Renegade Skyfarer

by R. J. Metcalf

  “Hey, girls.” Zak leaned against the door frame.

  Jade scrambled to sit up and not look as if she was melting against the condenser coil. Though they’d spoken cordially over the last week since Zak found her talking with Ben, and he’d deflected several odd questions from Everett’s guards, she struggled with embarrassment. Ben assured her—twice—that he’d explained what’d happened to Zak, and “it was all good.” But Ben’s read on the situation was far different than hers. It was easy to say things were good when one wasn’t personally invested in the outcome.

  As for her, she respected Ben’s reasons for not pursuing anything—even if it meant, with the distraction of Ben gone, her heart was wide open and it still held far too much love for Zak.

  A flash of amusement lit Zak’s eyes as he swiped at the perspiration on his forehead with the cuff of his sleeve. Jade looked down and fiddled with a wrench on the floor next to her. Of course he still looked amazing, even in this miserable weather. A bead of sweat ran down Jade’s back, and she closed her eyes in wordless frustration. While I look like I’ve been living in the boiler.

  “Captain suggested that you two come with us into the city,” Zak announced. “We need to find some buyers for the steam cannons that Aerugo sent.”

  Krista groaned. “There’s sunshine out there. And more heat.”

  Zak smirked. “There’s also a cool breeze. And Briar.” His gaze shifted to the side of the hall, and he raised a dark brow.

  Jade understood the look. And none of Everett’s creepy guards. Getting away from the unwanted Aerugan men would make the morning heat well worth it. It seemed that no matter where Jade went onboard the Sapphire, one of the six Aerugan guards would be nearby. Captain Trevor, specifically, was always where she was, asking random questions: Where had she traveled? What did she think of Aerguo? What did she think of Doldran politics? It was unnerving to say the least. She bit her lip and lifted a shoulder in a half shrug at Krista. The Aerugans were under orders to stay aboard until the meeting. She’d be free from their watchful eyes and ears.

  Krista bobbed her head from shoulder to shoulder as she considered Zak’s words. She nodded at Jade while mock-glaring at Zak. “You just had to bring him into it.” A grin creeped across Krista’s face, and she climbed to her feet then held a hand out to Jade. “Come on. We’re going into town.”

  Jade laughed despite herself and allowed her friend to pull her up. “You just want more time with your boyfriend.” She raised her voice so any guards lurking outside the engine room could hear.

  “Mmhmm.” Krista winked at Jade before sauntering past Zak, then called out over her shoulder, “I do appreciate Vodan customs!”

  Jade stumbled and swore as she passed Zak. She fought the blush that threatened to rise to her already flushed cheeks. I’m not ready for dealing with these superstitions again.

  Unfortunately, just as she had feared, within half an hour of leaving the ship, Jade had a follower. She strove to ignore him as graciously as possible as she meandered through the sea-shell paved street. Fresh, salty air soothed her irritations, and she shaded her eyes with her hand as she followed Krista and Briar. Jade twisted to look back and couldn’t decide what emotion she felt at the sight of Ben and Zak, deep in conversation, effortlessly dodging the pedestrians that crowded the area.

  It was good that they were getting along, right? It meant that whatever happened between them earlier had eased up?

  Briar carried a leather tube that held the schematics of the Aerugan steam cannons they were hoping to sell. He tapped it against his shoulder as he walked hand in hand with Krista. Briar shot Jade a look that blended sympathy with amusement as her new love-struck beau approached her side again.

  Her suitor-of-the-day kept pace alongside her and pulled a rolled mat from a deep pocket on his thigh. He leaned back with a large smile, twisting just enough to let the sun highlight the muscles on his dark chest before gesturing at the fish hooks carefully arranged on his mat. “These have brought in much food for my family. I can provide food aplenty for you and me, and our childr—”

  “Thank you.” Jade interrupted him for what had to be the third time already. “But I’m not interested in marriage right now.”

  He puffed out his chest and flexed his arms, showing off his admittedly impressive biceps. “I am a strong and capable fisherman. I will protect your honor and—”

  “And she said she wasn’t interested, so go away,” Zak snarled from behind her.

  Jade whirled around to examine Zak even as a rush of gratitude surged through her. Unlike her, he didn’t mind being blunt when the times called for it. Zak met her eyes for a long moment before looking away, his jaw set. She sighed and followed Krista’s bright scarf as she and Briar led through the bustling street to the next shop.

  Ben started talking to Zak, and she slowed down to listen in. “Well, you scared that one away, but you aren’t going to step in, take his place?”

  “No.”

  Ben was audible over the breeze in the tall sea-trees and the voices hawking wares in the streets. “Well, why doesn’t she just give him a shirt and send him off?”

  “That would be accepting his proposal.” Zak’s terse tone caused Jade to wince.

  “Well, it looks like competition is supposed to be shirtless, which works, because it’s too hot to be wearing layers here anyway—so why not go for it?”

  Jade twitched and ignored the shiver that traveled through her spine at the mental image Ben’s words conjured. She held her breath as she walked, wondering what Zak would say. No matter what happened here, she couldn’t imagine Zak taking off his shirt in public. Not with his scars.

  Besides, Zak had no interest in her.

  “I…can’t,” Zak said finally.

  Sorrow and uncertainty warred in Jade’s gut. Why had she even listened in? He’d made it clear before that he wasn’t interested. Even if he’d been warmer to her in the last two weeks, it didn’t mean anything. She kicked the toe of her boot against a dusty seashell and bit her lip. And he hasn’t said anything about when I was talking with Krista and Briar. I don’t even know how much he overheard.

  “Hold up,” Ben called out.

  Jade stopped, and Briar and Krista moved on without her. She lost sight of them in the crowd, and she turned around with a sigh.

  Ben held a limp envelope in his hand as he talked to Zak. He flashed Jade a grin as she approached them.

  “Doctor Jaxton asked me to deliver this for him.” Ben lifted the paper. “He said to just deliver it to the nearest post center, and that his friend would find it.”

  Zak used a free hand to billow his black shirt for air as he pointed to a large cream-colored building. “That’s probably the closest option available for you.”

  Ben nodded and jogged across the road, leaving Zak with Jade in the middle of the pedestrian street. Jade chewed the inside of her cheek while examining Zak’s silhouette through her eyelashes.

  Balmy sunlight highlighted the strands of his beach-tousled hair, and even with his charcoal-black belt of vials, knives, and other “necessities,” he somehow didn’t stand out in the mixed crowd. He stood, relaxed, hands on his hips as his green gaze roved over the people. A dimple appeared in his cheek as his eyes met hers. Jade snapped her head to the side, conscious of the heat rising in her cheeks.

  Bloated whales!

  “Done!” The sound of rocks and broken shells crunching announced Ben’s return. He raised a speculative brow at Jade and suppressed a smirk. “We should catch up with the others.”

  “Great idea,” Jade agreed, grateful for his thoughtful opening for her to escape. Not knowing what was going on in Zak’s mind made her embarrassment at being caught staring at him all the more acute. Whether Ben realized that exact detail or not was irrelevant—that he had inadvertently saved her from further mortification was.

  They passed a row of pedestals, each with different sea creatures—a kraken, a mermaid, a squid, a whale. Ben slowed
to look at each one. His brow furrowed, and he hitched a thumb toward it. “What are these?”

  Zak crossed his arms as he looked up at the huge, gleaming whale. “These are—what?” He glanced at Jade. “The top four gods of Vodan?”

  “Yes, the top four.” Jade took a step back, examining each of the idols. They were devoid of offerings, so they must have been ceremonially cleansed recently. “Most Vodans worship the sea, but some are considered more important than others.”

  Ben stared. “They worship a whale?”

  “Balnic,” Jade corrected. She inclined her head at the statue. “She’s a magnetic whale.”

  His gaze switched to her, and he blinked, looking more confused by the second. “A whale that’s magnetic?”

  “Don’t ask.” Zak shot Jade a strange grin. “Jade’s well versed in all the religions of southern Terrene, and she may give you a lesson in them if you ask too many questions.”

  Jade glared. “Not my fault my father wanted me tutored in everything about everyone.”

  Krista approached from the side and tugged on Jade’s arm, pulling Jade several steps away from Zak and Ben. “You guys walk slow,” Krista complained. “Hurry it up. We have a possibly interested merchant, and I want to get inside.”

  Jade tugged on the pink scarf that draped loosely around Krista’s neck and strove to calm the rapid beat of her heart. “I thought you liked the customs here.”

  “I do, when it comes to watching the guys try to woo you.” Krista laughed, the flash of her white teeth contrasting with her dark skin. “But Briar doesn’t want to be shirtless all day, and he’s too jealous to have me walk around without my wrap.”

  Jade grinned at that. Vibrant scarves around the neck showed that a woman was engaged or already spoken for, whereas kerchiefs tied around the head were reserved for married women. In that regard, walking around Vodan while single worked in her favor—fewer layers in the heat.

  “We’ll be there soon.” Jade shaded her eyes to scan the various shop fronts with their colorful signs and vibrant fabric awnings. “Which one are we going to next?”

  “Pearl’s Weaponry and Shipping.” Krista pointed to a translucent blue-and-green shade covering an adobe doorway decorated with shark teeth.

  As Krista spoke, a trio of men exited the shop and stood in front of it, talking amongst themselves. Jade turned back to urge the guys on and stopped at Zak’s expression.

  All color had drained from his bronze face, and his eyes were wide, the green barely visible. Concerned, Jade stepped closer and settled her hand on his arm, startled by the clammy feel of his skin. A shudder ran through him. Dilated eyes focused on her, and he shook his head with a wince.

  “Are you feeling ill? What’s wrong?” Jade stared up at him, disturbed to see him sway a moment before he steadied himself. Ben moved to stand on the other side of Zak, his hand hovering over Zak’s shoulder.

  “I’m fine.” Zak looked past her at the trio of men, and she turned to look at the group as well. Zak cleared his throat and forced a smile as he gently steered her forward, the sword on his hip clinking with his movement. “I just thought I recognized one of them, but that’s impossible.”

  “Oh?” Jade watched the men as she approached the building. None of them popped out to her. One man stood just a bit taller than her, a scruffy blond beard and long hair pulled back in a ponytail gave him the appearance of a rough-and-tumble mercenary or dragon hunter. A unique blood-red sword and sheath hung from his hip. The other two men clearly deferred to the blond. He pointed and said something, and they both nodded and bowed.

  Jade stepped into the building and sighed in relief at the coolness of the shade, and twisted to look back at Zak. “Why is it impossible?”

  Zak spared the trio one last lingering look before shaking his head with his lips pressed together. “A dead man can’t be alive.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Ben

  Ben stepped from the gangplank to the main deck with Briar and the rest of the group on his heels. The Sapphire had been home to him for only three months, yet he already attributed the scents of lumber, grease, oily potions, and cooked food as the perfume of safety. Here, he had friends who didn’t care if he couldn’t remember his own history. They were his viable future, until he could remember his past, or who Sara was.

  Captain Slate poked his head from the hallway by the med-bay and held out a hand. “Crew meeting in two minutes!”

  Jade and Krista scurried below deck in a rush to deposit their purchases, while Zak followed Slate into the hallway with a straining bag of lut from their successful selling in the city. Doctor Jaxton, Victor, Kerlee, Geist, and the rest of the crew assembled on the main deck within moments of Slate and Garnet coming out to greet them. Six royal guards from Lord Everett stood near the back of the group, silent. Their leader, Trevor, eyed Jade as she came up the stairs with Krista. Ben glared until the muscular man looked away with a cough. Jade, Krista, Briar, and Zak joined Ben where he stood.

  “Ezekial left a message,” Slate began without preamble, hands stuffed in his duster pockets casually. “We need to send two of you to meet him and learn the details of this mission. He specifically doesn’t want anyone who’s known to be on the crew, so if you’ve been on high-profile missions with us, go ahead and step back for now.” Slate waited for some of the crew to dissipate, then he counted those left. He didn’t even glance at the men Everett had sent. “Jaxton, you came on after Victor, but I would rather keep you here than send you out for this.”

  “Thank you.” The raven-haired doctor stepped back and leaned against a nearby mast, his bored eyes scanning over the group. He lifted an eyebrow at Ben. “If you go, don’t get yourself injured again.”

  Ben scowled at Jaxton in mock outrage, suppressing his laughter at the jab. “Hey—”

  Slate spoke over Ben’s reply. “I’m thinking we’ll send Ben and Victor.” He looked at his first mate with a small sigh and lifted a hand to forestall any protests, despite Geist already grumbling. “Like I just said, you’ve been on with us just a bit longer than Jaxton, but I know you’re good at blending in.” Paper rustled as Slate waved an orange envelope at Victor. “Zeke’s message, along with location and code word.” Slate looked past Victor and pointed at Kerlee. “You’re similar enough in build to Ben. See if you have anything formal for him to wear for this. Nothing too outrageous though, he’s supposed to blend in.”

  Jade snorted. “Kerlee thrives on the abnormal. Good luck.”

  Ben grinned down at her. “You’re just jealous you don’t get to go back out there. You like the attention, admit it.”

  “Do not!” Jade pushed against his side with a smothered laugh.

  Zak watched with folded arms from behind Jade. A crooked smile tweaked his lips. “I don’t know, Jade. I think he’s right.”

  Jade’s jaw dropped, and her eyes narrowed. She waved a finger at both of them. “Away with you two. Ben, go get ready. And, Zak? Go polish your daggers or something.”

  Ben chuckled to himself as he followed Kerlee down to his bunk room. Witnessing Zak open up to Jade, and her reactions to him, were downright amusing. Just because Ben couldn’t remember anything important and couldn’t move forward with his life, didn’t mean his friends couldn’t move forward themselves.

  He crossed his arms and let out a long breath through his nose as Kerlee opened his chest, revealing an array of vibrant clothes. Hopefully, they’d find something suitable in that mess. Victor shook his head with a skeptical look.

  Luck was with them, though. They found a formal pair of navy blue pants and a matching jacket buried at the bottom of Kerlee’s trunk.

  Ben changed into the outfit, and Kerlee wrinkled his nose at the muted colors. “Do me a favor, keep it.” He slammed the wooden lid shut and leaned against a bedpost, shaking his head. “That is so lifeless.”

  Ben raised a brow and nodded at the trunk. “And all that hurts the eyes.”

  Kerlee grinned. “True.
But when you’re relatively average in a group of talented fighters and skilled people, don’t blend in. Be the one everyone remembers.”

  Victor rolled his eyes and nodded his approval at Ben’s outfit. “Do you have a hat that Ben could borrow, too?”

  “A hat?” Ben looked up from smoothing the wrinkles out of the velvety fabric. He was going to die in the heat and humidity outside. “What kind of hat?”

  Victor twirled a white top hat in his hands before setting it on his bald head and tilting it rakishly. With his blood-red vest and white suit, he popped against the warm wood tones of the room. “A hat, you know, for your head.”

  “Ha, ha. I know what a hat is for.” Ben wrinkled his brow at Victor as the lean man polished his black shoes. “I thought the goal of you and I going was to not bring attention to ourselves.”

  “Close, but not quite.” Victor reached around his bunk and pulled out a black-and-gold walking cane. He tapped it against the floor with a haughty air. “I hate to admit that he’s right, but wearing something distinctive draws attention. Then, should we need to disappear in a hurry,” Victor opened his jacket and tugged on the vest to show the muted gray shirt underneath. “Ditch what people remember, blend in with the crowd, and you’re gone.”

  Impressed, Ben nodded. He eyed his mission partner. “Your pants don’t look bulky enough to be wearing something extra under them.”

  Kerlee snorted. “Did you see the fishermen while you were out there by chance?”

  Ben frowned as he thought back. “The men who wore loincloths?” He hesitated at the sudden mischievous grin that Victor grew. “On second thought, let’s just go. I don’t want to know.”

  Kerlee laughed while Victor pointed at Ben’s belt on the bed. “Don’t forget that.”

  Ben patted the steam-pistol and slipped the leather around his waist. “I won’t. But I don’t have many shots left. I used most of them during our training round yesterday.”