His tone is hilarious and I can't hold back my laughter. Hanna leads us to the captain's quarters and opens the door.
"Your room is this one to your left. Feel free to drop your gear off after meeting with Taranis."
We enter the captain's quarters and she closes the door behind us. Taranis is reclined on the bed facing away from us.
"We have your silver, Taranis," Zane says, striding forward.
The captain rolls off the bed and meets Zane in the middle of the room. He takes the pouch, dumping it all over the bed.
"Stay there while I count this," Taranis orders, glaring at Zane. "And you call me Captain or Sir, not Taranis. The stunning beauty over there can call me whatever she wishes." He starts counting the coins. "Of course I would prefer dear, honey, lover…" He stops when Zane slaps him upside the head.
"Silence. Don't try my patience," Zane commands.
"Man, now I have to start all over!" Taranis whines as he starts counting again. It takes only a few moments for him to finish. He glances over at us beaming. "Well, looks like you've got yourselves a ship. We'll leave within the hour. You go make yourself scarce," he commands, pointing at Zane. Then he turns to me. "How would you like a tour of this grand vessel, my angelic beauty? I'll show you my favorite trysting spots."
"Idiot!" I yell, unable to stomach the blatant advances any longer.
Striding over to him, I strike him in the solar plexus with a chambered punch. He keels over clutching his stomach. Let's see him shake this one off. When he doesn't rise I begin to worry. He's shaking rather violently. I pulled the punch at the last moment since I didn't want to maim him. When he stands, he's laughing.
"Quite a punch you got there, vixen," he says, rubbing his stomach. "I suppose I should be glad you got to me before he did."
"Come, Love, let's go settle in our room before we set sail," Zane says, his eyes glittering with mirth.
"You need to sign the contract before you go," Taranis says. He walks over and hands a thick stack of parchments to Zane.
"This is absurd," Zane says, dropping the papers to the floor. They flutter and land in a large heap around Zane's feet. "Get a sheet of parchment and a quill," he orders. We follow Taranis to his small desk where Zane scribbles a note on the paper and signs it. "Do you want my blood too?"
"Well, perhaps…" He's unable to finish his sentence as Zane and I both glare at him.
"NO!" we shout simultaneously.
"Heh, heh, sorry," Taranis says, smirking. "Go on to your room. I'll let you know when it's time to set sail."
Zane and I walk out of the captain's quarters and into the room next door.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ocean Crossing
The cabin we enter is tiny. A single bed takes up one entire side of the room and a small dressing table is on the other side. Between the two there's barely enough room for us to stand side by side. On the far wall, a small window overlooks the calm sea. Tossing my pack on the bed, I head to the window to stare outside. Shadow is running around on the deck below the window. For a moment, I wonder what's going on. Then a young pirate appears and throws a stick, which Shadow chases after. A small chuckle escapes my lips. They seem to think Shadow's a dog. Zane moves behind me and wraps me in his embrace. Leaning back into his chest, I close my eyes, releasing a deep sigh. Turning in his arms, I kiss his lips as my clumsy fingers try to unbuckle his armor. He pulls away, gazing down at me with hooded eyes, eyebrow arched in silent question.
"You don't need this on right now," I say while I continue to unbuckle the bulky piece of armor. "Besides it gets in the way."
When I'm finished, it starts to slide off, and I grab it before it can fall. What I don't expect is the weight as I stagger backward. Zane takes it from me with one hand.
"It's so heavy! How can you stand to wear it?"
"Well for one thing I weigh twice what you do," he says, tossing the shoulder guard on the floor in the corner where it lands with a loud thunk. He peels off his gauntlet and tosses it aside. "Do you want any help with your gauntlet?"
"I think I may need it to backhand our lecherous captain," I say with a small laugh.
Smirking he takes my hand and pulls the gauntlet off, laying it down next to my pack.
"Fine, I guess I'll just rely on my sword and two daggers."
"That's one thing I love about you," he says smiling. "You're always well-armed. Who taught you martial arts?"
"Two overprotective older brothers paid for my schooling. They told me I was too attractive for my own good," I say, losing myself to the unpleasant memory. "I started at the elite school four years ago. Right after a villager came and asked for my hand in marriage when I was only thirteen years old."
"I sense there's more to this story," he says, arching an eyebrow.
"Long story short, he thought if he defiled me my parents would have no other choice than to marry me off to him. Unfortunately for him I never was one to stand idly by and not fight." Rolling my eyes at the memory, I continue, "I broke his nose."
"He deserved it," Zane replies, "that and more for harming a child."
"Well I didn't escape unscathed, so Jess and Abel took it upon themselves to make sure I could protect myself." I stop speaking when there's a knock at the door, sighing in relief at the interruption. It's not a memory I like to relive. Zane walks over and opens it, revealing a young blond pirate.
"Captain Taranis wanted me to inform you we'll set sail momentarily. He thought you'd like to join him up on deck," the boy says. He bows his head and leaves.
"Well, shall we join our perverted captain on deck?" Zane asks, unable to hide his amused smirk.
"Do we really have a choice?" I ask pouting. "I guess we should check on Freya. Shadow seemed to be doing fine earlier."
Zane takes my hand, leading me out of the room and through the large door to the deck. We step out into a flurry of activity. Crewmembers are rushing all over the ship, readying it for departure. Glancing around, I spot Freya up near the helm with the captain. He's shouting orders to the boys racing around him. Taranis doesn't seem intimidated or afraid of the griffin, which I find odd to say the least. Zane and I climb the six shallow stairs to the helm.
"Ah, it's so nice of you to join me, my fiery temptress," he says to me with a mock bow. "You too, annoying mercenary," he adds, glaring at Zane who shakes his head in amazement. "You're just in time. I'm going to let the helmsman get busy. You can join me at the prow," Taranis says, trying to grab my hand.
Freya squawks when she senses my discomfort, her green eyes on the captain as she ruffles her feathers.
"Yes, well I didn't mean to upset your griffin. So, ah, let's just head over to the prow." He's now eyeing Freya with a sidelong glance. Zane and I share a grin at the captain's expense then follow him down the steps.
The view from the prow is quite beautiful. I lean over the railing, gazing at the deep blue ocean. The ship slices through the water, forming foamy whitecaps on either side of the bow. Zane wraps his arms around me, and I lean back into him. The gentle breeze blowing in my face carries the salty tang of the sea. Shadow jumps up next to me and places his front paws on the railing. Freya ambles over to my other side, gently butting her head against my shoulder. The sun overhead is so warm. I tip my face up to bask in its glow, resting my head on Zane's shoulder.
"Look at them, with those two beasts. It's magical," a male voice says somewhere behind us.
"Did ya see ‘em this mornin?" another asks.
"I think if they hadn't been pardoned the crowd woulda rushed the elders to stop their execution," a third interjects.
When Zane starts nibbling my ear, I lose track of the conversations around us. Moaning, I turn in his arms and capture his lips with mine. He parts my lips with his tongue and explores my mouth, his fingers tangling in my long hair. A loud throat clearing draws my attention away from Zane. Taranis slumps against the railing next to us, giving me a look that could rival a petulant child.
&nb
sp; "I'm right here you know," Taranis says pouting. "You're creating a distraction. Please refrain from devouring each other in full view of my crew."
Zane pulls away from me then eyes Taranis.
"We'll take our leave then," Zane says as he takes my hand and starts to walk away. "Have a pleasant afternoon." We race back into our tiny room. Zane slams the door then pulls me down onto the bed with him.
****
The room is covered in late afternoon shadows. I'm nestled in Zane's arms on the small bed, my back pressed against his chest. The rocking of the ship is rather soothing, and it's becoming harder and harder to stay awake. My fingers play with the silver bracelet on my right wrist. I trace the lapis crescent moon then move to the runes, tracing the outline of each one. Zane squeezes me tighter for a moment then sits up.
"We should probably check on Freya and Shadow," he says, running a finger from my cheek down to my jaw. "Make sure they aren't wreaking havoc."
Nodding, I push myself to my feet. A quick once over assures my clothes are not in disarray. I dig through my pack until I find my brush then pull it through my tangled copper tresses. When I set the brush down Zane runs his fingers through my fiery hair.
"So beautiful," he murmurs. "We'd better leave now before I become distracted again," he says, taking my hand and dragging me through the door.
The sight greeting me when we reach the prow is astonishing. Taranis is standing, facing out to sea, his cherry red hair billowing on the breeze. Freya is standing next to him. His arm is draped over Freya's back, his head leaning against her neck. I suppose I'll have to reevaluate my initial impression of the man. Freya seems to like him, and I have the feeling she's quite discerning.
He glances over at us as we approach, blue eyes sparkling in the waning sunlight. I walk over to the railing next to him. Zane joins me on my other side and pulls me into his arms. A cool, gentle breeze wafts across the deck, the aroma of salt water filling the air. It's easy to see why Taranis would want to be at sea. There's a sense of freedom out here — away from the land; it's exhilarating.
"It's going to be a beautiful night." Taranis sighs, turning his gaze to the reddened sky. "The sky's clear so the stars'll be visible. There's nothing like a clear night sky in the middle of the ocean. It's truly magnificent." He turns to us, his face solemn. "I'd be honored if you two would join me in my cabin for dinner."
I'm taken aback at his almost forlorn tone. This man is completely different from the carefree lecher earlier.
"We'd love to," I murmur, still confused by the sudden change in demeanor.
"Come," he says. When I glance at Freya he adds, "Don't worry about your animals. The crew caught enough fish earlier to feed them." He pauses for a moment and ruffles Freya's neck feathers. "A small shark got caught in the fishing net. Freya swooped down shrieking and grabbed it in her talons before settling on the deck to enjoy her meal. It was an amazing sight."
He gives the griffin a small hug before stepping away and heading to the main cabin door. We follow him back to his cabin, and he ushers us through the door.
"I hope you're not too disappointed, but we eat fish almost every night."
He leads us over to his black leather sofa by the windows. I take a seat in the middle between the two men, deciding it best to keep them separated. Before long, Hanna enters carrying a large tray laden with food. She sets it down on the small table in front of the sofa and turns to leave.
"Hanna, aren't you going to join us?" Taranis asks when she reaches the door.
"No, dear, I still need to take care of the other boys," she says, offering a smile before she leaves the room and closes the door behind her. Taranis drops to the floor in front of the table.
"Well, dig in. There are no formalities here!"
After I sit down beside him on the floor, I'm unable to suppress a giggle. The captain is digging into the meal with gusto. There are no plates or utensils, though Hanna did supply several cloth napkins. Taranis just shoves the food in his mouth like a young child. Zane sits beside me, rolling his eyes when I glance at him. This arrangement suits me just fine. It appears Hanna knows the captain well since the food is cut into convenient bite size pieces.
Picking up a small roll, I lean back against the sofa and nibble while observing Taranis. He reminds me so much of my brothers. They were never good with manners and propriety at the table, much to my mother's constant dismay. A melancholy smile plays across my face. I wonder if I'll ever lay eyes on them again. Zane moves closer, placing his arm around my shoulders. The hand on my knee, however, isn't his. Turning to Taranis, I'm about to yell when I see his expression. His glittering blue eyes are full of compassion, making me feel not only comforted but also content. Zane, wise as ever, chooses to ignore the captain's hand, until it starts creeping higher up my leg. Before Zane can do anything, I grab a pillow from the sofa and use it to smash Taranis in the face. He falls to his back laughing.
After that, the rest of the meal is finished in relative peace. The variety of fish is amazing, and I discover I love seafood. It's too bad since we never have fish this good in Verdane. We're limited to fresh water bass and trout, which can't even begin to compare to these fish from the ocean. My favorite turns out to be the crab legs. It's fun cracking the hard shell on the legs and sucking out the meat. Although I learn it's quite difficult to accomplish this without raucous laughter from my two male companions. When we finish eating, Zane and I move back to sit on the sofa, but Taranis stays on the floor. He leans back against my legs, and I have to fight the urge to play with his long silky hair. I wonder how he would look with a braid or perhaps two.
"Five years ago I took the previous Chosen to Karina," Taranis reveals. I manage to contain my gasp of surprise. "She was nothing like you, Ashlyn. No fire, just quiet acceptance. She didn't have a famous mercenary traveling with her either. She only had two priests. I doubt they were much good in a fight."
He leans his head back on the sofa and closes his eyes. Pain is radiating off him in waves. I can't help but reach out to brush the hair from his face, running my fingers along the lines creasing his forehead.
"I just dropped her off and collected the fare," he continues, his eyes still closed, his face contorted in anguish. "I heard she never even made it to the ruins. She was killed by monsters somewhere along the way."
"I know. Bianca was four years older than me, but she was still my friend. She was a kind soul. Too gentle for the task forced upon her…" I trail off, my throat closing in my grief.
Poor Bianca, all she ever dreamed of was a husband and a house full of children. All she got was a horrendous onus forced upon her, which ultimately led to her death.
"I should've g-gone with her," Taranis says, his voice cracking. "I never should've let her go off with two priests as her only protection. I live with constant regret." He pauses then meets my eyes, his grief raw. "I want to go with you and Zane. You need all the help you can get."
My eyes widen as I gaze into the pirate's soulful eyes. There's quite a bit more to this man than my initial impression of a lustful scoundrel. What surprises me even more is that Zane hasn't said no yet. I expected an immediate and emphatic negative response from him. He's observing Taranis with a strange gleam in his eyes.
"You're a mage," Zane says, staring at Taranis. "Your affinities are water, lightning and wind. Quite helpful for a pirate."
The rogue gapes at him.
"How can you possibly know that?" Taranis asks through a gasp. Zane smirks and leans forward.
"I can read auras. Yours is blue, yellow and green — water, lightning and wind. Your aura pulsates, betraying your magical ability. It's how I can tell you're a mage, a powerful mage at that. I take it you never learned to read auras?"
"No. My aunt taught me the basics — how to cast spells and control my powers to keep them from flaring wildly. If she knew about auras she never said anything to me," Taranis says, glancing away from Zane and meeting my eyes. "For obvious reasons magic
was a bit of a taboo subject."
"Why do you wish to travel with us?" I ask Taranis. "It's a perilous journey, to say the least. Do you have a death wish?"
"I like you. Both of you," he says, eyes glazed over in thought. "Perhaps I was moved by your display in the square this morning. I don't even understand, myself. How can I explain it to you?" He pauses, his forehead creased in confusion. "I have a feeling like I have to go. Like it's destined, that if I don't go something terrible will happen…" He trails off, staring at the darkened window, apparently lost to his thoughts.
"You can come," Zane says, breaking the silence. "Is it safe to assume you can use the sword propped up against the bookcase?"
"Quite well, actually," the captain replies, "could probably take you."
"We shall see," Zane says with a deep chuckle. "We'll take our leave now. I haven't slept much the last two days. You and I will start training in the morning." He holds out his hand to me, pulling me up from the sofa. When we reach the door, Zane stops and turns back to Taranis. "I expect you out on deck bright and early."
"Goodnight, Taranis," I call out as we leave the room.
Within moments, we're back in our room. Zane curls up behind me on the bed, and I snuggle against him. The room is dark, the only light through our window from the moon and stars.
"I have to admit I'm a bit surprised you agreed to let Taranis join us."
"He'll be a powerful ally," Zane murmurs against my hair. "Besides, he's right. We do need all the help we can get. Delistaire won't be expecting us to hook up with a powerful mage. It gives us another edge against him."
"Goodnight, Zane," I whisper into the darkness.
"Goodnight, Love."
Lying still in his arms, I listen to his breathing. Before long it becomes shallow and even. Closing my eyes, I allow sleep to claim my exhausted body and mind.
****
Bright light shining through the window awakens me. After a languid stretch, I roll over only to find Zane already gone. I feel exhausted even after such a restful sleep; the rocking of the ship is the most soothing motion I've ever felt. I rise from the bed to peer out the small window at the empty deck below. Where is everyone?
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