Lost at Sea book 1 Where There s a Will chapter 2
- 4 years ago
- 35
- 0
Will’s head felt like it had been stuffed with cotton. He was cold. He was naked. He was stiff and sore.
He was in a bathtub.
Uncoiling himself was a process. He caught a whiff of himself and recoiled. What had happened?
“Oh. Right,” he croaked as memories came flooding back to him. He reached over and started working the pump. In sputtering bursts seawater came flowing into the tub. It was comfortably warm. Probably daytime. The ocean was usually warm by noon this time of year. The charm hanging from the spigot didn’t have a lot of work to do to bring the tub to a soothing heat.
By the time the tub was full he was starting to feel better. The water definitely helped. Enough light filtered in through the porthole windows that he could find washcloths and soap. By the time he drained the tub and pumped up a bit more water to give himself a final rinse, he was feeling a lot better. His head still throbbed, but he felt mostly functional.
He wrapped a towel around his waist and opened the door into the captain’s cabin. Bella was sprawled out in bed with her head under a pillow. He moved quietly, finding his pants and boots, but his shirt was nowhere to be seen. His decoy coin purse was missing. So was his not-decoy purse. More memories came back to him. He cursed under his breath.
He walked out on deck shirtless and bootless, blinking into the noonday glare.
“Wreckage, ho!” Lace called out from the rigging. Will blinked up and saw her pointing at him. The crew was laughing. He sighed and gave her a rude gesture. She returned it heartily.
He walked up the stairs to the aftcastle. The new helmsman’s mate was at the wheel getting a lesson from the Captain. She gave him an amused look.
“How ye feeling, Mister Sterling?” she asked, looking like she clearly already knew.
“There’s a drum in my head and knives in my eyes, and I’m thirsty,” Will shrugged. “Besides that, I feel terrible.”
“Good to hear,” Captain Vex grinned. “The galley saved ye some food. When ye’ve eaten, give us a heading. We’re four hours out from Barcola heading northerly.”
“Aye, Captain,” he smiled. It got dark suddenly. He turned and nearly ran into a monster of a man. His gaze ran upward. It was the giant they’d spotted last night. Captain Reeve. He had a small sliver whistle around his massive neck.
“New crew’s all assigned their berths, Captain. Rotations are posted, and Mister North reports that all the new cargo is logged and stowed,” Reeve said.
“Thank you, Mister Reeve,” Captain Vex said.
“Nice ink,” Reeve said, admiring Will’s tattoo before turning and heading back down the stairs, moving much more gracefully than Will would have expected from someone his size.
Will gave the Captain a sideways look. “Reeve is your new Bosun?”
“Ye’ve met him?” Captain Vex seemed surprised.
“No. I spotted him last night. Miss Webber told us about him,” Will said.
Belita shrugged. “Miss Webber likes sea stories. I wouldnae pay them any mind.”
“So you don’t believe them?” Will asked.
“I’m not sure what stories I believe, but I do believe that I dinnae really care. He’s a dependable sailor. That’s good enough for me,” Belita said adjusting her hat. “Some folk thought I was crazy for taking ye on as crew too.”
“Fair enough,” Will said. She gave him a small nod and he headed back below decks to get breakfast.
The day was lazy and hot. With the additional crew, Lace’s ladders were being built quickly. The Kestrel bustled with energy. Through it all, Captain Vex maintained her presence on the aftcastle. The new crew quickly got used to working under the captain’s scrutiny. On some ships, captains let their officers run things and only came out of their cabins to deal with problems or emergencies. Not so on the Kestrel. With Lace in the rigging and Reeve on the deck, Captain Vex was able to efficiently command her ship with only small commands or even gestures. Reeve knew his whistle calls well, and his voice boomed, relaying the Captain’s commands and making small corrections of his own. The officers were pushing the crew a bit hard for a calm day, especially considering that many of them were nursing hangovers from the night before, but Captain Vex knew that day one with a sizable number of new recruits would set the tone for the rest of the voyage. She was loving how things were working out so far.
Below deck, Will took his time finishing a bowl of oatmeal and honey and forcing himself to drink water. The meals after being dockside were always richer fare. The honey was a rare treat. By the time he finished he was feeling quite a bit better. He thanked the cook, washed his own bowl, and headed out into the ship’s underbelly. He wanted to check in with Jack after losing track of her last night. He was a little nervous about it, but he figured he owed her at least an explanation.
Her cabin was one of two that sat along the hallway from the galley to the hold, so he didn’t have far to go. He knocked on her door. Doctor Kalfou answered.
He blinked. She looked like she’d been about to say something, but then stopped in surprise. “What are you doing here?’ they said simultaneously.
Doctor Kalfou laughed, and shook her head, bemused. “I had not expected to see you again, Will Sterling.”
“Uh, likewise,” Will managed to say. The Doctor looked quite a bit different than she had last night. Gone was the bodypaint and the fancy clothes. Now, she wore black breeches and a loose fitting white button up shirt that reminded him of the shirts Captain Vex favored, but without the added ruffles. Her hair was braided in many small coils that were all pulled back into a tail thicker than Will’s wrist. She glanced down at Will’s bare chest with an amused expression on her face, and suddenly Will regretted not wearing a shirt. It was a ship, and he was comfortable being shirtless around crew, but he couldn’t help but associate the Doctor with land, and he barely knew her. Being ashore had it’s own set of rules, and suddenly he felt underdressed.
“What can I do for you, Will? How is your hand?” she asked, seeming like she wasn’t sure what else to say and was trying to fill the silence.
“Oh, it’s fine. A little stiff, but I barely notice it honestly.” Will glanced down at the bandages and realized how incredibly dirty they were. They were still wet from his bath, and the bandages were incredibly soiled with dirt. “I, well, actually I was looking for your bunkmate.”
Doctor Kalfou followed Will’s eyes to his hand and pursed her full lips with obvious judgement. “What did you do? Trying to get an infection, are you?”
“I ... spent a lot of time on the ground last night,” Will said, a bit embarrassed.
“Come in. Let’s fix that up again,” Doctor Kalfou said with a shake of her head.
Will didn’t argue.
Jack was asleep on her bunk. Will’s chest knotted at the sight of seeing her like that, so peaceful and beautiful, but he pushed the sensation down and sat down on the small chair Doctor Kalfou gestured towards. She unwrapped the bandages, inspected and cleaned the wound, then re-wrapped it with efficient skill. “You still have not told me what you are doing here,” she said quietly as she worked.
“I’m the Kestrel’s navigator,” Will said. “What about you?”
“Booked passage last night, I. Your ship’s doctor now, until I reach home,” Doctor Kalfou smiled.
“That is an impressive coincidence,” Will said, amused.
“Don’t believe in coincidences, I,” the doctor said. “Spirits guide us. They brought you to me last night, and they bring us together now.”
“Destiny? I’m not sure.” Will was trying to be polite, but his skepticism was strong.
“Destiny, no. Is it destiny when a parent nudges a child in the right direction? Just because we cannot always see who is nudging us does not mean they are not there,” Doctor Kalfou smiled. She finished wrapping up his hand and tapped it gently.
“Well, tell them I said thank you,” Will smiled.
“So you did not come here seeking me?” Doctor Kalfou asked.
“No, your sleeping bunk mate,” Will said.
“Wondered, I. Men do not often come to my door half dressed,” Doctor Kalfou smirked.
“If you want them to, maybe I can arrange something?” Will teased.
“Seems unnecessary. You are here now,” there was a playful glint in her eye that made Will smile, but his smile froze as he noticed Jack watching him from her bed. “Morning,” he said with a look he hoped was reassuring.
Jack closed her eyes again and breathed like she was gathering strength, and then sat up, tucking a pillow behind her back and rubbing her eyes. She was wearing a white tunic-shirt as sleepwear. It looked like it had a few small holes in it and was worn enough that it was mostly translucent. She didn’t reply to Will. Instead she gave Kalfou a small nod as the doctor looked over her shoulder. “We didn’t meet at a great time last night,” she said to the Doctor apologetically. “I wasn’t doing well and needed some time to myself, Coming back to find I had an unexpected bunkmate was hard. I’m Jack Hunter.”
“I am Friday Kalfou,” the doctor said graciously. “It was not my intent to intrude on your space. I did not know you had not been spoken with.”
“Last night seemed pretty hectic for everyone,” Jack shrugged. Will chuckled. Jack gave him a flat look.
“Sorry about the chaos. Things got out of hand,” Will said. “Thanks for backing me up.”
Jack just shook her head. She was trying to stay calm, but Will knew her well enough to see the angry pressure that was growing inside her. “What the hell happened? I went to get my face painted, and the next thing I know I’m facing down a goddamn Centurion.”
“Suspect that I happened,” Doctor Kalfou said. “The Magistrate was there for my Grandfather and I.”
“What? Why?” Jack asked.
“Think they that we are possessed by demon spirits, or some such nonsense,” the Doctor said with sad exasperation in her voice.
“I was distracting the Magistrate so they could get away,” Will said.
Jack looked pained but some of the tension in her seemed to drain. “Of course you were.”
“It all happened pretty fast. I didn’t exactly have time to tell you what was going on,” Will added. “When you showed up it put a pretty major kink in my plans.”
“Oh really?” Jack asked flatly. “Well forgive me for trying to keep you alive.”
“I wasn’t in danger, Jack. They were trying to capture me, not kill me. They’d have figured out I wasn’t what they were looking for eventually. I was just trying to draw it all out to buy time. I’ve been through that song and dance with them before. Hell, they were the first ones I went to when I tried to have the curse removed. They studied it at length, more than once. According to Janie there’s a whole shelf dedicated to me in the Fort Deliverance archive. They’d have detained me, done that weird communion thing, found out I’m fully documented and registered with them, and let me go.” Will said.
“Well how was I supposed to know that?” Jack asked angrily.
“You weren’t,” Will shrugged. “You weren’t around when that happened.” There was an edge to his tone that he hadn’t meant to put there, but couldn’t stop from coming out.
Jack looked stung. Her eyes dropped. “I thought they were trying to lock you up for something.”
“Well, I guess they were, but I wasn’t really in danger until you turned it into a faceoff,” Will’s brows furrowed. “Then that revealing spell got the crowd involved, and we nearly started another war.”
“What was all that about asking them to kill you?” Jack asked fiercely.
“What?” Friday interjected, giving Will a sharp look.
Will sighed. “It was out of hand. The crowd had decided I was one of the spirits the festival was about. They were already throwing things and getting riled. Magistrate soldiers were coming to back up the witch hunters. I was afraid it was going to reignite the old conflict and get people killed.”
“The crowd thought you were Loa?” Friday asked, shocked and amused.
“Yeah. Apparently I glow like they do under a revealing spell,” Will said.
Friday just shook her head. “So that is what Grandfather meant about you. Incredible.”
“You scared the hell out of me, Will,” Jack said quietly.
Will didn’t answer for a while. It was rare for Jack to admit something like that. A surge of frustration and bitterness ran through him. He wanted to rage at her. To tell her that he’d been fine, and that he didn’t need her help in the first place, that she’d only made things worse, that he’d learned all kinds of ways to handle life without her, that it wasn’t his fault he didn’t trust her anymore, that she didn’t get to just walk back into his life like nothing had changed!
The air was thick. Friday’s eyes flicked back and forth between them. “Think I’ll give you two the room.” Will gave her a small nod as she slipped out the door.
“It didn’t used to be this way,” Will said once they were alone. “A few years ago, you’d have been able to read my intent and roll with it. You’d have known I was scamming them the moment you saw me.”
“I know,” Jack sighed. “That’s why this is so frustrating. Last night felt good at first. Familiar. I was really enjoying just spending time with you and I thought we were going to be alright, right up until it really mattered. Then everything went to hell.”
“We’re different now,” Will sighed. “Maybe we can get back to that, but it seems like we should walk a while longer before we run.”
“We don’t have time to figure out how to walk again, Will,” Jack’s face twisted in frustration. “This job isn’t a milk run. If the two of us from last night go into it, not able to read each other and ratcheting up the danger every way we can, we’re going to die. We’re going to hit the Drifts in a week, and that’s the easy part. I’m second guessing all of this now.”
“We can’t force ourselves to feel differently, and we can’t fix years of distance and damage by trying to just be professional. We didn’t start that way. I don’t see us being able to use a job as a patch for this rift between us,” Will sounded a bit strained. The tangle of frustration in his head was still there, but he was trying to work forward instead of dwelling on the past. It wasn’t easy.
“Then what do we do?” Jack asked. “I’m not very good at apologies to begin with, and lately it seems like all I’ve done.”
“I don’t know,” Will shook his head. “Maybe we were trying too hard, or getting ahead of ourselves.”
“When have we ever done anything slowly? The reason we work so well together is because we’re the only ones who can keep up with each other,” Jack smirked.
Will shook his head again. “We also worked well together because we were naturally in synch with each other. We got even better at it over time, but it was never something we had to forge. It was just there, from the very beginning. Now it isn’t.”
Jack’s face fell and she nodded. “I guess that’s the problem isn’t it? There’s just too much between us now.”
“Feels like it,” Will agreed.
“Well, we have a week to figure it out,” Jack sighed.
“We’ve managed bigger challenges in less time,” Will said, trying to sound hopeful.
“I don’t think anything has ever felt like a bigger challenge than this.” Jack’s hands were shaking. “I feel like I finally have a chance to have you back, and then last night you tried to kill yourself.”
“I didn’t try to kill myself,” Will protested.
“Didn’t you?” Jack’s glare was tearful and angry. “You stared into the barrel of a gun held by an Inquisitor who thought you were a demon, and asked her to pull the trigger. I don’t think you were gambling, Will. I think a part of you wanted it.”
Will opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out. Was she right? So much had happened in that moment that he hadn’t thought about it much. He’d just acted. It hadn’t seemed too bad, the idea of dying. He hadn’t really wanted it, but at the time there had been something that seemed freeing about the idea of just letting it happen. Now that he was forced to stare that feeling in the face, he realized he didn’t like it at all.
“You’re right,” he nodded.
“I can’t lose you again,” Jack said softly.
Will was torn, but his anger and frustration had drained. Now he just felt hollow and sad. He looked at the door, but he couldn’t just leave. In his head he could see Janie’s face looking at him like he was being an idiot. He could practically see her gesturing him toward Jack. He nodded to himself, then got up and sat down on the bed next to her. She looked up at him. She wasn’t crying, but her eyes were brimming. He gave her a small smile.
“I want us to be alright,” he said.
Jack nodded. “Me too.”
They held onto each other for a long time.
Captain Vex stepped over the thick ropes stretched across the deck and wove between sailors busily splicing and reinforcing them. She gave small nods of recognition and words of gratitude and encouragement as she went. She was nursing a mild hangover, but her crew would never know. Aside from the waterskin she’d been sipping off of all morning, she was at her best. Her boots and buckles were polished, her coat was freshly washed and bright blue. She’d stopped over at a bathhouse before they left, so she was fresh faced and immaculate. The two thin braids she normally wore at her temple had switched sides, and she’d swapped out the golden beads at the end for a different pair that looked more like teardrops or plumb bobs.
The looked the way an adventurous ship’s captain should, and the effect on the crew was noticeable. The newcomers watched her with awe and respect, and the old hands nodded and smiled with subtle pride as they watched the new folks being impressed.
She stopped and had a word with their new Bosun. None of the crew heard what was said, but to watch the small, blond woman look up at the massive Akula and clearly command the man-monster’s respect was enough to add a new chapter to the growing legend of Captain Belita Vex. As she walked away, Reeve scanned the deck, noting the many eyes that were snapping down back to their work, trying to pretend they hadn’t been watching and trying to listen. The big man smirked and looked up into the rigging.
“Webber!” he boomed.
“What?!” Lace called down from above. She was upside down with her legs wrapped around a beam, re-tying a rope.
“Captain wants to see how fast we can move now that we’re fully manned. Once we get a heading we’re going to open her up,” Reeve said loudly.
“We’re re-checking all the lines now, and I have a sail to patch. Give us a half hour,” Lace called down.
“You heard the lady, folks!” Reeve boomed louder. “Show time in half an hour! Stow anything that isn’t strapped down.” He took two steps and bellowed down through the grating into the bay below. “Hold, check your cargo!”
“Aye,” a voice echoed up from below.
The ship felt alive.
“How’s the patient?” Captain Vex asked Doctor Kalfou.
The doctor was sitting on a bench at the prow. She’d just removed a long splinter from a sailor’s hand and was alternating between watching the rolling sea and the bustling ship.
“Has a severe concussion, he,” she replied. “It is getting better, but he did not do himself any favors trying to push through it at the beginning. That is how such damage becomes permanent.”
“He’s stubborn. How long ‘til he’s fit for duty again?” the Captain asked.
“Two days? Perhaps three.”
“Good. I’m going tae need him in a week,” Captain Vex smiled.
“What happens in a week?” Friday’s brow raised. “Likely won’t be at his best by then, he. Injuries like his usually take weeks or even months to heal fully.”
“We are going through the Drifts,” Captain Vex said with an grin that bordered on manic.
Doctor Kalfou’s brows furrowed and she looked at the Captain oddly. “You have an odd sense of humor, Captain.”
“Aye, true. It innae a joke though. We really are going through the Drifts,” Belita smiled.
“Glad to be off your ship by then, I,” Doctor Kalfou said. “Hope you reconsider. I appreciate your help, and do not wish to see you die.”
“I dinnae wish tae see me die neither,” Captain Vex agreed. “So I’m not planning on it.”
“Sure that’s what every other poor soul to make the attempt thought too,” Friday warned.
“Aye. That’s why I’m not going tae do things the way they did,” Captain Vex winked.
Doctor Kalfou shook her head, smiling a bit in spite of herself. “As your doctor, I cannot recommend ... whatever it is you’re planning.”
“I appreciate the medical advice,” Captain Vex chuckled.
“You wanted to see me?” Jack asked, walking through Morant’s door as Lynch opened it.
“Yes. I would like an update regarding the Drifts,” Morant said, not looking up from the book he was writing in.
“You know what I know,” Jack said.
“I find that doubtful,” Morant said. “You do not strike me as someone who would agree to a plan without having a full understanding of it.”
“With anyone else, that would be true. Will Sterling is a special case. We’ve worked together enough that we trust each other’s judgement.” The words tasted like ashes in her mouth as she spoke them. “He’ll let us know the plan after we stop in Drifter’s Key.”
“For my own peace of mind, I would like to know before then. See what you can do to find out,” Morant said.
Jack shrugged. “I’ll try. Don’t get your hopes up though. Will plays his cards pretty close to the chest.”
“I suppose you will just have to be convincing,” Morant said, closing his book and looking up for the first time. His pale blue eyes were sharp and meticulous.
Jack was worried. Morant wasn’t the kind of person who would let something lie. He needed to think his orders were being followed. She had to give him something or he would find other ways of getting what he wanted. “All I know is that it has something to do with an Akula fishing web, whatever that is.”
“Hmm. Interesting. Thank you,” Morant said thoughtfully.
“Anything else?” Jack asked, glancing at Lynch. The ever-present manservant said nothing and was almost as implacable as Quinn.
“No. You may go.”
Lynch opened the door and Jack left feeling unsettled. She headed straight for the Captain’s cabin and knocked. A naked, disheveled looking Bella opened the door, squinting into the light. She didn’t say anything, she just left the door open and headed back into the shadows.
“Long night?” Jack asked.
“Went drinking with the Captain,” Bella’s voice sounded hoarse. “Lesson learned.”
Jack pulled a small canteen from her belt and handed Bella. The witch drank eagerly, then coughed. “Ugh. Ow.”
“Slower,” Jack smiled. “You’re going to make yourself sick.”
“Yes, mother,” Bella grumbled, thumping back down on the bed and taking another drink. She did do it slower this time. Jack smiled and went into the washroom. Bella heard her working the water pump.The water splashing into the tub made her notice her full bladder. She followed Jack in, sat down on the privy and made water.
After half a minute without Bella stopping, Jack looked over her shoulder, impressed and horrified. “What are you, a camel?”
Bella took another drink off the waterskin. “Ha ha,” she said flatly. She eventually stopped relieving herself, but didn’t get up. She just sat there on the privy taking small sips of water and looking miserable. Jack continued to fill the tub.
“Remember that morning after your birthday?” Jack asked.
Bella made a small gagging sound. She knew exactly which birthday Jack was referring to. “Ugh. You mean the time my friends tried to murder me with alcohol?”
“I tried to warn you,” Jack laughed.
“I’d only been working at Mary’s for a few months, I hadn’t learned not to mix up my drinks yet,” Bella sighed.
“What’s your excuse this time?” Jack teased.
“All Souls Night?” Bella smiled weakly.
“There’s a difference between partying with the dead and trying to join them,” Jack chuckled.
“Noted,” Bella nodded, moving her head as little as possible.
“Here. It’s actually pretty warm. Warmer than is should be. What’s doing that?” Jack asked standing up to make room.
“Heat charm,” Bella muttered blearily. She stood up and took the two steps needed to get into the tub. She slid into the water with a sigh, instantly feeling a bit better as the weight of her body lessened. “What did you need, anyway?”
“Nothing. I was actually looking for Will,” Jack said.
“Oh,” Bella said. Jack couldn’t decide if she sounded disappointed or just tired.
“Glad I came though. Seems like you need a little extra help today,” Jack smiled.
Bella gave her a half-hearted glare. “I’m still not happy with you.”
“I know,” Jack nodded.
“Thank you,” Bella said with a ghost of a smile.
“Gotta make things up to you somehow. Maybe you should get hungover more often?” Jack raised an eyebrow.
Bella’s face scrunched in discomfort and she sunk all the way into the tub, sticking her legs out and up onto the wall so she could dunk her head. Jack laughed. Bella slowly let her held breath out and then surfaced for air, letting her face out of the water just enough to breathe. “What did you do last night?” she asked.
Jack suddenly got cagy and winced. “Uh ... Will got into a fight with the Magistrate, and I ended up ... well, I thought I was helping but ... we ended up almost starting a riot.”
Bella rose back out of the water like a scowling mermaid, water pouring down her lush body. “Go on,” she said flatly.
Jack sighed. “I guess it’s better you hear it from me first. You’re already mad at me anyway. I’m still not sure of all the details, but here’s how I think everything went down. A pickpocket cut Will’s hand, and he went off to find a doctor. I guess the Magistrate came looking for the doctor, so Will offered to lead them off so she could get away. The next thing I knew a Centurion and two Witch Hunters were chasing him through the crowd.”
“What? He fought the Inquisition? And a ... an actual Centurion!?” Bella was horrified, but suddenly very distracted from the pounding in her head.
“Yeah. They caught him, so I intervened. The Inquisitors thought he was a spirit or demon or something, and to prove it they cast a Revealing spell. Will lit up like a lantern, but so did most of the crowd, who decided Will really was one of their spirits and started throwing bottles at the magistrate.”
“Oh no...” Bella groaned.
“Yeah. We nearly reignited the Occupation War,” Jack took off her hat and rubbed her forehead.
Bella’s mouth just hung open as she tried to process what she was hearing. “You two...” the corner of her mouth turned up as she shook her head. “I know you two have a habit of sowing chaos, but you’re really making up for lost time with this one.” She took a drink of water and shook her head. She couldn’t help but smile a little.
“And I’m leaving out the part where Will tried to get them to kill him to prevent it.”
Bella’s face hardened as the mirth drained out of her. “What?”
Jack sighed. “The Witch Hunters were arguing. One of them had a gun on him. I didn’t hear it all because I was busy with the Centurion, but I definitely heard the part where Will asked to be shot. He wanted to die rather than get a bunch of other people killed.”
“I might kill him,” Bella said sardonically.
“They ended up letting him go, but it was pretty tense for a bit,’ Jack finished.
Bella slumped back down into the tub. “Go on an adventure, they said ... It will be fun they said...”
Jack found a washcloth and some of the Captain’s perfumed soap and handed it to Bella. “I already talked to him a bit, but I managed not to get mad. I don’t think I should be the person to yell at him, even if he deserves it.”
“Oh no. You definitely aren’t. I got this,” Bella said, scrubbing herself angrily with the cloth. She was suddenly feeling better by the minute. Apparently anger was a good hangover treatment.
“Thanks,” Jack smiled.
“My pleasure,” Bella said flatly. It occurred to her that her hangover had faded extremely quickly. Then she realized she hadn’t been sea sick on this trip save for a short bout when she first came aboard. She knew neither of those things were natural to her, so she was instantly suspicious.
“Do I seem normal to you?” Bella asked.
“What do you mean?” Jack asked warily. She had no idae what to make of the abrupt change of subject.
“Nevermind. I guess you probably aren’t the right person to ask that question. Something seems weird. Not bad, just ... not normal,” Bella said, looking over her body like she expected to see something wrong with it. She saw nothing besides smooth olive skin. “Maybe I’ll ask will about it after I’m done chewing him out.”
“Maybe go easy on him? I think there’s something really wrong that he isn’t talking about,” Jack said.
Bella’s brows rose. Jack and Will had a strange relationship. Usually, they seemed like they were trading off making fun of each other, or or setting each other up for pranks, or even getting mad at each other. In the past, Jack was usually the first person to advocate for someone to yell at Will. For Jack to say Will needed a softer touch was unheard of in Bella’s experience.
Will’s head felt like it had been stuffed with cotton. He was cold. He was naked. He was stiff and sore.He was in a bathtub.Uncoiling himself was a process. He caught a whiff of himself and recoiled. What had happened?“Oh. Right,” he croaked as memories came flooding back to him. He reached over and started working the pump. In sputtering bursts seawater came flowing into the tub. It was comfortably warm. Probably daytime. The ocean was usually warm by noon this time of year. The charm hanging...
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Will got out of the tub after a quick rinse. He was impressed at how warm the water had stayed.“Jus’ pull the drain stopper,” Belita said. She was in the process of being dried off by her dutiful cabin girl. She had her foot up on a stool and Bella was finishing dragging a soft cloth along her thigh and calf.“Do I get that sort of treatment?” Will asked.“You’re not captain,” Cabin Girl Bella said, smugly. He looked around for his own towel. The one Bella had been using hit him in the face. The...
Fantasy & Sci-FiWill got out of the tub after a quick rinse. He was impressed at how warm the water had stayed. “Jus’ pull the drain stopper,” Belita said. She was in the process of being dried off by her dutiful cabin girl. She had her foot up on a stool and Bella was finishing dragging a soft cloth along her thigh and calf. “Do I get that sort of treatment?” Will asked. “You’re not captain,” Cabin Girl Bella said, smugly. He looked around for his own towel. The one Bella had been using hit him in the...
The sky was a flat, grey plane of clouds, slowly roiling. The air was warm and charged. The winds were gentle. An electrical storm was brewing.Will stared at Jack for a long time. “Do you ever think about what you’re about to say before it comes out of your mouth?”“Come on, Will! You never used to care about the words. You could see right past them and knew exactly what I meant. Try that now,” Jack demanded. She was barreling straight on, trying to get Will to catch up.Will wasn’t having it....
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe sky was a flat, grey plane of clouds, slowly roiling. The air was warm and charged. The winds were gentle. An electrical storm was brewing. Will stared at Jack for a long time. “Do you ever think about what you’re about to say before it comes out of your mouth?” “Come on, Will! You never used to care about the words. You could see right past them and knew exactly what I meant. Try that now,” Jack demanded. She was barreling straight on, trying to get Will to catch up. Will wasn’t having...
Will was surprised. He’d heard Bella talk about how bad hexes were before. “I thought you didn’t hex people.”“I don’t, usually. It’s one of those things the Magistrate really frowns on, but against pirates trying to kill us I’m willing to bend the rules,” Bella smiled. She finished crawling around and drawing the second circle as Will tied the mirror to the mast. Inside the mirror Will heard Tonya arrive. “Sorry it took me so long, I really needed to get cleaned up. What’s going on?” Bella’s...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi“Fuck,” Will swore. Will tried to turn, but his foot slipped on something. His bourbon from earlier. He ended up catching himself on the bar, but he was off balance. Inside him, he felt something seem to slide.Caine stood up.The whole room went quiet. To Will, everything seemed like slow motion. He knew this feeling. It felt like the world was sliding sideways, and he was a bystander in his own body. He tried to say something, but it was like he was moving through molasses. He only had time to...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi“Fuck,” Will swore. Will tried to turn, but his foot slipped on something. His bourbon from earlier. He ended up catching himself on the bar, but he was off balance. Inside him, he felt something seem to slide.Caine stood up.The whole room went quiet. To Will, everything seemed like slow motion. He knew this feeling. It felt like the world was sliding sideways, and he was a bystander in his own body. He tried to say something, but it was like he was moving through molasses. He only had time to...
Fantasy & Sci-FiWill was surprised. He’d heard Bella talk about how bad hexes were before. “I thought you didn’t hex people.” “I don’t, usually. It’s one of those things the Magistrate really frowns on, but against pirates trying to kill us I’m willing to bend the rules,” Bella smiled. She finished crawling around and drawing the second circle as Will tied the mirror to the mast. Inside the mirror Will heard Tonya arrive. “Sorry it took me so long, I really needed to get cleaned up. What’s going on?”...
Captain Vex’s hands knotted in the witch’s dark curls. Bella was a profoundly skilled lover. The Captain had a taste of what Bella could do on top of the lighthouse, but being the sole focus of-of a sex witch’s ministrations when there were no other distractions (and Bella was feeling particularly thankful) was to be given the best possible seat in a masterclass in how to pleasure a woman.Belita had already been turned on fiercely by helping Bella with her recharge ritual. The witch was so...
Fantasy & Sci-FiJanie’s breath caught in her throat. Will slowly sat down at the table and held his hands up. “There’s no need for that. Let go of the lady and we’ll talk.”“We ain’t here to talk,” the brute with the pistol said. Another man walked through the door and closed it. He was short and unfortunate looking with no chin and an overly large hawkish nose. His choice to keep bushy sideburns but shave the rest only served to draw more attention to his worst features.“Timmons?” Will said, confused at the...
Fantasy & Sci-FiJanie’s breath caught in her throat. Will slowly sat down at the table and held his hands up. “There’s no need for that. Let go of the lady and we’ll talk.”“We ain’t here to talk,” the brute with the pistol said. Another man walked through the door and closed it. He was short and unfortunate looking with no chin and an overly large hawkish nose. His choice to keep bushy sideburns but shave the rest only served to draw more attention to his worst features.“Timmons?” Will said, confused at the...
Fantasy & Sci-FiLost At Sea - PrologueHer name was Linda Reuters, but she resembled Scarlett Johansson just enough for her friends and colleagues to often call her 'Scarlett' instead of her real name. They thought it was funny and she pretended she despised it, but that was all smoke and mirrors: Secretly she had always found the cheesy nickname much more interesting than her real name. And so, from a certain point she had just stopped correcting people. She was, after all, a practical thinking woman. ?You...
Lace lounged against a tree, enjoying the music and her drunken buzz. The wake was still going. It wasn’t the happiest reason for revelry, but after a shipwreck and being attacked by monsters it was clear the crew would take any reason they could get. Sailors were an odd lot. They tended to be fairly stoic until you put a few drinks in them. Then everything they were feeling came pouring out. They were communal too, so what one felt, they tended to all feel, even if they generally didn’t talk...
“Bring her about to port, nice and gentle, but keep tightening the turn until she starts t’ list. Then pull back,” Captain Vex said.“Aye, Captain,” Colin Strong said with much less enthusiasm than usual. The big man looked like hell. The whole right side of his face and parts of the left were swollen and bruised in an angry clash of colors. Purples, yellows, even some blues and greens. The impact points were the fierce dark red of abraded skin and broken blood vessels. His upper lip was swollen...
Fantasy & Sci-FiHe had hips that pounded like the waves, relentless and driving. A slow, rhythmic battering that was trying to knock her over. All she could do was hold on. He stared down at her, his eyes full of concern but his expression a mask of calm. His large hands gripped her hips and pulled her back as he drove forward over and over again. Something inside her spasmed.“Holy… fuck,” she muttered, her hands clenching against the wall.“Are you alright?” he asked, pausing his pounding hips. It was obvious...
Fantasy & Sci-FiHe had hips that pounded like the waves, relentless and driving. A slow, rhythmic battering that was trying to knock her over. All she could do was hold on. He stared down at her, his eyes full of concern but his expression a mask of calm. His large hands gripped her hips and pulled her back as he drove forward over and over again. Something inside her spasmed.“Holy… fuck,” she muttered, her hands clenching against the wall.“Are you alright?” he asked, pausing his pounding hips. It was obvious...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi“You should have come straight to me,” Lord Morant said with an authoritarian stare.They were standing on the deck of the fishing boat as it pulled away from the docks. Morant, Lynch and Jack had joined them without a word as they boarded the ship. Will had started to speak, but Morant had cut him off.“Why would I do that?” Will snarled back, still fuming.“Nae, Will. He’s right,” Captain Vex said. She wore her hat and coat, but her other clothes had still been wet and were packed away, so she...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe crew began rousing themselves around noon. It was just too hot to sleep comfortably any longer. The shipwrecked survivors moved slow and gingerly, trudging through their tasks with stoic determination. There was a lot to be done. The ramshackle camp was mostly just strewn hammocks and bedrolls at the edge of the lagoon. There hadn’t been time or energy for much else, so the day’s first priority was to set up a more organized campsite. Nearly half the crew, lead by Mister Reeve, were off in...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe crew began rousing themselves around noon. It was just too hot to sleep comfortably any longer. The shipwrecked survivors moved slow and gingerly, trudging through their tasks with stoic determination. There was a lot to be done. The ramshackle camp was mostly just strewn hammocks and bedrolls at the edge of the lagoon. There hadn’t been time or energy for much else, so the day’s first priority was to set up a more organized campsite. Nearly half the crew, lead by Mister Reeve, were off...
“The energy doesn’t have to come from you, it just needs to be received by you,” Bella said. She was watching Captain Vex’s back arch against the bed while Will’s tongue worked between her legs. Belita stretched languidly like a big golden housecat, her expression happy and glazed.“Received?” Tonya asked, not following.“Well, it has to turn you on,” Bella clarified. “That’s not a completely accurate way to put it, but there’s enough overlap that it will work until you have enough experience to...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe prow of the wrecked ship hit the Kestrel with a sickening crunch. Swabs went to their knees. Riggers hung on to their ropes as they were whipped back and forth by the jarring impact. A few unlucky sailors even found themselves bowled completely over, or found themselves hanging in the air, suspended by their safety lines. Rope burn, splinters and scraped skin abounded. Those at the front of the ship fared the worst. Danica and Mister Lynch were thrown backwards from the prow all the way to...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi“So there was something under the water?” Captain Vex asked. “Yeah,” Will nodded, as he bolted down the last of the spotlight-lanterns on the railing next to the ship’s wheel. The other three hadn’t survived the fight on the prow. Captain Vex wasn’t thrilled about that, those lanterns were expensive. Will’s hands hurt badly, but he still had a bit more to do before he could let the doctor look him over. Besides, there were a lot of crew worse off than he was. “I started to figure it out when...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe island of Barcola was primarily Nivalese. The inhabitants had managed to repel a mainland occupation a half-century prior by pulling the majority of their people into the mountains and fighting a brutal guerrilla war against the colonizing forces. In the narrow mountain passes, the mainlanders’ usual tactics of shielded firing lines and phalanx-style close combat were completely useless. The colonists tried to starve out the natives, but the lush tropical mountain provided everything the...
“What did you do?” Caine asked. Janie hadn’t really noticed him come in. He was leaning in the doorway watching Janie blow out the candles in front of the mirror. She was disheveled and flushed after watching Bella work her oral magic on Captain Vex, and she definitely did not expect an audience for what she was thinking about doing next.She was recovering from being startled, but Caine didn’t give her time to reply. “A customer says you stiffed him?”“That isn’t true at all!” Janie said. “I did...
Fantasy & Sci-FiJanie looked at herself in the mirror. She barely recognized the person she saw.Her had been styled with hot metal rods and some kind of light, fragrant oil that held its shape as it dried. It had taken a while, sitting there and letting Tonya do who-knows-what to it. Then Tonya had put makeup on her and helped her pick out an outfit from a communal closet. After all that work she could finally see it all. Her hair tumbled in loose flowing waves. A small black hat with a white band was pinned...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThey got out of bed and Janie tentatively approached the ladder. She looked over to Bella who shoo’d her forward encouragingly. Janie began to climb. She could faintly hear the rhythmic slapping of skin on skin and a woman’s deep, throaty moans. She climbed a little faster.As her head crested the trapdoor in the early dawn light she saw Belita Vex still wearing one of Will’s large shirts and nothing else, holding onto the brass railing, looking over her shoulder with an expression of excited...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThey got out of bed and Janie tentatively approached the ladder. She looked over to Bella who shoo’d her forward encouragingly. Janie began to climb. She could faintly hear the rhythmic slapping of skin on skin and a woman’s deep, throaty moans. She climbed a little faster.As her head crested the trapdoor in the early dawn light she saw Belita Vex still wearing one of Will’s large shirts and nothing else, holding onto the brass railing, looking over her shoulder with an expression of excited...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe prow of the wrecked ship hit the Kestrel with a sickening crunch. Swabs went to their knees. Riggers hung on to their ropes as they were whipped back and forth by the jarring impact. A few unlucky sailors even found themselves bowled completely over, or found themselves hanging in the air, suspended by their safety lines. Rope burn, splinters and scraped skin abounded. Those at the front of the ship fared the worst. Danica and Mister Lynch were thrown backwards from the prow all the way...
“Get out!” Belita yelled as the door opened.“Nope,” Danica said, walking in and shutting the door behind her. “I said leave!” Belita snarled, pushing herself halfway up into an unsteady, angry crouch.“And I said no,” Danica shrugged. She walked over and sat down against the wall next to the Captain. “Part of my job is to tell you no when you need it. Right now you need it. What’s going on?”“Insubordinate… I’m going tae-” Belita couldn’t find the words.“What? Lock me up? Whip me? Hang me?”...
Fantasy & Sci-FiCaptain Vex’s hands knotted in the witch’s dark curls. Bella was a profoundly skilled lover. The Captain had a taste of what Bella could do on top of the lighthouse, but being the sole focus of of a sex witch’s ministrations when there were no other distractions (and Bella was feeling particularly thankful) was to be given the best possible seat in a masterclass in how to pleasure a woman. Belita had already been turned on fiercely by helping Bella with her recharge ritual. The witch was so...
Will had his feet up on his desk and was enjoying some long awaited silence. It felt a bit strange to be alone. Only a few days ago he would have been used to it. Janie had always left in the evenings. He rarely had visitors. The lighthouse was built in an area of the town which did not have a lot of nighttime activity.All the chaos and excitement that had happened the last few days was what his life had once been like all the time. Now that he had it again it made him realized how much he’d...
Fantasy & Sci-FiWill had his feet up on his desk and was enjoying some long awaited silence. It felt a bit strange to be alone. Only a few days ago he would have been used to it. Janie had always left in the evenings. He rarely had visitors. The lighthouse was built in an area of the town which did not have a lot of nighttime activity.All the chaos and excitement that had happened the last few days was what his life had once been like all the time. Now that he had it again it made him realized how much he’d...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe barge Princess Caroline made a brief stop at Westminster Bridge steps, allowing Patrick and I to disembark, from where it was but a short walk along Whitehall to Horse Guards. On entering Colonel Slade’s office I was pleased to see both Krish Armityge and Zinnia Teazle present, as I had little opportunity to speak to either of them before having to rush off to Bristol. I looked forward to picking up the latest news concerning Caroline Ashford from Krish, and of my sister Rebekah from...
“Aye, Cap’n,” Will said, his voice muffled between her legs. His tongue kept up its swirling around her entrance, occasionally sweeping up and fluttering across her clit. She sat up a bit, leaning back on her forearms and watching the top of his head. The muscles in her thighs and her butt twitched of their own accord, squeezing as her pleasure mounted. She ran a hand through his hair and pulled his mouth harder into her, starting to rock her hips.He firmed his tongue into a point and started...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi“Aye, Cap’n,” Will said, his voice muffled between her legs. His tongue kept up its swirling around her entrance, occasionally sweeping up and fluttering across her clit. She sat up a bit, leaning back on her forearms and watching the top of his head. The muscles in her thighs and her butt twitched of their own accord, squeezing as her pleasure mounted. She ran a hand through his hair and pulled his mouth harder into her, starting to rock her hips.He firmed his tongue into a point and started...
Fantasy & Sci-FiBella took a deep breath and sat down on the bed. She was exhausted. She’d been standing unmoving, concentrating fiercely for hours. Her whole body ached. Fighting to remain in one position while the ocean rocked the floor beneath her had been much more difficult than she expected. Her thighs were quivering. In spite of her fatigue, her eyes were glued to the mirror, watching the scene play out in her alcove.Tonya was naked, sitting on Bella’s table, her legs spread wide and wrapped around...
Fantasy & Sci-FiA loop of rope dropped around a pale neck. The screaming head attached to it didn’t seem to notice. The makeshift noose went taught. A pale, rag-clad body was yanked thrashing into the air. Lace Webber swung down like a boom, counterbalancing the weight of the creature she’d just lassoed against her own. She crashed into another grindylow with both feet, feeling a satisfying crack and sending the clumsy creature sprawling across the deck. Another crewman quickly took advantage of the opening,...
Fantasy & Sci-FiA loop of rope dropped around a pale neck. The screaming head attached to it didn’t seem to notice. The makeshift noose went taught. A pale, rag-clad body was yanked thrashing into the air. Lace Webber swung down like a boom, counterbalancing the weight of the creature she’d just lassoed against her own. She crashed into another grindylow with both feet, feeling a satisfying crack and sending the clumsy creature sprawling across the deck. Another crewman quickly took advantage of the...
“So there was something under the water?” Captain Vex asked. “Yeah,” Will nodded, as he bolted down the last of the spotlight-lanterns on the railing next to the ship’s wheel. The other three hadn’t survived the fight on the prow. Captain Vex wasn’t thrilled about that, those lanterns were expensive. Will’s hands hurt badly, but he still had a bit more to do before he could let the doctor look him over. Besides, there were a lot of crew worse off than he was. “I started to figure it out...
The night was everything an evening on ship should be. Clear skies, calm seas, land distant flecks on the horizon close enough that they could faintly hear the cries of seabirds. The sunset had been long and gorgeous, full of oranges and pinks that gave way to darker reds and purples before disappearing into dusk. The western horizon was a glowing purple haze that slowly faded revealing more and more stars above.The Nivalese had a strong musical tradition full of drums and guitars, and many of...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThis kiss was different. The first had been a question. This one was a demand. It was hungry. Not overly aggressive, but fierce with desire. Janie moaned into his mouth and one of his hands found the back of her neck and gripped a little harder than he probably should have. Her fingers were twined in his hair again. After a brief eternity their lips parted and their foreheads came together to rest on each other.“Wow,” Will said faintly. Janie nodded against his head. She was suddenly aware of...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThis kiss was different. The first had been a question. This one was a demand. It was hungry. Not overly aggressive, but fierce with desire. Janie moaned into his mouth and one of his hands found the back of her neck and gripped a little harder than he probably should have. Her fingers were twined in his hair again. After a brief eternity their lips parted and their foreheads came together to rest on each other.“Wow,” Will said faintly. Janie nodded against his head. She was suddenly aware of...
Fantasy & Sci-FiBella stared, not sure how to respond. “You know what Will’s curse is?”“Damn it,” Jack whispered. “I didn’t want to talk about this.”“Too late. Do you know how to get rid of it?” Bella demanded.“Yes,” Jack sighed. “It isn’t what you think though.”“What is it then?” Bella asked, wishing Jack would just give her a straight answer.“No. I’ve already said too much. You and Will are both too damn smart and neither of you can just let anything lie,” Jack shook her head. She stood up.“Oh no! You don’t...
Fantasy & Sci-FiBella let go of Will’s shoulders and quickly shimmied her long sleep shirt up around her waist. Her fingers found her smooth slit. She wasn’t wet, but Belita giving Will a blowjob was starting to feel really good. She licked her fingers and brought them between her legs. She was glad she didn’t have to focus on trying to get herself turned on. Under the circumstances that might have been hard without the assistance from the link between them.While Bella adjusted herself and got ready, Captain...
Fantasy & Sci-FiBella let go of Will’s shoulders and quickly shimmied her long sleep shirt up around her waist. Her fingers found her smooth slit. She wasn’t wet, but Belita giving Will a blowjob was starting to feel really good. She licked her fingers and brought them between her legs. She was glad she didn’t have to focus on trying to get herself turned on. Under the circumstances that might have been hard without the assistance from the link between them.While Bella adjusted herself and got ready, Captain...
Fantasy & Sci-FiGrindylow were starting to crawl up the Kestrel’s sides, cresting the railings toward the midship, flanking the defenders. At the helm, Captain Vex cursed. They were running out of time. “Danica, Coleman, get us free!”“Aye, captain!” came the answering calls. Coleman and Danica North led their gaff hook wielding swabs toward the prow, but the fighting was too thick. There wasn’t going to be any safe way to employ their hooks and shove them free of the black ship. For every Grindylow the crew...
Fantasy & Sci-FiBella took a deep breath and sat down on the bed. She was exhausted. She’d been standing unmoving, concentrating fiercely for hours. Her whole body ached. Fighting to remain in one position while the ocean rocked the floor beneath her had been much more difficult than she expected. Her thighs were quivering. In spite of her fatigue, her eyes were glued to the mirror, watching the scene play out in her alcove. Tonya was naked, sitting on Bella’s table, her legs spread wide and wrapped around...
“What did you do?” Caine asked. Janie hadn’t really noticed him come in. He was leaning in the doorway watching Janie blow out the candles in front of the mirror. She was disheveled and flushed after watching Bella work her oral magic on Captain Vex, and she definitely did not expect an audience for what she was thinking about doing next. She was recovering from being startled, but Caine didn’t give her time to reply. “A customer says you stiffed him?” “That isn’t true at all!” Janie said....
“You trained him to do what!?” Will demanded.Bella was sitting on the edge of the bed trying to coax her monkey back inside. “Well, I was ransacking your room for your clothes. I pulled your drawers out and started stuffing as many of them as I could into a duffel, and then you called me down. Jack must have thought we were robbing the place and kept going after I left.”“You trained him to commit larceny?” Will was simultaniously amused and horrified.Bella gave a small guilty shrug. Janie...
Fantasy & Sci-Fi“You trained him to do what!?” Will demanded.Bella was sitting on the edge of the bed trying to coax her monkey back inside. “Well, I was ransacking your room for your clothes. I pulled your drawers out and started stuffing as many of them as I could into a duffel, and then you called me down. Jack must have thought we were robbing the place and kept going after I left.”“You trained him to commit larceny?” Will was simultaniously amused and horrified.Bella gave a small guilty shrug. Janie...
Fantasy & Sci-FiMister Garrik looked up at the ceiling, raising an eyebrow at the muffled sounds of a woman’s pleasure. “Mister Sterling, I appreciate your time, but I came here to do business, not be distracted by the sounds of blue theatre.”Will cleared his throat. “Apologies, Mister Garrik.” Will’s quick mind pulled a lie out of thin air. He was talking before he’d really formulated his story. “I am hosting a friend who... used to work as a brothel girl. She upset the madam and was kicked out of her room. I...
Fantasy & Sci-FiMister Garrik looked up at the ceiling, raising an eyebrow at the muffled sounds of a woman’s pleasure. “Mister Sterling, I appreciate your time, but I came here to do business, not be distracted by the sounds of blue theatre.”Will cleared his throat. “Apologies, Mister Garrik.” Will’s quick mind pulled a lie out of thin air. He was talking before he’d really formulated his story. “I am hosting a friend who... used to work as a brothel girl. She upset the madam and was kicked out of her room. I...
Fantasy & Sci-FiBella stared, not sure how to respond. “You know what Will’s curse is?” “Damn it,” Jack whispered. “I didn’t want to talk about this.” “Too late. Do you know how to get rid of it?” Bella demanded. “Yes,” Jack sighed. “It isn’t what you think though.” “What is it then?” Bella asked, wishing Jack would just give her a straight answer. “No. I’ve already said too much. You and Will are both too damn smart and neither of you can just let anything lie,” Jack shook her head. She stood up. “Oh...
Jack idly watched Bella draw an elaborate warding circle. The first ring ran along the floor of the round tent. She was in the process of drawing a second ring on the walls in large white symbols. Friday was outside whispering some sort of incantation and walking in counterclockwise circles around the tent. They were moving with practiced efficiency, but to Jack it felt like ages. She lay in the center of it all on the pile of blankets and furs, exhausted and barely able to move. Her mind...