Chapter 19 Like the Old Times
Riley
Riley shoved down the panic clawing at her throat as she watched Neera’s ship approach, and did not look at Calla–or back at the white flag she’d talked Calla into raising. The way it was flapping in the wind reminded her of Neera’s laugh. Sharp, too loud, and mocking.
Part of her had hoped that Calla would refuse her, and that they’d keep sailing, and that Neera would eventually grow bored with following them and fuck off to do something else more interesting.
The one thing worse than having Neera stalk her into her nightmares was actually having to face her in flesh and bone.
But Calla had just taken one hard look at her, and something in her face had softened before she’d nodded her assent.
And then it had all become too real.
Because there was no doubt in Riley’s mind that Neera would bite the bait.
By now she’d learned enough about ships to know the Moonshadow was bigger, and better armed, than Neera’s sleek frigate, but if there was one thing Neera couldn’t resist, it was a stroke to her ego.
A chance to gloat. And Riley was giving her exactly that, at the cost of Calla’s pride.
Calla stood by her side, tense in grim anticipation, and she’d swallowed the blow to her pride with nothing more than a set jaw and clipped instructions to her crew.
It made Riley’s stomach churn in something like awe, and guilt, because Neera might not be here for her, but she still felt responsible for this.
Responsible for keeping Pip out of her reach.
And the only way to do that was… this.
The closer Neera’s ship got, the more Riley felt like she couldn’t breathe. The memory of Neera’s voice, her smiling like they were friends, her arm slung around Riley’s shoulders, the heat of her body and the taste of ash on her tongue, they all got louder and louder until–
Cool hands cupped her cheeks, and Riley met Calla’s eyes.
The way she looked at her–like nothing else existed in this moment but them, like they weren’t standing on deck surrounded by dozens of pirates, waiting for a rival crew to board their ship–pierced through Riley’s impending panic like a knife.
“She can’t get to you,” Calla said, never tearing her gaze off. “Not while I’m here. Not while we’re here. You’re not alone anymore, and you’re not that kid anymore. You can do this. Okay?”
All Riley felt now were those cool, soft fingers on her cheeks, that piercing gaze making her shiver. The nausea clawing at her stomach faded just enough to allow her to take a full breath in. And she nodded. It was all she could manage. She still couldn’t speak.
Instead, Riley allowed Calla’s words to repeat in her mind, rather than the memories. They’d been spoken with such confidence, and Calla looked at her as if she really believed Riley could do anything. Like the thought that Riley was broken never even crossed her mind.
Maybe she was right.
Riley wasn’t that kid anymore. And she wasn’t doing this for herself. She was doing it for Sable, and for Pip, and for this crew she now thought of as family. There was strength in that.
With a soft smile aimed just at her, Calla leaned in. “I believe in you, Riley. But just say the word, and I’ll slit her throat for you. Nothing would delight me more.”
Riley’s breath caught in her throat. “We need–”
“To find out what she knows, I know.” Calla’s features turned serious, even as her thumb caressed her cheek so gently it made Riley want to sigh, lean into that touch, forget about all this. “That’s the only reason I’m letting her on my ship after what you’ve told me.”
The crew around them shifted, then, and the sound of a hull piercing through the waves became louder and louder in the background, until Riley had to tear her gaze off and–
There she was, on the approaching ship’s deck, a dark silhouette against the mist blanketing the sea. Neera didn’t lift a finger as her pirates prepared to board the Moonshadow’s deck, throwing hooks and boarding planks, while the Moonshadow’s crew stood around watching in terse silence.
If Riley listened any harder, she was sure she’d hear their teeth grinding together, and it wasn’t hard to guess what they were thinking, because she was thinking it, too. The last time outside pirates had boarded their ship, it had ended up in bloodshed.
That would not happen again, because Riley was going to play this right.
This was her chance to prove herself, just like she’d wanted to.
With a final stroke of her cheek, Calla’s hand slipped away, allowing Riley to face the incoming pirates. The panic was still there, but it didn’t overwhelm her anymore. Calla was by her side. Her crew was by her side.
And Riley found she was in control now. Of her body, of her breathing, of what her face was saying. She wouldn’t allow Neera to rattle her anymore. She would use her stupid rules against her.
After five of her own pirates made it on board without getting their throats slit, Neera followed after them, the jagged beads twisted in her hair clinking softly in rhythm with the thud of her boots.
Aelion’s setting light glinted off the daggers hung at her belt, and yet Neera’s smile was sharper, and more dangerous.
She looked about the deck and whistled, shoving her hands in her jacket’s pockets as if she were walking through a busy market, where anything was up for grabs as long as her fingers worked swiftly enough.
“Fancy ship you all got here. And you’re flopping belly up at my feet? I gotta say, it’s very flattering. Didn't think my modest frigate was so scary.”
“You know that’s not what’s happening here,” Riley said, stepping forward from the safety of her crew.
The pirates flanking Neera gave her dubious looks, while Neera herself zeroed in on her with a smile that was all teeth.
“Riles!” she said, the study of the ship forgotten as she walked right up to her.
She planted her hands on Riley’s shoulders with a wolfish grin.
Her fingers dug into her flesh like talons.
Ignoring the pain–the warning–Riley forced her lips to spread in a crooked, friendly smile. Neera only faltered for one moment at the sight of it, but Riley still caught it, and it was clear now. Neera was playing. Two could play at the same game.
“I gotta say, I thought you were bullshitting me when you said you were sailing with the Moonshadow,” Neera said. Something in the twitch of her eyebrows told Riley she wasn’t happy about being proved wrong.
With a laugh that was all hidden teeth and sharp edges, she patted Riley’s cheek, then stepped back and looked about some more.
Ignoring the hostile expressions of the Moonshadow’s crew, Neera approached the mainmast and swiped her fingers against the wood, then rubbed them together as if looking for dust. Off to the side, Gadrielle looked like she was about to break her jaw, with how hard she clenched it at the implied insult.
“It’s nice catching you again,” Neera said, not even bothering to look at Riley anymore as she studied the rest of the crew.
“But I’m thinking I should be speaking to your captain about this white flag of theirs.
” Her gaze lingered on Thorian, who stood at least a head taller than everyone at the back of the crowd, his muscles bulging with the way he kept his arms crossed.
After barely a beat, Neera’s study moved on, clearly not impressed, and Riley caught Thorian’s chuff of indignation. “Where are–”
“You’ve been following us for quite a while,” Riley said, drawing her eyes again.
“Figured raising the white flag would give you the guts you needed to finally approach instead of scurrying in the shadows like a twitchy vermin.” Neera couldn’t smother the twitch of anger from her face fast enough, and her pirates shifted uneasily on their feet, suddenly far less smug-looking.
Riley's smirk widened. “And surely you didn’t come all the way here empty-handed. Did you find anything on Sable and Kittredge?” Riley asked, folding her arms.
“That’s what I wanna talk to your captain about,” Neera said, trying to sound dismissive, but Riley caught her subtle glance at Pip.
The young pirate was watching everything with a deep frown, as if he’d just started catching on to something not adding up.
“I have a little something for them, but I’m going to be requesting something in return.
It was hard work getting it, and hard work shouldn’t go unrewarded.
” She grinned at Riley. “Don’t you agree, Riles? ”
“Just spit it out, Neera,” Riley said. “What do you want?”
Neera barely deigned her a glance, and as she studied the crew again, she seemed increasingly frustrated at not being able to tell who was in charge.
Riley couldn’t get how she didn’t see it–Calla stood right there, at her full captain’s height.
Yes, she might only have a couple of inches on Riley, but you couldn’t miss the cold, calculating look on her face, the way she was standing as if she owned the place, the sheer confidence rolling off her in waves.
She was even dressed the part–the silver buttons on her dark navy coat were polished to a shine, for fuck’s sake, as were her boots.
But Neera didn’t even look at her. A faint upturn of amusement graced Calla’s lips, even as her fins remained pinned back against her head in what Riley knew to be anger at this stranger trampling all around her deck and insulting her crew.
But she was holding back. She was letting Riley handle this.
Something heavy and unfamiliar settled in her chest, like warmth.
Not even Neera’s eyes settling on her again dispelled it. “Very well,” Neera said, more guarded now. She flashed Riley a dangerous smile. “I will trade you the information I have. For Pip.”