Blood Moon (Blood Rain Book 2)

by Nancy Gray

  To Mercy’s surprise, all of her friends were there including Mirilee and Kylas. She knew it was because it was more than just an execution; it was also a funeral. Mirilee didn’t want to see the hanging, and she wasn’t even looking at Tolbert. She kept close to Kylas, as though hiding behind him. It was a side of Mirilee that Mercy had never seen before. She guessed that she was probably thinking of the hanging at the capital, and it was bothering her more than she let on. Her bravado usually hid her insecurities, but this time she wasn’t bothering to hide her feelings behind any mask.

  Pyron was standing behind the captain. They were on the forecastle, looking down at everyone somberly. Tolbert was to hang from the foremast for everyone to see, and Scrap was shackled to the railing beside him. Beryl was leaning against the mainmast. He was clearly tired, and his injury was bothering him, but his desire to be there was stronger than his need for rest. Mercy was glad that they were all there. It made her feel stronger and that her decision to watch the execution was the right one.

  The two bodies of Jonas and Incenda were bound in cloth and tied together. Unlike Ailfrius’ body, their faces were left exposed to be an extra punishment for Tolbert and Scrap. Despite Tolbert’s insolent attitude, he wouldn’t even glance at the bodies. She could feel his remorse when he even saw them out of the corner of his eye. Scrap was crying hysterically, but it was partially from his fear that he might be next. As far as Mercy knew, the only one that was being hanged was Tolbert, but Scrap didn’t know it.

  While Tolbert never meant for Incenda or Jonas to die, for whatever reason, Mercy could tell that he still believed that what he had done was worth their sacrifice. It sickened her. He didn’t hear Incenda pleading for help. He didn’t see the look of terror on her face. It made her wish that she could somehow project that memory into his mind so that he would realize he was a monster for betraying them.

  The captain said in a grave voice, “Tolbert, you are accused of high treason at sea and inciting a mutiny against your fellow crewmates that resulted in the deaths of two good sailors. Do you have anything to say in your defense?”

  Tolbert glared at him and said, “I don’t care if I’m going to die. I did what was right. Lavirin, the captain has been playing us all for fools. He’s brought beasts onboard our crew, spies, and…” He glared at Mercy, “and things I’ve never even seen before. He was gonna get us all killed, and I was the only one with the courage to do anything about it.”

  “And which part of it was courage? The part when you drugged me and stabbed Incenda while her back was turned? Or maybe it was the part when you sided with the very people that killed Ailfrius?”

  Tolbert instinctively shot a glance at the two bodies and flinched. “I never meant for Incenda to die. That was Garnet’s doing, not mine. This entire journey was cursed from the start when that beast man set foot onboard.”

  Lavirin snapped, “I don’t want to hear your superstitious nonsense! You’re not just a traitor, you’re also a hypocrite. You sided with one of the Waterbloods. What you did not only was disrespectful to Ailfrius’ memory, but it caused the death of two of my best friends. When I found out that you incited the mutiny, you were already dead to me. The noose is just a formality, and the God of the Stars has no place in heaven for traitors.”

  The captain nodded in agreement. “Does anyone else have anything they want to say?”

  Mirilee spoke up. “Why? Why did you do it, and why drag the boy into it?”

  Scrap glanced at Tolbert and then quickly looked at the floor.

  Tolbert snapped, “A simple little desert rat like you wouldn’t understand.”

  Lavirin shouted, “Desert rat? Kill him now, captain!”

  “I would hear what he has to say. He has the right to his final words, but he’s trying my patience as well.”

  Tolbert continued, “Ailfrius should’ve been our captain. Every decision that Morrissey made led us toward ruin. Garnet was the only one who seemed to see it besides me. So when we captured the criminal, I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands.”

  Mercy glanced at Captain Morrissey. Even though his face remained impassive, she could tell that Tolbert’s words were cutting him more deeply than any sword could manage. He also believed that Ailfrius should’ve been their captain, and he blamed himself for the mutiny. He was staring at Incenda and Jonas’ faces as though engraving them in stone in his heart. Mercy wanted to kick the stool out from under Tolbert’s feet, but instead she decided to strike him down in a different way.

  Mercy snapped, “Garnet played you for a fool the entire time. She used your superstition and your bitterness towards the captain to get what she wanted. She just let you think you were leading the mutiny. When it was over, she would’ve killed you.”

  “I was the leader of the mutiny. It was my idea the entire time.”

  “I was the one who fought her while you were cowering and clutching your wounded leg. You probably didn’t hear what she said over your own cowardly screams. She bragged about how she used you and how she got Scrap to join her. You were nothing but a tool.”

  Tolbert spat, “Whatever fool mission you have in mind is gonna fail. How many more people are going to die around you before you realize that you’re the ones responsible for all of our misery? You’re all in this up to your necks and it won’t be long until your heads go under.”

  Captain Morrissey snarled, “Worry about your own neck, Tolbert.” And kicked the stool out from under Tolbert’s feet.

  Scrap shrieked and buried his face into his shackled hands. Even though Mercy felt sorry for him, she could tell it was the best lesson that Morrissey could give him. Mercy managed to look away just in time, and Erebus wrapped his arms protectively around her, trying to shield her ears from the sound, but she heard it anyway. Everyone gasped in surprise and sickened horror for a moment when they heard Tolbert’s neck snap and saw his feet spasm before he became still.

  Mercy was glad that the break was a clean one and his life ended quickly. She was also glad that the captain did it when he did. There was no point in listening to any other words from him. He had clearly been manipulated by Garnet to the point he was delusional. What he had to say didn’t matter.

  Mirilee was crying into Kylas’ shoulder, but not out of sorrow for Tolbert. Mercy could tell she was overwhelmed with everything that had happened since their journey started. Mercy was surprised that Lavirin and Kylas were silent. It seemed that their people usually prayed for anyone that died. Despite the lack of a prayer, they remained respectful and quiet and looked up at the captain expectantly.

  Captain Morrissey leaned against the mast and directed his question at Lavirin. “Have my decisions led us to ruin?”

  Lavirin shook his head. “Don’t think on it, captain. You shouldn’t doubt your decisions because of the likes of him.”

  Morrissey jumped down from the forecastle, leaving Tolbert’s body hanging from the foremast. He glared up at the lifeless corpse but then sighed miserably and shook his head. He knelt down for a moment and began to weep. Mercy glanced in Lavirin’s direction and realized that he was weeping as well. It wasn’t just the death of Tolbert, but the death of their crew, their entire crew, that he was mourning.

  Pyron jumped down and glanced at Mercy, giving her a look that made her remember his words earlier. “Sometimes vengeance isn’t enough. Revenge is for the living, not the dead.”

  Morrissey quickly wiped away his tears and said, “Incenda and Jonas have been avenged this night. Their spirits can rest peacefully. We will give their bodies to the sea that they loved, bound together as they were in life. Is there anything anyone would like to say?”

  Mercy buried her face in Erebus’ shoulder but managed to say, “Thank you for always being so kind to us. At least now you don’t need to be afraid, Incenda. Jonas will always be there to watch over you.”

  Lavirin said softly, “I’ll miss you. You deserved better than how you died, but you’ll always be remembered f
or how you lived. We’ll see you again one day. May the Spirit of the Stars grant you both peace and may you rest.”

  Kylas and Mirilee said together, “May you rest.”

  Pyron, Captain Morrissey, Erebus, and Lavirin pulled the bodies over to the side of the boat and dropped them into the water where the railing was still broken. They landed with a quiet splash, the sound cushioned by a very thin layer of ice. The ship was eerily silent. The only sound on deck was the gentle plinking of ice from the sleet around them.

  Lavirin unshackled Scrap and practically dragged him in the direction of the brig. Mercy felt a flood of relief and shame as he followed Lavirin without a fight.

  Everyone huddled closely and looked down at the bodies until the ship left them behind. When Lavirin returned, he and Captain Morrissey clasped arms for a moment, and then Lavirin grabbed a hammer and began to chip away at the ice that was forming on the mast. The captain returned to his post and began navigating through the field of thin ice.

  Pyron motioned towards the lower deck at Beryl, but he just sighed and said, “There’s no chance I can sleep now. I’m going to stay up a little longer and help the captain navigate through the ice. If there’s one thing I know about sailing it’s about navigating these waters.”

  Pyron shrugged and began to assist Lavirin with the sails. Kylas had already disappeared below deck, but it seemed that Mirilee actually wanted to stay outside. She was also using a hammer to crack the ice onboard. Mercy could tell that it was to get her mind off of more than just the funeral. She walked over to her.

  “When I heard the news about Incenda, I didn’t even think about the fact you probably couldn’t sleep either. Have you had anymore nightmares?”

  “Visions. I wish they were nightmares. Yes, I had them. Nothing’s changed. If anything, the vision became worse. I’m trying not to think about it.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m going to stay awake and break ice for a little while. It’s kind of nice to just rear back and smack the hell out of something. It gets your mind off of things. You should try it sometime.”

  Mercy tried to smile. “You’re right. I should try it, but not right now. I think I need to get some more rest. I’ll take your turn when I wake up.”

  Mirilee smiled and said, “So in about a day or two?”

  Mercy punched her playfully in the shoulder. “That’s the Mirilee I know and miss.”

  Mercy looked up at Tolbert’s body as she wandered towards the stairwell and the lower deck. She wondered how long the captain was going to let it hang there. It was right in front of the wheel of the ship. He would have to look at it every time he looked ahead. She wasn’t sure if that was meant as an insult to Tolbert’s memory, or if it was just that the captain was trying to remind himself that he was responsible for yet another death. She didn’t think it was her place to tell him to take it down.

  Even though Lavirin was the only member of his crew that was left, Captain Morrissey was still the captain of his own ship, and Tolbert still needed to hang as an example. Mercy knew that Lavirin would tell the story when the captain was looking for new sailors. He wouldn’t seem weak, and that was important. When he found a new crew they would know to respect him.

  Erebus whispered to Mercy, “Come on. It sounds like there isn’t much that we can do up here. Are you okay?”

  “I don’t know if I’ll ever be okay. I just feel completely drained. So many bad things have happened lately, and I just really want to get off of this ship. Do you know when we’ll reach the shore?”

  “I heard Beryl say that it would only be about two more days. They have to be careful because the ice is thicker than they expected, but it’ll be soon.”

  Mercy whispered, “Thank the God of the Stars.”

  Erebus cocked his head. “Picked up a new religion have you?”

  “Maybe it’s just being around Mirilee so much. Something about being out in the middle of the ocean makes the forest gods seem inappropriate, maybe even small. The stars are the only constant that I think I’ve seen since we started this trip.”

  “Even they’re constantly moving, but I know what you mean.”

  Mercy was surprised that her quarters were so empty, and she silently acknowledged that two of the women that used to sleep there were dead. One of them had died by her own hands. Even though they hadn’t known each other for long, she somehow missed them. In some ways, she even oddly missed Garnet. At least Mirilee would be back later, but right now Mercy was glad for the privacy. She sat down in her hammock, and Erebus sat next to her.

  He pulled a bottle out from under his thick, fur jacket. “I brought you something.”

  “No blood, please, I really don’t want it.”

  Erebus looked a little offended. “It isn’t blood, Mercy. It’s white wine. I thought you might want something to drink after tonight.”

  “What are we celebrating?”

  “How about the fact that we’ll reach land in two days, and it seems that you’ve finally overcome your seasickness?”

  Mercy smiled weakly. “I’m sick in a different way now. Still, I’ll drink to that.”

  Erebus uncorked the bottle of wine, handing it to Mercy first. She took a long swallow and then passed it back to him. It was sweet, and the taste was refreshing. It was also very cold. She guessed that he probably dipped it in the water earlier to chill it. She almost wished it was warm instead, but she relished the warmth in her belly that came from the alcohol. Her emotions were so numb that the numbness of her body felt appropriate. It was cold even below deck. She pulled her coat around her shoulders and Erebus snuggled closer moving behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

  She smiled and looked up at him, taking another long draw of wine from the bottle. “This is the first time we’ve been alone in a long time, but I think I’m too tired to kiss you.”

  He nuzzled his head into her neck and whispered, “I’m just glad to be this close. I was worried about you earlier. That fight with Garnet must’ve taken a lot out of you, not to mention what you did for Pyron.”

  Mercy looked at the floorboards. She suddenly thought of her altered form and threw back the bottle of wine, drinking so quickly some of it dribbled down her chin. Erebus put a hand on her chin, wiping the excess away and plucked the bottle gently from her hands. He turned her face so that he could look into her eyes.

  He whispered, “I know what happened when you fought Garnet. I saw you.”

  Mercy frowned. “How could you see me? I was above deck and you were stuck in here. You were unconscious.”

  “I was fading in and out of consciousness, but whenever I awoke I would use my powers to look through the shadows. I searched all the way to the upper deck to see what was going on. I’m so sorry, Mercy.”

  Mercy glanced at him. He was leaning back and drinking from the bottle almost as heavily as she had a moment before. It sounded as though it was already getting low. Even though she hated to admit it, she needed a little liquid courage to talk to him about what happened that night. She guessed that was probably why he brought the wine in the first place.

  She sighed and reclined against his chest. “Is it too late to use that favor now? I think your demon got his wish. She’s part of me now. I had to ask her to help me. I gave her permission to do that to me.”

  “I don’t know. You could try. If you haven’t had to fight her yet, then you might be able to keep her from manifesting entirely.”

  Mercy thought about the battle and shivered.

  For awhile it felt as though she was actually fighting with her inner demon, but she couldn’t be sure. “What does it feel like when you fight it? I think she did gain control over me for a short time, but I was able to push her out in the end.”

  Erebus sighed. “You would know if you were forced to fight her. It would take place in your mind, and it would feel like hours, but in reality it only takes a few minutes. I’ve never seen someone learn their second form so quickly without fi
ghting their inner beast first.”

  “It was awful, Erebus. It felt too natural. I can’t believe I actually enjoyed killing someone. When I felt Garnet’s heart stop beating, I felt this euphoric power coursing through me, and I loved the way it felt. I wanted my shadow to take control. The only thing that brought me back to my senses was when I thought Pyron was dead.”

  Erebus pulled her into a tight hug. “Exactly. You came back to your senses. You didn’t let her stay in control. That’s why I know that you aren’t like me yet. There’s still hope that you might be able to stop before you become a shadow weaver.”

  “You stop your demon from taking control all the time.”

  “Yes, but I never could before I tested my strength against his. You came back, and you didn’t have to fight her.”

  “Could I even become one? I thought there had to be a ritual.”

  “I did too until I saw you fighting that night. I think you’re very close to becoming one. You’re blending my dark magic with your natural abilities. If you keep doing it, one day you will be.”

  Mercy stood up. She was shaking, and it had nothing to do with the cold. “Erebus, how do I keep learning new magic? How did I know how to bring Pyron back from the dead? I’m afraid of myself. Who is my ancestor to have given me so much power naturally?”

  Erebus frowned and looked at the floor, as though he didn’t want to meet Mercy’s gaze, and he took another sip of the wine. “Maybe it wasn’t an ancestor at all. Maybe it was someone in your immediate family. What do you remember about your mother, Mercy?”

  Mercy gasped, appalled. “You think it was my Mother?”

  Erebus shrugged. “I don’t know. It was just a theory. I thought it might be her because you’re progressing so quickly. You’re too powerful for this to be just something you inherited from a distant ancestor.”