Chapter 8 The Captain’s Reckoning #2
Calla pressed her lips together, falling silent.
Eryx tilted their head minutely. Then they smiled, mild and gentle like the lapping of water at the shore.
“I’m sorry, too,” they said, and their smooth features rippled with something young.
“I should’ve never said I wished you were dead.
” Their face flushed. “That was unfair of me, and hurtful. Even if I was right about Pip.”
Calla smothered a smile. She supposed the ‘I told you so’ was more than fair, considering. She inclined her head in acknowledgment. “I’ve never been happier to be wrong. It’s good to have you back among us, Pip.”
“Likewise, captain!” Pip said, and she didn’t think it possible, but his grin grew even wider.
“You weren’t supposed to–”
“Pip!”
“Come on, kid, you ruined it.”
Pip flushed, abashed, and Calla just frowned at the rest of them. “What?”
Gadrielle shook her head and looked up to the ceiling for patience, then her lips twitched with the crack of a smile.
“We forgive you. And we accept you, whatever it is you are. We might not know a lot about selkies, and what we thought we knew is probably all wrong anyway, but I do know we’ve all been assholes about it.
Because it doesn’t matter. We know you. We know your heart.
That is enough. So wherever it is you want to lead us, we will follow. Because you are our captain. Captain.”
As if that word was the signal they needed, several grins broke among the crowd of pirates at Gadrielle’s back, and Calla couldn’t breathe with the ball of feelings tangled up in her chest. From behind them all, Thorian loomed in the shadows, and the look on his face must’ve echoed her own, because he looked struck. He hadn’t seen this coming either.
Calla’s lips parted, but she did not know what to say.
Her crew didn’t need her to say anything.
They just looked at her, and then one by one, they came over, resting a hand on her shoulder and each saying, “Captain,” before leaving her, speechless.
When it was Gadrielle’s turn, there was a glint in her eye.
“And from now on, you’re joining us for the crew parties. ”
Someone was missing.
Calla looked around, frowning, until her gaze snagged on Riley’s.
She was at the very end of the hallway and made no move to approach.
Instead, Riley gave her a small smile and an acknowledging tilt of her head before disappearing into the shadows.
Calla stared at the now-empty spot, gripping the carved seal tighter in her fist.
She’d thought she’d wanted Riley to leave her alone. So why did this sting, then?
***
Once Calla had recovered enough to step up on deck, Nyxen was at her side. He flashed her a sour smile. “Captain. I couldn’t find anything else. But, uh, we have a new recruit.”
Just then, he nodded to the gangway, where a raven-haired woman walked up to the Moonshadow’s deck with a satchel on her back and a hard expression on her face.
A cat with fur as black as the depths of the abyss walked proudly alongside her, tail high in the air and curled at its tip, looking as if it already owned the ship and everyone on it.
Calla’s lips curled into a smile, head tilting. “I’d say it’s good to see you, Rowe, but what are you doing here? I remember you telling me years ago you’re never stepping foot on a ship again. Or did you forget?”
Rowe gave her a cursory glance, then she did a double-take, her eyes widening as she took in Calla’s appearance.
Calla stiffened. For a brief, blissful moment, she’d forgotten she didn’t look human anymore.
It was a mistake to forget, no matter her own crew’s newfound acceptance.
She clamped her mouth shut, waiting for whatever reaction Rowe was going to have to her changes, but Rowe just shook her head and drew her gaze away to survey the deck.
“Guess I always did wonder why the Moonshadow was so special. I used to think no one ever told you it’s bad luck to name a ship, but I get why the rules never applied to you now.
” A sharp smile took the sting out of the words.
“We should meet for a drink sometime and catch up, yeah? I’m very curious to hear what you’ve been up to.
” Her smile dropped just as fast as it had come on.
“Before you ask, I’m here for Kittredge.
I heard she might be in trouble, and I… Well.
Let’s leave it for that drink, yes? Where do I set up? ”
Calla’s eyes widened, and she glanced at Nyxen.
Rowe and Kittredge? How had she missed that?
It suddenly made sense why Kittredge was always so excited to stop by the Gullet, and why she was always the last one on board when they set sail again.
The exact opposite from any other port. Any other port, Kittredge had always been the first one back, almost as if she worried the Moonshadow would set sail without her.
Rowe was still looking at her expectantly, and since she had barely made a deal of Calla’s surprising change in appearance, Calla supposed it was fair to not make a big deal out of the Gullet’s most elusive tattoo artist falling in love with one of her crew.
She glanced at the cat and pressed her lips together.
Riley was not going to be happy about this.
After a moment’s consideration, she said, “You can set up in Ignatius’ cabin.”
The words were barely out of her mouth before a, “Are you fucking kidding me?” came from somewhere at her back.
Calla stiffened. “Is something the matter, Riley?”
Rowe gave her a curious look before they both turned to Riley, who was standing with her arms crossed and glaring at both Rowe and the cat.
The cat was nonplussed, sitting on its haunches, tail lashing in the air as it peered up at the rat perched on Riley’s shoulder.
Patch’s whiskers twitched as he stared back.
“You’re not seriously going to let a cat on board. Are you?” Riley asked, half-incredulous and half-pleading.
Before Calla could reply, Rowe frowned. “Is the vermin staying?” she asked, just as incredulous.
Calla prayed to the skies for patience. This was going to be an issue, wasn’t it?
“He’s not a vermin,” Riley said, fingers digging into her own arms so hard it had to hurt.
Rowe frowned, and it might’ve looked condescending, but Calla knew her well enough to tell it was genuine confusion. “Then what is he?”
“He’s crew. Unlike you.”
Rowe blinked. Then she let out a bark of laughter, looking at Calla as if she expected her to join in. When Calla’s lips didn’t as much as twitch in a smile, Rowe’s laughter died in her throat, and she frowned harder than before. “Wait. She’s serious?”
“Yes,” Calla said, and didn’t miss the way Riley’s shoulders slumped in relief. She looked Rowe in the eye. “Patch is off-limits. Is that a problem?” she asked evenly.
“You’re keeping rats on your ship now?”
“One rat,” Riley grouched.
Calla tilted her head at Rowe. “Well?”
Rowe studied her for a moment, then looked down at her cat, and blew out a harsh sigh. “Fine. I’ll figure something out.”
Riley glanced between the two of them, stricken, but she held her tongue, and then she scowled. When she started to leave, Calla called after her. “Riley?”
Riley halted in place, peering at her over her shoulder.
“The cat…” Calla glanced at Rowe in question.
“Melissa,” Rowe supplied.
“Melissa is off-limits, too.”
Riley scowled harder. “Understood, captain.”
As Riley got out of hearing range, Rowe let out a long sigh, looking at Melissa with a troubled frown. “Never fall in love, captain. It’s really not worth the trouble.” But she said it with a smile, and then she pulled Nyxen along towards the officers’ quarters.
With that, Calla turned to the rest of her crew. It was complete. Even Venn was there, and he gave her a small nod when her gaze settled on him. It was a cold sort of nod, but he didn’t look at her as if he wanted to punch her anymore, and she would take the win.
Perhaps this trip wouldn’t end in complete disaster, after all.