(Dylan)

“Runemist is waiting for you in the Captain’s Quarters,” First Mate Echo said as he raised an arm to gesture down the hallway.

“Really?” Dylan asked. He couldn’t imagine Runemist waiting for him anywhere. “She could’ve just come to my cabin and knocked on the door. Well, she doesn’t really knock… I think she’s got a lock ability or something? Is Lock magic a thing?” He paused, pursing his lips before heading out. He left his cabin and shut the door behind him.

The first mate politely let Dylan finish musing before he said, “She attempted to do so. But I stopped her from bothering you.” He nearly ran into Dylan as the husky man stopped abruptly to turn around.

“You did what?!” Dylan asked, wide-eyed and pale-faced, his hands flying up in disbelief.

The first mate took a step back to restore a modicum of decorum. “I posted a guard outside your door to prevent anyone from disturbing you. It’s procedure, sir.”

Dylan closed his eyes, imagining how extra grumpy she was going to be today. “Please don’t do that. Runemist is always allowed in my cabin anytime she likes.”

“Oh…” the first mate said, reading into Dylan’s words. “Should I move the two of you up to the Captain’s Suite? There’s plenty of room—”

Dylan shook his head vehemently. “No, no, it’s not like that.” He let out a sigh, wondering, ‘Why does everyone think I’m some kind of playboy?’

First Mate Echo leaned in and whispered in a conspiratorial hush, “A private affair? Say no more, captain.” He nodded knowingly and then made the twisty-key motion in front of his closed mouth.

Dylan shut his eyes again. He put up a hand to flex his fist, cracking his knuckles as he reached for a calming stillness he didn’t possess. “Just… don’t get in her way if she wants to talk to me, okay?”

The first mate gave a nod, as if he understood clearly. “Should I have your things brought up to the suite, sir?”

It was a logical question, but Dylan wasn’t into the whole paranormal enthusiast thing. The former captain—technically not dead—had left some bad juju in that room, and he wanted nothing to do with it.

“Nope,” Dylan said, shaking his head. “Perfectly happy with the room I’ve got.” He resumed their walk-and-talk toward the ‘Captain’s Quarters’.

“What should I do with the Captain’s Suite then?” The first mate followed exactly two steps behind.

Dylan tossed a suggestion over his shoulder as they walked. “You take it.”

“Me?”

“Yep. Let’s be honest. I’m more of a figurehead. You’re really running the show.” They’d reached the first turn, where the passenger section met the main hallway on this deck.

“I don’t think—”

Dylan did that stop and turn thing again, interrupting the first mate as they tried not to run their captain over. “What if I made it an order?”

The first mate let out an almost imperceptible sigh. “I’d reassign myself to the suite.”

“Good. As my first official order as captain, you are to take the Captain’s Suite.”

“Sorry, sir…” The first mate seemed hesitant to correct him. “But I’m fairly certain that wasn’t your first order as captain.”

Dylan gave him a jovial slap on his upper arm bone. “See, you’re way better at this than I am! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to a meeting that I’m probably late for.”

“Of course, sir.” The first mate excused himself with a nod.

Dylan, still shirtless, power walked in his pants, hat, and boots toward the Captain’s Quarters. He’d have the room renamed to the Meeting Room as soon as he could remember to tell someone. But first, he’d have to survive his inaugural meeting with Runemist as captain.

With his hand on the doorknob, he took a deep breath, twisted, and opened the door.

“Sorry, I’m—”

Dylan’s voice cut off as his stomach sank. Runemist wasn’t the only person in the very occupied room. He’d assumed they’d be meeting alone, since that’s how she met with the first mate and captain before.

The entire group from Nightshade had been waiting on him. They all glanced up at the half-naked, husky man, who was suddenly very aware of the number of eyes on him. All of them stared. Most were confused, a couple disappointed, but one looked very annoyed. Dylan hung his head, shutting his eyes tight as his burning cheeks betrayed him.

“How kind of you to grace us with your presence… Captain.” Runemist said, her words dripping with irritation. “I tried to speak with you earlier this morning, but got turned away by your crew…”

W’itney gasped, covering their mouth as their eyes went wide. Hay’len winced and Eury blinked at him, slack jawed. Even Wedge closed his eyes and shook his head. The remaining members of Tome & Key suddenly found themselves fascinated with the various barren walls, floors, and ceilings, unable to look at the poor soul who’d snubbed Runemist.

Dylan tried to explain, raising his hands defensively. “I, that was—”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said curtly. “First Mate Echo informed me the ship is ready to depart.” She glanced down at his legs with a frown. “I’m just glad you’re wearing pants—”

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“And the hat!” Quinten added with a smile. His eyes gestured to Eury before giving Dylan a wink.

Athrax laughed at the remark, a snort slipping out. His humor quickly turned to clearing his throat as Runemist shot him a wilting glare.

She continued with her meeting. “Ostello reports the beetle is on the move and hasn’t stopped to rest or eat since last night. It’s still within the confines of the cleared fields, but something obviously has its attention.”

P’reslen stepped forward, holding up the stone brother to Ostello’s echo locator. “He’s been running most of the morning to keep up.”

“Which is why we should stop wasting time.” Runemist’s disappointed gaze drifted toward the late arrival. “Dylan, we just need you to stand there. Don’t speak, don’t move, and let First Mate Echo give the orders. Got it?”

Dylan nodded. She was right. They didn’t need him for what came next. The first mate would handle the ship while the real adventurers handled the arc beetle. All he’d have to do was stand there wearing the stupid hat.

She raised a clawed finger at him. “I’m serious, Dylan. I’ll have you thrown off your own ship if you so much as move.” Her threat gave Athrax a grin.

“I got it,” Dylan said.

After she finished with him, she turned to the rest of the group. “Everyone out on the deck. P’reslen, update Ostello. Quinten, go get the detonator from storage. Athrax, fetch the engineer. And Wedge, gather your team and make sure they aren’t underfoot.”

Tome & Key hustled out of the room, each having a job to do. Runemist followed her team, while Wedge led the initiates out last. Eury hung back, lingering near the door with a quick glance over her shoulder at Dylan.

“Why are you shirtless?” she asked.

Dylan noticed she purposefully maintained eye contact with him. Heat crept into his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“I’m… doing laundry?”

Her gold-flecked amethyst eyes narrowed on him. “Now? When we’re about to leave?”

‘It’s not like I planned on being without a proper set of clothes during our escape,’ he thought. He flashed her a weak smile. “I didn’t know we’d be leaving right away.”

But her first question was just an excuse to speak with him and say what was truly on her mind. Her voice softened slightly as she hesitated.

“Alright, but I agree with Runemist,” Eury said, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “Don’t be a hero. We’re surrounded by actual adventurers.” She gestured toward Runemist and her team. “Let them do their job.”

Dylan chuckled; Eury was preaching to the choir. “I’m more than happy to sit back and let them, or anyone more qualified than me, be the hero.” His words helped belay her unease.

“Good, just… don’t do anything stupid. Okay?” She gently reached out, resting a warm hand on his bare arm.

He couldn’t help but glance down at her touch. Eury’s cheeks grew flush as she quickly removed her hand, hurrying away before anyone else noticed.

Both Nightshade groups took up spots along the starboard side railing. That was the direction of the nest and the impending detonation. The jungle was alive with the songs of raptors and trilling of insects. Athrax had returned with Engineer Echo, and now they were just waiting on Quinten.

The easygoing elf jogged up the ramp to board the ship. P’reslen walked over to check on him.

“What took you so long?” he asked, glancing toward Runemist to see if they were in trouble.

“Mate, you would not believe the bits and bobs they were going to leave behind,” Quinten said.

“What do you mean?”

“So I went down there to summon my chest and get the stone, yeah? Mate… They’ve got heaps of books, bookshelves, armoires—entire wardrobes just ripe for the picking.”

P’reslen asked, “Did you—”

Quinten cut him off with a grin, tapping P’reslen with the back of his hand. “You bet your tail I did! Jammed in whatever fit through the throat of the chest. Then—” He paused as he noticed a pair of deck crew patiently waiting for him to move so they could withdraw the ramp.

“Sorry fellas,” he said, getting out of their way. Then he flashed Runemist a big smile and two thumbs up that he’d completed his assignment.

Engineer Echo appeared on the left of Dylan, looking out into the jungle. “Captain, I am very much looking forward to seeing how our remote detonator performs. While only a single yield explosive, we should still be able to tell when it goes off.”

He turned to regard Dylan. “Runemist mentioned there was a gas pocket nearby. That should go up in a fireball. At the very least, we’ll see the smoke to verify the detonation,” the engineer said with a nod.

First Mate Echo flanked Dylan on his right. “Shall we begin, captain?”

Dylan remembered the plan. ‘Just let everyone do their jobs,’ he thought. And then he looked up at his first officer, who stood at attention, awaiting his command. “After Runemist gives the word, your orders are to get us back home. I was told that’d be enough, and you’d know what to do?”

“Of course, captain.” The first mate gave him a solemn nod. “I’ll take care of it. Where would you like to stand for our departure? The Captain’s Suite has a pleasant view and is one of the few remaining places to sit. But the best view would be from the Bridge.” He waited patiently for Dylan’s answer.

Dylan pointed over to Wedge and the other initiates. “Would it be alright if I stood over there with my friends?”

“It’s your ship, sir. It’d be alright if you wanted to stand on the bow. Although I’d advise against it, wouldn’t want you going overboard on your first voyage.”

While Dylan couldn’t see the smile on his first officer, the subtle joke wasn’t lost on him. Both officers shadowed him as he found a spot between Wedge and Eury, just large enough for him to fit. The draconi skeletons, being two heads taller than him, had an unobstructed view, despite standing behind him.

Dylan turned to look over his shoulder and asked, “Are you two going to follow me around the entire time?”

The first mate gave him another nod. “Only until the joint operation is over and we’re officially heading back home, captain.”

Dylan returned to looking at the trees that surrounded the Everafter. “Think we’ll see the explosion from here?”

“I certainly hope so, captain,” the engineer said. He rubbed his bony hands together, producing an eerie clacking sound.

Dylan turned back to the first mate. “Any way I could get everyone to stop calling me captain?”

“Give the hat to someone else, sir,” the first mate said. The lamprian’s subtle humor continued to show itself.

Dylan sighed. “You know as well as I do, no one aboard this ship wants it.” He scratched his chin. “What if I gave an order for the crew to stop calling me captain?”

“It’s a tradition, sir. I’d recommend holding off on that order. The crew is dealing with a lot right now. Maybe let them have this bit of normalcy. At least until we get underway?”

Dylan saw his point. Routine was something that always helped ground him back on Earth. “Okay,” he said.

Quinten handed the echo detonator, as Dylan had renamed it, over to Runemist. She pushed off the railing, shouting down the line to the first mate, “We’re ready! Let’s go!”

First Mate Echo didn’t respond other than to tilt his skull down at the captain and wait. Dylan gave a tiny nod to get the show rolling, hoping Runemist didn’t notice.

The first mate held a rock in his hand that Dylan swore hadn’t been there before.

‘Where does he keep that thing?’ he wondered. ‘Maybe there’s a pocket in the hat?’

“All hands, prepare for liftoff,” the first mate said to the rock. His voice carried across all the decks as he spoke.

“Is that the speaker system for the ship?”

The first mate nodded, holding the rock out to him. “Would you like to address the ship, captain?”

Dylan shook his head adamantly. “No. Runemist wouldn’t like that.”

“With all due respect to Runemist. She’s not the captain of this ship.” As usual, the first mate made another good point. Still, Dylan had no intention of provoking the mender. She was scary enough as it was, and that was while he was on her ‘good side.’

“It’s alright, I wouldn’t know what to say anyway.”