Chapter Nine
Emmaline had spent the past few days watching the sky, so she was the first to notice the white bird flying toward the ship. Its wings stretched in an elegant arc as it circled overhead, and then it swooped down, aiming straight for the helm.
Braz, her father’s first mate, raised his arm for the bird to land on with the ease of many years of routine.
Emmaline immediately abandoned her current task and bounded up the stairs to the quarterdeck. “Is it a letter?” A thin, white strip of paper wrapped around the bird’s leg. She would have snatched it off if she wasn’t afraid of startling the poor thing.
Braz carefully unwound the paper anklet. It unfolded into a much smaller letter than usual. It didn’t look large enough to carry good news. Once the bird was free of its burden, it flew off to the other side of the deck to receive its reward.
“Is it about my mother?” Her fingers itched with the suppressed urge to snatch the letter from him and see for herself.
He ignored her and called out an order for someone else to take the helm, then stepped past Emmaline on his way to the captain’s quarters.
She doggedly followed him, determined to hear news of her mother the moment it arrived. When he opened the door to her father’s rooms, she stopped it from shutting and slipped in behind him.
Everett glanced up from his maps and arched a brow at her forceful appearance, then turned his attention to his first mate. “I take it a message has finally arrived?”
Braz silently handed him the letter.
Everett read it carefully, his expression giving nothing away.
Emmaline craned her neck to see what it said, but Braz put his hand on her shoulder and forced her back several inches. “The captain’s business is private,” he scolded with an unyielding scowl.
“Don’t put your hands on my daughter,” Everett said without looking up from the letter.
Braz released her and clasped both of his hands behind his back.
Everett finished reading the letter and said, “Braz, you’re dismissed.”
The first mate grunted once and left the office, closing the door behind him.
“Have a seat,” Everett said, gesturing to the chair across from him.
Emmaline hurriedly sat down and scooched the chair closer to the desk. “Have you found my mother? Do you know where Alistair took her? Is she safe? How do we rescue her?”
A soft smile flickered on her father’s lips before his expression mellowed. “I don’t have your mother’s exact location. However, I do have a lead on how to get her back—someone who has information on Alistair and his plans.”
Her heart raced faster than a startled rabbit. “What did they tell you?”
“Not much. Committing these things to writing, even with a code, can be dangerous. Birds aren’t the most secure message system. They can be coaxed or shot out of the sky, their messages can be read or replaced without your knowledge. My contact wants to meet in person on Dreamer’s Isle.”
“Where is that?”
“It’s a small island between Bellacosta and Percosa. It’s a good place for ships to refuel on the long trip between the two continents.”
She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. “How long will it take to get there?”
“Another day or two.”
“And how far away is it from Litus?”
“I don’t visit the capital much, but if the weather is good, it’ll take us three days.”
It seemed like a reasonable detour. Even if her father’s contact couldn’t offer direct help, perhaps the information they provided could still be useful. They could stop by the island first, then travel the rest of the way to Litus. “All right. I want to hear what they have to say.”
He idly folded and unfolded the letter, deepening its creases. “You’ll need to stay on the ship while I speak with them.”
She sat up straighter. “No, I need to come with you!”
His expression darkened. “Dreamer’s Isle is not a safe place.
You accused me of piracy once, but I’m nothing compared to many of the crews who dock there.
If I take my eyes off you for a second, you’ll be swept away onto someone else’s ship, and they’ll disappear into the waves.
I won’t lose you like I lost your mother. ”
Everyone always wanted to protect Emmaline.
They never believed she could protect herself.
The worst part was that her father had every reason to doubt her capabilities.
After all, if his men could kidnap her so easily, what stopped another crew from stealing her away?
Swallowing her protests, she nodded in silent agreement.
Everett stood and circled the desk, laying one hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. “Take heart. We’re one step closer to finding your mother.”
She gave him a watery smile and stood, stepping out of his grasp. “Thank you. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me so far.”
His hand dropped to his side, and he smiled back at her, the expression somewhat strained. “Of course. I’ll give Braz his new orders immediately.” He escorted her out of the office, closing and locking the door behind her.
Emmaline decided not to follow him to the helm. Instead, she went to the bow and gazed at the horizon. How long until she caught her first glimpse of Dreamer’s Isle?
“Did the birdie bring bad news?”
Emmaline sighed as Rafe sidled up next to her. During her time on the ship, he’d constantly found excuses to bother her. Clearly the man didn’t have enough to do. Ignoring him never worked so she told him bluntly, “I’m not in the mood to speak with you, Rafe.”
“Must be bad indeed,” he said, crossing his arms and leaning on the rail. “Is it about your mother?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you know about my mother?”
He held up his hands to ward off her dagger glare. “Just what the captain’s told us. Sounds like she’s in a bit of a bind, and we’ve been enlisted to help.”
“More than a bind,” Emmaline confessed. Rafe wouldn’t normally be her first choice of confidant, but she remembered him speaking about his own mother. Maybe he would understand her frustration. “My … father is taking us to Dreamer’s Isle to meet with an informant.”
“That sounds like progress,” Rafe said, “So why do you look upset?”
She sighed and rested her chin in hands. “He wants me to stay on the ship. He says the island is too dangerous.”
Rafe snorted. “No more dangerous than other port cities. Though it does have more whorehouses crammed onto it than freckles on a redhead.”
A blush colored her cheeks at his vulgar description. Her embarrassment quickly transformed into indignation. “Is that the only reason he wants me to stay behind? I’m not a child and I won’t judge anyone for their profession.”
“Good to know.” He gazed at her for a long time before asking, “So what are you going to do?”
Her brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“Are you going to stay behind and leave everything in the captain’s hands?”
She couldn’t answer immediately. Although Everett was her father, she barely knew him, and she didn’t fully trust him.
Though he’d welcomed her with open arms, he’d also kept her at somewhat of a distance the past few days.
She wanted to be part of the search for her mother, not sit on the ship, twiddling her thumbs.
“I don’t know how to make him change his mind,” she admitted.
Rafe hummed thoughtfully. “If we’re visiting Dreamer’s Isle, most of the crew will want to go on shore leave. Even an hour is a nice reprieve after weeks at sea. The ship will be mostly empty, though a few of us will need to stay behind to keep an eye on it—and you.”
“I won’t sneak off,” she said defensively. “I don’t know anything about the island or where the meeting is taking place.”
“That’s a relief. Wouldn’t want you wandering off on your own and getting lost.” Rafe didn’t look at her as he spoke, his gaze pinned on something in the distance. “I mean, if you did want to follow your father, you’d need someone familiar with the island and his habits to guide you.”
Is he volunteering? She couldn’t tell if he was being vague and mysterious on purpose or if he was only goading her. She glanced around the deck, noting how some crew members kept an eye on them.
Rafe suddenly stretched, cracking his back. “Well, better return to work.”
Nothing had been settled, and Emmaline still didn’t know what he meant. She watched him saunter off across the deck.
If that’s a veiled offer of help, should I even take him up on it? Can I trust him to keep me safe? And would it be worth the risk to spy on Everett’s meeting? She would have to find answers for all those questions by the time they reached the island.