Chapter 2

"Barking bloody prince." Deryn whispered. She really didn't want to do this, but Alek looked so sad and helpless with his bandages and his eyes, his big sad green eyes…. No!

Alek had told her that he and his crew were planning an escape in Constantinople. That they needed to stay hidden until his grandfather or someone died. When she asked why, he just shook his head. "I want to tell you, but now is not the time. Please Deryn, just trust me." And she did. Which is why she was going to Count Volger's cabin right now to tell him that Alek wanted to call the whole thing off.

He seemed very worried about sending her to Volger alone. Why would he be worried? Was the only thing going through her mind. What was so scary about Volger?

She knocked on his door. When he opened it and saw it was her, his face became offended, like she was introducing a disease he didn't want to catch. She stared at him with wide eyes, marveling at his mustache.

Volger cleared his throat. "What is it?" The man finally asked.

"Pleased to met you. Mr…. Count Volger. I'm midshipman Dylan Sharp."

"I know who you are."

"Right. Because Alex and I…we're friends."

"You're the idiot 'boy' who put a knife to Alek's throat."

"Aye, I supposed you're right, but I used the blunt side. I wouldn't hurt him." She pleaded.

"No, I guess you wouldn't." he muttered looking her up and down. "Come in 'Mr.' Sharp. I would like to have a word with you." Opening the door a bit more.

"Thank you, sir." She said stepping in. "I would like to have a word with you, too." She turned around to see a sword at her neck. "What?"

"What is the exact matter of your relationship with Aleksandar?" he inquired.

"What?" she said again a bit shriller. "This is madness!" Even is she was openly a girl, they'd still be friends. "I told you we were friends."

"Why have you come here?"

"Can you put that away?" A cold stare from Volger. A sigh. "Alek asked me to tell you to call off the Constantinople thing."

Volger was taken aback, he backed away and so did Deryn, as to avoid the stabber.

Muttering to himself, Volger said, "Why did he choose this? This isn't the plan." He looked at her, as if daring her to answer. "It was you wasn't it?" pointing the sword back at her neck.

"Could we please lose the big knife?" she was getting irritated at the hostility. "That's all he told me."

"It has to be you!" Volger insisted. "I was you hugging on the spine. You're always together, always getting him into trouble."

"No I'm not!" insulted. "It's your barking bloody prince getting me into trouble. I shouldn't even be talking to you, but Alek asked you and I promised… What now?"

"What did you just say?" Volger was staring daggers at her and raised his sword.

"I said Alek—" she began.

"Was a prince." The tension in the room was suffocating. After a while she broke the silence in an apologetic tone.

"I thought he told you."

"No." More silence.

"Dr. Barlow guessed. I was just there…." To comfort him while he cried; but she didn't say that.

"He got himself captured, after I told him to stay in the castle." Volger began. "He let loose his secret" Getting louder. "He became a homosexual with a Darwinist during wartime, and now he has changed our plans without even consulting me. It's only a matter of time before this whole godless ship discovers his secret. Have you told anyone, Mr. Sharp?" he inquired.

"Homosexual?" now she was taken back. "You think Alek and I…. I'm going to stop there. No." Taking a deep breath. "No to whatever you thought. Just no bloody way!" She was red as a tomato.

"You are as bad a liar as Alek, Dylan." Volger said with a smile. At least he could have some control back.

"No, actually I'm a very good liar." She didn't want to get Alek in trouble, or have his loyal 'servants' thinking he was something he wasn't. Deryn didn't want them to turn their backs on him after all this just because of her. And where's the harm in telling him? Alek had told her that Dr. Barlow knows her secret. Count Volger wasn't a very kind man, but he seemed to do (some) of what Alek says. Maybe if she told him, he wouldn't tell the captain.

"Alek and I do not have a romantic relationship." She began. "That being said, I'm a girl and Alek knows." Relief washed over Count Volger's face, but only briefly. He quickly regained his cool demeanor.

"I see, Ms. Sharp." A coy smile played on his lips. Oh no, "We'll play it this way, shall we, dear?" Not good. "You tell your 'friend' Alek that you don't want him on this ship, or I'll tell your captain your little secret."

A threat. That is the first thing a girl wants to hear. A threat from a person her best friend trusts. Now she knows why Count Volger is so scary. The tension in the room crackles. Deryn cringes.

"Alek doesn't want to leave." She says quietly.

"You'll convince him he does."

"Why?"

"You want to stay here, don't you, sweetheart?"

Teeth clenched, "You won't give up, will you?"

"That's why I'm such a good fencer." Whispering in her ear. "I never give my opponent an opportunity to strike back."

"What should I tell him?"

"Be creative Ms. Sharp." Strolling away. "I trust you can make a man very angry."

"I really don't like you."

"I really don't care. If you do your job right, it really won't matter. We'll be long gone" he smirked.

"Good day Mr. Count Volger. I hope to never see you again."

"Good bye Ms. Sharp. You never will."

Deryn left feeling more miserable than she did when she entered.

"Barking bloody prince." She went to walk Tazza, and to come up with a reason to tell the boy she really like to get lost in Constantinople. She felt like crying.