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Part 1. Ardenscourt
Destin Karn hurried away from his meeting with King Gerard, the sketch of Jenna Bandelow’s magemark clutched in his hands. Now that he was out of sight of the king, he could feel the panic rising in his chest. He glanced down at the drawing of the magemark again, still unable to shake its similarity to the one he’d seen years ago. The symbol in the drawing looked like flickering flames rather than oceanic weather patterns, but the basic style was the same as the magemark that belonged to Evan Strangward. Strands of metal interlacing a central gemstone, supposedly located on the back of the neck.
Before going into the meeting, Destin had come to terms with doing whatever the King asked of him. It was the only way he could survive. Now, however, his mind was swarming with traitorous thoughts. He still remembered inspecting Evan’s magemark, tracing his fingers across it. The mark had felt warm, like it was a part of Evan’s flesh, something essential to him. The pattern on it had matched Evan’s magic perfectly. It also apparently made him a target for the Empress. During their conversation, Evan had speculated that there might be more people out there with magemarks. Now, out of the blue, one of these people had appeared, over two years after Destin had been ripped away from his idyllic life in Tarvos and thrown back into the harsh landscape of the Ardenine court. Despite Evan’s attempts to contact him in the past couple of years, Destin had pushed him away. I can’t do anything until my father is dead and buried.
However, though Destin had refused to contact Evan, he had continued to keep eyes on him. It was Destin’s job as spymaster, after all, to gather intelligence about all foreign powers. Keeping track of the Stormlord of the Indio, the young ruler of Tarvos, the man responsible for large amounts of missing Ardenine cargo, was certainly something Destin was expected to do. Still, he would always read the sparse reports from Carthis with special care. He always found himself smiling at those descriptions of Evan. Ardenine captains who’d been victim to the Stormlord’s piracy feared his banner more than any other. There were whispers that Evan Strangward could bend the waves and wind to his will, which was especially frightening for men whose lives were ruled by the unpredictability of the ocean. They said his crew was exceptionally strong, immune to bribes, and resistant to all forms of attack. Overall, the reports painted a picture of someone who was unnatural, terrifying, and ruthless. Keep it up, Pirate. You might even be more notorious than me.
Destin refused to think about the report he’d received that had detailed Evan’s so-called ‘liaisons’ with men on both sides of the Indio. It was natural that Evan had moved on from their brief relationship. Destin wasn’t even sure if he could call it that. They’d only truly known each other for a day. They’d kissed once, and Evan had made promises, but nothing had happened after that. Destin had actively discouraged Evan from contacting him. Of course he’d pursue other relationships. Destin still took satisfaction in the fact that these relationships were seemingly more flings than anything else, even though he knew it shouldn’t matter to him.
In his rooms that night, after issuing the order to his blackbirds to prepare to leave for Delphi immediately, Destin agonized over the questions the magemarked girl presented. Though he wanted to contact Evan, how could he possibly risk his own life, and his mother’s life, to do so? The general’s threats loomed over Destin constantly, and every time he visited his mother, he was reminded of his failure to kill the man. If he’d driven that dagger deeper, if he’d taken the opportunity to quickly kill his father rather than trying to make him suffer, his mother might be able to venture freely within her own estates without being tailed by the general’s men. The hundreds of mages who’d been collared and sent to war might be free. The war with the Fells might’ve even fallen apart without the general’s counsel, but Destin doubted that his father truly had that much impact. He was a seasoned military man, of course, but he also failed to make progress on the battlefield. Somehow, despite everything, the Fellsian armies held out against Arden’s superior numbers. Destin secretly admired their strength. He knew what it took to withstand the general’s violence.
Still, even if the general wasn’t solely responsible for the war, Destin felt the weight of all the suffering he’d caused on his shoulders. If he had just killed his father when he’d had the chance, so many others would be alive. He wouldn’t have had to take the job of spymaster and do despicable things to keep his position. He wouldn’t have been sent on this task to chase down and kidnap a girl to deliver her to the cruel and dangerous Empress of the East, all in exchange for more mages that would be collared.
Now, there was no way Destin could kill the general. His father was prepared for Destin’s vengeance. If the general were to die under any circumstances, no matter how distant they might be from Destin, his men had orders to kill Frances. Destin couldn’t sacrifice his mother, the first person to ever believe he could be more than what his father dictated. She’d drawn blows away from Destin and towards herself when Destin had been young. She was the one who had helped him cultivate his interest in engineering. She was the one who had taken his hand and dragged him from his father’s keep on the Bittersweet when his attempt at patricide had failed. She had contacted her brother and spirited them away to Tarvos, where Destin had briefly been able to taste happiness.
She had led him to the second person who had believed in Destin. She had practically forced Destin to give Evan a chance. He remembered their whispered conversations when Evan was out of earshot. He had been insistent that Evan could not be trusted, that he would lead the general straight to their door. Frances had sternly told him that not everyone was going to be a spy. You can’t do everything on your own, Destin. You need to accept help.
She had been right because his mother was almost always right. Destin had begrudgingly accepted Evan’s help, still apprehensive of how the other boy set him off kilter. Evan had worn down his walls until they’d begun to laugh and scheme together. In those few glorious hours between their kiss and arriving back in Tarvos, Destin had dared to hope for a potential future with Evan beside him. The memory of that hope still resided deep within him, the hope that maybe he and Evan could fight their enemies together. That he could trust someone with all of him, someone who was strong enough to bear the burden of Destin’s past. The memory of that hope bubbled up inside of Destin as he stared at the drawing of Jenna Bandelow’s magemark. Maybe this was a chance for him to bring it back. He could help Evan in fighting against Celestine by warning him about this magemarked girl. They could face down their enemies together, in a way.
First things first, I need to find the girl, Destin thought. There would be no point in contacting Evan if this other magemarked person didn’t actually exist. If Destin could find her, he would then need to set up a meeting with Evan. Any collusion with the pirate would be traitorous, but better to not leave much of a paper trail if he could help it. He would also need to interrogate the girl and make sure she wasn’t some sort of agent of Celestine’s. It was unlikely, but he and Evan both knew so little about what the magemark meant. Even if she wasn’t working for Celestine, the girl might have valuable information about why Celestine was hunting people with magemarks. Destin had to find her, question her, and contact Evan. If Celestine really wanted the girl, it might make the most sense to simply kill her and prevent Celestine from ever receiving her. However, Destin remembered Evan’s aversion to killing, despite his brutal upbringing. He had a feeling that Evan would want to keep the girl alive while also keeping her out of Celestine’s hands. Destin would have to formulate a plan for potentially doing so under the King’s nose.
So much to think about, so much to plan. And yet, Destin found himself invigorated by the challenge. If everything went right, he would be meeting with Evan again. Despite how wrong he knew it was, Destin couldn’t help but feel excited about the prospect. If we meet, that doesn’t mean anything will happen. He’s moved on. This is strictly a favor .
That night, Destin dreamed of Evan. That first glimpse of him in the barn, when Destin had briefly wondered if some sort of faerie had come down from the heavens to visit him. The magic lessons on the beach where Destin had watched Evan glow with power, wind, and water twisting around him. Evan’s playful smile as he declared their new ketch the Destiny. The feeling of Evan’s lips on his, how that kiss had spread warmth through Destin’s body, how he’d never wanted it to end. The pain and fear in Evan’s eyes as he’d drawn back his fist to punch Destin in the face. The hundreds of bolts of lightning that had flashed across the sky as Destin sat chained to the deck of his father’s ship, proving to Destin that he’d at least been able to keep Evan alive.
He would do it again, even with the distance between them. He’d find the magemarked girl and contact Evan. Because the greatest cause Destin Karn had ever believed in was helping Evan Strangward survive another day.
~
Part 2. Baston Bay
Destin sat in the back room of the Barrister’s Inn, anxiously awaiting Evan’s arrival. He had rehearsed their meeting a thousand times in his mind and decided exactly what he would say. He would keep it strictly business, he would not allow Evan to get under his skin. He had to stay focused on his goal of killing his father. He couldn’t afford the distraction of Evan. Never mind the fact that this meeting was clearly a violation of that rule. Never mind that there was no "business" reason for Destin to meet with Evan, except that he still cared deeply about him. Destin chose not to focus on that. He might have complicated feelings about Evan, but he was fairly certain Evan didn’t feel the same. The damn report about the pirate’s proclivities proved that.
Destin wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to move on from Evan Strangward, but he hoped this meeting might help solidify their incompatibility in his mind. Evan deserved far better than Destin could offer him. Still, Destin was here, putting the meager things he had on offer for the pirate. Information about Jenna was pretty much all Destin could give. He felt like an inadequate suitor, even though this meeting was strictly business and not at all about matters of the heart.
The longer Destin spent alone in the back room, the more his thoughts spiraled. He was usually put together during jobs like this, but Evan had always been able to undo his disciplined composure. Would he even show up? Destin knew it had to look incredibly suspicious that he was contacting him out of the blue. He’d hardly explained anything in his note, only asked Evan to meet him in Baston Bay and to bring some sort of valuable weapon. The weapon was related to Destin’s vague outline of a plan in which he risked everything to help Evan potentially rescue Jenna. Not that the girl showed any signs of being cooperative. She had stabbed herself upon Destin’s discovery of her, and since then had refused to answer his questions. That, or she really didn’t know anything about her magemark and Carthian dagger.
Destin’s thoughts were interrupted by a thumping sound on the door. He looked up, his heart racing. Was someone trying to break the door down? It wasn’t locked, so why didn’t they just open it? As Destin thought that, the door swung open, and a brown blur darted towards him, barking loudly. Breaker? How is he alive?
The small dog lept into Destin’s lap, pawing at his chest and attempting to lick his face. Destin tried to fend him off, noticing a faint red glow surrounding him. He looked up at the person who’d opened the door and locked eyes with Evan Strangward.
Destin’s vision tunneled around Evan as the other boy pulled the door shut behind him. Evan was taller now, and though he was still thin, his body seemed more muscled. One of his ears was pierced, and he wore Destin’s old amulet on a chain around his neck. His blond hair had grown longer and was tied back. A few shining streaks of blue and silver stood out amongst the blond, no longer hidden by a watch cap. He was dressed simply and carried no visible weapon, but Destin could see the shining white glow of his magery surrounding him. That glow had grown stronger since the last time Destin had seen him.
“I brought your dog back,” Evan said, and Destin collected himself. There was no time to drink in the sight of the pirate. They had work to do. “So I see,” Destin replied.
Their conversation briefly circled around Destin’s position, and he could tell that Evan was suspicious of his intentions. That was confirmed when Evan refused the drink Destin offered. He knows what I am, Destin thought as he tilted the small glass back. It was wise of Evan to refuse the drink, yet Destin still felt jilted. He knew it was irrational, but he wanted some of their easy camaraderie back. He’d thought that the alcohol might help, but Evan was clearly all about business for this meeting.
But then, Evan offered up Frances’ possessions. Her jewelry and her dagger that the general had taken away. And Destin knew he’d been jumping to conclusions. Evan had kept these things for years, not knowing if they’d ever see each other again. He’d held on and believed that they might meet again. Destin swallowed as he gently touched the leather-wrapped dagger. He remembered his mother wielding it to protect both of them from his father when he’d been a young child. He looked up at Evan, meeting his eyes for the first time. The expression on his face was a mix of nervousness and eagerness. Destin wondered why he’d been angry with Evan for that brief moment. He hadn’t changed from the kind person he’d been two years ago. Destin found himself wondering once again how Evan maintained that capacity for gentleness. He wanted to reach out and feel the pirate’s hand, to see if those rough callouses were still as he remembered. He wanted to spill his heart to Evan right there and then, consequences be damned. Instead, he said, “Thank you. It was my mother’s dagger, actually.”
Their conversation continued, both of them probing at each other, feeling for weaknesses. Destin was extremely curious about the reddish glow surrounding Breaker and Evan’s crew. Evan explained that it was blood magic, some sort of binding loyalty and rejuvenation that came as a result of people drinking Evan’s blood. Destin was surprised that Evan had used that power. He’d spoken in the past about wanting to find a crew he could trust, and the blood magic was one way to do that, but it still didn’t seem to align with Evan’s moral compass. Although he seemed to do blood magery in the least cruel way possible, which Destin should have expected.
Finally, after circling it for a while, Destin got to the meat of their meeting. “My king sent me to Delphi to hunt down a girl with a magemark,” he explained.
He detailed everything he knew about Jenna, from her performance as Lyle Truthteller to her capture. He then pulled out the leather case that contained the curved Carthian blade.
“She killed one of the King’s Guard in Delphi with this blade,” Destin said, setting it on the table between them.
Evan reached his hand out towards the blade, his fingers about to brush the edge. Destin couldn’t help himself and grabbed Evan’s wrist before he could cut the tips of his fingers. Destin didn’t want to cause him any more pain, no matter how minimal. He realized too late that he’d held on for longer than was necessary. “Careful you don’t cut yourself. Jenna stabbed herself with it and nearly died,” he said, attempting a weak explanation for his behavior.
He continued to hold onto Evan’s wrist, feeling his pulse beneath his fingers. One heartbeat. Two heartbeats. Then he let go, sitting back in his chair. Trying to play it cool, like that was a normal reaction to an acquaintance reaching for a blade. He could tell Evan wasn’t buying it. Destin watched the emotions play across his face, worried that he’d shown his hand too strongly and scared him off. Here he was, still in love with Evan after two years without contact. Still willing to risk everything to help him. He just hoped that Evan would accept that help. Destin could feel the hope he’d left behind two years ago bubbling up inside of him. Say something, he pleaded silently. Show me that this was the right decision. Show me that you still believe in what we can do together.
Evan’s throat jumped as he swallowed. He glanced at Destin and said, “Jenna nearly died–but she is alive?”
He was going along with it, asking more questions. Destin lept to answer them. He told Evan everything he knew about Jenna, trying to remember every single detail.
“If worse comes to worst,” Destin offered, “I could kill her before the empress arrives, but-”
As Destin had expected, Evan quickly cut him off. “No!” he yelled, and instantly three of Evan’s stormborn were at the door. Destin looked up, shocked by how quickly they’d responded to his raised voice. The blood magic truly was potent. One of them glared daggers at Destin, and he tried his best to ignore her. Evan reassured them, sent them out of the room, and returned to the topic at hand.
“I don’t want to kill Jenna. I want to save her if I can,” Evan said. “I have to talk to her. I’ve never met anyone else like me. I just-”
Destin saw that Evan wanted desperately to find an ally in this Jenna girl. It sounded like the only people who were on his side in Carthis were those who were magically bound to him, so Destin didn’t blame him. He’d come up with the bones of a plan to get Jenna away from Arden and into Evan’s hands. He just hoped that it didn’t end up getting both of them killed. “You did bring a weapon, didn’t you?” he asked, knowing that his plan hinged on whatever they would be able to offer King Gerard in place of an army.
“I brought a sun dragon,” Evan said.
“A sun dragon?” Destin blinked in disbelief. Just when he’d thought he had Evan all figured out, the pirate turned around and surprised him again.
“It’s still rather small, but it’s growing fast. We need to act before it outgrows the hold,” Evan explained.
“You weren’t worried that it would set fire to your ship?”
“It came with a flashcraft collar that blocks magic. Would you like to see it?”
Destin stared at Evan in disbelief for a moment and then began to laugh. Evan had brought an actual dragon as his weapon? That was either insane or brilliant or maybe both. It was certainly exotic and powerful enough to potentially convince King Gerard to take it in exchange for Jenna. This plan might actually work, Destin thought to himself. He shook his head, and admitted exactly what he had been feeling: “Gods, Pirate, I have missed you.”
~
Part 3. After Baston Bay
(A/N: this part is a little less canon-compliant, but I also felt like Destin’s switch to complete Evan Strangward's number-one supporter in Deathcaster deserved a little bit of explanation beyond a brief romance two years prior. This is my little slightly self-indulgent what if they had a little moment chapter of the fic okay thank you bye)
Destin followed Evan to his ship, the two of them quietly slipping out of the Barrister’s Inn and down to the docks of Baston Bay. Evan’s stormborn followed them at a distance, although Breaker remained at Destin’s heels. The dog had also suffered abuse at the hands of the general, so it satisfied Destin to see him in a near-immortal state, clearly well taken care of by Evan and his crew. With the return of Breaker, his mother’s belongings, and most of all, Evan Strangward, Destin felt oddly light on his feet. He realized that, for the first time in two years, he was happy. Even though he was plotting against his king, risking his own life, he hadn’t felt this good in a very long time.
It had been dark outside when their meeting had begun, and as they reached Evan’s ship, the city around them went silent. Even ports like Baston Bay eventually went to sleep. Destin followed Evan to the hatch that led to the cargo hold of the ship. “The dragon takes up most of the space down there,” Evan warned. “It’s not exactly lively, either, because we have to block its magic. But it's still quite impressive.”
Destin laughed at that, and then he was descending the ladder behind Evan. He reached the bottom and turned around to see two massive golden eyes staring listlessly at him. The dragon was not fully grown, but it was still large enough to fill Destin’s entire field of view. Evan stood beside him, silently letting Destin drink in the sight of the dragon. It wore a silver collar that was very similar to the ones Ardenine mages were forced to wear, and it was half asleep. Still, the dragon’s scaled armor and long claws made it appear formidable. Destin guessed that if he could look into the creature’s mouth, he would see massive teeth. It had wings that were folded up and chained down on its back. Destin wondered how such a large creature could fly. It would go against everything he knew about the physics of aviation, although the dragon’s magic might have given it some sort of boost. “Do they obey human commands?” Destin asked.
“I hear they can be trained, with a lot of effort and bribery,” Evan responded. “The man who sold it to me claimed that they’re intelligent enough to understand human speech, but that doesn’t mean they’ll go along with anything anyone says. However, if it can be trained, I can imagine it would be a useful military tool.”
Destin nodded. “We need to pitch it to King Gerard, but I don’t want to raise suspicion by being too supportive of the idea of exchanging the dragon for Jenna. If we can get one of the king’s other advisors on board, it’ll help us sell the deal. I can appear as if I’m agreeing with him, rather than presenting the idea outright.”
“Who do you think will be at the meeting?”
“Well, other than myself, I can guess that Lord Botetort and Father Fosnaught will be in attendance. Perhaps the king will invite his pet smuggler, Lila Barrowhill, as well. The general won’t be there, which is a point in our favor.”
“Who would be easiest to convince?”
“Lord Botetort would be easily swayed by a dragon. He’s the type who sees flashy things and is entranced by them. Father Fosnaught is a religious man, so he might think that the dragon is some sort of devilish abomination, but he could be convinced by its military value. Lila, if she’s invited, is probably a wildcard. She might not like the dragon because she’s in the business of supplying mage collars, and was probably looking forward to the mage army Celestine was promising.”
Evan tilted his head to the side, considering Destin’s words. “What would be the best way for me to present myself to your king? I don’t know much about Arden’s customs.”
“It would probably be best for you to play into that,” Destin said. “The king will expect you to be foreign, and if you had a lot of inside knowledge, he might grow suspicious. He’s a very paranoid man when it comes to betrayals.”
Destin stared ahead, ignoring Evan’s sideways glance. He knew what that look meant. Evan was prodding at him, trying to figure out why Destin was betraying his king. Well, it was more like Evan was trying to get Destin to say the reasons out loud. He was pretty sure they both knew why this plan was being formulated.
Their silence continued for another heartbeat, and then Evan said, “Let’s get out of this dragon’s den. We can keep planning in my room. It’s much nicer, and smells less like dragon sick.”
Destin wrinkled his nose. “So that’s what the smell is. Eugh. Do dragons get seasick?”
“Apparently. I guess they aren’t used to being on ships,” Evan said. “They can fly across oceans, so I doubt they ever feel the need to board one.”
Destin followed Evan out of the hold and to his room, feeling the eyes of the Stormborn on him. “Do they always watch you like this?”
“Yes,” Evan said, exasperation clear in his tone. “They’re constantly worried about me being killed. Which is warranted in almost all situations, mind you, but it still gets… oppressive.”
Destin stepped inside Evan’s room, scanning the area. It was small and sparsely decorated for a captain’s cabin. There was a small desk in a corner with various papers strewn across it. The walls were lined with shelves, and various books served as the main decoration. Evan pulled the door shut behind him and sat on the edge of the desk as if trying to hide the mess from Destin.
“I try to keep track of Celestine’s navy,” he said sheepishly, waving his hand towards the desk. “It doesn’t usually work.”
Destin smiled and leaned against the wall, taking in the room. “An admirable effort, still. Do you get much use out of all these books?”
“I don’t have as much time to read as I’d like, but I’m trying to gather a collection,” Evan said. “Tarvos didn’t have any sort of library when I first took over, but I’m trying to build one.”
With those words, Destin was reminded of the differences between them. While Destin was working as a spy for a detestable king, Evan was building up a city. It was hard to get his spies into Tarvos, but the second-hand reports Destin got were of a bustling hub of pirate activity. Tarvos was the one place that had resisted the Empress’ rule, and it was seen as a den of iniquity. Not the type of place where one would look for a library, but Evan Strangward tended to defy expectations.
“Do your Stormborn read?” Destin asked. “Who uses the library?”
Evan frowned at the question. “No, the Stormborn unfortunately don’t do much besides following my orders. There are a few free pirate captains in Tarvos, but they also don’t utilize the books. For now, it’s basically my private library, but I have high hopes for the future.”
Of course he did. Evan was eternally optimistic, which was a trait that Destin usually found obnoxious, but for some reason in Evan, it was attractive. Maybe it was because Destin knew that Evan’s optimism didn’t come from naivety. He knew that the world was a harsh place, but he still believed that one day, Tarvos could be an open city where people would go to the library and read in their spare time.
“I hope I can visit sometime,” Destin said softly. That was an admission of sorts.
“Tarvos is always open to you,” Evan replied. “If you wanted to flee with me after we attempt this plan, you’re welcome to do so.”
Destin shook his head. “Thank you for the offer, but even if we get Jenna out of here, I still have something left to accomplish.”
“Your father,” Evan said. It was a statement, not a question. They both knew what Destin was determined to do.
“Yes. I have to be the one to kill him.”
“What about once he’s gone?”
Destin looked up at Evan, who had stood up and was standing closer to him. His sea-green eyes swirled with emotion, so intense it almost hurt to meet his gaze.
“Once he’s dead,” Destin whispered, “I’ll visit Tarvos. I’ll find you.”
He had admitted it, finally. Destin had always tried not to think past his father’s death, staying focused on that one goal, but seeing Evan in front of him, he couldn’t stop himself. He needed Evan to know that they desired the same thing. He desperately needed Evan to know that he hadn’t given up hope.
Evan smiled at him. He was close enough that Destin could smell him, a sharp smell like the air right before a lightning strike. Destin felt his breathing hitch in his throat. Evan’s hair shone in the faint candlelight. Like a faerie prince, Destin thought dimly. He was having trouble collecting his thoughts.
“I’ve missed you,” Evan said, voice low. “I wasn’t sure if we would ever see each other again, but I never stopped thinking about you.”
Destin fought the urge to grab Evan and pull him closer. Weren’t they supposed to be planning something? But it didn’t matter. Evan had just admitted to exactly what Destin had been feeling. He hadn’t moved on. Neither of them had.
“I missed you too,” Destin said. “I could never forget you. You were - what you said to me on that day - it never left me.”
Destin’s eyes were locked with Evan’s. He couldn't look away. Before he could reprimand himself, he was leaning forward, closing the distance between them. Evan’s arms wrapped around him, and he was pulled into a kiss.
This time, unlike two years ago, Destin didn’t push Evan away. He returned the kiss, one hand reaching up to rest in Evan’s hair, the other wrapping around his waist. He never wanted them to break apart. He wanted to live in this moment forever. There was no general, no empress, nothing but the two of them together. Destin felt a sense of rightness like two gears locking together. He could feel his own heart racing as Evan pulled away from the kiss. They were still in each other’s arms, neither one of them wanting to step away.
“It’s late,” Destin said. “I should be getting back-”
“Stay,” Evan said. “Just for tonight. We just found each other again. I don’t want to lose you so quickly.”
Destin felt his face flush. “I can’t stay, I don’t- we can’t do anything,” he said, slightly embarrassed. He was pretty sure what Evan was implying by inviting him to stay the night, and that wasn’t something Destin was prepared for. Not when his entire romantic history consisted of two kisses.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Evan said. “I just meant you could sleep here. With me. But not like that either. I just have so much I want to say to you.”
Destin felt even more embarrassed than before but tried not to show it. “I want to talk to you too,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anyone else who I can talk to about most things.”
Evan smiled at him. “Then stay. You can slip out in the morning. I want to catch you up on the past two years.”
“I’ve been keeping tabs on you,” Destin teased. “I know what you’ve been up to. Mostly stealing Ardenine cargo.”
“Were any of your spies in Tarvos proper? Did they tell you about all the other developments I’ve done? Other than the library, of course.”
Destin shook his head. “Your security is pretty tight. Most of my intelligence comes from at sea or from other ports where you spent time."
Evan laughed. “That’s because everyone in Tarvos is Stormborn, and the Guardians keep unwanted people out. But the place has completely transformed since two years ago.”
“Tell me about it, Pirate,” Destin said, sitting down on the edge of Evan’s bunk. “You could barely build a barn, so I’m intrigued about how you managed to build a city.”
Destin knew that their companionship for the night was only temporary. He knew that the next day, he would have to go back to missing Evan Strangward. But in the moment, he didn't care. This is my future, Destin thought. This is what I need to fight for. Him. Us. The hope we share. That's what matters.