Chapter 22: The Jolly Roger

Thane Drogos

That night, I stayed at Desmond's house. Unable to look at Evelyn again. I couldn't bear to see my bed and remember the night we shared. Hear her sobs as she tried to reason with me about why I should free her.

If I stayed, I would have caved.

The fury inside would fade away the longer I stared into her wide brown eyes.

Evelyn made me soft.

More reason to follow through with my plan. She threatened my crew. My family. In turn, threatened their families. No one would be safe if she went home. She knew where safehold was. Knew who I was.

If Evelyn's father, Richard, knew, then he would set the entire world on fire to find my mother and me. He gutted my brothers. Strung up my father. Found and butchered every distant member of my family.

With us alive, his secret, his whole lineage, and bureaucratic power were now at risk.

But even with all those reasons, I hated what I would have to do with Evelyn. Serve her up on a platter to a clan of sirens.

I sa