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As Will sat in the musty hull of the pirate ship, threadbare satchel clutched in his hands as he stared out at the glittering blue sea through a tiny barred window, his only thought was of Nico di Angelo.
Nico, his boyfriend, his True Love, with his soft brown eyes and delicate, pale features and his laugh and the way he fit perfectly in Will’s arms, laying together and talking softly until the sun emerged over the horizon.
When he had seen the pirate ship in the distance, creeping closer to the tiny merchant ship that had agreed to transport Will to across the ocean, he had thought of Nico– what he would look like when he received the letter announcing Will’s death, his pale hands trembling as a tear fell onto the paper.
And it was thoughts of Nico that led him to speak– croak, really, voice trembling from fear and dehydration and seasickness– to the Dread Pirate Apollo, who was leaning against the metal bars of the cell Will was locked in.
“Please,” Will said, looking at the Dread Pirate Apollo. “Please, I need to live. If not for me, than for my True Love.”
The Dread Pirate Apollo turned in surprise at the sound of Will’s voice; his mouth, the only part of his face Will could see, thanks to the black cloth mask, remained completely unreadable.
“What’s your name?”
“Will. I am– was– an apprentice at an apothecary.”
The Dread Pirate Apollo crossed his arms, body turned towards Will, indicating Will had his full attention. He gulped; this was it. Either Will was going to be killed, run through by the elegant sword gleaming on Apollo’s hip, or he wouldn’t be killed, and he’d see Nico again.
“What’s an apprentice doing all the way out in the middle of the ocean?”
Will could see strands of Apollo’s hair sticking out from under his mask– blonde and curly, just like Will’s own. Pirates were just people, weren’t they? People who could love? Nico had always said Will had a knack for people– maybe he could garner some sympathy. Even the slightest inch of sympathy.
For Nico, he had to try.
“For my True Love,” Will replied. “Since their father died, neither of us have the money to get married. I thought if I could go overseas, I could find someplace to work there until I’d saved up enough to return and get married– enough for the kind of wedding, and life, they deserve.”
“And this True Love of yours…what’s her name?”
“Nico. His name is Nico.”
Apollo drew his sword; Will tried not to flinch, swallowing down his fear as he watched how the sharp silver metal glimmered in the yellow-tinted lantern light.
“Have you ever fought with a sword, apprentice?” Apollo asked, his voice more curious than the mocking tone Will had expected.
Will considered lying, but he didn’t want to risk anything. He didn’t like his chances against Apollo’s sword. “No.”
“Would you like to learn?”
Will perked up instantly. He’d never cared for swords or fighting before, but that didn’t matter– this was his chance . If Apollo let him out of his cell, maybe he could get help, or escape, or something. As long as there was a chance, Will wasn’t going to pass it up.
“You’d teach me?”
Apollo unhooked the key from his belt, reaching for the padlock. Will could hardly breathe. “Why not? I’ll most likely kill you in the morning.”
Will didn’t die the next morning. Or even the night after that, despite what Apollo threatened on a daily basis. Instead, he was learning. He spent most of his days helping the crew. Apollo, as well as the rest of the pirates, seemed delighted to have someone onboard who didn’t mind swabbing decks.
In the mornings, he ate breakfast with the crew, listening to their grand tales and exploits at sea. Will reciprocated with his own stories– mostly of being an apprentice, but he told them about Nico, too. Austin, a young boy around Will’s age, had lit up when he’d heard that Will was skilled in medicine– he’d all but dragged Will into the makeshift sickbay.
It wasn’t long before he switched out swabbing decks with being the crew’s doctor. He certainly didn’t mind. Anything that made him valuable enough to not throw overboard on a whim, and he enjoyed the work. And with control of the sickbay, Will earned the right to sleep in the bunks with the rest of the crew, instead of the cell.
Apollo kept training him during the day, too. When they weren’t pillaging or drinking or singing sea shanties or whatever pirates do, Apollo took Will out on the deck, teaching him how to use a swords and knives and bows and arrows and poisons.
Will wasn’t sure when the shift happened– mostly because it was hard to keep track of time at sea– but one night, the Dread Pirate Apollo set him to bed with a cheery “I’ll most likely kill you in the morning!” and for once, Will didn’t think he was in any danger at all.
That feeling was confirmed one morning when Apollo set his sights on a nearby merchant ship. He’d entered the sickbay with a bright grin, giving Will a friendly slap on the back.
“What say you come with us this time?” Apollo asked.
Will glanced around at the empty sickbay, hoping to see a friendly face who could save him. He liked Apollo, just like he liked the rest of the crew, but there was something unsettling about that grin. “I don’t know about that. I’m not really a pirate.”
“Nonsense! You’re just as much a pirate as the rest of us.”
There was a strange glimmer in Apollo’s eye; Will couldn’t tell if it was a threat, or a genuine statement of affection. He didn’t want to risk it, either way.
He nodded, forcing a smile, hoping Apollo couldn’t hear how loudly his heart was pounding. “How could I say no?”
Being an official pirate was much more chaotic than Will imagined, somehow. The clashes of metal swords, the cries and shouts, the thundering rain that pounded against the ship– it all echoed around in his head, building and building until he could feel it in his skull. The deck of the merchant ship was slick– either with rainwater or spilled grog or blood, Will didn’t want to know– and Will could barely keep himself steady, much less fight against the poorly-armed merchants and their servants. His sword felt slick and heavy in his hand, threatening to slip out, and he spent more time trying to avoid the fighting rather than participating in it.
It wasn’t long before Apollo claimed victory, proudly raising his black flag over the wrecked ship, to the victorious shouts of Apollo’s crew.
“What happens now?” Will asked Kayla, his voice barely audible over the din.
Kayla’s answering grin was bright and vicious. “This is the fun part. Now, we get to take whatever we want.”
Will didn’t really like the sound of that. Until he saw a glimmer of something silver among a wood chest that had gotten knocked over during the fight.
He crossed the ship with his eyes locked on that glimmer, tuning out the rustling and jeering of the rest of the pirate crew. It was a locket, old but clearly cherished. It was shaped like a heart, and the front cover swung open on rusty hinges to reveal a hollow cavity lined with a scrap of fabric.
Will slipped it on, the cold metal lying right next to his heart. He adjusted his shirt collar to cover the delicate silver chain, hoping the rusted clasp in the back would hold.
Thankfully, it did, although Will didn’t dare remove the locket until he was back in the private safety of the sickbay. He flipped the locket open, tucking inside Nico’s favorite ring and the red ribbon Nico used to tie the letter before he left. Nico had given him both the ring and the letter after Will announced his intention of leaving, so Will wouldn’t forget him, and although the letter had been ruined by seawater before the ship had been taken by pirates, he’d read it enough times to have memorized not only the words, but the curly shape of Nico’s letters. That was one piece of Nico he could keep to himself, that no one else knew.
The days, weeks, months passed by quickly after that. Apparently, the Dread Pirate Apollo didn’t keep prisoners, but he did keep whatever charmingly misfit adventurers he came across. It was long before the other crew members seemed to forget Will was ever a prisoner, talking to him and teasing him like they’d been friends all their lives. Will had always found the idea of pirates scary, but it was easy to forget that these guys– his friends– were really that kind of pirate. Kayla had even given him one of the braided leather bands the other pirates had– it was hard to reconcile that with dramatic stories of violence and ruthless theft.
It was easy to forget, but Will didn’t let himself. At night, he’d stand out on the deck, staring out at the shining moon and calm waters. He’d wonder about how far he was from home, how Nico was doing, what he was thinking.
He’d promised he’d write to Nico as soon as he reached his destination. He and Nico had even joked about how Will would use the same red ribbon Nico had, so Nico would know. With guilt brewing in his stomach, he realized he’d never had. What would Nico think? Would he simply think Will had abandoned him? His grip tightened on the coarse wooden railing, ignoring the way the unpolished grains dug into his hands; surely Nico would know that Will would always come back to him, right?
“Will?”
Suddenly feeling anxious, Will turned to see Austin coming towards him. “I was just–”
Austin cut him off with a laugh. “Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble. I like to come out here, too, sometimes.”
Austin joined Will at the railing; as discreetly as he could, Will slipped the heart-shaped locket back under his shirt.
“Apollo seems to really like you,” Austin said, after a few minutes of silence.
Will perked up; any chance to get into Apollo’s good graces was a chance to get back to Nico. “He said that?”
“Well, he doesn’t normally teach people how to swordfight,” Austin replied. He glanced at Will, studying him with a subtle smile. “But you’re not really a pirate, are you?”
Will flustered. “I–”
Austin’s amused smirk grew more pronounced. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. Truth is…” He turned, gazing back out over the gently lapping waves, which sparkled with the reflections of hundreds of tiny stars. “I’m not really a pirate, either. But I like these people. They’re my family.”
“I don’t have much of a family,” Will admitted. The locket pressed against his skin, gently cold in a way that reminded him of holding Nico’s hands. His fingers were always cold, so Will always offered to warm them up, with a bright grin; he couldn’t help but smile at the memory. “Just Nico.”
“That’s your fiance, right?”
“Oh, I never got far enough to even propose.” Will groaned, running a hand through his hair. Should he have proposed? Did that even matter, if it was really True Love?
Austin patted his shoulder. “Tell you what, loverboy. Apollo’s been talking about stopping for supplies soon. We’re headed for Florin– I think that’s close enough to where we picked you up. Apollo usually lets the crew explore freely for a few days, to let off some steam. Leave on the first day we arrive; that’s your chance.”
“My chance?”
“To make a run for it. To get back to your Nico. By the time he realizes you’re gone, Apollo won’t even chase after you, he’ll know it’s a lost cause.” Austin winked, stepping away from the railing. “But you didn’t hear it from me.”
Feeling more hope than he had since that first night he spoke to Apollo, Will looked up at the moon and smiled.
Austin was right. As soon as they docked at the port, which was about a day’s travel from Florin City (but even longer from where Nico lived), Apollo let the crew do as they wanted. Will was sure someone would tell him to stay behind, but once again, they seemed to forget Will was ever a prisoner at all.
Kayla invited him along to play with her and Apollo in poker. Will felt a sliver of panic, telling her that he had to send a letter but he was grateful for the invitation, and he was relieved when she didn’t press any further.
Watching Kayla and Apollo head off the ship and towards the tavern, Will ducked down into the sickbay, grabbing his satchel. He’d spent the last week collecting as much as he could, ranging from small trinkets he could sell to gold coins he thought no one would miss. And now, he could use it to arrange transport to the outskirts of Florin.
He stepped out onto dry land feeling strange, as if the lack of rolling waves was leaving him off-balanced. He resisted the urge to say goodbye to the ship as he stepped off of it.
The port was busy, the cool sea breeze carrying along the smell of fresh food from the nearby markets along with the endless chatter of voices. It was odd how even the rough, muddy texture of the cobblestones underfoot made him homesick for his and Nico’s tiny stone cabin on the edge of the forest. Most of the activity seemed to be coming from the tavern, which was named after some weird sailing pun Will didn’t quite understand. As he walked past it, he could almost make out the words that someone was yelling furiously inside. And as he approached the door, he could definitely see when it was thrown open, almost hitting him in the face by a large man with a bushy beard storming out.
“Come back when you can win poker, Otis!” he heard Apollo yell from inside, mixed with someone’s loud laughter.
Will froze outside the door, trying not to get trampled by the murderous-looking Otis. He was flanked by two men who looked suspiciously like Otis, except they had less wildly tangled hair on their faces.
“Sorry,” Will said, on instinct, backing away as the guy on Otis’s right growled at him.
“Watch where you’re going,” Otis snapped, seeing Will. His eyes hardened as he focused on something on Will’s arm.
Shit. They knew he was a member of Apollo’s crew, and they didn’t look happy about it.
Otis opened his mouth, and Will caught the strong whiff of ale on his breath, noticing the stagger in Otis’s steps. Even better, he was drunk. Mentally, he cursed Apollo for pissing this guy off, while being thankful that Apollo had given him all those fighting tips. He may not have had a sword, but he knew how to dodge a punch.
Otis jabbed a grimy finger in Will’s direction, his eyes narrowing. Will stepped backwards, eyeing the slim alleyway on the side of the tavern. If he could just slip through there and disappear–
Otis swung a punch, and Will ducked, doing his best to stay out of Otis’s range. But Otis and his two men were closing in on Will, and he knew he couldn’t take them in a fight, unless Otis somehow managed to stumble and knock himself out.
He saw Otis gearing up to throw another punch, and he knew he had to get out. He tried to duck into the alleyway, but one of Otis’s men grabbed him by the shirt collar, hauling him backwards and off his feet. He felt the clasp of the locket break before he heard it skittering across the cobblestone street. Before he could even properly regain his balance, his eyes had sought out the locket, and the ring and ribbon that had fallen out. Feeling a sudden rush of energy that washed away his nerves, he lunged for the ring.
But Otis was faster, and closer, snatching it up with a gleeful expression that made Will’s blood go cold.
The locket had never looked more delicate than it had squished in Otis’s large fingers.
Otis swung again, and this time he didn’t miss– the punch sent Will staggering back across the cobblestones, arm stinging from where Otis’s large hand had connected. He got up, ready to lunge for the locket, but Otis’s two buddies stepped between them, flexing their
Will could already feel the sudden spike of adrenaline fading away as Otis held up the locket and Nico’s favorite ring. Nico’s ring– Will had lost Nico’s ring, the one he had promised Nico he’d come back with.
“After your boss cheated us in that poker game, I think this will more than make up for it.” Otis’s eyes gleamed. “Stay out of our way unless you want us to take something else from you.”
Will watched them go, feet frozen in place, eyes locked on the visual of Nico’s gleaming ring disappearing into Otis’s coat pockets. The ribbon was still at Will’s feet, fraying and muddy. He’d lost Nico’s ring. Why did he do that? Why didn’t he stop them? Why didn’t he try harder?
The door to the tavern opened again, letting out a stream of noise. But this time, it was Kayla and Apollo who emerged, passing by the alleyway.
Apollo did a double take when he recognized Will, and Will fought to keep his face blank.
“Is everything okay?” Apollo asked.
“Did you mail your letter?” Kayla chimed in.
“Everything’s fine, I just got back from sending it,” Will lied, forcing a smile.
Apollo and Kayla seemed to be satisfied, because they left him behind, with nothing but the dirty ribbon to remind him of his failures.
He’d promised Nico he’d come back when he had enough money. He’d promised Nico that he wouldn’t lose the ring. He couldn’t leave now, not when he hadn’t fulfilled either promise. Nico deserved better than that– he deserved a fiance who wasn’t this much of a coward.
If Austin was surprised to see Will boarding the ship again, he did his best to not show it.
Without the reminder of Nico’s ring, it was easy for Will to settle into the routine of piracy. His heart still leapt in his throat when he saw an opening to escape, but he could never bring himself to go through it with it– he told himself it was just the anxiety of seeing Nico again after having lost the ring and still not having much money, but a small part of him that was growing steadily larger wondered if it was also about the crew, too. Will had grown fond of these people, had become friends with them, and the idea of leaving them behind without a trace, just like he’d done to Nico– it soured in his stomach, keeping him grounded to the ship like a heavy chain.
He’d lost count of how many months he’d been on the ship. With each day, the idea of getting back to Nico felt more like a dream than a real possibility. But even without the locket to act as a tether, he knew he’d eventually go back. He had to. Nico was his True Love, after all.
Apollo called Will into his chambers late one afternoon, while most of the crew was out drinking at the port. A lump settled in Wit's throat as he pushed open the wooden door– had Apollo somehow found out about his intention to escape? Was this the moment where Will finally died?
The Dread Pirate Apollo’s quarters were much more lavishly decorated than the rest of the ship. Maps decorated the scant few inches of wall space that weren't taken up by gleaming treasures. The room was dimly lit, with the oil lantern on Apollo's desk being the main source of light. Will could see a scroll and a quill in front of Apollo– who was he writing to?
“Sit down."
Carefully, Will took a seat, willing his legs to stop trembling so much. He tried not to look too guilty as he faced Apollo. He wasn't wearing his mask– Will had seen Apollo without his mask plenty of times on the ship, but the absence felt suddenly striking. Apollo always wore his mask when he was conducting pirate business, so what was this about?
"I like you, Will.”
That was good to hear. Better than the alternative, at any rate. "Okay…?”
Apollo sent down his quill and stood up, pacing the small room, fingers trailing along the display case behind him. "I'm sure you've heard legends about the Dread Pirate Apollo, going back decades.”
"Yes, but you're–” Will frowned, taking in Apollo's young features. He was older than most of the crew, so Will had never really questioned it before, but the disconnect in the legends seemed so obvious now. "You're not old enough, are you?”
Apollo nodded. "I am not the real Dread Pirate Apollo. My name is Lee Fletcher. Five years ago, I inherited the role and title by who I thought the real Dread Pirate Apollo was, a man named Michael. He wasn't the real one, either. The real Apollo has been living off his wealth and seducing musicians off the coast of Olympus for about fifteen years."
“So why are you telling me all this?"
“Isn't it obvious?" Lee picked up the black lump of cloth sitting on his desk and dropped it in front of Will. It was the same fabric as his mask– no, it was his mask. "I want you to take over as the new Dread Pirate Apollo."
"Me? But I…" The words died in Will's throat. But what, exactly? He didn't have the fortune held promised Nico He didn't even have Nico's ring anymore. All he'd done was pine on a ship and break every promise he'd made– why would Nico even want him to come back? "I'd be honored, Lee. Thank you."
To Will's surprise, being the Apollo wasn't much different than being a regular member of the crew. More people were afraid of him, now– it was an odd thing to have to get used to.
Apollo– Lee – got him a new crew, including himself as Will’s first mate. It was weeks before Will got used to responding when Lee called him Apollo, but thankfully none of the crew seemed to notice the slip-ups. They all seemed to believe that Will was, and had always been, the great Dread Pirate Apollo.
He wondered what that he said about him. He wondered what Nico would think about.
The more time passed, the more he tried not to think about Nico.
Will found his crew slowly shaping over the months, just like he was sure Lee’s had. Once the crew seemed to believe Will was the Dread Pirate Apollo (except for Drew Tanaka, but Will was pretty sure he was never going to convince her), Lee left with a large batch of treasure, retiring to some island to flirt with musicians like all the other Apollos before him. And Drew became his new first mate, and best friend aboard the ship.
Being a pirate felt dangerously mundane, in Will’s opinion. It was exciting, but even excitement wears off. It was absurd, really, how he sometimes missed the feeling of slow, sleepy mornings waking up to Nico’s arms, amidst the grand adventures at sea.
He still watched the stars at night, thinking about Nico. It had occurred to him several times that he was free to leave whenever he wanted. But it had been years, and any letter he could write or speech he could say seemed so inept at ever explaining why he hadn’t returned to Nico’s side. He missed the cold weight of the locket and the reassurances that came with it; on silent nights, when all Will had was a chilly wind and the slow rocking of his ship, it was impossible to ignore the insecurities whispering in his ear.
Will was always the one saying what he and Nico had was True Love. What if it wasn’t true? What if Nico had moved on?
He got his answer one spring morning while they were docked near Themicycra.
He wasn’t allowed on the island, of course, but there were plenty of tiny islands off the coast of it. They were in the area and needed supplies, and Will knew from one of Austin’s letters that Kayla had moved near there. He was happy to pretend that seeing Kayla was just a convenient side effect of their supply run.
He spotted Kayla as soon as he entered the tavern, her vivid hair sticking out like a sore thumb even amongst the crowd of drunk seamen.
He could tell before he even reached the table that she was upset about something. He faltered, his own bright smile fading as he took a seat at the rough wooden table.
“Is everything okay?” He asked.
Kayla forced a smile, sliding a mug of ale in Will’s direction. He picked it up tentatively, taking a small sip. She was trying to gauge his reaction. The ale sat heavy and sickly in his stomach.
“Did something happen with Lee or–”
“It’s not any of them,” Kayla said. A beat passed– she was trying to figure out how to phrase it. That wasn’t a good sign at all. “I’m sorry, Will.”
“What are you sorry about?” He wasn’t sure he wanted to know. “Austin didn’t mention anything in his letter about anything–”
Kayla cut him off with a melancholic shake of her head. “I didn’t want him to. I thought it was best if it came from me, in person. You deserve that much, at least.”
She reached into the inside pocket of her jacket, taking out something and passing it to Will slowly and discreetly, as if it was a payment for an illicit deal. It was a folded-up piece of paper, and it was nice stationary too– thick and white, unmarred by age or seawater. This was something official, then.
He opened the paper with shaking fingers. “Is this…?”
“Just read it,” Kayla said, more sad than pushy.
Was she sad about the news, or was she expecting him to be? What kind of paper could this be, that she wanted to bring him all the way out here?
He opened the paper. It looked to be a marriage announcement, with big, flashy letters spelling out–
No. No. That couldn’t be right.
But it was– he’d spent too long studying royal seals to know that this paper, this wedding announcement , was an official document, produced from the Castellan Royal Family themselves.
His thoughts were racing in his head, sailing through his head too fast for him to say anything. He stood up sharply, the raucous bar suddenly feeling suffocating, closing in on him.
“I need to go.”
Kayla didn’t chase after him. He ran from the tavern, leaving the letter on the table. He could feel the water welling up behind his eyes, and he prayed for them not to fall until he was safely back in his chambers. The rest of the crew didn’t need to know that the Dread Pirate Apollo was crying over a piece of paper.
He slammed the door as soon as he got inside, pressing his back against it and sliding down against the door. He pulled his knees up to his chest, running a hand through his hair, not even bothering to wipe the streaming tears from his face.
Nico was getting married. Nico was getting married to Luke Castellan. Luke Castellan, who was rich and perfect and would never have been a farmboy, who never would have had to leave Nico. Luke Castellan could give Nico anything he ever wanted. How could Will even think Nico would wait for him? When he had princes at his door?
Someone knocked on his door. He stood up, trying to straighten out his clothing before opening it. He couldn’t deny he felt a little relieved when he saw it was only Drew.
“I got you this,” Drew said. “Figured you were low on it.” If she was surprised by his face, she didn’t show it, moving past him to set down the vial on his desk– he could tell it was iocane powder, a deadly poison that he was completely immune to they could only get from Themyscira.
“Thanks,” he said.
To preserve a little bit of his dignity, Drew nodded, pretending to ignore the stuffy thickness in his voice and the sticky tracks cutting through the smudges of dirt on his cheeks. She left, closing the cabin door behind her, leaving Will alone with only a slowly-dying candle and his thoughts.
Will eyed the bottles of rum, and wondered how many he’d have to drink to forget Nico di Angelo ever existed.
He tried to act normally. He could tell the crew knew something was wrong, despite Drew covering for him as best she could.
How was he supposed to act normal? Being a pirate had never been his dream, Nico always was. And now…he couldn’t help but think it was all his fault. He should’ve gone back sooner– why didn’t he? He should’ve never lost that locket, he should’ve never left Nico in the first place–
“Will!”
He jerked to attention, seeing Drew standing in the doorway of his quarters. He straightened up at his desk upon seeing the grim look on her face. She was holding a paper out to him; he couldn’t help but compare it to the paper he’d received a few days before, though it was clearly of much lower quality.
“It’s about Nico,” she warned, as he moved to take it from her.
Will faltered. His heart still swelled in his chest, as if he was receiving a letter from Will. Hope flickered in his chest, his mind filling with misty visions of Nico’s curly, elegant handwriting telling Will how sorry he was, how he never should’ve said yes to Castellan, how he was coming right back to Will to marry him instead.
But Nico didn’t even know Will was alive. He took the paper, thanking Drew with a nod, pocketing it. She didn’t move from her spot in the doorway.
“You’re going to want to read that,” she warned.
Will shook his head. He couldn’t keep his voice from being bitter. “I really don’t need to hear anything about him.”
“You left him first.”
“I told him I was coming back for him, and he married someone else!” He exclaimed, a sudden fury boiling in his chest.
“Yeah, but you didn’t go back for him. It’s been five years, Will, and you’re still here.” She crossed her arms, staring him down as he sat back in his chair. She had a much better glare than Will ever had. “You’re the most feared pirate on the Seven Seas, and you’re still a coward.”
“I’m not the most feared pirate, I’m playing a part ,” Will replied, anger dissipating almost as quickly as it had come on, replaced by something quieter he couldn’t quite name. He crossed his arms as if trying to protect his chest, staring at a spot over Drew’s shoulder. “I’m not Apollo, I’m not the same person he fell in love with, what if I’m just not enough?”
“Trust me, he doesn’t need an apothecary apprentice. Read the note, Will. I’ll set the course for Florin.”
“Where are we going?” he scrambled to stand up, hand on his sword.
Drew rolled her eyes. “Read the note.”
She strode out of his quarters. He slumped back in his seat, snatching the paper out of his pocket and scanning through it.
He paused. Read through it again. Leaning forward as he took in every word.
Will–
Someone’s been asking around in the Thieves’s Forest in Florin about kidnappers for hire. Rumor is that the target is Castellan’s husband-to-be. It’s now or never, loverboy.
— Kayla
Nico was going to be kidnapped. Nico was going to be kidnapped. Will couldn’t let it happen, he couldn’t let Nico down again, he had to save him. They were only a day’s travel from the coast of Florin.
Whatever it took, he’d save Nico’s life. He owed him that much. And maybe– Will could feel the phantom weight of the lost locket, resting by his heart– maybe he still had his chance at True Love.
“Drew!” he yelled, running out of his quarters. “Set a course for Florin!”