“We were in touch when she was going to Castle Crag.”
Maggie nodded. “Well, there you go. It’s nearly impossible to get communications in or out of there.”
“If that’s the case, she’s been hold up there since the beginning of the year.”
“It’s almost the end of the year.”
“Exactly.”
“My mother doesn’t stay anywhere that long.”
“Exactly.”
“You don’t even know if she’s still there.”
“Neither does your...” Ephraim cut himself off. “Neither does her lover. Do you think she’s hiding from him?”
Maggie snorted. “Hiding? If she wanted him gone, he’d be gone. One way or the other. Besides, hasn’t he gone looking for her?” She was embarrassed to say she didn’t even remember his name. He was young, good looking, and not too bright. Just the way her mother liked them.
“He says he doesn’t have the time. As you pointed out, she could be anywhere.”
“Yeah, and he’d rather stuff his head down the toilet than port to Castle Crag.”
“The natives are restless.”
“You just have to know how to handle them.”
“So, you’ll go with me?”
“Where? Back to Calgaria? Are you nuts?” Maggie said. “Not for all the licorice in Brakavia.”
“Haven’t you been listening?” Ephraim sighed dramatically. “We’re going to be pirates. We’re going to find your mother. Or rescue her if she’s being held captive.”
“Okay first of all, Black Belle never needed to be rescued from anything in her life. If she’s incommunicado, there’s a damn good reason.”
“And don’t you want to know what that is?”
“Frankly, no, and I’m happy it’s taken her attention away from me.”
“She could be dying,” Ephraim wheedled.
“You are such a drama queen.”
“Aren’t you bored of this town yet? It’s been what? Ten years.”
“Five years, you jerk.” Maggie tilted her head. Maybe she was getting stir crazy. That would sure explain the crazy feelings she had when Quick did a disappearing act after the wham bam thank you ma’am. “Ephraim, I don’t want to be a pirate. I want to run my bar.” At least she thought she still did. “And I don’t want your parents’ fleet chasing us around the universe.” That, she was damn sure of.
“They’ll never know.”
“Keegan’s ass is creasing a hole in my deck chair out there. Don’t you think that if I disappear, he’ll assume you and I ran off together?”
Ephraim squealed. “That’s so romantic.”
“It’s not romantic. It’s asinine. No.”
“Maggie,” Ephraim said softly. “This is my only chance to escape. No one is powerful enough to protect me from my mother, but yours.”
“Just stand up to her. Abscond the throne or whatever it’s called. You must have a cousin who will step up.”
“Yeah, she’d make a good ruler. Better than me, in fact. Unfortunately, my mother hates her.”
“She can’t force you to breed.” Maggie thought about it. “But she can probably force you to marry Zuna princess.”
“Not if I’m not there. Please, Maggie? I just need you to escort me to Castle Crag. Get me through the gates, and I’ll take it from there. You’re the only one that won’t be attacked on sight. In the meantime, we can have an adventure. We don’t have to get married.”
“We’re not,” Maggie said.
“But remember when we were going to try and make it work? We said that we’d rule by proxy and travel the universe and have adventures. It would be like that.”
“We were sixteen, Ephraim. I would like to think in ten years, we’ve grown up some.”
“How about a vacation then?”
“To the jungles of Castle Crag?”
“You live in paradise, where do you want to go? Antarctica?”
Maggie was having a hard time coming up with excuses not to go. It was getting a little old, running the bar day in and day out. It had taken all the money Ephraim gave her to buy the place and then she busted her ass for five years straight to put it on the map. Could she trust it to Donna to keep it standing?
“What’s keeping you here?” Ephraim asked. “That pirate you see what once, twice a month? Would Quick even notice if you were gone for a few weeks? Hell, he might not even be back in that time.”
Maggie felt a dull ache inside her chest. Would he miss me if I was gone? More importantly, would I miss him?
“Oh fine,” Maggie said. “I’ll do it.”
“I knew it.” Ephraim chortled.
“But we do it my way. We sneak out on one of the airships and go straight to Castle Crag. I’ll get you past the defenses. You agree to work for my mother for five years.”
“Five?”
“Five. After that, if you can afford your own boat and no longer need protection, you’re on your own. But you must be committed to this. I’m not going to screw over my mother again.”
“What if she’s not there when we get there?”
Maggie thought about it. “Then we’ll find her.”
Chapter Three
Maggie left Ephraim curled up on the couch watching Mexican soap operas and eating his way through a tub of Ben and Jerry’s. She climbed down the roof and wrapped a scarf around her head, trying to blend in as much as possible. Her brown hair whipped into her face and she kept her eyes lowered and her face averted. That was all she would need is to have one of the Calgarians start tailing her.
The afternoon was balmy and she lost herself in the crowd of tourists who were milling from Carlos and Charlies down to Senior Frog’s bar and grill. Her bar only opened for the night clientele during the week. It was more profitable, and was easier on her rest rooms.
The dock section was rough, even if you spoke the language and had lived there for five years. She heard some cat calls and a few grumbles when she looked up and recognized a few faces. She was still armed, but because she wasn’t a greenie they would probably leave her alone.
Probably.
Once she was convinced she didn’t have anyone following her, Maggie hailed a cab. Of the many ships in air dock, there was only one Captain, who would dare to go into Castle Crag’s dimension. Well there were probably two, but she wanted to avoid Niles at all costs. She wouldn’t put it past him to take their fare. and then turn Ephraim and her over to the Calgarians.
The cab let her off by port authority and she saw that The Nicholette was powering up to leave.
“Crap.”
She had to shout and wave her hands for the deck hands’ attention.
“I need to speak to Captain Flannery.”
“He’s busy below decks. We’re about to go underway.” One of the tinkers poked his head over the rails to eye her with his ocular.
Maggie shifted uneasily, but realized that the ocular was searching to see if she wore a wire or had any weapons on her. “Tell him Maggie needs to talk with him before he goes.” She tried to keep her voice down, but it didn’t seem like anyone was taking undue notice of her.
“And why should I do that, Duckie?” the man said with a grin as he fumbled with a switch on his ocular goggles. Maggie was sure he had it on the X-ray filter and it wasn’t her skeleton that had put the smile on his face.
“Because I’m his daughter.”
The man whipped the goggles off his head and executed an odd curtsy. “I’ll let the Captain know.”
Maggie smiled back even though she really shouldn’t be slinging that information around the docks. She looked around, but no one was skulking in the shadows. Everyone seemed to want to get the heck out of port ahead of their competitors.
Derek McMann, Amos’ second in command threw a rope ladder down to her. “Haul your ass up. You’ve got ten minutes or you’re taking a ride to Ferriday with us.”
Maggie scuttled up the ladder. She could have used the docking line, but she w
as out of practice. Ignoring Derek’s hand, she clambered over the rail.
“This should be good,” he said, and he took her elbow to escort her to the Captain’s quarters.
She gave her arm a good pull, but he held on tightly. “I’m not going to sabotage the engine room.”
“Again,” he said.
Maggie had the grace to look embarrassed. “That was a long time ago.”
“Oh shit,” Derek said, which made Maggie look up.
Nicholette Flannery blocked their path. Maggie’s step-monster. She was huge. Her muscles had muscles. In fact, she was the only woman to take a full-on punch in the jaw from Black Belle and stare back unflinchingly. She had been her father’s mistress while he had been married to Black Belle. Of course to hear her tell it, Nicholette was his wife and Black Belle was the mistress. Her father never weighed in on the matter.
“Oh look, it’s the prodigal daughter.”
The only daughter, or child, for that matter. And that stuck in Nicholette’s craw something fierce. It gave Black Belle’s claim of being Amos’ first wife legitimacy.
“Oh look, it’s the slut on steroids.”
They never got along. Even if Maggie hadn’t hated her for breaking up her parents’ marriage, Nicholette never even tried for a better relationship.
Derek’s gripped tightened, but Nicholette only smiled. “I suppose you want money, now that your mother has cut you off.”
“You know,” Maggie said. “This was a bad idea. Forget it.” She tried to turn but unless she was planning on leaving her arm behind, she wasn’t going anywhere.
“Nicholette, I have orders and a ship to run. Amos wants to see her. Would you please let us by?” Even though the please was gritted out, Maggie was surprised. Derek McMann wasn’t known for his manners.
“Certainly,” Nicholette moved aside and followed them into the Captain’s quarters. “Whatever the little bitch has to say, she can say it in front of me too.”
Derek made his getaway as soon as Maggie crossed the threshold. Nicholette closed the door behind her and Maggie rubbed her elbow, hoping she wouldn’t have a bruise to explain to Quick.
Amos Flannery stood with his back to the door, gazing out the front windows of the airship. His hands were clasped behind his back and he rocked on his heels. The Nicholette was a luxury airship, but still had enough cannons and weapons to rival a warship.
“I need to hire you,” Maggie said.
Her father turned and frowned at her clothing. Maggie shifted uncomfortably. She was still in her jeans and T-shirt. If she wanted to be treated more professionally, she should have dressed less casually. She gave a self-conscious tug on her neckline.
“What do you need my ship for?”
“I need to go to Castle Crag.”
Her father closed his eyes, and Nicholette gave out a bark of surprised laughter.
“We’ll be blown out of the skies as soon as we exit the wormhole,” Nicholette said.
“Not if she knows I’m onboard,” Maggie said.
“You sure about that?” Nicholette smiled with a malicious leer.
Maggie wasn’t, but she nodded as if she was. “And if I’m not, I’ve got the entrance codes to get us by security.” If her mother hadn’t changed them.
“You could hire a dozen airships. Why me?” Amos asked.
“It’s a trap,” Nicholette said. “We dock and let her off, and then Black Belle tries to take our ship.”
“Amos, can I speak to you in private?”
“No,” they both said in unison.
Maggie gritted her teeth. “I have cargo. I don’t trust taking the cargo with me on a commercial airship. Not that a commercial will go to the Castle anyway.”
“Is it illegal?” Amos said, cocking his head at her. “It’s not like you to smuggle something out of Cozumel. Have you been diving?”
She loved to dive. She was just too chicken shit to try it out in Cozumel. She preferred the Cayman Islands when the worst thing you had to worry about was a curious nurse shark.
“It’s not illegal,” Maggie hedged. “And I haven’t been diving.” That she could say with enough truth in her voice to be convincing.
“Good. I’ve seen what’s left of the divers.”
Curious despite herself, she asked. “Sharks?”
Amos blew out a sigh. “Nope. Like nothing I’ve ever seen. Stay out of those waters.” Then, he winced. “I know that’s usually a challenge for you to do the exact opposite, but it’s not safe. I wouldn’t go there with Nicholette at my side in a fully loaded submergible.”
Maggie blinked. That was saying a lot. And yet, he was right. The fifteen-year-old inside her now wanted nothing more than to dive into the ruins, just to show him he couldn’t dictate what she could or could not do. But Maggie had a few more years of wisdom to draw on, so she just nodded.
“Can you take me and my cargo?” she asked.
“Well, I’m not headed towards Castle Crag for another three ports. You’ll have to take a ride. It’ll be about a month.”
“Amos, you can’t be serious.” A whole month?
“Take it or leave it. And I need to know exactly what your cargo is before we leave port.”
“Deal,” Maggie said before he changed his mind. She didn’t have a choice. She couldn’t risk Ephraim. Donna would just have to mind the bar for a whole month.
“You’ve got an hour. If you’re not back by that time, find yourself another airship.”
“What about cost? We’re not going to Castle Crag for free,” Nicholette said.
“That will depend on the cargo,” Amos said. “And can be discussed once we’re underway.”
Normally, Maggie would have insisted on the price being negotiated before the airship left the dock, but in this case, she figured discretion was the better part of valor. Amos wouldn’t renege on the deal once they were underway, and he knew she was good for the money. Or rather Ephraim was.
“Change your clothes.” Amos pointed a gnarled finger at her. “I’m not killing all my airmen because they’re getting grabby with my daughter.”
Maggie turned at the doorway. “I would prefer that no one knows about our relationship more than necessary.”
Amos flinched as if she struck him.
Nicholette smirked.
“Your preference is noted.”
He went back to staring out the windows.
Hurrying to the edge of the airship, Maggie grabbed a towline and swirled herself to the dock.
Chapter Four
They almost made it. It took some convincing, but Donna agreed to manage the bar for a month for a healthy cut of the profits.
Having her distract Kreeger, on the other hand, cost Maggie ten percent of any treasure or cargo she brought back from her adventures. Since she couldn’t give up Ephraim’s secret, she told Donna that she was going to go adventuring for a month to get rid of the wanderlust she had been feeling.
Unfortunately, Kreeger wasn’t an idiot. For all his posturing, he was still the captain of the royal guard. Even disguised, Ephraim caught his eye and within seconds Kreeger had called for back up before Maggie stunned him. The Calgarian guards were chasing them down the streets of Cozumel and their battle ships went on high alert.
“What are we going to do?” Ephraim said, as they stopped to catch their breath behind a cement wall. He grabbed her shoulders. “I can’t let them catch me.”
Shaking him off, Maggie said, “Don’t freak out on me now. All we have to do is lose them and get to The Nicholette.”
Ephraim’s eyes bugged out. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Say what you want about Amos. He’s the only one I trust with you.”
“You don’t trust Quick?”
“Quick’s not here.” But Ephraim raised a good question. If Quick had stuck around, would she have asked him to smuggle Ephraim out?
“If those battle cruisers think I’m on The Nicholette, they’ll shoot her out of the sky.�
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“Don’t be ridiculous. They wouldn’t risk you like that.” Maggie dragged him deeper into the residential area, zig zagging down streets and lanes. “We just have to get airborne. Then the worst thing they can do is follow us.”
She didn’t mention to Ephraim that they weren’t going straight to Castle Crag or that if the Calgarians followed them to Ferriday, they would file extradition papers and that would ground The Nicholette until they surrendered him.
They had to get to The Nicholette first before they worried about that.
“Over here,” Alarna said, peeking her head out of a doorway.
They sprinted inside and crouched down by the window to catch their breath.
“I told you,” Alarna sing-songed.
“Yeah,” Maggie said. “I should have believed you.” And it was just Maggie’s luck that the airship captain she was going on a journey with was her father and not her lover.
“Come out back. Uncle Raul can take you to the air dock in his truck.”
“Thank you,” Ephraim said, pressing a domino size stone into her hand.
Alarna raised her eyebrow at Maggie. “He’s an easy mark.”
“I know.” Maggie sighed, tossing a blanket over his head. “But he can afford it.”
Alarna kept a look out for the Calgarian guards. “Coast is clear.”
Hurrying Ephraim into the back of the truck, Maggie got under the blanket with him.
“Are we going to make it?” Ephraim’s eyes were wide, and his breath was coming in short panicky blasts.
I hope so. “Yes,” she said. Otherwise she was about to start another interstellar incident with the Calgarians. And her mother was fresh out of airships.
Uncle Raul took the long way around. They were jostled over ruts and the back of the truck smelled like fish guts left out in the hot sun. But it did the trick. He let them out a few streets from the airship docks and drove away.
“I’m not used to all this excitement,” Ephraim said, pressing on his side.
“If you’re going to run with Black Belle, you better get used to it.”
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