by LJ Andrews
“Yer certain?” Smythe asked quietly. His uneasiness did nothing to settle the storm within Nova’s chest walls.
“That is our answer for now. We will provide more direction once payment is received. We’ll expect payment by the next moon cycle or you will regret knowing us,” Virtus said, his pale, chapped lips sticking to his large teeth.
Co grabbed a hold of Patus’s arm. “Brother, there is trouble about our humble home. We are in grave danger.”
Patus frowned at Smythe and Nova before taking each of his brothers’ hands and backing toward the back wall. “You’ve threatened our home and we do not forget those who do us wrong. Bring our payment or you will meet your end painfully.”
Faint sounds of commotion could be heard out in the pub and streets. Nova’s heart seemed to leap from her chest. It felt as if the walls were crushing her lungs the longer she was forced to stay in the back room with the Three Brothers. The inner darkness urged her to run. Something was wrong.
As if they read her thoughts, the Three Brothers stood in a straight line before fading into the walls like mist surrounding the rocky end of a waterfall.
“What? Where did they…” Nova stammered pointing in disbelief at the empty room.
“No time for that. Move along—somethin’ be wrong,” Smythe growled, pulling her back into the pub.
The streets were filled with gunfire and chaos. The crew took shelter behind barrels, buildings, and poor citizens as they fired their guns toward the blue coats of the Royal Navy.
“What be happenin’?” Smythe shouted in the face of one of the crew as he held the man by the cuff of his shirt.
“Fat-Hugh, Cap’n. Took a deal with the king; he be here comin’ after her for breakin’ into his palace.”
Nova stiffened as she realized the crewman was pointing at her. The memory of raiding the palace on Koning, meeting the frightened Queen Neah, and promising to return filled her mind as she took a deep breath, allowing the steady crawl of the dark power to overcome her. She would fight against this. She had to; he wouldn’t let her live if she was caught. It was inevitable—King Insel had finally found her.
Smythe cursed under his breath. “How’d Hugh reach out to the king without me knowin’?”
“I suppose it was when we traveled through to Mollem, Cap’n. They been trackin’ us ever since. They be blockin’ the way out now.”
“Well if it be a fight they’re lookin’ for, we’ll give it to ‘em. Miss Nova, prepare to defend yerself,” the captain said, unsheathing his cutlass.
Nova wasn’t listening, she was stalking toward the opening of the cave, unsure why she was so compelled to face Insel. It seemed the battle parted as she continued on her path; no one engaged against her, and she walked trance-like through the village. The bend curved like a winding snake until she stood at the edge of town, facing the gaping mouth of the Underbelly entrance.
A royal ship bobbed outside with several warships on its flanks. The Vengeance was engaged in terrible gunfire against two of the vessels. All around her bullets sailed through the air as pirates and the Royal Navy battled against one another in furious rage. The king’s ship was turned so the side of the hull was in clear view from where she stood. As if her eyes knew just where to look, she focused in on the flamboyant purple coat of the wretched king. Nova’s anger boiled inside her chest when she saw what was in his hands.
Insel’s arm was hooked around the young queen’s neck. Nova called her Neah in her thoughts, but she knew it wasn’t her true name, only the façade of the original queen. Nova’s crystal eyes narrowed fiercely on the arrogant grin spreading across the king’s painted face. How could he have known to use Neah as bait for her?
As if a heavy cloud settled inside her chest, Nova’s blood burned. Everything pulsed against her sensibilities to release the power inside: The Three brothers, the strange Underbelly, King Insel, the promise she’d made to the queen. Nova took a deep breath and closed her eyes as the arrogance surged through her veins. King Insel was nothing but an island cockroach. He wasn’t a ruler, he was a tyrant. It would be nothing to rid the skies of his reign of terror.
Letting the fury fill her legs, she ran toward the edge of the Underbelly, straight at the king’s ship. As she ran, men fell either wounded or dead at her feet. A particularly plump villager fell at her feet, bringing her to a skidding stop. In an instant, her focus fell to the man’s weapon. It appeared to be of his own making, a long iron rod with horned points at the end, much like a pitchfork, but more sinister.
Without hesitation, she wrenched it from the man’s hands. He surprised her when he shouted out in pain from her grasp, but his cries fell on deaf ears. Neah had to be reached. Again, Nova darted toward the edge of the mysterious cave. The ship was too far to jump, but a long thick rope drooped over the front of the mouth of the cave from past climbers.
Nova raced forward, her legs screaming protests as the inner darkness fueled her. Leaping over the small gap between the edge of the cave and the rope, Nova gripped the rope tightly with all her effort. It was slung across several boulders building up the outer cave.
“Fire at will!” A shout from the royal ship sounded in her ears.
Nova climbed quickly up the rope until she climbed out onto one of the jutting boulders building up the upper cave. She was near the Vengeance and the king’s ship. She could jump and land right on deck and face Insel herself.
Locking the weapon securely in her belt, she made up her mind. Bracing for the jump, Nova focused on the royal ship, ignoring the sudden change of direction from the Vengeance. Closing her eyes, Nova leapt through the clouds. The air beat against her face and filled her with a thrilling exhilaration. The ship’s deck was in sight, but soon it grew further as she fell away.
Nova’s heart pummeled against her chest. Sucking in short breaths, she fought to reach the deck of the king’s ship, but she had overestimated her abilities and the safety of a vessel was slipping from her grasp. A shadow spread just below her. The Vengeance.
In her mind, she knew Atlas was steering the ship, trying to place it beneath her. But she fell too fast and was too close. Painfully, one side of her hip hit the rail of the ship. Nova gasped as all the wind was sucked from her lungs like air escaping a fire bellows. Her body seemed to go limp as she rolled off the edge of the pirate ship, heading straight for the Below.
She screamed as her fate became clear, but suddenly one arm screamed in pain as it wrenched, catching on something. Nova looked up at what had caught her and gasped seeing Kale’s hands wrapped tightly around her wrist. He’d rushed to the edge of the rail just at the right moment and stopped her from falling to her death.
“Nova!” Kale shouted. He held tightly to her wrist as her feet dangled precariously over the cloudy darkness of the Below. “Hang on!”
Kale’s muscles clenched as he pulled her up. His face twisted in exertion. Nova tried to help but knew she was dead weight hanging above the skies.
“Don’t let me go,” she cried up.
“Just hang on,” he seemed to plead back.
Nova felt her fingers slipping against Kale’s sweaty palms. Her blood pumped against the sides of her head as she imagined falling the unknown distance from the clouds to the Below. Her shoulder ached against the strain, and it seemed each small muscle threatened to pull free if she held on much longer.
Just as she was about to succumb to the desire for release, another arm grabbed onto to her, pulling her upward until she could reach her second arm up. Atlas stood at the rail helping Kale pull her on board the Vengeance.
Nova crumpled in a heap once both men had pulled her safely over the rail. Firing cannons below shuddered the entire ship, but a breath of relief filtered slowly out of her lungs.
“Thank you,” she said, looking at Kale before meeting Atlas’s eye. “Both of you.”
“You lunatic,” Kale scolded. “Are you trying to kill yourself, girl? What makes you think you could’ve made that jump?”
“She can do things most of us can’t,” Atlas said softly. Nova watched him through narrowed eyes. He knew about the inner battle she faced daily and Kale didn’t. She wanted to make sure it stayed that way.
“I don’t care what she can do,” Kale shouted. “Why would you try to leap aboard the King’s ship when he’s after you for robbing him?”
They ducked as flying bullets sailed over their heads. When they cleared, Nova locked eyes with Kale, hoping he could see how desperate she was to get aboard the king’s ship.
“He kills his wives, Kale. I promised the queen when I was in the palace I’d rescue her. I think he knows she saw me and he’s holding her out as bait. If I don’t help her, she’ll be killed.”
Kale wrinkled his nose, and Atlas’s eyes widened. “What do you mean he kills his wives? Queen Neah is Queen Neah, just as always,” Kale argued.
Nova shook her head furiously, getting more agitated as they wasted time. “She isn’t the first Neah. He kills them when he has no use for them and keeps them prisoner in the palace. Now, I’m going to keep my end of the bargain because without her I wouldn’t have escaped the palace and I’ll not see her die because I turned tail and ran from a few cannons.”
“You’re sure she isn’t the first queen?” Atlas asked, running his thumb along the handle of his pistol.
Nova sighed. “The queen can’t be any older than me. Now, if you think that means she is the same queen Insel married years ago then, by all means, we should leave her.”
“All right,” Kale said, holding up his hand. “I’ll help. It’s what honor would demand. We won’t leave a defenseless woman to die.”
“I’ll help, too,” Atlas said with no talk of honor, keeping his eyes fixed on Nova.
Nova stood and leaned against the rail. The clouds were black from gunpowder that scorched her lungs as she breathed. The fury built as the Vengeance sailed dangerously close to the large royal vessel. With fierce clarity, she saw Insel standing with confidence atop the quarterdeck, smiling wickedly as if inviting her to make her move. Nova felt angry, power taking over her heart and mind.
“Nova, are you all right?” Kale’s voice sounded distant. She vaguely heard him address Atlas. “I’ve seen her eyes do that before.”
“Just let her go.” Atlas’s quiet response fueled her even more.
King Insel would surely regret taking up arms against the Star’s Vengeance on this day.
Chapter 6
A Promise Kept
Nova clamored up the outer rope ladder lining the hull of the Vengeance with Kale close behind.
“We can’t just leap onto the ship; we’ve got to plan,” he shouted behind her, but she ignored him and gripped the iron weapon, glaring across the ever-shrinking gap between ships.
Insel kept his wicked grin that churned her stomach. Neah was pinned next to him watching the deadly chaos in terror, her long hair shown auburn in the setting sun, and it seemed as if they’d torn her from her dress since her nightdress clung to her thin legs from sailing through damp skies. The king caught Nova in his sights and tossed his queen aside casually as he withdrew his emerald-crusted blade from his gold belt.
The anger fueled her onward as she climbed the ropes. Glancing down to the helm, Atlas nodded his ready then wrenched the wheel tight. The ship came about, closing the gap between the royal ship. Shouts from the crew on the main deck thrilled her. The good thing about pirates, they never shied away from a good fight. A further distance away, Smythe and the crew left to the tunnel of the Underbelly whooped and hollered as they saw the large ship pursue its attack on the royal vessel.
King Insel commanded the release of the guns and the port side of the Vengeance was instantly pummeled with long range cannons, but Nova knew she would hold. She demanded it, and a darker side of her knew if she wanted it to be it would be.
“Nova, don’t go without me,” Kale said, climbing closer as he shouted continual protests. “We have to be wise. There are ways to go about doing rescue missions. Remember, I was a soldier once.”
“With all due respect, Kale,” Nova responded without losing focus on the king. “We need to be more pirates today.”
A final lunge from the Vengeance and the gap was closed between ships. She knew she had to hurry or the royal cannons would destroy the hull of the pirate ship at such close range. Nova released her grip on the rope ladder and used its buoyancy to spring across to the main deck of Insel’s ship.
She rolled when she landed to break her fall. Familiar snarls behind her told her the pirate crew had followed. Usually, their presence caused bile to fill her throat, but now it was strangely comforting. Nova withdrew her weapon and blocked a bayonet of a long musket just in time. The young soldier seemed stunned to see a woman behind his strike, and she took advantage. Thrusting her boot into his midsection, she broke their weapons free and tossed him onto the deck.
Nova rushed around, dodging blows from naval officers.
“There you are,” she growled under her breath when she saw Insel forcing Neah into the cabin.
The battle seemed to slow its pace and for a moment, Nova almost felt as if penetrating eyes were watching her every step as she rushed unscathed toward the cabin door.
“Nova, wait,” Kale said breathlessly behind her.
She turned just as a naval officer jabbed a pointed bayonet like the stinger of a vicious wasp toward Kale’s chest. Kale met the sharp musket tip with his cutlass and knocked the officer off balance. The man dropped his musket in the stumble, glancing at Kale with fear, but soon his eyes widened with surprising recognition.
“Skyman Tucker?” he gasped.
Kale’s shoulder pitching up and down proved his heart was increasing in speed. “Skyman Lyons…” He trailed off.
“What are you doin’ with the likes of them? My good man, where have you been? We thought you dead, but I never imagined you picked up with pirates.”
“Lyons, please, it’s not what you think,” Kale said, his face shading from red flush to pale white.
“Kale, I’m going in,” Nova said, glaring her irritability toward the officer.
“Not without me,” he demanded.
Lyons scoffed, but his pain was evident at Kale’s new associations. “What would Geni say? I suppose you never gave thought to tell her you were still living?”
Nova paused, her ears pricking at the sudden insight into Kale’s mysterious past life.
“Lyons, if you knew me at all, you know I am not here to be dishonorable. I’m here to help the poor queen escape a life of danger.”
“No, you are not. In the name of the king, I demand you stop, pirate, and face your fate,” Lyons said, holding his musket just below his shoulder, set to fire.
“Lyons, don’t make me fight you,” Kale begged.
Lyons crumbled to the deck, his eyes closed as he lost consciousness and his musket fell to his side, useless.
“I’d say that’s enough of that,” Atlas said, holding the hilt of his cutlass out. A small drop of Lyons’ blood dribbled down the side, but Atlas took no mind. “Well, shall we get a move on, or should we let the queen go down with the king?”
He pushed past a stunned Kale, standing next to Nova. She smirked at him, trying to hide her amusement at his excellent timing.
“I assume you left the ship under control?” Kale whispered, his disappointment at Atlas’s heroic entrance obvious in his tone.
A blast of gunfire caused them all to jump. “Of course, but Gold-tooth can’t handle her for long. We have to hurry.”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to do, but you boys keep holding me up,” Nova growled as she kicked through the cabin door.
Insel stood at the back, his arm wrapped around his wife’s neck and a beautifully, gold-crafted dagger held at her neck.
“I’ve been waiting for you, woman,” the king snarled. Neah’s face was drenched in tears, but a spark lit in them at the sight of Nova.
“Let her go, you filth
y coward,” she said. It seemed so ironic now, insulting her king when at one time during her life she sang royal tunes in his honor during her school days. Now, she would like nothing more than to see his smug face sail through the clouds.
“I understand you’ve met my wife. You see, she let it slip foolishly that your reward poster looked nothing like you. Naturally, I realized this barren brick had seen you up close. Her lie should’ve cost her life, but then she spilled how you promised to come back for her.” The king laughed wickedly and tightened his grip around her neck. “As if that was supposed to frighten me.”
Kale slowly reached for his pistol, and Nova heard the hammer cock back while still in his belt. Atlas pointed his long cutlass directly at the king. But Nova felt such anger, like nothing she’d ever felt.
Throw the rod, a voice filled her mind with such clarity she looked over her shoulder for the source. The words were calm and reassuring, but the smooth voice sent a wave of fear through her body. Some buried part of her warned her not to heed the new voice too much or it would surely consume her.
“You cannot leave here without the truth of your crimes against the poor queens being exposed,” Kale said bravely.
“You are mistaken, my boy,” the king said with propriety. “It will be you lot who will not be leaving. And do not mistake my reaches. You three do not look like you’ve enjoyed a life of piracy long; I could wager you come from respectable families, no doubt filled with shame at your choice of profession. I assure you anyone you have even glanced at on the street is forthwith ruined. I’ll create scandal, blackmail, petty crimes. There is nothing out of my reach.”
The king smiled widely. His teeth were too straight and too white to be real, but his black soul was obvious. How could the people of Launi be so blind to such a wicked ruler?
Throw it, the voice demanded again. Nova fumed as she watched the queen buckling beneath his deadly grip. Without a second thought, Nova took the long rod in her hands as if it were a long spear and threw it with all her strength to the side of Insel, intending to miss the queen.