in the rather rare position of having your late wife’s spirit still tethered to this world. I’m not sure what Maddox’s excuse is.”
“Well, you can be quite frightening in your own way.”
Charlie punches me lightly in the shoulder not serving as an infant pillow, and says, “You’ll miss me, won’t you?”
“Of course I’ll miss you. But I would have missed you anyway.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because I’m leaving, too.”
Charlie’s eyes go wide. “You? Leaving? Why?” she says, as if she cannot fathom such a thing.
I sigh and tap my child’s back with my thumb. “This? Sailing the seas? It was the life Iaso and I built together.”
Understanding dawns in Charlie’s eyes. “And you have a new life now.”
I nod.
Charlie cinches her brow. “Does Wendy know?”
“Of course she does. Does she know that you’re leaving?”
“Of course she does. She’s the one who told me I should come talk to you about it in person,” says Charlie.
I chuckle, and so does she.
“You do know you’ll have to make money some way,” she says.
“You have so little faith in me that you assume I haven’t thought of that?”
“Well, you did spend most of your fortune searching for Wendy when you were trying to get rid of your Mating Mark. Not the most prudent way to spend your money, if you ask me.”
“Under Estellian law, Wendy is still the heir of Darling Estate.”
Charlie looks at me skeptically. “Surely someone has seized it by now.”
“Yes, well, I didn’t say repossessing it wouldn’t require a legal battle, of sorts.”
Charlie raises a brow. “Of sorts? Why bother with a legal battle when you’re the most infamous pirate of the century?”
This time, I don’t correct her.
“So I take it you’re leaving the position of captain to Maddox then?” asks Charlie.
“Indeed. Though, if you would like for me to revoke the offer, that is still an option.”
Charlie shakes her head, somewhat dramatically. “No, if he’s to come chase me down eventually, I’ll like it better if he’s given up an entire ship for my sake.”
I findMalia not long after my conversation with Charlie. I’ve learned it’s better to hand off my son to her before he starts screaming. Otherwise, Malia gets frustrated with me.
While I wait in the hallway for her to finish nursing him, footsteps patter in the distance. Michael rounds the corner, as he often does while I’m waiting on Malia. He plops down on the floor in front of me, his pockets bulging with wooden boxcars.
