Chapter 3
T
he events of the previous day had left her completely drained.
Upon boarding the Neptune, she urgently requested to be escorted to her quarters.
When the door closed behind her, she wasted no time, and her head met the pillow within a minute.
She cared very little to explore the room or acquaint herself with the rest of the crew.
The magnitude of the ordeal in port had drained her to the point where any feelings of guilt for not doing so were subdued.
As the ship set sail, she could feel the gentle movement beneath her, bringing her a sense of contentment. While she hadn’t set a specific date for reaching Ilkiz, her primary goal was to spend as little time as possible in the Kingdom.
As she surveyed the space she had been given, the memory of Captain Hawthorn’s kindness came flooding back. These quarters held the essentials and everything she could ever want and need.
The bed was comfortable, large enough to accommodate at least three people, with freshly laundered white sheets and an abundance of pillows as though it were prepared for company. The décor was rustic and functional for someone with the co-captain role, but not so much for her.
Towards the back of the room was a substantial wooden desk, adorned with various navigational tools and maps.
Placed strategically next to a window overlooking the ship’s rear, the views were breathtaking.
She couldn’t help but feel grateful to the Mother for this quiet escape, allowing her to enjoy fresh air without the need to step outside or engage in socialization.
Surprisingly, there was a place to sit and eat, which seemed odd, considering the ship supposedly had a dining hall on the lower deck.
Adorned in brown leather pants and a white tunic neatly tucked beneath a black corset, she slipped on her boots and hastily tied her hair into a messy bun atop her head.
Though the disheveled appearance seemed unconventional, she lacked the energy to brush through the unruly ringlets and make her hair presentable.
Before she departed, she paused at the mirror. The eyes that stared back at her seemed foreign, but she knew it would work to her advantage, at least for now. It wasn’t as if the bright scarlet hair atop her head was a giveaway, but that at least could be hidden.
Looking at herself now was nearly unbearable. Knowing that the person in the mirror had caused so much pain, not just to others but also to herself, almost made her want to shatter the mirror without even a second thought.
Tearing herself away, she bumped into the last thing of note in the room. An oddly placed porcelain tub, which she assumed was for everyone’s use, given its size. If she had the choice, she would have it removed without hesitation. It haunted her, dredging up memories of the Idle Fox.
Shaking her head quickly, she tried to banish the vision of herself and Kaed in the tub, his fingers gently running through her hair. Tears welled in the corners of her eyes, and she bit her lip hard, willing the painful memory to fade away.
Fuck off, she cursed to herself, leave me alone. Please.
Making haste, she left her room and was immediately hit with the smell of the sea assaulting her senses.
Taking a large, nearly intoxicating breath, Azahara heaved a heavy sigh.
This was the open water she was excited to smell and taste.
While aboard the ship that brought her to the Port of Kortez, it had hugged close enough to the shoreline that they barely had enough wind to pull about her hair.
Not on the Neptune. They were out at sea, making their way through open waters, and for the first time since the night at the Idle Fox, she felt a sense of freedom.
As if nothing could touch her.
“Oh, my goddess,” she recognized the voice and immediately pulled her gaze to Alyse.
“They did not lie when they said your beauty was not of this realm.” The captain was wearing a traditional skipper’s outfit; a loose-fitting, off-white shirt with billowing sleeves, allowing her unrestricted movement during the most turbulent of journeys.
A sturdy leather belt cinched at her waist, showcasing a finely crafted brass buckle adorned with maritime symbols.
Her lower half was clad in practical trousers tucked into knee-high boots.
Alyse stared at her with awe-inspired eyes. Her cheeks were darkened, and her mouth was slightly ajar.
Azahara sheepishly dropped her gaze, feeling heat gathering at her cheeks. “You flatter me, Captain.”
“Please, I beg of you, call me Alyse,” she closed the distance between them and immediately took Azahara’s hand into her own, “We are friends here. I’m only Captain to the helm.”
With a smile, Azahara conceded and nodded, “Alyse it is.”
“Perfect, come; I need you to meet the rest of the crew.” High on energy, Alyse pulled her then, nearly dragging her across the deck.
Several people were already out, but Alyse gave a high-pitched whistle that reverberated throughout the space, calling for full attention towards them.
Azahara wanted to protest but dropped her gaze as a dozen eyeballs stared at her.
This would be the first time she would have been in the spotlight like this since her show-stopping performance at the Outpost’s training area, and it made her stomach queasy.
Pulling her up a few steps, Alyse turned her and presented her as though she were the next in the lineup of cows on sale. She knew Alyse meant well and didn’t mean it that way, but it felt the same.
“Good morning, Neptune family,” Alyse had way too much energy for Azahara, especially in her current state, “I’m super stoked to introduce—finally—Azahara!”
Okay, now I feel like I’m in a show, playing the part of the jester to dance for the King. Swallowing, she dared a glance at the near dozen crew members staring back at her.
She sighed roughly. I hate this as much as I thought I would.
“Are you good with names, Aza?” Alyse addressed her, and she was tempted to lie. However, looking out towards the faces of the crew, she spotted at least two Elves, which meant they’d know she was lying. With their loyalty, they’d tell Alyse.
It’s a silly thing to lie about, and odds are Alyse wouldn’t care, but she didn’t need to give them more reason to dislike her. She could tell that a few in the crowd were less than excited about her presence there.
“Decent, yes,” She felt tightness in her throat, accompanied by the sting of acid.
“Wonderful!” Her exuberant attitude was infectious, but didn’t take away Azahara’s nerves.
“Let me start with the co-captain, Rowlin!” The first of the crew stepped forward, a nearly identical complexion to Alyse with soft, deep blue eyes and a big smile. “This is my loyal second in command, Rowlin Jasper. Again, we don’t do formalities here.” He could not be older than twenty.
He said nothing to her, but she smiled in return, “It is nice to meet you. Thank you for allowing me aboard.”
Rowlin then looked at Alyse expectantly. “Oh! How could I forget? Rowlin is mute and partially deaf.”
“Ah—” Azahara nodded her head, brought her hand up, and began signing, “It is nice to meet you,” spelling out his name to emphasize she was speaking to him, “Thank you for allowing me on board.”
The utter shock on his face and Alyse’s when she turned to her was amusing. “What?” It would appear that several years ago, she learned how to sign, and while it should have surprised her as well, it was just another thing that made her feel like a freak.
Turning back to Rowlin, he began signing, “No need to thank me. I am now happier than I was moments ago that you have decided to choose us for your journey across the sea.” Reading it was a bit more complicated, but she got the gist.
The smile never left either of their faces as Alyse clapped her hands together once. “Off to a wonderful start; next are my First and Second Officers.”
This was beginning to feel like a lineup that Skyy would talk about at school when they would do roll call.
A male with blondish gray hair, a matching beard, and green eyes stepped forward.
He was a middle-aged human, very fit and with a squared jawline.
His appearance was that of a laboring man, as though he was out in the fields working with crops.
She imagined him to be a horse rider with his wider-than-average frame and sloping shoulders.
The other was a humanoid figure with white skin and piercing blue eyes that mirrored hers.
Their lips were dark brown, and they had no hair.
Stunning and different, Azahara couldn’t help but stare longingly at the creature before her.
She dared not assume they were human, but they had the distinct features of one.
That, and their gender seemed fluid, like Illyan.
Yet they held a feminine incline in their features, such as breasts—which she quickly stopped venturing to look at.
“This is First Officer Xol,” Alyse gestured towards the white dove, “And this is my second officer, Théodore.”
Azahara bit the corner of her lip as she moved her gaze to Théodore, “It’s wonderful to meet you both,” dragging her eyes back to Xol, she provided a weary smile.
With a gentle gesture, Théodore extended his hand and, after placing hers into his, graciously kissed it, “A pleasure, Miss Starfall.” Her eyes barely left Xol long enough to see Théodore give her a bright, unfiltered smile. For a human male, he had aged beautifully.
“Now for the rest of the crew,” Alyse picked them up one by one, quickly going right to the left.
“Zayne, Carmen, Yelena, Tessa, Zephyra, Darian, Lucala, and Tillin.” Each time she passed over them, they’d either give her a quick wave or nod.
Most had a smile, all but Zephyra, the Elf she’d spotted earlier, and Tillin, whose bright blue eyes were nearly translucent.
Tillin was a Siren, without a doubt.