by Kiersten Fay
Pushing the memory of the pirate’s heated expression from her mind, she reentered the pub. She glanced around, dismayed by how many seats remained empty. Now that the wards had come down, the crew was eager to find entertainment elsewhere.
After tending to her only two customers in the place, she wiped down tables and counters, ignoring the fact that they still gleamed from when she’d cleaned them earlier.
As the day drew on, a few more tables filled. Not the rush she would have liked, but better than nothing. Serving them ate up minutes at best.
She briefly considered closing the pub for the evening and heading to the recreation room. For some reason, her body thrummed with pent-up frustration—due to boredom, she assumed. Boredom and restlessness, and nothing else.
Sebastian appeared in the doorway, followed by Cale, Marik, and Anya. They made their way to an empty table in a far corner, and Sebastian motioned for her to join them.
“What is it?” she asked.
Instead of answering, Sebastian turned to Anya. “May I read part of the letter?”
Anya eyed the piece paper in his hand before giving a tight nod.
He kept his tone low as he read. “Now is a time of great tragedy among the Faieara. Shortly after I had you and your sisters removed from our planet, we were attacked and overtaken by a swarm of destruction. They call themselves Kayadon.”
Sebastian paused as Sonya sucked in a breath, recognizing the last word. The Kayadon had destroyed the demon home world.
Sebastian continued. “The Kayadon live only to consume, and our planet is plentiful. They also live for power and have usurped my throne. Our home has become my prison, and I have become nothing more than a figurehead to keep our people compliant while the Kayadon ravage our lands.
“I sent you away to give you and your sisters time to grow into your powers. The reason you must grow into your gifts is because your destiny, along with your sisters, is to return to our home and trigger the rebellion against the Kayadon. We may defeat them yet. I have seen this as a possible future.
“As with all my visions, there are many possible futures. None are set in stone, and for our people, many end in tragedy. But the quest I have sent you on is the only future I must believe in. If our people are to survive, you must find your sisters and bring them home.
“The book you now possess is filled with the information you require for success. Follow my instructions. Find your sisters. Save our people.”
When Sebastian finished, he looked up and his gaze met six sets of flashing red eyes. Sonya’s mind reeled.
“This letter was found inside the book,” he announced. “I don't know about any of you, but I no longer believe in coincidences. Something larger is at work here. Anya came to us for a reason.” He placed a hand on Anya’s shoulder, whose eyes were cast down as if shamed by the revelation. “Anya will not ask for your help, but I will. This is not an order. It's an opportunity to take our revenge. I'm going to do everything in my power to avenge our people and hopefully save hers in the process. It's your choice to come with us or not.”
The entire bar had fallen silent. Sebastian spoke loud enough for all to hear. There was no doubt that Sonya, Marik, and Cale would stand behind Anya, but not everyone held a vendetta against the Kayadon. The rest of the crew would have to choose between joining them or parting ways.
“Of course we're coming,” Sonya assured. “We've all dreamt of ripping out Kayadon throats. I can't believe you thought you even needed to ask.”
Cale's fists were clenched tight, his red eyes darkening with palpable rage. No doubt thoughts of his Velicia’s betrayal swarmed his mind.
Marik mirrored Cale's anger. Amid the Kayadon invasion, he had lost his family as well.
“Well, how do we find these sisters of yours?” Cale growled to Anya, sounding harsher than he had probably meant to.
Anya hesitated, then shrugged uncomfortably. “Part of the text needs to be translated.”
Realization struck Sonya like a punch to the gut. “The pirate,” she groaned.
“He won't do it. Not while he's locked up,” Anya said.
Point Ethanule.
“Oh, he'll do it,” Cale assured. “Or he'll become acquainted with my claws.”
“We can't keep him locked up. It's not right,” Anya continued. “Besides, he wants to help just as much as you do. He lost his home too.”
“He'll be freed for his help.” Sebastian's voice rang out with the air of a leader, not to be questioned. Yet he hesitated before adding, “He'll be expected to work.” Sebastian shot Sonya a meaningful look.
A heavy ball of dread sank into her stomach. “No! Don't even think about it.”
“Anya cannot work both in the galley and here at the pub, while continuing her training with Cale and learning about her people. The pirate will take her job in the pub.”
“The pirate has a name.” Anya sounded perturbed, but she went ignored.
“Damn it, Sebastian!” Sonya slammed her fist on the table. “He can't be trusted. He'll probably just hide out in the back drinking all my liquor like the degenerate he is.”
Anya interjected, “He's not a degenerate. He was a soldier—”
“I don't care if he was the freaking king himself! I don't like him, and I don't like this plan.”
“Please, Sonya.” Anya looked up at her with the most earnest, compelling expression Sonya had ever been subject to.
She wanted to whine and rail and throw a fit—she might have even stomped her foot for good measure—but Anya deserved to possess the knowledge of her people.
“Fine,” Sonya grumbled. Surely she could tolerate a pirate for a short time. “But if he doesn't do his job perfectly, I reserve the right to slash his throat.”
“No.” Sebastian leaned forward in his chair.
She rolled her eyes. “Kidding. I'll just rough him up a bit before I kick him out of my pub.”
Chapter 6
Sebastian had allocated a small alcove across the hall for the Anya and Ethanule’s research…directly in Sonya’s line of sight.
Sonya leaned wearily against the bar and groaned. “Aw, come on, Sebastian. I already agreed to allow him behind my bar. I don’t want to have to spy on him and Anya as well. You can’t possibly be this insecure.”
Sebastian bared his fangs. “Just poke your head out every now and again and check on them. If Ethan tries anything, you had damn well better let me know.”
“Okay, maybe you can be this insecure.”
“Just do as I say,” Sebastian snarled.
She gave him an overly dramatized roll of her eyes. “Alright.”
He pressed his lips together and offered a tight nod before leaving.
Sonya shook her head with pity for her brother. If he didn’t claim Anya soon, she was sure he would lose his mind.
She waited a while before edging towards the door and leaned out to get a better look. Anya was seated next to Ethan, who was hunched over the book, flipping through the pages. Notes and several computers were scattered around them.
Captivating.
Sonya rolled her eyes.
Ethan ran his forefinger down the page of the book. Her gaze followed its slow progress and the need to swallow arose. Something in the motion came across…erotic.
Sonya shook away the errant thought before focusing back on Ethan. His shirt hung loose over his shoulder, and his pants were somewhat baggy. No doubt Sebastian or Cale had lent him some clothes. Ethan wasn’t a small male by any means, but her brothers still towered over him.
A single pointed ear poked out from behind his white-blond hair. A simple gold hoop hugged the lobe, refracting light when he turned his head.
His bottom lip drew her attention. It was a bit fuller than the top and there was the slightest crease just under it that cradled a small patch of stubble. How is it the gods would permit a pirate to look so handsome?
He glanced up at her and gave her an arrogant smile, as though he knew the
trail of her thoughts. She flushed as anger welled, then stabbed him with a piercing glare before she whirled around and rushed back to the safety of her bar.
Ethan had assumed the demon female would be spying on them. Why else would Sebastian have placed their study directly across from her tavern? His feelings for the princess were obvious. And Anya, as she preferred to be called, seemed to return the attraction.
To make matters worse, she expressed no desire for Ethan in any respect. To be honest, he wasn’t extraordinarily attracted to her either. Sure, she was pretty enough. And kind. But she lacked the fire and sensuality he always imagined his other half would possess.
Still, he had been promised the hand of one of the king’s daughters and the title that went with it.
Ethan had felt Sonya’s eyes on him for some time before he had glanced up. He’d expected to see disdain in her expression, but instead, she’d been gazing at him intently, chewing her bottom lip. His blood had fired as dark images invaded his mind. Images of guiding her hand to his lower regions as he took that lip between his own teeth.
Then he mentally scolded himself. His future bride sat right next to him, for the love of the gods, and he was fantasizing about a lowly demon? What was wrong with him?
He fixed a blank expression and went back to translating the book. It took a moment to find his place again.
Moments later, he caught Anya studying him. “You're staring at my ears.”
She gave a sweet smile. “I've only seen them in the mirror.”
He allowed her to look as he focused back on the book. He’d already managed to translate parts of it, but some sections confounded him. It was as though he’d need an entirely differed key to decode it. He marked the section for later evaluation and moved on.
“Ethan?” Anya murmured. “Will you tell me about our home planet?”
He smiled, even as a wave of sadness flooded him. “It's beautiful,” he replied. “Towering mountains, deep valleys. Some trees are so large they seem to touch the suns. Do you remember anything at all? Our two suns, and the three moons?”
Anya shrugged. “I get flashes every now and again. Not much to go on. I wish I could remember more.”
“Most of our people favor the warm regions. Cold disagrees with us, don't you agree?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “What else?”
“Our society is a free society. Well, it was, anyway.” He was surprised by how forlorn he suddenly felt. He hadn’t spoken of Evlon in a long time. “Used to be that you could choose your own path in life, whatever that may be.”
He chuckled to himself. Ironically, Ethan’s path was not his own. The king had drawn it out for him, utilizing his power to project himself over space to guide Ethan’s journey.
Except, those little visits had ended years ago. Judging by how haggard the king had last looked, Ethan had to accept the real possibility that his liege was now dead. Even before the invasion, Ethan had suspected the king might have been terminally ill.
He decided to spare Anya those details. Instead, he added, “Our markets were rich with traders and merchants and entertainment. You could walk through our town center on market day and not even see a quarter of what was available. As a princess, you would have attended festivals and parties. Your only care would have been what to wear to each.” He went quiet, yearning for those times himself. “We'll defeat the Kayadon,” he assured, more for his own benefit. “Then, after the wedding, I'll show you everything our planet has to offer.”
“Wedding?”
He stilled. He hadn’t intended on revealing his plans straight out, but it was done now.
He nodded and gazed down at the book, trying to appear nonchalant. “Once we are wed, I'll take you through the forest of lights, which is actually so thick with canopy that it's shadowed in darkness year-round. It's called the forest of light because the creatures that live there have evolved to illuminate parts of their bodies.”
He peeked at her, noting her sickly expression.
“Don't worry, it's perfectly safe,” he added, hoping her obvious trepidation was for fear of the dark, rather than of marrying him.
Sonya paused in the pub’s doorway, shocked by Ethan’s revelation. Condensation dripped over her fingers from the ice-cold glasses in her hands. She wasn’t going to enjoy telling Sebastian that he was right.
Ugh, why had she chosen now to bring them water?
“Excuse me, but…did you just say ‘we’ and ‘wed’?” Anya asked, incredulous.
Ethan shifted in his chair. “Well, it was agreed upon…by the king…that once I returned with his daughters, I would be rewarded with the privilege to marry one.”
Sonya leaned in to hear better.
“Ethan.” Anya sighed. “I love Sebastian. With everything in me, I love him. And I choose him.”
Sonya couldn’t help but smile.
“But, he's a demon,” Ethan replied.
Sonya scoffed and crossed the hall, not bothering to hide her irritation. “I'll take a demon over a pirate any day.” She handed Anya one of the glasses.
Ethan quickly covered his surprise at seeing her. “Yes, but you are a demon,” he said reasonably, as though he wasn’t openly insulting her.
Sonya grabbed her tail and looked at it with feigned surprise. “So I am.” She glared back at him. “And very soon, this demon is going to be your boss. Your ass is mine, pirate.” She considered the extra beverage in her hand. “I have no idea why I brought two of these,” she said and turned to leave.
As she went, she overheard Ethan mutter to Anya, “I have a real talent for pissing off demons, don't I?”
Sonya was in full agreement with that.
She tried her best to ignore them the rest of the evening. After a few hours, Anya left, but Ethan remained, studying the book. Sonya found herself watching him again. Every time she caught herself, she’d forced her attention on something else, but without fail, her gaze would slip back. Only because I mistrust him so thoroughly.
All the while, Ethan remained hard at work, switching his attention between the book, the computer, his papers, and then back again. He finally took a break and entered the pub, claiming a stool at the end of the bar.
Sonya considered pretending she didn’t notice him, but then he yawned and vigorously rubbed his eyes. She sighed in resignation and sauntered. “What’s your poison, pirate?”
Irritation flashed over his face at the moniker. “I need something that will wake me up.”
“How late do you plan on working?”
He shrugged. “I haven’t even gotten past the first few pages.” His brows furrowed and he murmured, almost to himself, “It’s like I’m missing a piece of the code.”
“Isn’t that the whole point of encoding something? To make it difficult to decode?”
“To make it difficult for others to decode, yes. But I should have the whole key, not a part of it.”
“Maybe you’re just not using the code right. I could take a look at it for you and see if I can’t figure it out. Demons are natural linguists, and a code is nothing more than another language.”
“Why don’t you just get my drink, demon?” he replied curtly.
“I’ll only offer once, pirate. Don’t beg for my help later.” She turned with a cheeky grin and began mixing an invigorating tea blend.
Glancing over her shoulder, she caught him staring and turned away. Oddly, that look made her feel exposed, though she couldn’t explain why.
“Here.” She set the cup in front of him. “This should get those brain cells kicking.”
He took a sip. “It’s bitter.” He set the glass down. She was about to point out his faulty taste buds, when he blurted, “Why is this place so empty?”
She glanced around, spotting only one couple in the corner and another on their way out the door. “It’s late.” She tried not to sound embarrassed by his observation.
Ethan shot her a knowing look.
“It’s always slow at this
hour,” she lied.
“Maybe it’s your lack of music.” He flicked the edge of his cup with his finger, and the ting echoed in the quiet room.
“Most of the time, there is music playing,” she replied. “The speakers are broken, and the tech personnel have been busy with other things.”
“Oh. Do you need me to look at them?”
Sonya hissed, showing her fangs. “I can take care of it, thank you.”
“Very well,” Ethan said, grasping his cup in one hand and sliding off the stool. “But I’ll only offer once.”
Ethan chuckled to himself as he made his way back to his workspace. Sonya had been pleased enough to try and insult him, but she certainly didn’t like the turnabout. If he’d stayed any longer, he was sure to coax a snarl out of her.
After taking another sip of his tea, enjoying the rich flavor, he settled in amongst his mess of research. He’d lied when he called the concoction bitter. In truth, the taste was quite pleasing, and his mind was already perking up.
Before long, he was engrossed in his work again, scrawling on parchment all the lines he could not decode for later reference and cycling data through the computers. It was turning out to be quite a chore. Briefly he wondered if the demon female was correct. Could he be misapplying the keycode?
Searching his memory, he quickly assured himself that wasn’t the case. He could still visualize the king’s instruction as if he held the directions in his hand.
Could the king have left something out?
Ethan shook his head. It was too soon to jump to any conclusions. He flipped the book back to page one.
He didn’t know how much time had passed, but his eyes were beginning to droop when Sonya emerged from her tavern, closing for the evening. She shot him a dismissive glance before heading down the hall. After a few steps, she paused and closed her fists, standing with her back to him as though contemplating something.
Eventually, she faced him, her expression a mix between irritation and reserve. “Look, it’s easy to get lost if you aren’t familiar with the ship’s layout, and having a pirate wandering aimlessly is a recipe for disaster.” She said the word as if it left a bad taste on her tongue.