Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
FINLEY
The crew parted their way as Finley and Ai marched their way to the helm.
There was no bowing or scraping like there would be if she was a queen returning to her castle.
But the crew in their own way acknowledged their leader had come home A nod of the head, a smile, a tight snap of rope, shoulders pushing farther back, or a shuffle of feet to come get a better look and be sure it really was her.
The truth of it was, they didn’t need Finley most days.
Once above or under water, the crew ran the ship perfectly.
They knew what they were doing thanks to Finley and Ai’s training.
Now, each member could run their own ship if necessary.
Still, it was good to be back and in control once again.
Standing at the helm was a stout and sturdy dwarf with long black braided hair and beard filled with beads and tiny bones weaved into the strands.
One glance at Finley and a smirk came to his face, letting the glimmer of a gold tooth shine through.
But there was annoyance in his dark eyes and a silent plea for freedom.
There was no wonder why. Standing directly at his side was an equally annoyed Amelia yelling in his face.
She’d changed clothes as well, into a sleek pair of black trousers and a long blue tunic over them.
At least she had the sense to dress properly for a ship.
Behind them stood Dusan. His arms crossed in front of his broad chest and ocean green eyes glaring into the back of Finley’s crew member’s head.
“Captain,” the dwarf announced with a hint of relief in his tone. He nodded his head to her and hopped off the stool he’d been standing on, leaving him at just below Finley’s shoulder. “Good to have you back.”
“Good to be back, Bastian. I’ll take over from here.
Go see what Seraphine has going in the kitchens.
Something edible tonight I hope. I’m starved,” Finley instructed and pushed the stool aside with her foot so she stood at the helm now.
He deserved a break if he’d been having to deal with Amelia for any length of time.
He smirked “Aye, Captain. I’ll give her the message.”
Finley placed her hand on the helm and felt her magic sing and swirl at the touch, and the magic of the ship sang back.
All right, they did need her. Or at least the ship did.
She smiled and savored the way the connection between her and The Mystic filled Finley and brought her more peace than she’d experienced in days.
“What took you so long?” Amelia snapped, bringing Finley back to the sober reality she had to now face. “Don’t you know it’s rude to abandon guests in such a way and for so long?”
Finley raised a brow at her. “I’d think that you of all people would know exactly what took me so long. But if you wish to give me the cure for the curse now so I don’t have to have such long intermissions, by all means…”
“And your friend was of no help either,” Dusan grunted from behind her. “She’s your first mate and claimed ‘she couldn’t help us direct the ship.’ We tried to steer it, but the ship wouldn’t move.”
Finley twisted around to face him next. Man?
Zombie? Sorcerer? Some mix of all three?
There was no hint of the green tinge the other zombies had and his flesh was all in one piece.
Not bits of it flaking off or pieces of bone sticking out.
Even so, there was something about his presence that didn’t sit right with her.
“No, she couldn’t,” Finley answered. “The Mystic only takes orders from her captain, which isn’t anyone but me. A crew member can help guide once a path is already taken, but trying to veer it off course without my express orders will result in failure even from the first mate.”
The day the magic had been transferred from the previous captain to Finley was almost greater than the day of her dedication ceremony to Colma.
Prior to being cursed of course. The previous captain had been mortally wounded, and in her last breaths grabbed Finley, sliced her arm open near her tattoo, and pressed her own wound against it so her blood ran with Finley’s.
Then, they smeared it across the deck of The Mystic and washed it with water Finley summoned to seal the magic. The captain died moments later.
Captain Marina had been Finley’s mentor and almost more of her a mother than her own.
She’d been the one who’d caught Finley and Ai as stowaways all those years ago.
What made her take a chance on two young women and allow them to stay as part of the crew, Finley never understood.
But she was grateful and worked her ass off everyday to prove it, earning her the right to captain The Mystic. It was hers until she deemed otherwise.
Ai smiled at them with a triumphant “See? I told you” sort of look in her eyes.
“Just tell me the first ingredient for the cure, and I’ll get this beauty pointed in whatever direction you’d like,” Finley told them sweetly.
Dusan gripped Finley’s shoulders and spun her around to face him, the rage of storming waves glared through his eyes. “Direct us first, then your cure.”
His grip was so tight Finley knew there would be marks on her shoulders later, but she didn’t flinch or push him away.
She didn’t need to. The entire ship grew eerily silent save for the sound of each crew member from dwarf to face to pixie turned to look at the commotion at the helm.
All their eyes landed on Dusan, shooting invisible daggers at him.
Nearly each one grasped whatever weapon they had on them, ready to pounce if Finley were to give the order.
The thought was tempting. No man put a hand on her without her permission, and the surprised of it made her a little lightheaded. But the shock on Amelia and Dusan’s faces at the crew’s reaction was enough to reassure Finley that she didn’t need to have them attack. At least not yet.
Finley gathered her head together and shrugged off Dusan’s grip the moment she felt the slightest of release. “Would you like to rethink that move?”
Dusan’s lips tightened into a thin line, and Amelia sneered.
It was high time these two realized they weren’t dealing with quivering members of court who would do anything to gain power and favor from the royals.
Nor were they mindless zombies who followed each command.
Finley was like none of them. She was a powerful wave of her own accord and didn’t need anyone to push her around or give her favor.
Dusan took a single step back, and it was as though the crew collectively took a breath and resumed their previous activities and chores.
“That’s what I thought. Now, the first ingredient or we’ll be staying in this lake for quite some time.”
Amelia looked from Dusan to Ai to Finley then back to Dusan again as though debating something.
It was so quick Finley almost thought she missed it because she then smiled like she had planned this the whole time.
Finley only caught it because she’d witnessed those quick expressions with her family her whole life.
They were masters at making everyone believe that no matter what was thrown at them they knew everything that was going to happen and it was part of the plan all along.
“Fine,” she said and pushed her long hair behind her shoulder.
“A gift of refreshment from Kutalous along Colma’s stream.
Something to energize and cool. Luckily for you, you should be able to find it where we’re taking you.
Our first stop is Garmsby. We’ll be going in that direction until we get to Slania. ”
Interesting. Finley would have sworn Amelia would want to go to Farren as soon as possible. Slania was the opposite direction. But a deal was a deal, and Finley didn’t plan to stick around to complete Amelia’s journey anyway if things went the way she planned.
“Perfect.” At least she knew the first ingredient.
Finley spent enough time with traveling bards and followers of Efare who studied the tales and ways of the deities to be a little familiar with riddles and spells.
Most of these types of things were open to interpretation, and she already had a few ideas of what could work.
Finley turned back to the helm and grasped it once again.
She summoned her magic, making her tattoo glow through the fabric of her shirt, and it traveled all the way to the wood of the helm, then spread throughout the entire ship. “Garmsby it is.”
It took a minute or two, slightly longer than usual, but then The Mystic hummed and pushed off from where it had been floating toward Garmsby with a small lurch.
Finley wiggled her fingers around the helm.
That was interesting. The Mystic hadn’t delayed on a direction from her since she’d first become captain and was adjusting to the new connection.
She must still be tired and it was affecting her magic.
All the more reason to get these ingredients and go.
Amelia tilted her head to the side. “Does it always take that long to react to you? Is there a problem?”
Finley’s mouth went dry. If she could pick up on Amelia’s subtleties, she could likely pick up on Finley’s too. Damn it all to Stula’s realm.
“It’s a large ship and has been without its captain due to her being detained for so long,” Ai spoke up, shooting Amelia a pointed look. “She has some adjusting to do now that we’ve returned.”
Praise the deities for Ai.
“Of course,” Dusan said and placed a hand on Amelia’s back to guide them away from the helm. “We’ll let you run your ship then. How long do you think it will be before we reach our destination?”
“Only a day,” Finley answered. Garmsby wasn’t far at all, but navigating a lake and rivers took a little more care than the open ocean. “Be sure you’re prepared.”
“Perhaps we’re not the ones who could be preparing,” Amelia answered. “I’ll be in our cabin.”