Plundered Chronicles_Skyblade's Gambit

by Robert Dahlen

  “It will eventually. I just hope there won't be a thunder gun with it.”

  Annabel pulled the amulet from her coat pocket and tossed it to Victorie. “It'll be a lot harder for them to make another one without this,” she said with a grin.

  Victorie stared at the amulet and shook her head. “Damn you, Woolcott. How could you sell out Cerindel like that? Putting innocent lives at risk, just for a bag of gold and petty revenge.” The major clutched the amulet tight in her hand. “I need to find who he was working with,” she said softly. “Who knew about this? How high does it go? Who can be trusted?”

  “Torie…” She looked over at Annabel. “What do we do with the amulet?”

  Victorie saw that the amulet's silver setting and chain had been scorched, but the seven sapphires still shone brightly. “It’s too tempting,” she murmured. “This still holds great power. If we were to return this to Cerindel…”

  “Someone would build a bigger thunder gun with it,” Annabel said. “One that could destroy cities. Murder thousands.”

  “I know.” Victorie drew her pistolere. “I hope you’ll forgive me, Annabel. It would have looked lovely on you.”

  Annabel smiled. “There’s plenty more baubles out there for the taking,” she said. “Do what you think is best.”

  Victorie nodded. She threw the amulet high in the air. As it reached its zenith, she aimed her pistolere and fired. The pellet struck the sapphire in the middle dead center.

  The amulet spiraled away, down from the airship, towards the sea below. As the women watched, the energy in the cracked sapphire flared, shattering the other gems. The Amulet of Glena broke apart as it fell towards its ocean grave.

  “I suppose I’ll have to tell the admirals that the amulet was destroyed in the fire on board the dreadnought,” Victorie said as she holstered her pistolere.

  “Shame,” Annabel said.

  “It will embarrass the Admiralty, but I think that when I point out that no one had even seen the amulet in centuries, they may forgive me. And they can always quietly commission a replacement forgery.”

  “I know someone who could help with that.”

  “Which comes as no surprise.” Victorie smiled wryly. “Back to the Peregrine?”

  “There might be a problem with that.” Annabel scowled.

  “What?”

  “The power crystals.” Annabel pointed towards the stern. “They’ve got some sort of magical safeguard spell.”

  “Blast it,” Victorie said. “They can’t be charged?”

  “Not without bypassing the spell, and that’s something I don’t have the training for.” Annabel’s lip trembled. “If the Peregrine doesn’t spot us…”

  “We’ll run out of power,” Victorie said. “And drift aimlessly until we perish.”

  Annabel nodded. “I’m sorry, Torie.”

  “Don’t give up hope yet, Annabel.” Victorie pointed at the airship’s control. “Keep a steady course. Don’t do anything to waste power. We may still cross paths with another airship.”

  “And what about food?” Annabel looked away. “And water?”

  Victorie was silent for a moment. “There is that,” she said quietly.

  “Torie…” Annabel swallowed. “If this is the end…” She stared sadly at Victorie. “There’s no one I’d rather be with than you. No one anywhere.”

  Victorie smiled. “At least you managed to steal one final treasure.”

  “What? That bloody amulet?” Annabel gritted her teeth.

  “No. Something even harder to claim.” Victorie’s eyes shined as she slipped her hand into Annabel’s. “You stole my heart, you scamp.”

  Annabel glanced at their hands as they clutched tightly together. “I had to steal it, Torie,” she said. “I needed one.” Her smile was surprisingly sweet as she looked in Victorie's eyes and whispered, “After all, you’ve taken mine.”

  Victorie held Annabel in her arms, and their lips met. The kiss led to another, and another still. As their bodies pressed closer together, Annabel slipped her hand inside Victorie’s jacket and ran her fingertips down the major’s side. Victorie shuddered and started to nuzzle Annabel’s cheek. “You’re not that prim and proper after all, are you?” Annabel said.

  “You noticed.” Victorie kissed the pirate’s neck. Annabel sighed, and Victorie added, “This may be my only chance, and I’m going to take it.”

  “Aye,” Annabel said as she set her hands on Victorie’s thighs. “You’ll take it, all right, and I'll be the one to give it to you.” Victorie smiled, and they kissed again, and again, their hearts pumping and their heads swimming as their hands slowly started to explore each other's bodies.

  “Cap’n?”

  Annabel pulled away from Victorie and gasped softly. Lickfoot and Sourtongue were there, flying alongside the cutter. She looked past them and saw the Peregrine in the distance; most of the crew was lined up along the rail, waving at her and Victorie. “I suspect they spotted the flare when I shot the amulet,” the major murmured.

  “Is everything all right?” Lickfoot said.

  “Everything except for your bloody timing,” Victorie said with a sigh. Annabel doubled over laughing.

  The sun was rising, and its first light was shining on the Peregrine as it hovered by the docks of Cerindel. As the glashtyn pushed the last of the supplies up the gangplank, Annabel and Victorie stood to one side, out of earshot of the crew. “You need to cast off quickly,” Victorie said. “If anyone else from the Navy finds out you’re here, they’ll be after you.”

  “I know.” Annabel scowled. “What’s next for you, then?”

  “Duty.” Victorie held back a sigh. “And you?”

  “We’ll need to head south for a while, I think. After all that we've done, Svendar will be looking for me.”

  “And that means…” Victorie’s face started to redden.

  “Aye.” Annabel looked away. “It could be some time before our paths cross again.”

  “It might.” Victorie fell quiet, knowing that if she said anything more she would crack, that the hole in her that their parting was causing would swallow her up.

  “Torie…” Annabel looked back at her. “Come sail with me.”

  “What?” Victorie blinked.

  “Join my crew. Be my first mate.” Annabel gestured towards the Peregrine. “With you at my side, we’d be the most feared pirates on all of Aldarre. No one could stand against us!”

  Victorie smiled in spite of herself. “Ah, you little scamp. You know I couldn’t.”

  “But we’d steal the greatest treasures! We’d rule the skies! We…” Annabel swallowed. “We’d be together,” she whispered.

  Victorie squeezed her eyes shut. “I...I can’t.”

  “Torie…”

  “There’s something wrong with the Navy. It’s rotting from inside, like that rope I spotted in your rigging. I need to find out what it is, before it spreads. Before innocent people get hurt.”

  “Aye. Your cursed duty,” Annabel said flatly.

  Victorie opened her eyes and saw the pirate staring at the pier, clenching her fists. “Annabel?” she said.

  “Aye?”

  “Stay with me.” Victorie smiled as she laid a hand on Annabel’s.

  Annabel stared at the major. “Stay?” she said.

  “I don’t know if I can do this alone,” Victorie said softly. “I need you with me. You may be the only one I can trust.”

  “But…”

  “I’ll get you a pardon. Blanket amnesty. And we can work together to clean things up, to help fix what's wrong. There’s so much good we could…”

  Victorie’s voice trailed off as she saw the first tear in Annabel’s eye. “I can’t,” the pirate whispered. “I’d never fit in to your world. Too many rules, too many stuffed shirts looking to take me down a peg…”

  “They’ve have to go through me,” Victorie said.

  Annabel smiled faintly. “But there’s my crew.”

  “
They need you?” Victorie said gently.

  “Aye.” Annabel set a hand on Victorie’s shoulder. “Big Tom, Hardwicke, even the glashtyn. My duty is to them.”

  Victorie stroked Annabel’s cheek, brushing aside a tear. “But I need you too,” the major said quietly. “I’ll be lost without you.”

  Annabel stared at Victorie for a moment. She grabbed Victorie and pulled close. They kissed, over and over, without any care for who might be watching. They held each other tight, their tears blending, and even though Victorie’s heart was breaking, she knew that the memories of this moment, of Annabel, would carry her through the stormy times to come.

  The pirate captain broke the kiss and wordlessly walked up the gangplank. She stopped at the top and turned back to face Victorie. “I won’t say goodbye,” Annabel said, her voice shaking. “I won’t. Not if it implies that this is the last we’ll ever see of each other.”

  Victorie nodded. “Then…” She paused. “Fair winds and calm skies to you, my dearest Annabel.”

  Annabel slowly grinned, a smile as bright as the rising sun, a sight that filled Victorie with hope and joy. “And may the wind always be at your back, my dearheart. My primrose. My Torie.”

  Victorie saluted, smiling happily as Annabel jumped onto the Peregrine’s deck. “Cast off!” Captain Skyblade shouted. “Head south! The merchants of Wandola won’t know what hit them! Pilfor!”

  “Yes, Captain?” the mage said.

  “Show the colors!”

  “What?” Pilfor's jaw dropped.

  “You heard me.” Annabel folded her arms. Pilfor shrugged and gestured.

  The air around the pirate ship wavered. Victorie could see the Peregrine as it sailed away from Cerindel, the skull and crossbones on her mainsail. Annabel stood at the stern and waved; Victorie smiled again as she waved back to the pirate who had stolen her heart.

  Annabel waved until her arm started to tire as she watched Cerindel, and Victorie, fade into the distance. Her tears had finally stopped, but there was still an ache in her heart...but it eased as she thought of Victorie, her wry smile, her gentle touch, her sweet lips, the light in her eyes. You haven’t seen the last of me, Torie, she thought. We’ll meet again. And when we do, I will ask you again to sail with me, and I won’t take “no” for an answer.

  There was a cough behind her. She turned and saw most of the crew gathered behind her, watching her. “Cap’n…?” Big Tom said.

  Annabel’s face reddened. “You lazy bastards!” she screamed. “Close those mouths and get back to work, or I’ll cut you wide open and make you swab the decks with your guts!” She stormed past them, glashtyn scattering in her wake as she slammed the door to the captain’s cabin behind her.

  “Pilfor?” Big Tom said. “Our captain...she’s in love, isn’t she?”

  “It appears she is,” Pilfor said.

  The troll hid his face in his hands and sighed. “We’re doomed.”

  As Victorie watched and waved, she heard two sets of footsteps behind her. “Major!” a voice shouted.

  “Yes, Corporal Greaves?” Victorie said, not turning around.

  “That was the Peregrine!” Greaves said. “Skyblade's getting away!”

  “Shall we set sail after her?” another voice said.

  Victorie held up a hand. “No, Castleton. Let her go.”

  “What?” Castleton said.

  “We made a deal. Captain Skyblade lived up to her end, and I will honor mine.”

  “A deal?” Greaves was silent for a moment before he nodded. “I hope you know what you're doing, Brassfeld.”

  “But the bounty for her capture…” Castleton’s voice trailed off.

  Greaves chuckled. “It’s only gold, boy.”

  “But she's escaped.”

  “So she has.” Greaves walked away, pushing Castleton along. “And I’ll bet that pirate’s tail was between her legs. We’ve seen the last of Captain Skyblade around these parts.”

  Victorie fixed her stare on the horizon. She smiled as thoughts and memories of Annabel filled her mind. “With all due respect, Greaves,” she said to herself, “I sincerely hope you’re wrong.”

  Also by Robert Dahlen

  The Monkey Queen Series

  Of Introductions And Abductions

  The Brigadoon Boondoggle

  Under The Stars Of Faerie

  A Tiding Of Magpies

  Redblade

  The Crown Of Kylthena

  And more to come!

  Many thanks for reading Skyblade's Gambit!

  If you enjoyed this book, please take a moment to leave a review on Amazon. Thanks!

  MORE FROM THE PLUNDERED WORLD

  “Write what you love and the rest will follow.”

  These words I heard from Rita Mae Brown decades before she became my good friend, and—boy—was she ever right. Years later, the hero of the Plundered Chronicles, Quinn Gallagher, sprang from my head. Just like Athena, she took off running, swords glistening in the sunlight, hair swept back in a stylish pirate-tail.

  Little did I know that when I ran after her, I would also run straight into an opportunity to share her with countless others as part of Amazon’s very first LGBT Kindle World. Wow, am I honored to be a part of this incredible community of readers, writers, and supporters. After all, our voices matter, our characters matter, and our stories need to be told!

  If you’re ready to join us, buckle your boots, unsheathe your swords, and prepare yourself for a compilation of stories that take these troublemaking pirates to entirely new levels of awesomeness. Welcome to Kindle Worlds' official place for pirates, plunder, and pretty ladies (and gents!)—who will not only cut a wide swath on their way to great story-telling, but will also cut a path to your heart.

  I hope you enjoy these stories as much as we have all enjoyed writing them for you,

  Alex W.

  START WITH THE ORIGINAL SERIES BY ALEX WESTMORE

  Book 1: The Pirate’s Booty

  Book 2: Shiver her Timbers

  Book 3: Fire in the Hole

  Book 4: Cutthroat Crusades

  ... with more coming soon!

  AND THEN KEEP EXPLORING!

  Much Ado about Pirates by Falcon Storm

  Sayyida by K’Anne Meinel

  The House at Sea by R.J. Blain

  The Time Parlay by Jill Cooper

  The Girl Who Touched the Stars by M.D. Cooper

  Falling for a Pirate by Meredith Bond

  Shipwrecked by Kathryn Hickle

  Steel, Steam & Immortality by Annathesa Nikola Darksbane

  Bring Me the Horizon by Shei Darksbane

  Skyblade’s Gambit by Robert Dahlen

  Nebulous Rising: Inferno by Talia Carmichael

  Want more?

  Here's how to keep with Annabel, Victorie, and new releases in The Skyblade Saga:

  Sign up for the mailing list here for news, release dates and more! I promise that your email address will never be sold, given away, or keelhauled.

  Visit my web site at http://monkeyqueenbooks.com for the latest news and info, and the official blog! It's updated regularly with previews, short stories and more! You can also find the blog here.

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  Like me on Facebook!

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  And I'm even on DeviantArt!

  Acknowledgments

  First and foremost, many thanks to our captain Alex Westmore, for coming up with this and letting me join in!

  Thanks to Melissa Storm for coordinating this project, putting up with all my questions, and general first-rate cat herding!

  Thanks to Brittany with Kindle Worlds for all her hard work!

  Thanks to all the other authors involved in this! I'm looking forward to seeing what we've all come up with!

  Thanks to Janna Prosvirina for allowing use of her stock image for the cover! Check out her gallery at www.kuoma-stock.deviantart.com .

  Many, many thanks, more than I
can count, to Shei Darksbane for talking me into coming on board, designing the cover, and all-around awesomeness!

  And thanks again to Amber Goss. I still owe you some cheesy fries.