A Pirate’s Life for Tea (Tomes & Tea #2)

17. Reyna

Chapter seventeen

Reyna

“K ey,” Reyna gasped, throwing herself against the banister as fear slid down her spine. That water was absolutely freezing—and Bobbie was unconscious. Bad combination. Very bad.

Luckily, Kianthe didn’t hesitate when it came to the elements.

“Stay here,” she said, and the urgency in her voice stilled Reyna before she could dive in. Then Kianthe threw herself overboard, and the river literally rose to meet her, swallowing her like a drop of water.

On the upper deck, Farley was holding Serina back; the pirate captain wailed in anguish as she staggered upright, surging to the railing where Bobbie had vanished. “She’s going to drown,” Serina cried. “Fuck—I should have—”

“Too late for that,” Reyna said firmly, spinning away from the railing. “We have to be ready to fish them out of the water.” Maybe Kianthe could persuade the river to lift them onto the deck, but for all Reyna knew, it would take too much magic—or be impossible with Bobbie in tow. Best to be prepared.

Serina set her jaw, taking control immediately. “Pil, get up high and tell me if you see them. Rankor, hold it steady. We don’t want to crush them by accident. Farley, Reyna, get the rope ladder and be ready to toss it over.”

Squirrel appeared from below deck at the commotion. Darlene and Joe trailed in her wake—Joe looked vaguely ill at the crimson splatters on deck, but Darlene gripped a sword she’d stolen off one of the constables and seemed flush with excitement.

“Another fight?” she asked, far too eagerly.

“Soul overboard,” her dad grunted, heaving himself into the rigging.

That sobered her. She followed like a monkey, leaping into the crow’s nest a breath behind him.

Reyna was helping Farley haul the rope ladder to the center of the deck, where they could toss it over either side depending on where Kianthe resurfaced. Her eyes locked with Squirrel, who’d hidden for the majority of the battle.

The older woman averted her gaze.

Good. If that fight didn’t prove Reyna’s worth, nothing would.

“I’ll get some blankets and hot water boiling,” Squirrel told Serina. “Warm ‘em up.”

She vanished again, although her eyes caught Reyna’s once more, brows knit in apology before she went. Reyna barely noticed; enough time had passed that now she was worrying about Kianthe —although it was ridiculous to think an element would kill the Arcandor.

Still, as Reyna scanned the river’s surface, waiting for a telltale break, her heart began to pound. This felt more tense than a fight. In a battle, Reyna knew how to seize control, how to save herself and her loved ones, where to step and stab and shift so the outcome was as expected.

She didn’t know what to do with this .

Even if the elements would never hurt Kianthe, the river could consume Bobbie with one flick of a current. Kianthe had already been aghast to lose Serina’s old ship. How would she feel if the constable was killed on her watch?

Chewing her lower lip, Reyna scanned the water, attempting to logic her way through the fear.

It worked, but only barely.

The rope ladder was rough under her hands, but she gripped it too hard, everything still as they waited for word. Silence settled over the ship like a tomb. After several moments, Serina’s breath hitched in despair.

“This is my fault,” she sobbed, her words nearly lost to the winds.

Reyna opened her mouth to protest—Serina wasn’t the one who stabbed Bobbie—but a geyser-like blast erupted behind them. Everyone spun to see Kianthe hauling Bobbie headfirst out of the water, giving her the blessed ability to breathe even as the river escorted them both back to the ship.

Kianthe grabbed the rope, holding Bobbie in one arm and the rough hemp in the other. It took four of them and several moments of struggling to haul them onto the deck. Reyna tugged Kianthe and Farley towed Bobbie—and when the chaos settled, Kianthe was gasping on deck like a shored fish.

But Bobbie wasn’t gasping at all.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Reyna told her fiancée, even as she dropped to her knees beside the ex-constable.

Normally, Kianthe would joke about that statement. An Arcandor could be killed by the elements, but it took an extraordinary lack of focus on their part. Something like leaping off their griffon’s back and forgetting to manipulate the winds to slow their fall. Not drowning in a river she was well aware she’d jumped into.

So Reyna did expect a bit of sarcasm at her comment.

Instead, Kianthe had pressed a hand to Bobbie’s chest, muttered, “You two have got to stop drowning,” and made a yanking motion with her hand. Instantly, water spilled over Bobbie’s lips, and Reyna barely had time to prop the woman onto her side.

She still didn’t cough or gasp. She just laid there. Limp. Blood oozed from her wounds, her skin felt waxen, its color pallid.

“No,” Serina breathed. Tears dripped down her face, and she fell heavily onto the deck, grimacing in pain from her own wound. She cupped Bobbie’s cheek. “Come on, you stupid lug. Wake up. Wake up ! Stars, not this way. Not like this.” She shook Bobbie’s shoulders violently, desperately, but her friend still didn’t move.

Kianthe’s expression hardened. “Get back. All of you.” She accompanied the word with a gust of wind that pushed everyone away, clearing a circle around Bobbie. Then, with a growl and a crackle of magic, she pressed two fingers against Bobbie’s heart and shoved .

A whipping sound echoed across the river, accompanied by a blinding flash of light and a thud as Bobbie’s body wrenched off the deck.

And then—Bobbie gasped.

“What did you do?” Reyna asked, eyes widening. All her time with Kianthe, and she’d never seen anything like that before.

Kianthe glowed a bit, clearly pulling magic from the Nacean’s ley line to replenish her supply. She mopped the sweat off her brow and pressed a hand to Bobbie’s forehead, then her chest. “Lightning. It was just a hunch. I can feel the electricity in a human body, and I thought—maybe it’d work.”

“You didn’t know ?” Serina tugged Bobbie into her lap and brushed sodden curls out of the ex-constable’s face. Bobbie was breathing—unsteadily, but breathing. Meanwhile, Serina looked furious. “You just gambled with her life?”

It was unfair, driven by passion, but Reyna would have none of that. Not after what Kianthe just did, not when her fiancée was beginning to shiver in the icy wind.

“Her life was gone.” The words cut through the air, hanging between them.

Serina blanched, looking like she may be sick.

Reyna, meanwhile, draped her cloak over her fiancée’s shoulders, pressed a comforting kiss to her short hair. Kianthe offered her a grateful smile, which Reyna returned before pushing to her feet. “We need to treat Bobbie’s wounds and get her out of those clothes, or this will have been in vain. Unless you’d prefer to continue yelling at the Arcandor?”

Serina had the decency to look ashamed. She ducked her head, muttered, “Thanks,” and gestured at Pil and Rankor. “Let’s get her into my quarters. I have some clothes she can wear.” She pushed laboriously to her feet, grimacing, as the bandages on her thigh bloomed with fresh crimson.

Gods, what a mess. Reyna pinched her brow and said, “Captain, permission to take command of the ship.”

Serina couldn’t tear her eyes off Bobbie. Rankor scooped the ex-constable into his arms and Pil cleared a path to the captain’s quarters. Even after they ducked inside, it took several seconds for Serina to process Reyna’s words—and several more to accept she wouldn’t be any help here.

“Aye. Permission granted.”

She ghosted after Bobbie, staggering on her injured leg.

Farley pursed her lips. “I have some medical experience. Might be more useful than carpentry, considering we have an elemental mage on board now.”

Kianthe stood as well, clutching Reyna’s cloak around her shoulders. The wind had stilled around them, the elements once again trying to make her comfortable—but Reyna recognized the fresh anxiety painting Kianthe’s face. Knowing Bobbie was breathing wouldn’t be enough—at least not until the adrenaline of the fight settled.

Reyna drew a centering breath.

“Thank you, Farley. Address Bobbie’s wounds first, and keep Serina off that leg if you can.” Reyna turned, captured the attention of their boatswain’s kids. “Joe. Go find Squirrel and help with the blankets and tea. We’ll also need cloth for bandages, alcohol to sanitize, and heated water to warm Bobbie up.”

They saluted, vanishing below deck.

Pil returned from the captain’s quarters, pulling his shoulders back. “Are we still sailing to Lathe? I can navigate if Darlene handles the sails.” He gestured to his daughter, still perched in the crow’s nest awaiting instruction. She looked pale, but set her jaw and offered a reassuring nod when her eyes caught theirs.

Bless a versatile crew. Reyna nodded. “The helm’s all yours, at least until Rankor is done helping the captain.”

Pil nodded, climbing the staircase to the bloodstained upper deck.

Reyna surveyed the ship, ensuring everyone had a job. When it was clear no one was watching them, her hand found the small of Kianthe’s back, guiding her towards the cargo hold. “Come on, Key. Let’s get you into something dry.”

“I can magic the water—”

Reyna put a hand on her cheek, silencing her. “Let me help you.”

Kianthe nodded numbly.

They descended into the warm depths of the ship and immediately had to flatten against the bulkhead as Squirrel and Joe bustled past. The pair’s arms were laden with blankets, strips of cloth, and steaming kettles. Good.

As she passed, Squirrel stopped, hesitated—but Reyna clapped her arm. “I know. It’s okay.”

The older woman nodded and followed Joe up the stairs.

Finally, they were alone in the quiet dark. Reyna led Kianthe to the hammocks, relieved for the modicum of privacy, and rummaged for a set of dry clothes in her bag. “That was brilliant, Key.” Her words were firm, reassuring.

“It might not have worked,” Kianthe mumbled, looking dazed now. She’d used an awful lot of magic to save them, and a bit more trying that lightning trick on Bobbie. The Nacean was a powerful ley line, but the glimmer of her magic drain was still evident. The mage mutely lifted her arms, allowing Reyna to undress her.

The trust they shared always hit in moments like this. Reyna pressed a kiss to Kianthe’s bare shoulder before pulling a nice, comfy shirt over it. “It did work. Besides, if those two didn’t have a death wish, you wouldn’t have had to test it at all.” A pause, a smirk. “And I thought we were reckless.”

Kianthe laughed, forcing a smile. “We’re reckless, but at least we’re competent.” She caught Reyna’s hand, squeezing tight. “I missed you, Rain. I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner.”

“Please. You arrived right on time.” Now Reyna’s smile dropped. “We should summon Visk and Ponder. Diarn Arlon is owed a visit after that stunt. I would expect a display like that from Her Excellency, but seeing it in Shepara is shocking.”

“If I’ve learned one thing chatting with world leaders—it’s that no one is above drastic measures. Even though everyone thinks they are.” Kianthe hauled herself off the hammock, stripping her trousers. “I sent the griffons to Tawney. We need Feo if we’re going up against the Council.”

“Feo?” Reyna handed her clean, dry pants. “They didn’t exactly secure their title legally.”

“Feo knows every law and loophole in Shepara. They’re a tried-and-true diarn now, regardless of how they started. Plus, the Council won’t risk upsetting the balance of Tawney. Not when we live there, not with Tilaine watching that town like an eagle sighting prey.”

Reyna sighed. “After what he just pulled, leaving Diarn Arlon unsupervised feels like playing with fire.”

Kianthe snapped her fingers, pulling an ever-flame out of thin air. It drifted into the rafters, offering a cozy glow. “Please, Rain. Playing with fire is my specialty.” She grinned, finally looking back to her normal self.

Of course. Puns always revived her.

“Been waiting to use that?” Reyna drawled.

“Elemental jokes? You wood not believe how many I have.”

Reyna snorted and led her towards the galley. “Come on. Let’s get you a cup of tea. Then we’ll go check on Bobbie.”

Clutching steaming mugs to their chests, chatting amicably, they resurfaced a short while later. Joe was on their hands and knees, swabbing blood off the deck. Darlene was making slight adjustments to the sails, calling out positions to her father as he tilted the helm. Squirrel exited the captain’s quarters empty-handed, offered a slight smile, and disappeared below deck.

Inside Serina’s room, things had settled. Bobbie’s wounds were tightly bound, barely visible beneath thick blankets. She was still unconscious, but breathing well on her own. Propped on a pop-up cot, Serina was poking her leg, which was also bound in fresh linens.

Farley offered an exasperated sigh when Reyna approached. “Come to relieve us? Thank the Stars. They’re terrible patients.”

“Well, Bobbie’s not bad,” Rankor said.

“Bobbie’s unconscious.” Farley clapped her husband’s shoulder.

Serina crossed her arms, almost petulant. She was braced against the bulkhead wall, but her eyes kept skirting to Bobbie. “Excuse you. I’ve been cooperative.”

“You want to be cooperative? Try avoiding getting stabbed in the first place. Look, it’s quite easy; I’ve gone my entire life without being stabbed.” Farley held out her muscular arms to emphasize that point. “The key is not engaging with swordsmen . ”

“Or getting engaged to a swordsman,” Kianthe piped up.

Reyna was startled into a laugh. “Darling, you’ve never been stabbed.”

“Near thing in that bandit fight near the Capital, though.”

Serina didn’t seem in the mood for humor. Her eyes skirted again to Bobbie, and she asked, “Sorry to interrupt, but can we get some privacy?”

Farley shrugged, and Rankor held the door open for her. “Fine by me. I could use some lunch.”

“Dinner, now,” Rankor said.

Farley sighed. “Great.”

And they were gone.

In the resulting silence, Reyna stepped to Bobbie, checking the pulse on the inside of her wrist. It wasn’t as strong as she’d like, but it was steady, thrumming under the pad of her finger. The ex-constable’s breath was rasping, but present, and she’d started shivering at some point—which was better than the waxen stillness she’d displayed before.

“She’ll be okay, right?” Serina couldn’t seem to take her eyes off Bobbie’s face.

“Do you care?” Kianthe’s tone was neutral. She perched on the edge of Serina’s cot, sipping her tea.

Serina puffed up indignantly. “She’s my oldest friend. Of course I care about her recovery.”

“Her recovery? Is that it?” Now Kianthe held her gaze, almost like a challenge. “Because this woman tracked you up and down the Nacean, kept the other constables off your back, and then leapt into battle to save you. I can tell you from firsthand experience that a person doesn’t take risks like that if there isn’t someone worthwhile waiting for them.”

At that, Kianthe lifted her mug to Reyna, a pointed statement. Warmth spread over Reyna’s cheeks.

Serina was silent for a long moment, fingers playing with the bandage around her leg.

When she did speak, her words were contemplative: “When Bobbie evicted me from my farm last season, I was so mad. Mad at her, mad at Arlon, but mostly furious at myself for leaving everything I knew. But I just—I thought if I could be successful like her, it’d even the playing field. She’d done so much while I was gone. I’ve fallen behind.”

“I don’t think comparing your life to hers means you fell behind,” Reyna said, leaning against the wall of windows. Behind her, the river slipped past, golden in the setting sun. “You two were on different paths. One isn’t better than the other.”

“She was traveling the Nacean. She trained near Wellia. She’s the definition of glamorous. My paths were working on my father’s merchant ships… or trying to farm.” Serina clawed her hair in frustration. “Did you know that I only came back to Lathe because of her? When Arlon seized my family’s land, she and I swore we’d start our own farm one day, something he couldn’t touch. We’d be terrible at it, but at least we’d be together.”

Reyna understood that—it was a similar deal she’d made with Kianthe last spring. They knew exactly nothing about opening a bookstore and tea shop. And yet, together, anything seemed possible. Her eyes met Kianthe’s, and they shared a private smile.

Serina sighed, her tone heavy with resignation. “When I got to Lathe, Bobbie was already gone. So, I figured I’d build the farm up… and maybe she’d come back. As if she could be happy with a simple life on the farm after being a constable.”

“From what I can tell, being a constable just means she’s collecting fabricated taxes,” Kianthe drawled.

Reyna put a hand on her fiancée’s shoulder, then addressed Serina. “I think you’re missing the point, Serina. It isn’t about the job you do. It’s about the life you build together.”

“She doesn’t want a life with me. She made that clear,” Serina muttered.

Time to try a different approach. “I told Kianthe for years I wouldn’t leave with her—and I changed my mind. It only took one night to realize that we would be happier together than apart.” Reyna beamed at Kianthe, brilliantly, gratefully. “She could ask me to become a slug harvester, and I’d do it. I don’t care if we’re having tea by a hearth, fighting on a pirate ship, or digging in the dirt. As long as we’re together, it’s a good life.”

“Plus, digging in the dirt is fun.” Kianthe sniffed.

Reyna rolled her eyes. “My point, Captain, is that people change. And Bobbie wants more than you’re giving her.”

Serina’s face shifted, her tenuous expression giving way to a glimmer of hope. “Is that true?”

“Stone bless, you two are exhausting to watch. Serina, that girl is so head-over-heels for you that you could literally walk off a cliff, and she’d follow.” Kianthe rolled her eyes, pushing to her feet. “With that settled, I want to make sure we pass Oslop without problems. Think about what we said and let us know when Bobbie wakes up.”

Kianthe tossed an arm over Reyna’s shoulders. Reyna pressed against her, warmth spreading in her own chest, and they strolled out of the captain’s quarters.