“It’s bloody foolish,” Shiv argued.

“What’s bloody foolish is skipping past Wildwater. The cove is bloody sheltered, if we need we can spend a few extra days there,” Crawly objected.

“We can’t afford to spend a few extra days at Wildwater,” Sirius interrupted. He sat between them and for the last 20 minutes had been listening to them argue back and forth about the damn storm.

“We can’t afford to stop in Wildwater at all,” Shiv added. “That storm will catch us for sure.”

“Storm doesn’t look so bad,” Sirius replied.

“Do you remember last December, the trip through Scuttle Pass?” Shiv asked. “Storm may not look so bad now but she’s got the same makings that one did. We can’t risk a storm like that.”

“We survived that one,” Sirius replied.

“Barely.”

“That was different ocean,” Sirius added. He had to admit though, Shiv did have a point. Then again so did Crawly.

“We have deliveries to make in Wildwater.” Crawly argued.

“Oh please,” Shiv retorted. “You just want to go whoring and drinking.”

“Yeah well me and every other crewman on this boat and they’ll all be pissed off if we don’t stop there. Wildwater’s got the best pub in the whole southern ocean.”

“Best whorehouse you mean?” Shiv corrected.

“Same thing,” Crawly retorted.

“We’re risking running short of water if we don’t stop in Wildwater,” Sirius added.

“We’ll be chased by a storm, we can collect rainwater if we need,” Shiv suggested.

“From in the storm Shiv? I thought the point was to stay out,” Sirius replied.

“We’ll be on the edge of it.”

“If that storm catches us past Wildwater there’s nowhere to hide. We stop in Wildwater, then we can take a day to see how it develops and reassess if it’s worth sailing through.”

“And if it’s not?” Shiv asked.

Sirius threw his hands in the air. “Well then we’ll be late to Scarlett and they’ll just have to deal with it.”

“You know that’s not an option.”

“Well it’ll have to be.”

It seemed to be enough for Shiv for now. Sirius knew he’d bring it up later too though.

Shiv sighed. “There’s something else.”

Sirius frowned. He didn’t like the look on Shiv’s face. “What?”

“I’ve been chatting to that animal handler. Turns out Sirena Silver, the client with the boxes of pain in the neck pets, has got some pretty powerful friends.” Shiv gave him the names.

Sirius frowned. “He might be lying.”

“Yeah well I thought of that but it seems some of the crew have actually heard of her. Pete’s even had some run ins.”

“Send him up later, I want to talk to him.”

Shiv nodded.

“So, we’re stopping in Wildwater?” Crawly confirmed.

“Yup,” Sirius replied.

Shiv made a choking noise but didn’t say anything else. He turned to leave, got half way to the door and then stopped.

Sirius looked up to see what had caught his attention. There in the doorway was Amanda.

“Bruce gave me some food to bring you,” she held up the covered platter.

Sirius nodded. He’d forgotten about dinner but he felt his stomach growl at the mention of food and was glad someone had thought of it.

Shiv walked around her and left out the door. Crawly followed. It was just Sirius and Amanda left then.

Sirius watched as she sat the tray down on the map table. She paused to look at the maps.

“You said you’ve sailed before?” he asked.

She glanced up. He registered something like surprise in her face. Every time he watched her she seemed to be taking an interest in something. He figured not much got by her. He always felt he had to fight with himself to pay attention. But to this woman it seemed to come naturally.

“That’s right,” she replied. “The Eastern sea.”

“East of the wind corridor?” he asked referring to a cluster of sea that was constantly covered in whirlwinds. It was impossible to sail there on ships like this.

Amanda nodded. “We sail around, go south to go north.”

He nodded.

“You should eat.” She pointed at the food.

“Mmm right.” He pulled a chair up and took the lid off. Steam and the smell of cooked veges and pepperoni rose in the air. He took a deep breath in.

“Grab a chair.” He pointed at the other seat. He wanted to ask her a few more questions. Get to know this stowaway. He didn’t need any more surprises on this trip.

She pulled up the other chair.

“Did you eat?” he asked, figuring she had but wanting to be sure anyway.

She nodded. “Yeah, before...” She made a face. “Before Shiv and I played four finger fillet.”

She didn’t meet his eyes as she said it. She seemed almost embarrassed. He glanced at her finger. It wasn’t bleeding anymore but it was still stained with some of the dry blood from earlier. She didn’t seem to mind that, nor did the wound seem to bother her much.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

He didn’t mock her for it. He’d seem Shiv goad many a man into playing that game. This woman seemed to have just as much determination and pride as any of them. And the way he’d seen her interact with them when they were playing cards yesterday. No one had won over his crew quite so fast before. He didn’t think it was just because she pretty.

There was something about her that made her easy to talk to. Typically she had no problem meeting anyone’s eyes but she didn’t stare either. He’d catch a glance of her brown eyes and it never felt like too long, it always left him wanting more.

Even now she didn’t watch him eat. Instead she mostly looked at the maps, too curious for her own good thought Sirius. Every now and again she’d glance over and she’d smile with those thick lips of hers. Red, soft, and heart-shaped. A part of him wanted to lean over and see what they felt like to touch with his own lips.

He tired to chase those thoughts from his head but they just kept coming back. It would be good he thought, when he got her off this ship and on her way back to Little Rock. The last thing he needed was this kind of distraction. There was nothing there for him. She was here for that pegasus and then she would be gone. And if he had it his way, which he would, she would not be getting that pegasus. They could not both win here so he might as well forget about how damn soft her cheeks looked or the rest of her for that matter. He tried to focus on eating his food but his eyes kept getting drawn to her face and the way she was studying the map.

“Is this where we are?” Amanda pointed to a spot on the map.

He glanced at where she was pointing. She was pretty close. He was surprised she had any idea where they were at all.

Without thinking he reached out and took her hand and moved a little to the left. “Here.” he said. He took back his hand as fast as he dared, not wanting to look like he regretted the move while also wishing he could leave his hand there. Her hands had been soft, and warm, and so tiny compared to his.

She glanced up at him. He couldn’t read her face. He wasn’t sure what expression he had on himself either. All he knew was that the moment his eyes caught hers he could not look away. After a few seconds she smiled and turned back to the map. He felt like his heart was beating faster than a rabbit's.

“And that’s where we’re going?” She pointed at another spot.

Sirius nodded. “I’ll find you a ship there that will take you back to Little Rock.”

She glanced up at him so fast he was sure she was going to object. Instead she eyed him for a moment and then turned her attention back to the map. He had noticed something like a look of worry in her eyes.

“I’ll find a safe ship with a good captain.”

She stiffened then shook her head. “And the pegasus?”

“Isn’t yours.”

She turned her attention back to his face with a look of determination. There was something like fire in her eyes.

Firmly he replied, “The person who paid for that pegasus to be transported on this ship will have all our heads if that pegasus doesn’t get to where it’s being paid to go.” Sirius gave her a solid look for a moment and then put his half-eaten food to the side. He stood up and walked to the wheel. He was supposed to be steering. Mostly that just involved making sure the ship stayed on course. This section was relatively easy and the wheel could be locked in place. The current plus the wind at their back would keep them heading almost straight into Wildwater. It was hard to miss. He just needed to keep one eye on that approaching storm and make occasional adjustments.

After awhile he returned to the table and his meal. He had expected her to tell him that it wasn’t her problem but instead she had turned back to the map again with a thoughtful frown.

“You’ve lived in Little Rock your whole life?” Sirius asked as he sat back down.

“Yeah. You?”

He nodded. “Yeah, until I left for sea.”

She nodded still looking at the map.

He wondered what she was thinking. “You said you’ve travelled to the east, what did you travel for?”

She met his eyes again. “To sell horses mostly, sometimes pegasi and unicorns. I’ve only been a few times.”

“You said your father’s a healer?”

She shot him a sideways look this time. He had noticed her reluctance to talk about her powers.

“That’s right.” She was studying his face now, perhaps worried what he was going to ask next.

“And your mother?”

“Mother’s an earth elemental, sort of, she’s chlorokinetic, same as my sister.”

“You have a sister?” he asked. He thought of his own sister, the one he hadn’t seen in quite sometime. The one he’d left behind. He tried to push the guilt away but it hung there like an anchor tying a ship to the sea floor.

She nodded. She studied his face. He noticed her eyebrows knot together then she asked, “Do you have siblings?”

He looked away, down at the last few bites of food left on his plate. Suddenly he didn’t feel quite so hungry anymore. He didn’t want to answer the question but he knew she was watching him and she seemed to have an uncanny ability for reading people. He’d seen it in how she interacted with the crew and in how she watched him. Ignoring the question would have said as much as answering it so still looking at his plate he eventually replied in a quiet voice. “Just the one.”

He risked a glance up. She was watching him. She never looked away when he looked at her. She wasn’t shy that was for sure. The way she looked at him wasn’t intimidating though. She had this thing she did where she’d cock her head to the side and part her lips slightly as if she was on the verge of asking a question. It made her lips fuller and drew his eye to them. It made him want to tell her things. Things he’d rather have forgotten. He hadn’t meant to say anymore but somehow her silence drew it out of him.

“A sister, two years younger.” He turned back to his food knowing he should finish it even though he wasn’t hungry. He’d be hungry tomorrow. He felt a bit like the tables had been turned. Here he’d been meaning to interrogate her but here she was interrogating him. Except it didn’t feel like an interrogation.

“When did you last see her?” Amanda asked.

Once more Sirius marvelled at her ability to ask just the right question with just the right tone. He wasn’t even sure what questions he should be asking her, other than what her powers were and it was obvious she wasn’t going to answer that. He wondered if her people skills weren’t a product of her powers somehow. He thought he would have recognised mindwalking though. It wasn’t unnoticeable unless the mindwalker was very talented.

He pushed his plate to the side. “Three years ago,” he replied without looking at her.

“You haven’t been home in three years?!”

He could hear the surprise in her voice. “No,” he replied as he stood up to check their heading again.

“Not even back to Little Rock?” she asked.

“No.” He figured that she must know that Little Rock was a major port. Sure you could technically sail into the Emerald City itself but docking fees and import taxes were high in part as a deterrent from non-passenger ships taking up space. Why pay those fees when you could just dock in Little Rock and ship your goods by the southern seaside train or a short teleport? If she did know though she didn’t point it out. Instead, and much to his relief, she changed the topic.

“Do you like sailing?”

He turned back and met her eyes for the first time since he’d gotten up. Then he glanced out the window and looked into the darkness. “Yeah,” he answered honestly. “It’s a good life.”

“Did you want to be a sailor? When you were younger.”

He frowned. Did he want to be a sailor? He’d always loved the ships and the lure of the sea but he couldn’t remember ever wanting much of anything, except to be somewhere else, anywhere else. He hadn’t intentionally run to the sea. It had just been there. For a time he supposed he’d wished to be among the stars. He’d heard the humans had done it, sent people up above the atmosphere. But witches weren’t interested in outer space and the truth was he preferred it from this angle anyway. He liked being able to look up and know where he was. Know where he wasn’t.

“I don’t know,” he answered. Then he turned to her. “What did you want to be?”

“Well I always just assumed I’d end up working with horses. When I was little I always wanted to be like my dad.” she replied.

“And now?” he asked.

“Now, well. He’s a good man, lives a good life, or at least he tries to. He has his vices but then don’t we all?” She got up from her seat and walked over the window. She stood next to him and they both looked out.

Sirius nodded in agreement and then turned to look at her. “Some more than others,” he replied, not only thinking of his own father, but himself as well.

He registered something like surprise in her eyes but then it passed, replaced by more of a curiosity and finally something he couldn’t read. They stayed like that for a little while, just looking at each other. Her brown eyes trying to read his green ones. Then he turned back to the window. When he glanced at her again she was staring out at the darkness. Somewhere out there was the sea, larger and more powerful than either of them.

Eventually she turned to him. “I guess I should get some sleep. Don’t forget you promised we could exercise that pegasus tomorrow.”

“Did I?” he replied. But he couldn’t help himself. He gave her a smile.

She smiled back and he forgot how to breathe. Then she turned heel, her red hair flying out behind her like trailing flames.