“Captain Levi,” one girl squealed, but her mother held her back. Levi waved to her and even cracked a smile, dimples flashing on his cheek. Well, look at that. The man was almost human.
Once they all passed, he nudged me forward.
“Where are the other prisoners?” I asked.
“Inside the Hall. Probably being shown to their quarters. And they’re not prisoners.”
I snorted. “What do you call people who’ve been kidnapped and carried away to a strange land against their will? Honored guests? Tell me please, so I can decline the invite.”
His jaw tightened. “One day you’ll understand.”
I didn’t want to understand anything about them. I wanted to go home. I glanced behind me. The ships were moving. I needed to find out where they were kept and how often they left the island.
Levi led me up the steps, past the arched entrance of the Great Hall. He slowed down as we entered, and once again I was on display. I wanted to ignore everything and everyone, but curiosity won and I peered around him.
The place was huge with rows of benches and tables, now occupied by men, women, and children. They ripped meat from animal limbs and chucked the bones over their shoulders to the dogs. Servers moved between tables, adding food on plates, refilling mugs, and passing out loaves of bread. Drinks spilled on the table and the floor, but I doubted anyone noticed. Everyone was in a festive mood, some of the men grabbing the women as they passed and kissing them while the others howled and cheered. Even the children laughed.
“Mom, I need more,” one of the children yelled, and I stopped gaping at them.
The servers weren’t some unmarried tavern wenches, and the men weren’t gropers. They were husbands and wives, which explained the ass smacking and lusty kisses in front of the children.
The scene was straight out of a painting of a tavern at a pirate port, except this was a family affair in a beautiful hall with an arched ceiling, tapestries, and banners. Some of the pirates even had children on their laps.
I wanted to hate everything about this island and its people, but despite the bones and the dogs, the stone floor was clean, and the pillars had colorful drawings of battle scenes with ships and legendary sea creatures. The same sea creatures were on the tapestries on the wall above the torches and on the banners displayed between pillars.
Silence spread as people noticed us. I stared back at them, trying to control my fears, my anger at Storm and his friends, and my confusion at what I was seeing.
Who were these people? Pirates didn’t have families or cradle babies. They sang bawdy songs and drank rum, led a life of debauchery, murder, and mayhem. They had the murder and mayhem covered. Debauchery if the woman on the balcony at The Crowne had been right about Zale and Levi.
“Is that the lass?” whispers followed us.
I wasn’t sure what people were saying about me, but when the name Tullius was said and curses followed, I knew it had something to do with the battle at sea. I hoped they blamed me and gave themselves a reason to want me off their island.
More women sailed past us with trays of meat from a hallway, and my stomach growled. The smell of roasted meat and fresh bread made my mouth water. I hadn’t eaten in hours and was starving.
We crossed the hallway the women with food had come from and reached a set of stairs by a beautiful tapestry of a black stallion with a thick mane, tail, and wings. The singing started as we headed upstairs. I caught a few words about pillaging and plundering, and coming home to the shieldmaiden with an intoxicating scent who won a swordsman’s skin. Not a sword or a shield. Not even a heart. Skin. Crazy pirates.
We headed up endless flights of winding stairs lit by torches. They weren’t narrow and dingy. They were wide and clean. I glanced at Levi from the corner of my eye and caught him scowling. I didn’t understand him or Storm. They’d just won, hadn’t they? Why were they so sullen? Unless…
“Did you lose people tonight?” I asked tentatively.
“Two. Good men. They left behind mates and children.”
No wonder they looked pissed. “I’m sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault. The sniveling buffoon Tully did this. Now we have to retaliate. Each trading post for a life lost.”
Wow, these people didn’t play nice. “But you sank his ships.”
“Because he ambushed us. We had no choice but to fight back or surrender. When his people kill ours, it’s a different story. We make him pay.”
I almost reminded him they’d killed those on the royal ships and sent back heads along with the injured crew, but I bit my tongue. My disapproval would mean nothing to Levi. This was their way of life, not mine. They wanted to kill each other? Let them. I had things to worry about. Like my escape.
He led me along a short hallway to a set of doors, pushed them open, and went ahead of me. Candles were already lit.
“These are your quarters now,” he said.
I peered in and blinked. The couches, chairs, and tables were beautifully crafted, the designs of chairs and the tables intricate. Gilded candleholders sat on the coffee table and the end tables. The rug on the floor was similar to the one in the captain’s cabin on the ship, except it was tan and gold.
On the walls were ancient maps with weird coordinates. Like the globe in Storm’s cabin, the focus was on the oceans and seas, and the islands in places none existed. At least, I hadn’t known they did until tonight. There was a bookshelf and, beside it, a giant globe. The room had an understated elegance, which was different from the ostentatious décor of Storm’s cabin on the Mac Lir.
“The bedroom.” Levi walked to a door and pushed it open. He pointed to his left. “The washroom and the wardrobe.”
“Where are the others sleeping?”
“The east wing. You are here because Storm wants you here.”
Yeah, what else was new? “Wait. Are you saying these are his quarters?”
“Yes.” Levi sighed. “Listen, lass. I’m tired and hungry, and I need to mourn my friends. We have widows to comfort and plans to make once the mourning stops. He doesn’t need you fighting him on this, because when he’s pissed we have to deal with the consequences. Will you behave?” Levi asked.
“Aye, Captain,” I said, faking a meekness I didn’t feel.
He gave me a look loaded with annoyance.
“About this medieval mates business—”
“Ask Storm.” The door closed behind Levi, and I exhaled. Grouch. I tried to cut him some slack. They’d lost two men tonight because of me.
I entered the bedroom and groaned. We were back to the red and gold theme. They seemed to be Storm’s favorite colors. I pushed the curtains aside and looked into the darkness. I could see quite a bit of the island, including the canal. The ships were gone. Tomorrow, I planned to find out where.
I looked down. It was a long drop, and there was an outer wall wrapping around the castle. If I couldn’t waltz out the front entrance unnoticed, I’d need a long rope to lower myself down there and find my way past that wall to get out of the castle.
The houses appeared to be concentrated across the river, but beyond that was total darkness. Light flickered at the far corners of the island. The moon and the stars appeared brighter and bigger than back at home, and the sky was still clear despite the thunder and lightning. Weird storm.
Sighing, I let the curtains fall into place and went to the door on the other side of the bed. It opened into a room with pirate coats and shirts on forms, and long and knee-length pants on hooks. A wardrobe, Levi had called it. More like a sewing/dressing/bathing room.
A table, a stuffed chair, a mirror, and a changing screen were on one side. A large copper tub with a faucet and pump attached to it on the other. It was modern-ish. The shaving things on a table by the tub weren’t. I lifted a blade and studied it. It was old, like the ones men had used a long time ago. A lathering brush, soap in a dish, and sharpening belt sat beside it.
Huge pirate chests lined one corner, but t
here was nothing interesting inside when I looked. Just more clothes and beddings, and weird pouches with draw strings. I hefted one, but didn’t bother to look inside. Sighing, I closed the last trunk.
Back in the bedroom, I removed the jacket and climbed onto the bed. My stomach growled. The last time I ate was this morning. I stared into space, reliving everything that had happened. I was tired and hungry, yet I didn’t dare fall asleep. As soon as Storm arrived, I was going to insist I stay with the other girls. I couldn’t escape this place while living under his thumb in the tower.
Tommy.
Tears rushed to my eyes. Would Mr. Sinclair offer him the surgery while I was gone? I doubted it. Tommy wouldn’t accept surgery when I was missing. He was likely to tell Mr. Sinclair to use his money to find me.
I had to find my way out of this hellhole, and crying wasn’t going to make that happen. I rolled onto my back, swiped at my cheeks, and glared at the high post canopy above the bed. The top was a sunburst pattern, and the pilasters and the wood frame had sea life motifs.
A door opened somewhere, and a woman called out, “Lass, where are you?”
I sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed just as a short woman with twinkling brown eyes entered carrying a tray of food. There was something familiar about her, yet I couldn’t put my finger on it.
“There you are. I brought you some food,” she said.
I would have loved to refuse to eat on principle alone, but I couldn’t function on an empty stomach. My stomach grumbled in agreement.
“Thanks.”
“Good,” she said, placing the tray on the table. “Come on. You’ll feel a lot better once you have food in your belly. The others are already eating and settling in nicely.”
Except Skylar. What had Storm done with her? He’d sounded so angry earlier. Maybe Skylar’s threats to kill his people had been too much for him after he’d already lost two of his men. Dang it. Now I was making excuses for him. He had threatened to take her to the Undine Court.
I approached the woman, hoping she’d give me answers about the island and its inhabitants. “It smells good, and I haven’t eaten in hours.” I worked on making her feel guilty. “I lost sense of time after they knocked me out.”
“That’s the spirit. My name is Cordelia Easte, but everyone calls me Delia. My Nerissa said you are a fighter.”
No wonder she looked familiar. “You are Nerissa’s mother?”
“Aye, lass. Don’t you see the resemblance?” She turned her head left then right, laughter in her eyes.
“I do, but you don’t look old enough to be her mother.” The woman laughed, teeth sparkling. She had no gray in her hair or wrinkles. She could pass for someone in her early thirties.
“Thank you, dear. It’s the island. It keeps us young.”
Magic, of course, was the answer to everything around here. “How old are you? Are you immortal?”
Delia chuckled. “You are direct, aren’t you? I’m very old, and immortal is relative. I age, just slower.”
Did that mean the pirates were old, too? I didn’t see one with gray hair. They all seemed like they were in their mid-twenties. They’d probably been thieving and plundering for decades.
“Please, I’m really scared and could use some answers,” I said, milking the victim angle. “Can you sit with me while I eat?”
“Oh, lass. Don’t be afraid. This will pass once you settle in. Storm is a good lad. I’d love to sit with you, but my duties are not done until the villagers leave the Great Hall and the swordsmen and shieldmaidens go to their rooms. I have a young lass who could sit with you.” She glanced toward the door. “Now where is that girl? I told her to bring up a few things, but she’s probably flirting with the men. This is what happens when you have a house full of unmarried men looking for mates. I’ll be right back.”
Damn. “Can I ask you something before you go?”
“Of course, lass.”
“Call me Lexi, please. It’s short for Alexandria. How often do Storm and the others Harvest?”
“Two or three times a year. It depends on how many unmarried lads are looking for mates.”
I didn’t want to hear that. I couldn’t stay here for four to six months. Tommy needed me, and Mr. Sinclair was probably going ballistic trying to find me.
“What is the Undine Court?”
She chuckled. “Where did you hear that?”
“Someone mentioned it in passing.” I hoped it was a court I could petition.
“That’s the Court of the Sea. The court we Muh’rens answer to.”
I frowned. “And where is this Undine Court?”
“In the abyss, lass. The bottom of the ocean. Don’t worry your pretty head about those coldhearted women. They settle disputes between our people, but Storm will never allow us to end up down there before them. All disputes are settled right here on Vaarda.” She patted my hand. “I’ll be right back.”
Did that mean Storm meant to send Skylar to the Undine Court by throwing her into the ocean? He would not dare. Of course, he would. He was Storm. I couldn’t even haul him before their court because he ran everything on the damn island.
My stomach growled again. I removed the leafy greens covering the slabs of meat. It was smothered in some sauce and smelled good. The fork and knife were gilded. I was tempted to bite them and confirm they were made of gold.
Jeez, I’d barely arrived and I was starting to act barbaric. I forked a chunk of the meat, and it broke easily. My mouth watered. I placed the piece in my mouth and immediately spat it out.
My mouth was on fire.
What had they put on it? Acid? I reached for the tumbler of water to dilute the taste. Eew. It wasn’t water. It was alcohol, strong and bitter. Now my teeth would surely fall off. A chuckle came from behind me, and I looked up. Nerissa’s mother was back with a pile of clothes.
“It takes a while to get used to our food and drinks. Did you eat the green leaves first? It prepares your taste buds for Gráinne’s sauce. The bread is very good and not as spicy.”
I wanted to clean my mouth with the sleeve of Storm’s shirt, but I was afraid my tongue might peel off. I couldn’t feel it. Eyes watering, I stared at the bread with trepidation. I needed something to relieve the burning, but the bread probably tasted like a rock. Going in cautiously, I pinched a piece, brought it to my mouth, braced myself, and chewed.
Hmmm. I broke off another piece and another. It tasted good. The texture was different, and it had interesting spices, some familiar. It was probably laced with alcohol, too.
“Not bad, huh?” Delia said, chuckling.
“It is perfect. What spices do you put in it?”
“I don’t. Gráinne does. Or should I say one of her girls does? Gráinne is the cook here in the Great Hall, where all the unmarried swordsmen and shieldmaidens stay, except for Ryun, who is at his farm. Gráinne gets the spices from him.”
Delia listed several spices. Mrs. Sinclair had grown a few of them. I’d never tasted anything with them until I started working for her.
“Eat some of the meat, lass. It’s good for you. Gráinne will know if you don’t. She is old and wise, and nothing escapes her.”
“Is she an elder?”
“Yes. How did you know?”
“Educated guess.”
I was going to starve in this place. I finished eating the bread and eyed the drink. I needed water or juice. Delia was inside the dressing room, putting my clothes away. Should I ask for water, or would Gráinne be insulted that I hated their drink?
“I’ll have a seamstresses stop by tomorrow to take your measurements and adjust these dresses and hems for you. I know just the one. She does exquisite needlework. You are a lot smaller than Nerissa, and my clothes are way too ugly for you. Storm is lucky to have finally found you. A lot of our lads and lasses wait a long time to find their true mates. Now we get you ready for Selection. I think you and your friends will keep our seamstresses busy for the next couple of months. They a
ll have to look their best for their potential mates.”
“What if I don’t want to be mated?”
Delia chuckled. “We all want mates, lass. Even when we don’t think we do. Once your souls find each other and you release a scent only your true mate finds appealing, there’s no going back. He’ll brave any danger and fight anyone that stands in his way to claim you. That’s our way. It is very romantic if you think about it.”
Like hell it was. But she was full of information, and I needed to know how this island worked. Pasting a smile on my face, I walked to the bed where she’d laid out a long, white nightgown. It had long sleeves and a string around the collar. The cotton was soft and fine.
“This is beautiful,” I said.
She left the other room. “The lads always bring home the finest fabric. Would you like a bath now or tomorrow morning?”
I wanted to talk. “Tomorrow morning. So they can bring anything across the Veil?”
“No. We used to centuries ago, but the islanders started warring with each other and bringing in more powerful Tuh’ren weapons. Then the Undine strengthened the Veil so now anything that can harm us disintegrates as the ship crosses the Veil.” She glanced at my arm. “Were you wearing a watch before you crossed it?”
“No.” I often used my cell phone to check the time. I wondered where Storm and his people had dumped my phone and laptop.
“Things like that melt and go poof during crossing.” She fingered the nightgown. “We trade mostly with other islanders. We get cotton and silk from Lemuria. That’s an island in the Pacific. Gilded candelabra and wooden chests from Kumari, the island ruled by females in Indian Ocean.” She walked to the window and looked outside. “By the gods. We are in for one long mourning period.”
As though agreeing with her, lightning shot across the sky. Maybe I should have accepted the bath. I was so thirsty, and the thought of drinking that poison was unappealing.
“I’ll leave you to finish your food, lass, while I attend to my duties. I’ll stop by later to check on you.”
I sighed, watching her leave. It was pouring hard outside, the clouds spitting bolts every few seconds. Maybe I could collect the rainwater. Lightning flashed and illuminated a team of horses led by a black stallion. One was a palomino, golden with white mane and tail, and a couple was pure white. They disappeared toward the trees.
Storm: Phantom Islanders Part I Page 10