Lost at Sea book 1 Where There s a Will chapter 2
- 4 years ago
- 44
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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 about it. Tonight, the crew had been washing back and forth from tears to laughter for hours. Twice fights had broken out and been broken up by others. Both times, the combatants had ended up in each other’s arms laughing and sobbing a short while later. That’s the way it was with a crew. Friendships happened fast, and held strong, and when people moved on those bonds faded just as quickly in spite of promises that they’d keep in touch. They never did, but there was always the hope that former crewmen would run into each other in some port or another. Lace had always thought that sailors, with their ability to create and let go of connections so easily, would be well equipped to deal with grief. It seemed like a contradiction to her that when people died, sailors were among the least able to handle it.
As she watched the mournful revelry, it occurred to her for the first time that maybe the sailor’s way, with all it’s loud tears and drunken dances, was just more honest than the way landfolk tended to grieve. If anything, the sailor’s way was faster. She had no doubt that the whole crew would feel like hell in the morning, and would bitch and moan to each other while they got on with their work. Then things would be back to normal. In the months to come there would be occasional toasts to the fallen, and drinks poured out, but not one of them would become hollow shells of themselves like landfolk often did.
Sailors knew how to get the pain out before it festered.
Lace had always stood a bit apart from any crew she was with. She was more of a watcher than a joiner, but tonight she hadn’t wanted to watch. Watching meant thinking, so. she’d danced, and cried, and laughed, and been teased more than once for finally coming down from the ropes to spend time with the swabs. Now she was thoroughly drunk, which was an excellent buffer against the hollow, empty feeling that always came after catharsis. That hollowness was one of her least favorite feelings. If she’d been sober, she probably would have gone off to be by herself, but she was drunk enough that she didn’t want to move. So, she just watched the tired crew dancing, singing, laughing, and crying, all of them chasing the same goal.
To sleep without dreaming.
It was late. They would have all probably burned themselves out and fallen asleep in the sand if not for the Captain. She was relentless, calling for more booze, more stories, more songs. Lace had never seen her like this. Captain Vex wasn’t adverse to carousing with the crew. It was rare, but not unheard of. Usually though, she left early. That was one of the reasons lace and the Captain got along so well. They were both watchers, and often ended up on the sterncastle together talking quietly while the crew made merry on the main deck. Tonight, Lace was already reveled out, and it looked like the Captain was going to be the last one standing.
Beside her, the Norths were sharing her fallen tree. Coleman was leaning against it with his head back, staring at the night sky through the trees. Occasionally he lifted a dented wooden cup to his lips while responding to his wife mostly with wordless grunts and affirmations. He’d opted for water tonight, instead of rum. Earlier he’d said he’d been feeling off all day and was worried drinking would make it worse. Lace was fairly sure he was the only sober person in the camp. Danica leaned against Coleman, sitting in the sand between his legs and using his broad chest as a pillow. She was slurring her way through a long list of things that needed to be done to get the camp settled in for the repairs. For as drunk as she sounded, she hadn’t repeated herself or lost her train of thought, at least as far as Lace had noticed.
All three of them were feeling worse for wear. Bandages poked out from beneath clothing and bruises had darkened. In spite of Danica’s burns and the stab wound in Lace’s butt, Coleman seemed to have had the worst of it. He’d been in the thick of the fighting while trying to hold back the tide of once-human monsters, and had the damage to show for it. Ragged fingernails had torn his skin in a dozen places, and he’d twice been caught by their stinger tongues.
“Both times in the same damn arm,” he was muttering, prodding at his bandages and wincing.
“Iss yer shield arm,” Danica slurred. “Stop pokin’ at it.”
“Huh. Didn’t think of that. Been a long time since I carried a shield.” Coleman held his arm up and looking at it like he wasn’t sure if it was friend or foe. “Maybe I need to start again.”
“Mebbe we all should,” Danica agreed. “Would be nice t’ have a real armory onna ship. Armor. Swords. Pistols even.”
“I signed on to the Kestrel to get away from that life,” Coleman sighed. “I hate warships.”
“Gotta be able t’ d’fend ourselves,” Danica shrugged. “We don’ even have cannons. Not e’en little deck guns.”
“Most merchant vessels don’t. Weapons on a ship can be a huge liability ... Just having that stuff around can make sailors think of how to mutiny when things get bad, or even when they’re good and decide they should have a bigger cut. I’ve seen it,” Coleman countered.
“We could keep ‘em in the lockup,” Danica suggested.
“Deck guns wouldn’t do much good in the lock up,” Coleman chuckled.
“No, th’ other stuff. Swords an’ shields.”
“War gear for the whole crew” Sixty swords and shields, plus extras in case of breakage, and maintenance equipment? That would fill the entire lockup, and more. We’d have to convert one of the guest rooms. That’s a full quarter less we could charge for berthing,” Coleman’s brows furrowed in thought. He didn’t like the idea, but he was considering it.
“Second lockup? Bars ‘cross th’ bow,” Danica suggested. “Li’l triangle hold up front, like the Red Fleet does with it’s brigs.”
“In the crew berth? They’re already packed in tight,” Colema scratched his beard. “It could work. We’d have to expand the berth into the cargo area. Six feet should do. Really, we’d just be moving the wall back.”
“Tha’ would give the crew more space’n they have now,” Danica nodded.
“We could keep guns and powder in our rear lockup. An arms locker and a couple powder kegs would fit easy. Sword racks could go up front behind your new bars,” he continued, lost in thought. “We’d have to train the crew to use them though. Soldiering is a lot different than the kind of fighting most sailors pick up.”
“We’ll need t’ recruit a masser ... mastrer...” Danica struggled with the words.
“Master at arms?” North said helpfully.
“Yeh, that one,” she smiled.
Coleman grunted his amusement. “Have to get off this damn island first.”
“Mmmhmm,’ Danica agreed. “Could make shields though. We’re gonna have lossa plank scraps when th’ hull’s patched.”
“Do you know how to make a shield?” Coleman teased, already knowing the answer.
“Shuddup,” Danica said, giving him an elbow and taking another drink. “Someone does. Can’t be tha hard.”
“The one thing we haven’t figured out how to store yet, you want to make first,” Coleman chuckled.
“Do they need t’ be locked up? They’re not weapons,” Danica asked.
“Yes they are,” Coleman said firmly.
“No one is going to mutiny armed with a bunch of shields,” Danica said with a snort.
“The whole crew’s already armed,” Coleman reminded her. “They all have knives. The boat’s full of clubs and gaff hooks. You pair those with a shield, you have a boarding party.”
“I want shields!” Danica demanded, shaking her head back and forth against his chest.”
“Why?” Coleman laughed, wrapping his good arm around her to stop her mock tantrum.
“So you don’t get stabbed in th’ arm anymore,” she said angrily. “So we don’t get killed. If we had shields, those godsdamned things wouldn’t have...” the tears came fast as she trailed off. She shook her head sadly and leaned into his bicep.
“Shh. Alright.” Coleman stroked her hair with hsi injured arm. “I’ll get you shields.”
She nodded and smiled weakly.
“What brought all this on anyway? You think we are going to be attacked again?” Coleman asked.
“We’re only barely outta imperial waters, an’ goin’ a lot further, an’ not on th’ safer routs. On Barcola, they were saying there’s been more raids lately, all over where we’re headed. Couldn’t’a all been that grindylow wreck. Drifter’s Key’s a pirate cove! An’ if we make it through the Drifts, you know where we’ll be?” Danica asked.
“Geography’s never been my strongest subject,’ Coleman shook his head.
“The Sea of Glass,” Lace spoke up.
“Mmmhmm,” Danica nodded, pointing to Lace.
Coleman’s brows rose. “That’s Freebooter territory.”
“‘Zactly,” Danica said.
“What the hell is the Captain thinking?” Coleman asked, shaking his head. He knew this trip would be dangerous, but he was only now realizing just how much. “Seems like someone gave her a list of things to avoid, and she decided to use it to plot her course.”
Lace answered again. “She’s betting that the Freebooters don’t bother defending the Drifts, and that they’’ll be too busy raiding the coast of Nival and fighting with every major power in the seas to even notice a little Caravel sneaking their southern coast.”
“Alright, I suppose that’s a good bet,” Coleman admitted. “That’s the last step though. Everything between here and there is still dangerous as hell.”
“Yeah,” Danica’s head rolled as she looked up at him. “So gimme a damn armory.”
Coleman chuckled. “Yes dear.”
She smiled in Lace’s direction. “He’s sucha good boy.”
“An exception to the rule, for sure,” Lace smirked.
“What rule?” Coleman asked.
“Lace doesn’t like men,” Danica explained.
“I like men just fine,” Lace corrected. “In the same way that I like pigs. They can be intelligent, entertaining, and even loving, but they’re still filthy animals.”
Coleman couldn’t help but laugh. “I wish I could argue that.”
Danica grabbed a handful of his beard and pulled his head down, twisting a bit to bring her face closer so their lips could meet. “Yer my favorite filthy animal.”
Lace rolled her eyes and took another sip off her drink, ignoring the two lovebirds. She looked at her cup and wondered if it had been a bad idea. She hadn’t been feeling especially well either. The new doctor had told her that the tincture she was taking might make her queasy. She’d felt fine until a few minutes ago, but now she was starting to feel a bit ill. Looking at the bonfire made her head hurt. It felt like a hangover, but she knew it was far too soon for that.
“Coleman,” Lace said, getting his attention.
He looked up from his wife, “Hmm?”
“You still feeling shitty?” she asked.
“A little,” he shrugged. “Probably better than everyone else will feel tomorrow. I’ve had worse.”
“Queasy stomach, and your eyes hurt when it’s bright?” she asked.
“Yeah, why?” he said, puzzled.
“I’m starting to feel it too,” Lace said.
Danica’s head lifted off of Coleman’s chest and looked at her. “You too?” She looked back and forth between them, forcing herself to focus. “No way it’s a hangover? Or just not enough water?”
“I’m drunk, but I always have enough water. I don’t usually get hangovers,” Lace said.
“I’ve been drinking water all day. It hasn’t helped much,” Coleman said, looking into his cup.
Danica rubbed her face. “Fuck.”
Coleman swirled his cup. “Think it’s the water? The hold was flooded. Maybe the barrels got contaminated?”
Lace shook her head. “I’m still working off the canteen I filled yesterday morning.”
Coleman kept thinking. “Some of the foodstores had been waterlogged for hours by the time it was unloaded. We tried to get rid of the stuff that wasn’t good, but maybe we missed something.”
“Stew made a feast today. The Captain told ‘im to cook up anything that’ll spoil soon,” Danica said. “Lotsa stuff it coulda been.”
“Might also just be a bug starting to go around,” Coleman said. “That usually happens after weathering a storm.”
“As if we don’t have enough to deal with right now.” Lace sighed and let her head roll back against the log.
“I canned ... I can not ‘ave the crew getting sick. Not now,’ Danica said, dejected.
Coleman sighed. “Might be too late.”
“Do we tell the Captain now?” Lace asked.
Danica shook her head. “Coleman’s right. If there’s something goin’ ‘round, it’s too late t’ stop it. Telling the Cap’n now won’t help. She’s barely hanging on as it is. Either it’ll pass, or we can tell her in the morning.”
Coleman nodded. “You’re the boss.”
Danica painfully got to her feet and held out her hands to Coleman. “Yup, an’ th’ boss says we’re going t’ bed. I’m drunk, yer sick, an’ we got a lot t’ do t’morrow.”
Coleman took his wife’s hands and let her help haul him to his feet. “Goodnight, Lace.”
Lace gave him a wave and went back to watching the crew. She rubbed her temples with her hands, hoping whatever had her feeling under the weather would pass soon. In the distance, during a break in the music, she could faintly hear what sounded like a woman in the heights of pleasure.
She half smiled and rolled her eyes. “At least someone’s having a good night.”
“Holy fuck,” Will muttered.
They could see pulses of light through the canvas of the tent walls. The bright flashes kept time with the impact of Quinn and Jack’s bodies. It sounded like he was slapping her, but she clearly wasn’t in pain. She howled, her ragged voice muffled by his skin. His pace was quick and relentless. They could all very faintly hear the music of the crew’s revelry. Quinn was keeping perfect time.
Bella was concentrating, breathing carefully. Her eyes were closed and she was doing everything she could to absorb and channel the build up of energy, but it was difficult.
“Is this ... safe?” Friday asked.
“She’s building up energy a little faster than I can easily siphon off, but now that the ritual is active the wards I built into our sigils are all supporting each other. We aren’t in danger.” Bella explained. “That said, I’m glad you two aren’t adding much. This is about as much as I can handle.”
Friday looked down where her hand was slowly, idly stroking Will’s erection. What she’d been doing had been mostly forgotten by both of them as they watched the flashing lights and listened to the most intense love making either of them had ever heard. “Should we stop?” she asked Bella.
“Huh?” she asked, looking at them in confusion for a moment. Then she shook her head and laughed. “Oh, no don’t stop. Just enjoy yourselves. We’re safe and I’m fine. If I start to worry, I’ll let you know. Just ... don’t do what they’re doing.”
“I’m not sure we could,” Friday said with a giggle.
“I guess we’ll just take it slow and enjoy the show,” Will said with a wry smile.
Friday winked at him and squeezed a bit harder on her upstroke. He was still amazed at how soft her hands were. Usually, handjobs didn’t do much for him. They were a good warmup, or a transition, but never the main attraction. Friday was making him reassess that.
“Scootch yourself this way,” he said, beckoning with the hand that was resting on her shoulder. “Bella needs to concentrate, so I’ll take over.”
Friday knee-walked sideways until she was near his shoulders, and then slumped over onto her side like a cat. She tossed her braids back and laid her head down on his thigh, stroking his cock right in front over her face. She gave him an inviting smile and slowly raised her knee, spreading her legs wide for him. “I like strong hands,” she purred.
He reached for her face and offered her two fingers. She took them into her mouth with sensual hunger and swirled her tongue around them and then pulled back to kiss the tips. He smiled and reached for her dark slit. She rocked her hips forward to meet him. Her saliva mixed with her wetness as he swept her fingers along her slit. Her skin reminded him of coffee with a dash of cream. The faintly glowing sigils Bella had drawn above her mons were an impressive contrast. Her smooth skin felt incredible. As he pressed his fingers against her folds and made small circles, she opened more for him. Her slick entrance faded from coffee brown to soft pink. He pressed more firmly, feeling her tight heat wrap around his fingers. She closed her eyes and bit her lip, loving the sudden intrusion. He curled his fingers inside her and pressed the heel of his palm against her mons, gripping her from the inside and giving a small tug. Her mouth gasped open. After a moment she opened her eyes and grinned wide as both their hands began to slowly move in time with each other.
From the other tent Jack let out a muffled, guttural groan and the pulsing lights drawn on all their bodies brightened for a few moments as a surge of energy proved to be more than Bella was ready for. “Oh my spirits,” Bella breathed, concentrating. She took a deep, measured breath and drank in as much of the energy as she could. “This is ... excellent practice.” The lights dimmed again as she concentrated.
“Snofabish” they heard Jack snarl. It sounded like she had her face pressed into a pillow, but the words were still fairly clear. “Bella- Is that-, You?”
Stop ... Doingthat.”
Bella put her hand over her mouth and tried not to laugh. “Is what me?”
The rhythm from the next tent never faltered. The lights continued to pulse. Even the sigils drawn on the three of them were lighting up strong enough that the lantern hanging above them wasn’t necessary. They could hear nothing from Quinn but the impacts of his body against hers, but Jack was breathing, grunting, straining like a tormented animal. Again the lights pulsing from their sigils brightened and Jack’s noises of pleasure became more frantic. Bell took another deep, centering breath and the mystic light dimmed again.
“Stop! That!” Jack snarled.
“Stop doing what, Jack?” Bella asked with a conspiratorial glance at Will and Friday.
Jack’s voice became unmuffled. “Stealing ... my godsdamned ... nnnng! Dammit I’m so close ... My- oh unh ... My orgasm!”
“I have to,” Bella said apologetically. “I told you that.”
“You ... ernnn ... owe me,” she growled between impacts.
“I’m sure we’ll work something out,” Bella said in a low voice, full of promise.
“Ohgods- I’m going t- HHHNNGGG!” Jack put her face back into her pillow and the pulsing lights brightened again. Bella took another deep breath, like she was inhaling Jack’s pleasure.
“GODSDAMMIT!” Jack yelled! “Not ... again ... you evil-”
Bella exhaled, increasing the resistance of her energy flow and letting it build up and surge for a moment.
Jack screamed into her pillow as her pleasure suddenly jumped and Quinn’s relentless pounding stole away her concentration again.
Bella inhaled again,
“Witch?” Bella said helpfully, taking another deep breath and letting the energy flow into her again. Jack’s pleasure waned again, pulling her back from the peak she’d suddenly reached.
“Yes!” Jack snapped.
“I did warn you,” Bella said conversationally. “And I let you cum before we really got started.” The lights started to swell again as Bella narrowed the flow. Jack’s shuddering cries grew tenser and more strained. Then Bella opened herself up to the energy again. “Magic always has a price.”
Jack sounded anguished. “This is ... torture...” she mewled.
Will laughed silently. He’d never heard Jack sound like that before.
Friday slid her head forward on his thigh and brought her full lips to his balls. “Could stand to be tortured like that, I,” she smirked against the base of his shaft. Her hand continued to sensually glide along his length.
“You were the one who wanted to show off,” Bella said to Jack.
“She always has loved an audience,” Will added.
“Do ... not...” Jack grunted.
Will reached out with his other hand and slid it in between Bella’s knees. She felt the movement, looked down, and narrowed her eyes at him. “I have to concentrate.”
“Are we going to blow up?” Will asked.
“No, setting up the ritual was the dangerous part. I promise, we’re fine now. It’s just hard to take this much energy this fast,” Bella said. “If you distract me, I can’t take in as much. Every time you see the glow get brighter, that’s the wards dispersing energy to keep us safe. Light means wasted energy.”
To drive her point home, Bella focused on quickly narrowing and widening how much energy she was taking in. The glow from the sigils pulsed like a signal lantern. From the other tent, Jack’s muffled sounds of bliss took on an edge of surprise, then confusion and anger.”
“It’s fascinating,” Friday said, tilting her head to look at Bella. “Are you actually controlling what she feels?”
“Sort of,” Bella said.
“Yes!” Jack snapped.
“I’m controlling the rate of buildup,” Bella said.
Will’s expression became devious. “So if you lose your concentration, we won’t blow up, but you’ll lose some of the energy you’re taking in?’
“Yes, essentially,” Bella said with a nod.
“And it just washes back to Jack?” Will asked.
“Some of it goes back to both of them. I guess it would have to go through Jack to get to Quinn since she’s acting as a conduit right now. Anyway, the transfer is wanting to go towards me, so when it goes the other way a bunch of it overflows into the wards.” Then her eyes narrowed again and she looked at him suspiciously. “Wait, what are you-”
“Oh, interesting,” Friday commented. She propped her head up on her hand, watching the byplay curiously. With her head elevated, she pulled Will’s cock to her lips and began swirling her tongue just below the head, still stroking slowly with soft hands while she watched the drama that was starting to unfold.
“Did you hear that Jack?” Will asked. “Some of it goes back to you.”
“Oh gods...” she groaned. “Please.”
“And...” he continued.
“What? “ Jack said, trying to focus. “Wait- Yes. Mmm. Fine. What ... do you- Nnng. Want?”
Will looked at Bella questioningly. She looked a bit worried, but nodded.
“Remember Queen for a Day?” he asked.
“Of- Course,” she said between impacts.
“You always said if I was lucky it would be my turn someday,” Will said with a self-indulgent smirk.
“Oh you ... ass...” she managed between gasps. “Fine!”
“Bella?” Will asked the wide eyed witch. He slid his fingers up her inner thighs and gently brushed her sensitive folds.
“I don’t know why you’re asking me,” Bella said, rolling her eyes at his words and her hips at his touch.
“It’s your show, you can say stop,” Will said.
“But I’m not going to,” Bella whispered. She leaned over and gave him a soft kiss. “I meant what I said. Anything.”
“I remember,” he whispered back. “I still want to hear you say yes.”
She nodded against his lips and rested her forehead against his. The lights pulses of light brightened again as Bella’s focus wavered. “Yes.”
Jack’s pleasure surged and she gasped... “Are you two ... conspiring...”
“Of course,” Will answered. He pushed his fingers deep into Bella. She was sopping. With all the buildup, hearing Jack, watching Will and Friday, she was already far more on edge than she’d let on. She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed herself up, bowing her shoulders and letting her head hang. Her hair spilled all around him. He pressed the pad of his thumb into her sensitive nub and curved his fingers inside her. With his other hand he mirrored the motion with Friday.
Bella squeaked and rolled her hips as a surge of pleasure shot from her clit up her spine. Friday pushed her pelvis forward against Will’s hand and muffled the happy noised she was making by filling her mouth with Will’s cock. Jack’s words jumbled together into her pillow as Bella’s distraction caused another buildup of pleasure. After a moment, Bella took a few deep, centering breaths and opened her energy flow. All of them felt the bliss wane back to a pleasurable but not overwhelming level.
“Damn it,’ Jack grunted, trying to catch her breath between Quinn’s relentless pistoning. “Damn it, Will! Did you- unm! Lose your touch?”
“Give me a bit, I just started.” He pulsed his fingers and swirled his thumb, just like he knew Bella liked. She rocked her hips and squeaked again, trying to focus on her breathing.
“Oh spirits, I shouldn’t have taught you that,” she moaned.
“Jack taught me that,” Will corrected.
“I taught her that,” Bella countered.
“Owe you both an thank you, I,” Friday said, biting her lip again. “Good at that, he.”
“It’s one of the perks of being tutored by an insatiable nymph who likes telling people what to do,” Will smirked. He pulled more firmly inside them, and held, lifting slightly with his strong forearms. The moans from either side told him he was doing things right. Bella’s mouth opened wide and her eyes shut tight as she lost her focus for a moment. The stream of energy flowing between them all narrowed to a natural trickle. Suddenly everyone’s pleasure spiked further.
“I am not aaaAAAHHHHohgods,” Jack’s protests were interrupted by another surge of pleasure that was just as quickly withdrawn as Bella regained her focus again.
“Oh please, you’re as bad ... Mmm yes ... as I am,” Bella said, recovering from her momentary lapse. “You’re just more buttoned up about it.”
“Damn it Bella!” Jack snapped. “Will! Ooh ... whatever ... you’re doing ... do it more.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Will lifted and pulled harder, unexpectedly tipping Bella forward. She yelped in surprise and planted her hands on either side of his head to catch herself. Will lifted his head and latched his lips onto one of her nipples. As she gasped he began plunging his fingers in and out of her rapidly. He felt her back arch and heard her gasp. Her breast pressed down onto his face as he sucked and nibbled.
The level of pleasure they all felt suddenly swelled again. He felt his cock harden to the edge of discomfort. Friday dropped her mouth further down on his cock and slid her plump lips down to meet her hand. She held him there, increasing her suction and holding him in her mouth, squeezing the base of his shaft tightly as her whole body tensed and froze while he worked his fingers and thumb inside her. The contrast between the Nivalese and N’madi witches was like night and day. Where Friday went still as her pleasure mounted, Bella bucked and girated, seeming like she was simultaneously trying to push further into his fingers and mouth, and pull away. Her breast was so large that he had to close his eyes as the heavy softness covered his face. Breathing was suddenly a lot more difficult. He turned his head slightly so he could get some air through his nose, then focused on the nipple in his mouth again. He bit a little harder and she bucked back into his hand. He pulled against them both in rapid pulses.
All the while, he heard Jack building quickly. He could hear her strain, like her pending orgasm was something she had to fight for. Her voice was muffled again, but still sounded strangled and rough as the rhythmic slapping of Quinn’s thrusts finally sped up. Jack very rarely cursed, but he was fairly sure a few of the muffled words he caught between impacts were not polite.
Bella arched her back, pulling her nipple free from his mouth with a pop. Suddenly able to see, he was forced to squint from the brightness of the light. All three of them were lit up like lanterns. The graceful sigils had gone from a dull candle light to an intensity that left afterimages burned into his vision after he shut his eyes.
Bella forced her metaphysical floodgates as wide as she could. The pressure was so strong that she could feel it physically, like a weight on her chest. The amount of power they’d built in such a short time was impressive. It wasn’t the most she’d ever handled, but in other spells she’d had a place to put the power. In this case, she was putting the power into herself. Holding power was hard. She usually only ever drew and held as much as she needed. The encounter with the Grindylow had scared her enough that she had decided to draw and hold as much as she could. If she’d had this much power on the ship, she wouldn’t have needed to attempt such a risky, complex ritual to power her curse. The mirror wouldn’t have broken. She would have been able to act sooner. Fewer lives would have been lost, and they wouldn’t have lost contact with Janie and Tonya again.
For Bella there was no stronger motivator than guilt. It always pushed her to do things she knew were risky. Now was no different. The pressure in her chest made her feel like she couldn’t get a full breath. Her head felt light. The pleasure and power were so intense she could hardly focus. She wanted to pull back, to make Will stop, to breathe.
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...
Fantasy & Sci-FiWill’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...
Dawn was breaking. The storm had passed and the eastern horizon was slowly swelling from black to purple to herald the coming of the sun. The crew of the Kestrel was finishing roping hammocks between trees. The wounded were mostly already asleep. Others were unloading the smallboats they’d used to get supplies ashore. They were all exhausted but still managing to trudge along. Lord Morant and his porters had set up tents near the waterline, a ways away from the rest of the crew. Bella had found...
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...
Fantasy & Sci-FiThe crescent shaped cliffside was littered with walkways and bridges, and dotted throughout with caves. Platforms made from a hodgepodge of materials were anchored into the walls, and stacked on each other haphazardly. Thick ropes and chains made an elaborate net that reminded Will of rigging designed by a madman. The largest platform hung in the center of it all, ringed with crane arms and hoist tackle. The whole web looked unstable, but figures walked throughout the tangle without a hint of...
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...
“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...