Chapter 16
" Y ou did what?"
Molly’s cornflower blue eyes were wide as she stared at me in shock a short while later.
"I climbed up the mast and hung my belt up there with the others," I repeated, keeping my gaze trained on the scarred table in front of me. “Nearly broke my neck, but Hook…he shot me out of the sky with some sort of magic. I don’t know if it was a sound wave or a-” How could I even explain it?
Like a hard shove, but with no hand doing the shoving.
What type of Tideblessing could do that?
"Get back over here, swabby!" Tom called from his seat at the card table across the room. "And tell Moll to bring another round!"
The other men let out a huzzah in agreement and broke into laughter.
"You realize that’s psychotic, right?" Molly hissed. "Harm, you could have been killed. That’s more dangerous than anything I’ve ever done." She folded her arms, shaking her head. "And I’m the silly one."
I wished I could argue with her, but I couldn’t. Something had gotten to me—whether it was physical exhaustion, or just me being sick and tired of feeling out of control. I wanted to take control of something. Whatever the case, I hadn’t had it in me to stop myself.
Which was all well and good, now that Tom had mended me. Because if not, I’d have been useless for weeks, if not months.
The clock is ticking.
I lifted a tentative hand to my rib cage and pressed gingerly. Still a twinge, but nothing like the pain when it had first happened.
I closed my eyes, swallowing back a groan as the memory of him dragging me out of the water flooded my mind. The fury in those dark eyes.
Not because he cared, I reminded myself.
But because he needed me. Despite countless dreams to the contrary, that was the only reason he had helped me.
I couldn’t allow myself to forget it for an instant.
I had to make sure I left this ship unscathed—both physically and emotionally—and so far, I was doing a shit job of it.
"You’re right, Moll. It won’t happen again," I said. "I think it was just the sun that got to me. If it makes you feel any better, you and Fetch are on the same page here. He’s not talking to me at all."
In fact, the falcon had circled overhead for a few moments to see that I was all right after Hook had dragged me onto the deck, but I had seen neither feather nor beak of him since.
"I know I didn’t make a perfect decision here but cut me some slack. It’s been a really tough couple of weeks, and at least the crew accepts me now."
Molly tucked an errant auburn curl behind one ear, blew out a sigh, then rolled her eyes.
"Fine. Whatever. Go get drunk with your new friends," she muttered. "I’m going back to the galley and putting my feet up while I have some chamomile tea to try to soothe my nerves after the scare you just gave me."
She turned and then paused, her eyes lighting with excitement.
“Oh! I did overhear Cooky telling one of the crew that the Captain was skipping his usual whiskey in the library and to just bring him a toddy to his room this evening. Maybe there is something you can do with that? A library is good, right?”
Libraries were often treasure troves of information, and apparently, Hook’s would be empty this evening. Did I dare try to find it when I was already number one on his freshly crafted shitlist?
Then again, how else was I going to find out about where we were going?
Liar. You know why you want to go snooping, and it has nothing to do with the next port. You’re here risking your neck for one reason and one reason only. Because you can’t stop thinking about Captain Hook and why he’s been haunting your dreams all these years.
Moll bustled off, and I shoved the thought away as I crossed the room toward where the rest of the crew was gathered—some shooting the shit, others playing cards, and a few throwing darts at a board.
"Rum for the swabby!"
A man I vaguely recalled being referred to as Pip balanced three shots in one hand and gestured for me to take one.
"Thanks," I said with a grateful nod. My stomach was still a bit topsy-turvy, but I wasn’t about to refuse—not after working so damn hard to gain their friendship.
The first mate stepped in, plucking the second shot from Pip’s fingers and holding it high.
"To Harmony," he announced. "A toast! Next time you scuttle up, may the gods grant you an easier way down!"
The men broke into laughter, and I grinned.
"I don’t know," I mused. "I kind of like the adventure of winging it."
The three of us knocked back our rum, and I spluttered but managed to cover it with a cough and the men roared their approval.
"Throat’s still a little sore from all the salt water," I rasped.
Xander slipped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me to the side as a couple of the men began crafting a shanty song about my misadventure.
"Cap is pretty pissed with you," he said. "And us, too."
The smile faded from his eyes.
"You didn’t have to do that, you know. It’s a bit of a miracle you’re not dead. Tom’s not a bad person. I truly think he didn’t expect you to actually follow through on it."
I opened my mouth to respond, but he wasn’t finished.
"Still though, I question whether you’re ready for this life.
It’s tough out here, Harmony. And despite the guts you’ve shown, I think it would help if you developed your magic a little more.
That way, you won’t have to rely on someone swooping in to save you when you need saving again. And you will need saving again."
I wanted to argue. To explain that I was usually the one doing the saving. The pragmatic one. The one with a plan. But all he knew was what he’d seen so far, and my cheeks flushed as I realized that what he’d seen was a dumbass, doing dumbass shit.
Besides—who was I to argue if he wanted to help me?
"I think I’d be less nervous if I knew where we were going," I admitted. "And what we’re going to do. Am I going to have to kill anyone?"
Xander shook his head. "No. Especially now that Cap knows you’re not really like us.
And as for where we’re headed, I’m pretty sure our course is set for Kraken Reef.
We’ll be there by tomorrow afternoon. He’s looking to resupply—but also to find some people who might be able to help us with a mission.
He’ll be the one to tell you the plan once he’s ready. "
I was dying to press, but his expression had grown guarded, and prodding further would only make him suspicious.
"If you want to work on your Tideblessing, like I mentioned," he said after a beat, "and you’re willing to wake up an hour before dawn, I’m up anyways. Wouldn’t kill me to help you some."
I stared at him in surprise. "Help me how?"
He smirked. "I grew up in a traveling circus. My parents were carnies. I picked up sleight of hand skills and used my blessing to become a pretty proficient magician along the way. The tide didn’t see fit to bless me with a whole lot of magic, but carnival people are the best at making the most of what they’ve got. And I can show you how to do the same."
That explained how he’d been able to slip a needle into Davy’s wrist without anyone seeing. A useful skill, and I was sure he had many others. But I found myself hesitating.
I wasn’t Tideblessed. Not really. I was a Whisper, albeit a strange one. I had no tattoo, and didn’t even know if Xander’s lessons would help me.
Still, it was a generous offer, and who knew…
"You would do that for me? Why? I’m a stranger to you."
Way to look a gift horse in the mouth, Harm. But I couldn’t stop the question from coming out of my lips.
He cocked his head, his green eyes studying my face. Then he shrugged.
"You remind me of my daughter, Lorelei," he said simply. His wistful expression told me he hadn’t seen her in a very long time. “It’s a compliment. She’s a peach, that one.”
My heart squeezed, and I managed a small smile, but was saved having to come up with a reply, as a moment later a loud voice bellowed my name.
"Come on over, lass! Listen to the song Slim Sven wrote for you!"
A giant bear of a man who I was sure had never seen a day of slim in his life stepped forward with a broad grin.
“It’s a work in progress, but here’s the start.” He cleared his throat, and began to sing, the notes pitch perfect and clear as a bell;
“There once was a lass, on the roaring wild seas,
With soul full of grit, and brass in her knees
She climbed to the crow’s nest, brazen and bold,
In a show of great strength, she braved winds so cold!
She pinned her red silk on top of the mast,
We shouted and cheered, but our joy did not last!
Oh, ho, ho! She took such a fall!
Oh, ho, ho! The shame of it all!
She’d pinned her bright silk, then fell like a stone,
But when the sea came to claim her, it wasn’t alone…
Into the waves did our new friend descend,
Towards a monstrous sea serpent—would this be her end?
Its maw open wide, it came full speed ahead,
Out for first blood, this t’ing wanted her dead!
But our Captain Hook is too clever a man
And he stole that ting’s dinner, and the two ‘o them ran!
Oh, ho, ho! She took such a fall!
Oh, ho, ho! The shame of it all!
She’d pinned her bright silk, then fell like a stone,
But when the sea came to claim her, it wasn’t alone…”
My face flushed, and I grinned like a fool. It was nice to be appreciated, even if it was under somewhat false pretenses.
Trick-Eyed Tom climbed up onto a chair and lifted his glass high. “A toast to the lass, courage without end! Raise your mugs, boys, and let’s sing it again!”
I set the ale aside and plugged my fingers into my lips, letting out a sharp whistle of approval as the others stomped their feet and clapped. The men continued to sing and drink, but my mind was elsewhere.
We were headed to Kraken Reef, a place I had seen on Pan’s maps. It was pretty large, and if we were going there to resupply, just maybe I’d find a chance to break away and ask around about passage to The Weeping Fen.