The woman was crying when we left. I felt worse.
“Every time we bury one of our lads or lasses, it’s hard to look in the eyes of their mates.” Delia studied the stallion and sighed. “He’s going to keep following us until you decide to spend time with him. Take him for a ride.”
“I can? Really?”
“Just make sure you are back to the Great Hall for lunch. I’ll send food to the tower.”
The stallion shook his head and nickered. I stroked his neck. “I’ve ridden bareback but never without a bridle.”
“He doesn’t need one. Just grip his mane. Tell him where you want to go, and he’ll take you. If he becomes agitated, talk to him and he’ll calm down.” Delia cupped her hands. “Here. I’ll give you a leg up.”
Even the horses were magical. I settled on top of the stallion, gripped his mane, and glanced at Delia. “I hope it doesn’t hurt when I grip it.”
“He can endure anything, can’t you, lad?”
I leaned down and rubbed his neck. “Sorry if it hurts. I’ll try to be gentle.” Delia laughed, but I ignored her. “Let’s go to the dam. I left some things on the Mac Lir and need to get them.”
The stallion turned and headed right.
“Be careful, and take good care of each other,” Delia called out.
The horse made a weird noise that sounded like a growl than a bray, but kept a steady pace. We stayed on the road following the canal until we left the houses behind and reached a stretch of farmland. The islanders waved along the way. I heard Storm’s name mentioned, so I knew they’d all been in the hall two nights ago and recognized me. Past the farmland was a grassy area then the sandy beach. The docks with the ships were at the farthest side of First Dam.
As we got closer, I noticed two ships beached and tilted to their sides. A crew appeared to be working on their hulls. Several more ships, including the Mac Lir and the Yemaya were anchored in the middle of the dam. There were only a few small boats tied to the pier.
One of the men left the group repairing the nearest ship and came to meet me. “Hi, I’m Lexi, Storm’s…” What? I didn’t like being called his mate or lass. “One of the new Tuh’rens.”
“I know who you are, lass.” The man’s eyes went to the stallion, which was getting restless. I stroked his neck, remembering Delia’s words.
“It’s okay, my black beauty,” I whispered to the stallion. “I’m going to the ship for a few minutes, but I’ll be right back.” He calmed down. I glanced at the man. “He’s been so nice. I still can’t believe he let me ride him. Is it possible to get on board the Mac Lir? I left a few personal items in the captain’s cabin.”
The man dragged his gaze from the horse and smiled, his eyes twinkling. I had a feeling he was trying hard not to laugh about something.
“I’m sure Storm won’t mind,” I added quickly.
“The captain won’t mind in the least, lass. May I?” He gripped my waist and lowered me down. “I’m Desmond, the chief carpenter. We’ll leave, uh, him here and take a boat to the Mac Lir.”
“Thank you.” I was aware of stares from the crew as we walked to the pier. Desmond was the perfect gentleman. He helped me onto the boat and made sure I was comfortable before he grabbed an oar. He rowed us to Storm’s ship without asking what I’d left behind. Instead, he talked about how perfect the weather was. Another crew appeared to be repairing the riggings on the Mac Lir. Desmond yelled something, and one of them lowered a ladder.
Oh crap! I hadn’t thought this through. There was no way I was climbing that stupid ladder when I had no underwear. The whole point of coming to the damn ship was to get my shorts and sports bra and maybe snoop around for the perfect hiding place.
“I’ll hold the ladder while you climb, lass,” Desmond said.
And you’ll have a clean view of my naked ass. There was so much Storm was going to answer for. I gripped the front and back of my inner skirt and tied them together to create makeshift underwear. Desmond stared at me curiously but didn’t comment. When I glanced while climbing the damn ladder, I caught him looking up my skirt.
Damn pirate!
One pulled me onto the deck. “What are you doing here, lass? Why didn’t the captain come with you?”
The others stopped whatever they were doing and stared at me, too.
“I came to collect a few things I’d forgotten in his cabin.” I was also hoping they could show me around the ship, but I suddenly realized I was alone with about half a dozen shirtless, buff men I didn’t know. Pirates. They could do anything to me and it would be my word against theirs. I swallowed. Worse, Storm had said he’d kill anyone who hurt me, even his people. I could see him chopping heads off his own men and alienating the islanders.
“Storm is waiting for me by the docks.”
“I know, lass. I’m his bos’n. Come this way.”
I shaded my eyes and looked toward the shore, but I couldn’t see Storm. The stallion had moved closer to the crew working on the ship, but he appeared to be looking my way. Most untethered horses would have wandered off to graze when left alone.
“What is a bos’n?” I asked the man escorting me, and he chuckled.
“Bos’n is really boatswain. I’m in charge of making sure the boat is ready to sail,” he said. “I make sure everything is perfect, from the sails to the hull.” He walked ahead of me, moving the piles of ropes and planks out of the way. When I entered the cabin, I smiled with relief when I saw my things.
“The deckhands already cleaned the captain’s cabin. What did you forget? Perhaps I can help you find them.”
“Thank you, but I know exactly where I left them.” I smiled and waited for him to walk away. I closed the door. Seconds later, I heard him yell at the crew to get back to work.
He was nice, but I still shouldn’t have come to the ship without Storm. I got my shorts from the peg and pulled them on. The sports bra took longer since I had to undo the bodice, but I felt much better and more confident when I was done.
Now, where could I hide if I were a stowaway? The chest? Check. I peered under the bed. There was space, but it was packed with smaller chests and barrels. If I moved things around, I could squeeze under it and stay out of sight until the next port. Hopefully, the ship I picked would have space under the bed.
Feeling accomplished, I left the cabin to find the crew back at work. I thanked the bos’n and made my way to the ladder. Desmond steadied it for me again from below while the bos’n kept watch from above.
“Next time you look up my skirt, I’ll poke out your eyes, Desmond,” I warned.
Laughter came from above while Desmond sputtered and tried to deny it.
“Take me back to the shore, please.”
He rowed back fast while still denying it. “Lass, I didn’t do it. I would never do that to the captain’s lass. Please, don’t tell him.”
“I don’t tattle, but do it again and you will deal with me. I’m worse than him.” The stallion came to meet us. Desmond helped me up, still looking apologetic. “Thank you. Where’s the port from here?”
“The port, lass?” he asked.
“The outside port with ships from other places.”
“The south end of the island.” He pointed toward the castle.
Damn! “Oh. Thanks.”
“But you don’t want to go there, lass. The cliffs are steep and treacherous.”
“I wasn’t planning on it,” I lied. I had every intention of scouting the entire island. It was always good to have a Plan B. “Come on, my beauty. Let’s explore.”
Instead of heading toward the village, we went in the opposite direction. The crew watched us go, but no one tried to stop me. The ships grew smaller as we moved away. The area near First Dam was uncultivated. Ahead to the right were farmlands. The island was much larger than I’d thought, lush and picturesque. Most of the forests were along the edges. I could see the lagoon, or Small Dam, and the thin stretch of land separating it from the main one. From the movemen
t on the sand and water, the children were having a beach day.
We reached the edge of Southern Forest, and the stallion tossed his head and whinnied. I patted his neck.
“It’s okay. I’m checking the entire island so as not to arouse suspicion.” His ears quivered. “If we have time, we’ll head south after lunch and explore that side, too. I want to see the port.” Slowly, as though reluctant, the stallion followed a trail through the trees. Whenever he refused to go down a certain path and changed directions, I talked to him.
“That way? You sure? I guess we’re going to miss lunch. Storm won’t be happy.”
The stallion snorted.
“Are you laughing at me or agreeing with me? I hope you’re agreeing with me. I’ve also decided I don’t want to do rounds with Delia anymore. What do you think of that?”
The stallion nickered.
“You don’t understand, my beauty. Seeing those women in pain made me feel terrible. Their husbands would be alive if Prince Shithead hadn’t sent his people after me. I want to apologize to them, but where and how do I start?” Another reason I couldn’t stay here. I sighed and rubbed the stallion’s neck.
The land gradually sloped upward, the trees tall and the undergrowth lessening in thickness. Luckily, the stallion kept an easy gait along a beaten path. We passed a small castle that appeared deserted.
We must have ridden for almost an hour when the trees grew sparse. Suddenly, the stallion stopped. I used my heel to urge him forward, but he refused to budge.
“What’s wrong?”
He brayed. I studied the land ahead and saw why. The terrain sharply sloped down.
“Looks like we’ve reached the end of the island. Is it a sharp drop? Is that why you are not moving?”
He tossed his head as though agreeing. I slid down and rubbed his neck and chest. He nickered and nudged me with his head. He kept moving so he was always between the edge and me.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going over there. I’ll climb a tree and look around instead.” There had to be other islands nearby.
I found a climbable tree and hoisted myself on the first branch. The skirts got in the way, but the stallion stayed at the foot of the tree as though ready to break my fall if I slipped. I made it to a higher branch and looked around.
I could see the ocean, but there were no ships or other islands nearby. Just water as far as the eye could see. Below me, the stallion moved restlessly. He kept snorting.
“I’m coming,” I called out.
“After lunch, we’ll check out the south end of the island, okay?” I said as we rode away. “There must be a way to get off the island other than stowing away on a ship.” The stallion’s ears twitched, and he slowed down. I kept the one-sided conversation going. We passed the farms. There were no houses near them. Just cultivated fields. Finally, we reached the village, and I stopped talking to the stallion. The people we passed smiled and waved or called out greetings.
We got to the front entrance of the Great Hall, and one of the hall workers helped me down.
“Thank you.” I waited until he moved away before I rubbed the stallion’s muzzle and chest. “Thanks for the ride, big guy. I wish I could brush you down, but I don’t have a brush. If we ride again before I leave, I’ll find one and give you a nice rub down.” I stepped back. “Go.” He didn’t move or nicker. “I’ll see you after lunch.”
I rubbed his neck and stroked his face before walking away. When I glanced back, he was still watching me. What a sweetheart. I waved when I reached the door and disappeared inside. The first crack of lightning split the sky.
Not again. What kind of island had a storm every other day?
CHAPTER 10
Upstairs was a table set for two, but Storm wasn’t there. I lifted the cloth covering the warm bread and inhaled. I loved their bread. I pinched a piece just as the door flew open behind me, and I turned, expecting to see Storm.
Delia rushed inside. “What happened?”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
She waved toward the window. “What happened during your ride? Where did you go with… the stallion?”
“To the docks to pick up my personal things from the Mac Lir. Then we rode to the southern part of the island. You know, exploring. I was planning on riding again this afternoon, but I can’t now that it’s storming again.”
Delia frowned. “What personal things?”
“Bra and shorts. They were drying on a peg in Storm’s cabin.” My cheeks warmed.
“Oh. And that’s all that happened?”
“Yes.” There was no need to tattle on Desmond. “Where’s Storm?”
Delia shook her head and glanced at the window. The dark clouds were gathering fast. “Eat without him because from the looks of things, he’s not going to make it.”
“Is it always this stormy?”
“No. And I thought we were past it.” She left the room before I could ask her what she meant.
Storm stood me up.
After lunch, Lorelei stopped by with two pairs of satin bloomers with lace. They reached my upper thighs and looked sexy, but my mind kept drifting to Storm and why he’d disappeared on me.
For the entire afternoon, rain pelted the island, the thunder and lightning unrelenting. I stayed indoors and made a list of things I could improve around the tower.
The rain slowed by nightfall, and I ate dinner under Delia’s watchful eyes. She kept asking about what happened during my ride to First Dam. I didn’t rat out Desmond even though I was tempted to just so the interrogation would stop. She kept acting like I’d done something terrible.
When done, I gathered the utensils and took them downstairs. I was about to enter the kitchen when Delia stepped out of a door.
“Lexi, what are you doing?”
“It’s boring upstairs.” And too far away from the action.
“You didn’t have to bring those downstairs, lass.” She took them from me and disappeared inside the kitchen. I was still hanging outside the kitchen when she came out. “Come on. Keep me company while I make Nerissa’s special dish before they leave for the raid.”
“Do you know when they’ll leave?”
“No, but she wants her special bread, so I figure soon.”
Her quarters were not far from the kitchen and faced the inner courtyard. The small living room had a decent enough sofa, two side chairs, and a chest in the middle of a rug as a table. She had a fireplace with a metal bar for hooking a cooking pot. On the wall were metal cups on hooks, and a table and a bench separated the living room from the kitchen. There were three doors, but she didn’t tell me where they led.
Like Storm’s quarters, it was a throwback to another era, but hers was basic with no frills. Wooden and metal bowls were on shelves beside the fireplace, and firewood was piled under them. Candles and the fire were lit, making the room warm.
“Nerissa used to live here, you know. Before she joined Storm. Now she has her quarters on the third floor like all the other shieldmaidens. I turned her room into storage.”
She went back to whatever she was cooking and kept the conversation going. I slid down her sofa, lulled by her voice, the rain, and the warmth of the room. I must have fallen asleep because a pounding on the door woke me up later.
“Where is she, Delia?”
Storm.
“Is she here? She should be upstairs, not down here.”
“Do not use that tone in my house, young man,” Delia said. “Your authority ends right there in the doorway.”
Way to go Delia! Silence followed, and I waited, my heart thumping hard in my chest.
“Are you coming inside or yelling in the doorway for the entire hall to hear you?”
“This is not a social call. Is she here?”
“If you are talking about Lexi, yes. She came here after dinner and fell asleep on my couch.”
“I’ll take her upstairs,” he said, his voice uncompromising.
“I’m not waking up the chil
d, lad. It’s not like you don’t know where she is anymore. She’ll be here when you return. When are you leaving?”
“At dawn.”
“Be careful out there.”
There was silence.
“She’s not going anywhere, lad,” Delia said, sighing. “I’ll take good care of her.”
“She feels guilty about the dead swordsmen when it’s not her fault. I wanted to talk to her about that.”
“Then do so when you return, or I can explain it to her.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll talk to her. Do not let her wander about without you. She can spend the whole day brushing her hair for all I care. Just keep her busy within these walls.”
Brushing my hair? Do I look like a debutant? I didn’t like being a prisoner in that stupid tower any more than I needed Delia acting like my nanny. Besides, if they were leaving at dawn, I was leaving, too.
“When do we tell her about us, the island, and our ways? She’s inquisitive and is bound to notice things,” Delia said.
“I’ll talk to her when I come back. Just keep her away from the others.”
The door clicked. Delia walked past with a candle and disappeared into her bedroom. I tried to go back to sleep, but their conversation kept playing in my head. What was it about them and the island I needed to know?
Despite the warm room, I didn’t sleep well. I didn’t want to miss the ship. Delia had removed my bodice, skirts, and boots and left me with the chemise. At least she’d kept them by the sofa. I wasn’t a deep sleeper, but the island air might be responsible for the way I kept sleeping through being undressed. It was unnatural and disconcerting.
I put everything back on, except the boots and the bodice, and settled back on the sofa to wait for the hall to become quiet. I planned to sneak onto one of the ships before dawn.
I must have fallen asleep because the sounds of feet rushing by in the hallway and excited voices woke me up. It was dawn. When Delia left the room with a bag, I knew the ships were leaving.
I put on the boots, wrapped the blanket around me, and followed her. When she disappeared into the kitchen, where the staff was busy wrapping up food, I continued outside.
Storm: Phantom Islanders Part I Page 16