Chapter 31
S ails flap high above as our boats make their way to Storm’s Fury.
The helm of it is of a kraken, its tentacles reaching back and along the ship, its hollowed out eyes fearsome underneath furrowed brows. The entirety of the ship is painted with a stormy gray, the sails a fresh, warm color—a sign they’re new and haven’t been bleached by the sun or salt.
Storm anchors are perched out of their holes, ready to be deployed. This one has more than any other ship, including the Sea Wolf. There’s even holes for the cannons. So he does have them.
“How you think they manage to have such a large ship travel the Black Sea? The big ones always do terrible in storms,” Bones asks.
“If I had to guess, some magic is involved,” I say, because it’s a monster of a ship.
The only one of Liam’s crew not rowing leans over, the woman gazing around like she’s in charge. “Fury is one of the fastest ships, next to the Sea Wolf.”
“What are the storms like?” I ask, wondering what we’re in for. I chose Liam for a reason, but if we’re talking safety, it’s Tempest’s ship that I’d get on without question. We’ll need every ounce of defense and luck to reach Jane.
“She takes a beating, sir, but she’s reinforced. We take in the sails when it gets bad enough. There’s no anchoring in the middle of the Black Sea, mind you. It’s too deep.” She downs something from her flask. “There’s a kraken out there. You drop an anchor, and it’ll find you. It’s one of the few tricks, actually. Lots drop their anchors in those storms, especially when they spot an island and think it’s shallow enough.”
Bones groans. “I’m not meant for krakens.”
She smiles with pride. “ We don’t worry about them. Liam made a deal with those beasts.”
Bones scoffs. “I’m believing you less and less, lady.”
She points to a section in the ship that’s different colors than the rest—almost as if it was painted on a different day. “That right there is where the kraken first got us. Our captain took care of us ever since, making a deal with it.”
I grit my teeth. I don’t know why—maybe it’s all the emotions as of late—but I uncomfortably find myself thinking of the useless fucker I have to call my sire. Tempest’s ship was different, as she’s a legend in her own right. But this crew reminds me more of traditional pirating, where my sire lived his days. I only learned he had been killed because of his tattoos, the ones seared into my mother’s mind. When I finally tracked down the right crew, they had flayed the skin from his body before throwing it overboard—a sign he was disowned before being murdered. Seeing the design of a ship with sirens upholding it on dried flesh that was supposed to be related to me…
I still regret to this day that it wasn’t me who killed him.
Liam stands atop the ship like a sentry, moving among the crew in a different manner than the rest. Calmer. As if he’s a part of the very wood that makes Storm’s Fury, the setting sun crowning him.
The longboats are raised on thick ropes, and as they’re being tethered to the ship, we climb up the coarse ladders that will get us over to the deck. Sounds of sails flapping and ropes being pulled taught is a sound I’d like to stay far away from once this is all said and done.
“Welcome aboard,” Liam says, wearing a black bandana over his dark hair, and a black, tattered captain’s jacket; not a single adornment is on his. He’s more gregarious than the rest, being a pirate that just really loves treasure. “Come to my quarters.”
“I want a few others to join me.”
He clasps his hands together. “As you request, Soren.”
Rorge heads below deck with the rest, officially operating as the overseer of our collective mercenaries. Bones, Donna, Ritter, Basilisk, and I follow Liam, ascending the elaborate stairs to the floor above us, walking through a threshold to a set of double doors hidden from view. “The hawk you sent gave some information, and based on what I know, I already have an idea as to what you’re looking for.”
“Which is?” I ask, being led into a room with a large table in the center that’s bolted to the floor, the walls lined with scrolls rolled and stuffed into shelves. If this ship were to ever catch fire, this room would be nothing but tinder.
“Well, right here,” he motions to a large map that’s already unfurled on the table. “You’ve paid handsomely, Soren, to have me trail Tempest and also sit in waiting. Now that you’re in need of my actual ship , and that I happen to be of great use with my knowledge of the Fire Isles, shall we discuss what more payment looks like?”
“If we survive this, Blackwell’s coffers will be up for looting, as well as the entirety of Ashfire… whatever will be left of it, anyway. We won’t touch any of it.” I glare at him, not wanting to negotiate with pirates right now. “I don’t want what’s Blackwell’s.”
My men will be paid with my own coin, with new lands and whatever homes Blackwell’s mercenaries had in Skull’s Row. I will throw everything I have at this to recover Jane and my sister.
I know how to rebuild, if necessary. Money isn’t hard to make if truly needed.
His dark brown eyes reveal immense pleasure at hearing that. “I like those terms,” he says, grinning to reveal a few golden teeth as he looks at the rest who enter his place. “I also used to visit Ashfire. They’ve ruined it, so I’d love to pillage what’s left.”
Bones struts about, hands in his pockets. “Lots of scrolls here.”
“I collect information , not just trinkets. Everything in here has been copied by my scries and left on land,” Liam proudly says. “I bet Blackwell has amazing scrolls in his coffers. Definitely will want access to the Spiraling Stone when this is all said and done.”
“We can make that happen,” Ritter replies.
“You wouldn’t happen to have a map of Ashfire?” I ask.
He grins. “I do. Many .” He moves along the table, his hand gliding on the wood before poking at the map. “This, in fact, is the very map you’ll want to study. You can’t take it with you, but you can look at it for as long as you’d like. I got it out once I read your letter.”
“We need to infiltrate it,” I say, looking over the papyrus that’s scried with meticulous, inky lines.
His thick brows rise, slightly looking off. “Infiltration.” He clicks his tongue. “That won’t be easy. Not with the fire mages. They burn anything they don’t like. Sort of impossible to get near them.”
Not if you’re Jane.
Ritter nears the map, touching it with his aged hands. “Maybe being butted up against the ocean is our answer. We can climb one of these walls. We can’t enter through any of the gates, not without an entire army.”
“I am not offering my men, before any of you ask,” Liam swiftly says.
Ritter waves his hand in the air. “Fine, fine. Tell us where on this map then we should infiltrate from.”
“Let me get us some drinks first,” Liam offers, nearing a globe that opens to reveal rum and glassware. Not a single ounce of dishonesty emits from the captain of this ship, although that doesn’t speak for any of the self-preservation he harbors. “Why did Tempest kick you off her island?”
“We’re partially working with Cypress,” Basilisk quickly answers. I glare at him, as that could very well get us kicked off this ship, too.
“The witch? Well, I don’t have a problem with her, so no worries here.” He passes a drink around before sipping on his now, sighing before standing across from Ritter. Basilisk had to know that was the case, and if so, I like that our odds are looking up. “Alright… infiltration… Well, here’s a theory I can offer. I’ve been to Ashfire as a kid, when it wasn’t the madness it is now. I know this apartment—” he points to the map “—and that the fire bastards have taken it over. It doesn’t have many safeguards. They seem to think they’re simply not a threat.” He taps the map a few times on that structure. “Honestly, I’d get into their private quarters and kill as many as possible. You get rid of the mages, and the whole area is yours.”
“What did they do before Misery?” Ritter asks, taking a drink for himself, licking his lips. “For protection?”
“They were just simply not bothered,” Liam replies, shrugging his shoulders, strutting about while nursing his drink. His long hair is braided down the back, appearing as if it’s been dried out by salt. “Merciless used to visit, and even has a home there. I think he kept them all away, as in all of his pirates. He might show up to support Blackwell, you should know. But if he catches wind of Tempest, he will clear out like the bitch that he is… but since she seems rightfully pissed, we should plan on him appearing at any moment.”
I nearly laugh, thinking back to how he didn’t even lift a finger during our skirmish. “Tempest has made it clear she’s not involved, so good to fucking know.”
“Well, then get to planning. You can have access to all the scrolls in here, as long as one of my men or I am present with you. I’ll know if you take one,” he warns, a cutthroat edge in his glare, like how Basilisk gets if someone threatens his cat.
“We appreciate the help,” I say, nearing the map to stare at the apartment with the mages. I’ll memorize every inked line, and infiltrate this bitch.
“Of course,” he says, sliding his empty glass on an end table. “So, what are we after on this island?”
All four of us share an exchange of glances, to which Liam picks up on almost instantly, as if he can maybe decipher the face of one of us. Everything in me says he’s safe, to which I nod to Ritter.
The Scorpion drowns his glass, too. “My daughter was taken. The Order of Ash is planning to really fuck over the entirety of these coasts, and they plan to use her as a weapon.”
“How?”
“The God of Misery,” I reply. If Basilisk is honest, then everything in me screams to tell Liam this truth; it will only aid us. “Jane has the potential to be his undoing,” I add, not willing to explain the entire truth. “But if they have her, they’ll suppress that. Rescuing her is more than just because we want to. And as far as that’s revenant to you , that means all the scrolls in the Spiraling Stone will go with it.”
He inhales deeply, staring out the window. “I’ve heard of this Misery, mostly across the seas…” He throws his glare at me, the gregarious nature washing away. “Let’s speak further, then. Because that’s a serious allegation about the Spiraling Stone, if true.”