by LJ Andrews
The rod pierced the king deep in his upper shoulder. Insel cried out but released Neah from his grasp.
“Milady, come quick,” Kale said, holding his hand out. Neah rushed toward them and Kale disappeared back on deck with the queen.
Insel screamed in frustration, his face twisting up like a frightening mask. Despite the homemade weapon lodged deep in his shoulder, the king pursued Atlas and Nova.
“Come on, Nova, we must get back to the ship,” Atlas said taking her hand.
If it had been any other time, she would’ve pulled away, but she allowed Atlas to pull her over the unconscious body of poor Lyons and back through the battle on deck.
Atlas whistled loudly, and despite the clanging swords and firing pistols, pirates responded in their direction. “Back aboard, men!” he shouted as he continued to pull Nova through the chaos.
“Atlas, we have to get Queen Neah to safety before Smythe finds a worse need for her than Insel,” Nova said, stopping.
Atlas pursed his lips, his eyes moving left and right as he thought on what to do. “All right, we’ll take her to the Underbelly. We need to set the guns on the king’s ship, though, or we’re all dead.”
“But all the soldiers.”
“We can’t think of that now, Nova,” Kale’s voice said from behind them. He wrapped a rope around the queen’s small waist and helped her over the stern of the ship. It was nestled not far from the edge of the Underbelly cave since the currents had pushed both battling ships closer to the frightened town.
Nova bit her bottom lip, but inside she agreed with Kale—they had to get off the ship and fast.
“Tell Master Kane to fire all the guns,” Atlas said to a passing pirate. “Sink this ship to the Below.” The pirate shouted with delight and swung across the gap on a loose rope over the side of the ship.
“All right, let’s go help get the queen out of sight,” Atlas said.
Nova nodded and stepped up on the rail. “Thank you for your help,” she said without looking at him. Grasping a loose piece of rigging, Nova swung through the open sky over the short gap to the cave.
When they landed onto the rocky cave floor, a fury of cannons blasted through the sky. Atlas had sent word and the Vengeance was firing with every ounce of power into the thick wood planks on the king’s ship. Nova watched in horror as the king’s ship lit up in a fiery blast after taking too much attack. The ship crackled and burst into flames before tipping back over its bow and sinking slowly toward the Below. It was a horrible sight watching men abandon ship by leaping onto the Vengeance, the open sky, or taking their chances clearing the gap toward the open cave.
When the king’s ship was gone, the surroundings were eerily silent for a long moment.
“He’s really gone,” a weak voice squeaked. Nova turned and saw Neah bundled up in Kale’s comforting arms. “He’s gone. I’m…I’m free.” Her young face smiled, a smile, Nova thought, that must be the first happiness she’d felt for years.
“You’re safe now,” she said.
“You kept your promise. You came back for me when you didn’t have to. You could’ve left, but you…you boarded the ship to find me,” Neah said hysterically as she wrapped her arms around Nova’s neck. “I don’t know how I can ever thank you, all of you, for putting your necks on the line for me,” she said, looking at Kale when she backed away.
“Your Highness, we don’t have much time,” Kale said. “And you’re not out of the woods yet. I’m afraid you’re in highly uncharted territory. Not many people know of this place, but I think we can find a few people who can take you in until you find passage off this island. I want you to travel to Silva Island. Here—I’ve written this address down for you. It’s the home of Captain Tucker. Show him this letter and he’ll take care of you, help you find a new start at life where no one will recognize you as Queen Neah. Then you will truly be free.”
Kale handed her a small piece of parchment he had just finished scribbling on. The front had an address, just as he said.
“Your father’s house?” Nova asked.
Kale nodded. “It’s the safest thing we can do for her.”
Nova saw from the corner of her eye Atlas was covering his chest as if in sudden discomfort.
“Don’t you worry about me,” Neah said, straightening her shoulders. “I can take care of myself. Nova, I can’t help feeling you are still in danger. Perhaps both of you. Please, won’t you come with me? It can be your chance to leave.”
Nova shuffled and glanced over her shoulder at the dark Vengeance floating dangerously close to the burning clouds from what remained of the royal ship. A group of snarling pirates was scanning the crowds near the opening to the cave. She knew they were looking for her.
“I…can’t leave…not just yet,” she relented. She took a step next to Kale and met his eyes. “This is your chance, though. You’re free; it’s what you wanted. I can do what needs to be done from here.”
Kale said nothing, but wrapped a hand gently around Neah’s upper arm. “I’m going to take you to that home. It appears to be a baker’s home. We’ll find how to get you passage to Silva.”
Nova watched Kale shift through the crowd, Neah trailing behind him as the pale people of the Underbelly recuperated from the unprecedented royal attack. It seemed as if invisible hands wrapped around her heart and wrung it like a damp cloth as she watched him weave through the crowd. Not even a goodbye. It surprised her how the lack of a goodbye was affecting her; she’d never realized how much she’d taken to Kale’s company.
The pirate gang seemed to spot Atlas who stood stoically, staring off at nothing until Nova’s movements seemed to shake him from his trance.
“She was right. You should’ve gone with them,” he said gravely.
The group came into greater focus, and her heart sunk when Master Kane led the search party. His eyes narrowed in frustration when he spotted Nova next to Atlas.
“I can’t leave. Too many people depend on me.”
“Tryin’ to leave us, wench?” Kane shouted as two pirates grabbed her wrists, quickly wrapping heavy ropes around her and tugging the knots tightly so they burned her skin. “Well, I don’t think the cap’n would take kindly to that. Well done, Master Atlas, for catching the sneaky witch.”
Atlas shook his head and looked away in the direction Kale left angrily. “I didn’t find her. She stayed on her own accord,” he grumbled before stalking back toward the Vengeance.
Nova hung her head. Part of her yearned to continue the search for the ancient spyglass and destroy Smythe, but a growing weight embedding deep in her insides filled her with regret as she wished she’d taken her opportunity to run with Neah. If she had, she’d still be with Kale, but instead, she was surrounded by smelly, dirty pirates, and the damp, moldy brig that had become her dark home.
Chapter 7
Reunited
The Underbelly cave fell into nothing more than a dark blemish in the blueish-black sky as the Star’s Vengeance sailed away from the strange, unknown village. Nova watched from a small hole broken through the wall by the royal cannons. No doubt tomorrow she would be forced to help with repairs on the ship, but even that sounded more appealing than the tight discomfort growing in her chest as the ship sailed away.
The Vengeance had stayed near the cave for a while after Kane had brought her to the brig. But now, as they sailed away, she felt the sting of tears well in her eyes on thinking her one ally was now free from Captain Smythe and his wicked plans but she remained his slave.
Pain filled her upper ribs and rolling up her shirt, she could clearly see a small wound festering. Grimacing, Nova tore off a piece off the hem of her pants and dabbed the drying blood. The fight had moved so quickly she couldn’t even remember when she’d been struck by a blade. As she cleaned her skin, the strange meeting with the Three Brothers replayed in her mind. Virtus and Co had insisted she could survive Dia if she embraced the inner darkness. Despite their blindness, the eerie brothers had see
n deep within her. But even more than the strange conversation was the name, Island of Bones. It had sparked some instinct as if she’d been to such a place before, but to her knowledge, the island was something she’d never seen on any map of Launi.
The brig hatch creaked and Nova perked to attention as someone pounded down the steps. The lantern light was low and seeing was difficult, but when he stepped closer Nova couldn’t help but smile.
“How…what are you doing here? You were supposed to be free.” Nova whispered when Kale leaned his head against the bars, passing a hard roll to her.
“I gave you my word we would see this through. I intend to keep that promise,” he said, smiling.
“Kale.” She hung her head. “That was your chance.”
He stepped back. “There will be others, I’m certain of it.”
Nova sighed and they sat in silence for a long moment. “What came of the queen?”
“The baker seemed kind enough. Queen Neah was lucky to have a jeweled bracelet to offer as payment. She will board there tonight, then when the trader skiffs leave in the morning for the merchant channels, she will make her way with them until she can get to Silva. I just pray it will go as smoothly as we plan.”
“That was good of you to give her a safe place to go,” Nova said.
“She no doubt has experienced horrific things. My father will be able to help her, but I admit I asked her to inform my father of my being alive. I can’t stand the thought of my sister and him mourning me.”
Nova’s cheeks flushed as a memory of Skyman Lyons’s words came. “Is your sister Geni?”
Kale’s eyes widened and his jaw twitched. “What?”
“The skyman you fought against, he talked of a woman named Geni.”
Brushing a hand through his hair, Kale looked at her cautiously. “Genevieve is her full name. She is…was engaged to marry me.”
Nova’s eyebrows raised in surprise and her pulse pounded rapidly. She caught herself off guard by her reaction to the revelation, but lifted her eyebrows nonchalantly to cover her surprise. “Really? I had no idea.”
Kale lowered his gaze and nodded. “Why should you? But I’m sure she believes me to be dead, too. I suppose that thought was part of the reason I resisted joining the crew for so long. I believed I would rather die than have her see me as a pirate.
Nova scoffed and smiled. “I see. Yet you changed your position on that.”
Kale smiled sadly. “Well, it was that or leave you to answer to Smythe after Chipper lost his mind.”
She frowned and felt her cheeks flush with heat. “It seems I’ve done nothing but add chaos to your life. Bringing you aboard, then being the one to break your vow never to join piracy.”
“I didn’t say that,” he said, a hint of agitation in his voice.
Nova stopped and studied Kale. Something bit at the back of her heart; she was agitated he was engaged, agitated he didn’t blame her for ruining his chances, agitated that she cared. Finally, she smiled, hiding her inner thoughts. “Well, I suppose we have all the more reason to get you a new opportunity at freedom. I better be invited to the wedding once we’re clear of this.”
She stepped back and turned away, trying to hide the bitterness in her expression by turning her attention to the open hole to the outside sky once again.
“Nova…I…” Kale began.
“I’m feeling quite tired,” she said quickly. “I’m glad you’re back, but I still think you’re a fool for missing your chance. See you in the morning?” She smiled.
Kale closed his mouth before smiling sadly. “See you in the morning.”
His steps were slow and dragged up the stairs until the hatch clicked closed quietly. Nova wrapped her arms around herself, sliding slowly down inside of the hull. She cried, though she couldn’t explain why Kale’s confession had affected her so. Her mother was gone, her father was lost, and Kale had left behind someone he had loved because of her. Her heavy curls wisped around her face as she hung her head, letting the heavy drops of her burdens fall from her eyes.
Everything about the room was bright and inviting. It felt natural to Nova, but she walked along the great polished floor cautiously. Her eyes locked with the woman; her eyes were just like diamonds, just like hers. The golden throne shined like a beacon in the bright sunlight. The sun cast the room in an orange glow, slightly different from the sunsets in Launi, but not different enough to feel like she was in a strange place.
The corners of Nova’s eyes were hazy, but if she focused hard enough, she believed she could see Kamali standing erect, her long dark hair hanging far down her back. Her mother’s face wasn’t clear, but Nova sensed the danger she was in. The world surrounding her seemed dreamlike but felt real enough to touch.
“You miss her, don’t you?” Her voice was clear with a subtle laugh buried in her tone. “I can help you find her.”
The room bubbled and spun as if on a moving wheel until Nova was alone, standing face to face with the beautiful woman.
“Let me help you, Nova,” she said, her perfect red lips pulling into a smile.
“Who are you?” Nova’s voice echoed in the dream room.
“I’m here to help you. You need guidance and I want to help, but you have to let me in to help you discover what you really are.”
“What I am? I don’t understand.”
The woman’s face smiled, her eyes darkened, and everything swam together like ripples upon a lake until the white room shaded into dark, gloomy gray.
Blinking her eyes open, Nova faced the iron bars. Her neck ached from the strain of lopping to one side for too long. Kane’s shouts berating her had spurred her from the dream. As her mind came into focus, she ignored the angry words Kane spat as she tried to slow her heart. The woman had spoken to her. She wanted to help her. Kamali’s warning not to trust the woman in white suddenly filled her mind, spurring her heart to race again.
The bars clanged open as Kane angrily stomped next to her. His boot flew freely, hitting her hip and sending a shooting pain up her lower back.
“I said get up, wench.”
Nova glared at the first mate. “Where’s Kale?” she demanded, rubbing her side.
Kane grabbed her thick curls and tugged her to her feet. Nova bit her lower lip trying not to cry out as he wrenched her from the cell.
“Ye be in no position to ask questions. If I had me way—ˮ
“I know you’d throw me over into the Below,” Nova said rolling her eyes. She quickly regretted the snide remark when Kane threw her against the stairs and wrapped his dirty hand around her neck, pushing hard on her throat.
“Ye best be watching yer tone, girl. Accidents are bound to happen aboard this ship.”
Nova never lowered her eyes from his bloodshot black holes. The fury inside her cut angrily through her fear, and she wished she could unleash the building power and destroy the man, but something was missing. For the first time, she doubted her ability and it brought a cloak of despair over her heart. Kane released her throat and dragged her back to her feet as she coughed from the surge of air rushing into her lungs.
The main deck was bright and noisy as crewmen shuffled around repairing holes on the rails and the sides of the hull. Nova saw Atlas near the helm watching her every step, seemingly uncaring if she saw him looking at her. His light eyes looked sad beneath his wide brim hat. Everything about him seemed pained and Nova’s curiosity grew the more she stared. Had something so drastic happened through the night to upset him in such a way? Kane dragged her viciously away from Atlas’s view; the more she stumbled the more pleasure it gave him and he only pulled harder.
Finally, Kane pushed her into the captain’s cabin. Smythe stood with his back facing them, stroking the devilish raven’s beak as he watched the bright, peachy clouds float behind the ship’s wake.
“Come in, Miss Nova,” he said quietly. “Leave her be, Master Kane.”
Kane tossed her arm away from him and curled his lip once more before
closing the door behind him.
“I lost track of ye during the battle of the Underbelly,” Smythe said, continuing to stare out the window. “For a moment, I believed ye to be on the run. I admit I was surprised ye stayed around for Kane to bring ye back aboard. So tell me, where did ye make off to during the fight?” he said, turning to face her.
Nova crossed her hands behind her back and looked past Smythe. “I had a duty to uphold. That’s all you need to know.”
“Feeling fiery this morning, I see,” he said with a dark laugh behind his words.
“Do you need me up here for a reason? Because if there isn’t one I’d much rather return to my cell.”
Smythe stepped closer to her so his leathery face was only inches from hers. His dark hair was matted together from sweat and never grooming. The whites of his eyes seemed yellow from endless rum, but they no longer frightened her. With a loud shriek, the raven flew away, landing on a perch near the captain’s desk and continuing to watch her with its evil eyes.
“Ye have a lot of nerve, miss, talkin’ to me in such a way.”
Nova leaned in, narrowing her eyes. “I don’t think we need to keep up the charade any longer, Captain,” she snarled, feeling the tightening in her chest and the thrill of exerting her strength on the wretched man envelope her completely. “According to the Three Brothers, you need me more than I need you. In fact, if I remember correctly, they seemed to believe I was the only one strong enough to survive the journey to Dia.”
It struck a nerve, clearly, based on the seething hatred he spewed from his expression. “Don’t be so confident, lass. Remember, I been to the mountain before.”
Nova chuckled. “We both know, Captain, that it is of little consequence to have one voyage to the mountain behind you. The brothers made it clear returning a second time puts you at an even greater risk for danger.”
Smythe’s face softened and his chapped lips pulled up into a grin. “Ye be thinkin’ more like a pirate day by day, lass. I’ll not hide it any longer—we may be in need of each other to successfully find the mountain. But remember, I still have ye as a prisoner and can see fit to make the journey alone, no matter how much harder it may be. Ye have no such luxury. Me crew would turn on ye in an instant if ye tried to betray me.”