Changing Course

by Brey Willows

  The cabin was nicer than her apartment. The bed could easily fit all three of them, but there was a hammock hanging from a beam and pile of blankets on the floor clearly meant for servants. A decanter and glasses sat on a heavy wood table with a bowl of fruit in the middle. When the door closed behind them Kylin let her shoulder’s drop and took a deep breath. She nodded at Asol. “You can leave the bags against the wall.”

  The girl placed the bags gently against the wall before she turned to Kylin. She looked at her for a moment before stepping close. “If you don’t mind my saying, you should allow me to get you gloves. Your mark will set you apart if anyone notices. It’s not unheard of for a scrounger to become wealthy enough to own a slave, but it will draw attention just the same.” Her voice was soft, the expression in her eyes far older than her years.

  Kylin froze, uncertain whether to acknowledge the farce or forge forward. She studied the girl and saw a kind of hunger she recognized. “That would be much appreciated. Do you have time before we set sail?”

  Asol held out her hand and Kylin handed her the linari card. “There’s a stall two boats down. I’ll only be a moment.”

  Kylin watched her go and then turned to Jessa, who was pale and silent. She led her to the bed. “Hey, sit down. You okay?”

  Jessa let out a shaky breath. “There’s something incredibly disconcerting about being nearly naked and pretending to be vulnerable. Because it’s not pretending, not when people look at you like they’ve been looking at me. I can’t imagine what Sherta went through. This is…” She trailed off, her gaze on the floor.

  Kylin understood people looking at her that way; Jessa was stunning. But there was no need to go into that now. She rubbed Jessa’s hands between her own. “We’re a few days from my home. We’ll stay in the cabin as much as possible, and once we’re back in Quasi we’ll get you something to wear that you’re comfortable in. Just hold on.” In truth, she didn’t want Jessa to take that outfit off, and if she could bed her right now she’d gladly do it. The idea would make for sweet, if frustrating, dreams.

  Jessa looked around the room, seeming to come back to herself. “It’s not exactly luxury, is it?”

  And there it was. The reminder of the vastly different lives they led. She let go of Jessa’s hands and stepped away. If Jessa thought this was bad, what would she make of Kylin’s actual living quarters? Nothing good, certainly. She went to put her hands in her pockets but was met with smooth material. Apparently, rich people didn’t need pockets.

  “Will the girl come back?” Jessa asked.

  Kylin shrugged. “Hopefully. Nef seemed to trust her, and all we have to go on is people’s recommendations.” Faced with the girl’s assertion about her mark, she’d given over the linari card without thought. But when she thought about it, and the look in the girl’s eyes, she knew she’d be back. Kylin moved to the porthole and looked out at the busy ship next to them. Slaves in heavy silver collars were being shoved aboard and into cages lining the deck. Her stomach turned and she sat next to Jessa on the bed.

  “What did she mean, about your mark?” Jessa asked, her finger tracing the raised flesh between Kylin’s thumb and forefinger. “Liselle mentioned it too, but I haven’t seen anyone else with one.”

  Before Kylin could think of an answer she was willing to voice, the door opened and Asol slipped in. She handed Kylin a pair of thin black gloves and the linari card. She also held up a small bag.

  “I took the liberty of getting some food. The captain runs a tight ship, but he won’t pay for a decent cook. And I’m guessing you don’t want to be out there,” she motioned to the door behind her, “any more than necessary.”

  Kylin slipped on the gloves, which fit perfectly, and tucked the linari card into the pocket inside her jacket. “That was good thinking, thank you.”

  Jessa smiled at Asol. “Nef was right to pick you.”

  Asol’s laugh was full and low. “We got into some scrapes over the years. Don’t let his quiet act fool you. He listens and he learns. He taught me to do the same.” She pulled at the hammock and expertly slid into it, swinging from the thick rafter. “If it weren’t for the fact that you were traveling with him, I would have thought you were exactly what you appeared to be.” She grinned. “Until I saw your mark, anyway.”

  Kylin sighed. It was a stupid oversight, and one that could have cost them greatly if anyone had noticed. The girl had possibly saved their lives. “And you just like to serve and sail?”

  She turned toward them in her hammock. “I did. But if you’re going to Quasi, then I’m in. I’ve always wanted to go there, but I didn’t want to try it alone.”

  Kylin frowned. “Why would you want to go to Quasi? Why not go to Thalla?”

  “Are you cracking wise?” Asol sighed and tucked her arms behind her head as she looked at the ceiling. “Quasi has freedom. You can be what you want, with no one telling you what to do. And there’s no slave trade.” She glanced at Jessa. “There I have the chance to be whatever I can make myself. Thalla is too rigid, too boring.”

  Kylin didn’t have the heart to burst her bubble, but at some point she should really have a talk with the kid. She had no idea there was some romanticized version of Quasi, and the truth of it being a place where you could become anything you wanted was a far cry from what Asol wanted to believe. But for now, she’d let it go.

  There was a knock at the door, and Asol was out of the hammock in a flash. She motioned for Kylin to sit and for Jessa to move away. Instead, Jessa knelt in the pile of blankets beside the bed, staying close to Kylin.

  Asol opened the door, her eyes down, and the captain’s big form filled the doorway.

  “To your liking?” he asked, leaning against the doorframe, his eyes on Jessa.

  “It will do.” Kylin steeled herself. “When are we setting off?”

  “About five minutes.” He finally looked away from Jessa. “Let me know if there’s anything you need.” He turned away, whistling, and Asol shut the door behind him.

  Kylin had a bad feeling about him, and as she helped Jessa up from the floor she considered grabbing their stuff and getting off the ship as fast as they could. But she heard the shouts and the sound of the anchor being pulled up and their chance was gone.

  Asol went to climb back into the hammock but stopped. “Sorry. I should have asked. Would you like to use this?”

  Jessa looked from Asol to Kylin, her eyes wide.

  Kylin shook her head. “Go ahead.” She smiled at Jessa, hoping to put her at ease. She still looked like prowler prey hiding in a bush. “We can share the bed, if that’s okay with you? It’s big enough we won’t crowd each other. And that way neither of us has to sleep on the floor.”

  Jessa’s look of relief made Kylin wonder if Jessa really thought she’d have to sleep on the floor. Or was the reaction due to something else? Kylin pushed the thought away. Life-and-death situations weren’t great places for romance.

  Night fell as they pulled away from the dock and the lights of the shore receded. Soon the lapping of the waves and the sound of swooping night tishes looking for fish was all they could hear. As if by agreement, there was no conversation, and Jessa huddled with her knees against her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around them.

  The bell rang for dinner, and Asol slid from the hammock with a yawn. “Want me to bring it back here?”

  Kylin nodded and she left the cabin. When she was gone, Kylin took Jessa’s hands in her own and gently pried them from their grip around her knees. “What’s going through your mind? Talk to me.”

  Jessa’s eyes were glassy. “It’s not pretending to be a slave, though that’s pretty awful. It’s watching all the people being sold off. It’s bad enough when it happens to animals. But the people…” Her breath came out in a shudder. “They looked haunted. And resigned. None of them looked like they had a single ounce of fight left in them.”

  Kylin understood. “I’ve seen that look myself. I’m really sorry this was the easiest
way. But I don’t think they had any clothing that would have suited a rich lady.”

  Jessa nodded and wiped away her tears. “I know. I do.” She covered her face with her hands. “You wouldn’t believe how much I just want to be back on my ship right now, heading for some stupid planet with no slavery and no animals who eat people and no red mud storms…”

  If there had been a way to get Jessa to exactly where she wanted to be, Kylin would have done it in an instant, just to stop her tears.

  “And…” Jessa took a deep breath. “I feel so stupidly weak and out of place. I’m always in control. I run ships through light speed. I’ve spent years moving thousands of people from one planet to another. I can do anything.” The tears began to fall again. “But here, I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m like a newborn that has to be carried and watched. And I hate it. My parents would be so disappointed in my emotional state.”

  Now, that one Kylin couldn’t relate to. She might not always like what she had to do, but she always knew what she was doing and why. Well, except when it came to women. That was something she messed up a lot. “I can’t imagine how weird and hard this is for you. But I promise I’ll keep you safe and do everything I can to help you get back to where you want to be.”

  Asol came in with a tray of food. She was right. It looked like something the cheapest stall in Quasi would sell, and it was anything but appetizing. Asol dug through the bag she’d brought on board and held up a loaf of kell. “This should help.”

  Jessa tilted her head. “What is it?”

  Kylin accepted the chunk Asol ripped off and handed her. “It’s made from a plant we use in most everything on this planet. Spiced right, it can be excellent.” She sniffed hers and took a bite. “And this one is perfect.” She held a piece to Jessa, who looked at the thick green slab with suspicion.

  She took a bite and her expression turned to surprise. “Better than it looks.”

  They ate in companionable silence, and Kylin felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. They were at sea, so they were safe for a little while. She could sleep beside Jessa tonight and have uninterrupted thoughts of her beautiful body and perfect smile. She could deal with reality when they were back on land.

  Chapter Twelve

  Jessa stirred, slowly coming awake. It was still pitch-black outside the porthole window, and she looked around, trying to figure out what had woken her. Her heart began to race when she saw Asol standing beside the door, a knife in her hand. She held her finger to her lips and Jessa nodded.

  She reached behind her and shook Kylin’s leg, but she didn’t take her eyes off Asol.

  “What is it?” Kylin asked softly.

  Asol shook her head and Kylin moved around Jessa to get off the bed. She slipped on her pants and shoved her feet in her boots. What Jessa wouldn’t give for something more to cover herself with. She settled for wrapping the blanket around her.

  Kylin moved quietly next to Asol and listened at the door. Jessa could hear the whispers but couldn’t make out any words. But whatever they were, it put Kylin and Asol on edge. The voices faded away and Kylin and Asol came back to where Jessa waited.

  “What’s going on?” Jessa asked.

  Kylin sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to say anything because I didn’t want to worry you. But there’s a bounty on my head—”

  “What?” Jessa stared at her. “And you didn’t think to mention that little nugget?”

  Kylin held up her hands in surrender. “Like I said, I was hoping it wouldn’t be an issue. Someone back in Quasi thinks I took off without paying a debt and they want me brought back. It seems some of the ship’s crew saw the poster.”

  Jessa wasn’t sure how to respond. The situation couldn’t have been any further from her experience, and she couldn’t fathom what it meant for someone to put a price on your capture.

  Asol turned away and grabbed their bags. She handed one to Kylin. “By morning we’ll be heading to shore so they can chain you and claim the bounty. If you’ll trust me, I think I can get us to safety. We need to go.”

  Kylin stared at her for a long moment, then nodded. She turned to Jessa. “The outfit you’re wearing is redundant now. If you have something in your bag to wear instead you should probably change. You can wear my jacket if it’s a uniform.”

  Asol rummaged in her own sack. “If it’s not beneath you, you could borrow some clothes from me. A uniform would be a bad idea.”

  A jet stream of thoughts ran through Jessa’s head, but she couldn’t focus on a single one. Silently, she took the proffered clothes from Asol and turned away to slip them on. All she had in her bag was extra uniforms. She didn’t even own any civilian clothing; she’d never needed any. On ship she slept naked, and each day she put on a fresh uniform. Some were more formal than others, which was her only concession to dressing down.

  Even though the clothes Asol gave her were clearly meant for the underclass they were still the same softness as the ones she’d been given in Thalla. She had to roll the cuffs of the loose pants so they didn’t drag, the sleeves went well past her fingertips, and the deep V-cut showed a little too much cleavage, but it was warmer and far more comfortable. She sighed in relief and tugged her boots back on.

  She turned around to find them waiting. Kylin tucked the sheer slave outfit into a bag, and then turned to Asol. “We’re all yours.”

  Asol grinned. “If only that were true.” She winked, then moved to the back of the room. She reached under a low shelf, and the sound of a latch clicking echoed in the room.

  A chill wind blew in and Jessa could see the waves outside. “We’re at sea. How can we possibly escape?”

  Asol crawled through the hatch and disappeared beyond it. “Throw me your bags,” she whispered loudly enough for them to hear over the water.

  Kylin pushed their bags through and then crawled through the hatch herself.

  Jessa closed her eyes. She’d abandoned ship as it tore apart in space. She could certainly do it now. Kylin’s hand was there for her as she crawled out of the hatch and into the night air. They were standing on a small deck on the back of the boat. Beside them, a rowboat bobbed in the black water. Their bags were already inside, and Asol held out her hand.

  Kylin jumped in and together they helped Jessa into the boat. It rocked and bucked and Jessa steeled herself. Survive now. Panic later.

  Asol untethered the rowboat and shoved away from the main ship. She grabbed the oars and started back-rowing, and it wasn’t long before the ship was far beyond them. Once they were clearly safe, she turned to Kylin.

  “So, fugitive and captain. Where to?”

  Kylin shrugged and looked at the sky. “I’m not a sailor. I have no idea where we are.”

  Asol looked up, and Jessa did as well. She gasped and leaned back to get a better look. Stars lit the entirety of the black night sky. The distant moons sat low on the horizon, like they were floating on the edge of the sea. It was breathtaking, and a view she’d never considered while flying through the stars themselves.

  “I’d say we’re about a day’s row from the Falls, that way.” Asol pointed. “I think they’d already gone off course, which is actually better for us as far as getting to land.”

  Kylin continued to stare at the sky, and slowly, she began to smile. “You know, I think I have a better idea.” She pointed toward a particularly bright blue star. “Head that way.”

  Asol frowned. “I didn’t save you just to get lost at sea. There’s nothing out there.”

  Kylin shook her head. “Oh, but there is. Volare.”

  Asol’s laugh was forced, her eyes wide. “That’s a myth, an old sailor’s tale. Nothing more. We should head for the Falls.”

  “What is Volare?” Jessa could tell from Kylin’s expression she wasn’t going to give in on this. “What myth?”

  Asol slapped the water with an oar. “There have been stories about the Volare for centuries. Practically since the first
ship touched down here. It’s an island of people who can fly, fierce warriors and families who raise their young in trees.” She cocked her head at Kylin. “It’s a myth.”

  Kylin pointed. “I’ve been there. It’s not a myth. And I spent a lot of time looking at the stars when I was there. If you follow the waves to that star, we’ll get there, and probably before morning. They’ll look for us at the Falls, but they’ll never find us on Volare.”

  Asol’s eyes were wide. She began to row. “You’ve been there. To Volare. To the flying people. I hadn’t taken you for crazy.”

  Kylin shifted to straddle the seat and she pulled Jessa against her. She wrapped her coat around her, and Jessa pushed into the warmth with a murmur of thanks. She’d been so caught up in the conversation she hadn’t noticed how cold she was, but now she could barely keep her teeth from chattering. Kylin’s body heat soon helped, though.

  “It was when I was a teenager. I was messing around a lot, always in trouble. I fell in with a bad crowd, and I stole a boat from the harbor one night. We were all drunk on brackenwine, and it seemed like harmless fun when they dared me to do it. But I got caught in the stem tide and was pulled out to sea.”

  Asol whistled. “That’s a death sentence if no other ship comes along.”

  Jessa could picture a young, wild Kylin realizing she was in trouble, and it made her pulse race.

  “And no ship came.” Kylin wrapped the jacket tighter around Jessa. “I spent three days spinning and turning in the tide, and I had no idea where I was or which way was home. I was sure I was going to die, and that I’d never get to tell my father thanks for all the things he’d done for me.”

  The sadness in her voice was so clear, so deep, Jessa ached for her. She pressed against her and Kylin smiled down at her.