However …
“Don’t you dare be reasonable in this, Dón-Dueli. Not when I want to be mad at you for that insult you just dealt.”
He snorted at her agitated tone. “Well, far be it from me to deprive you of anything, love. If you want to beat me arse, I’ll even get naked for it.…” He lifted his bare leg out from beneath the covers to wiggle his toes at her. “Oh, wait, I already am.” The teasing finally returned to his eyes.
Yet even so, the hurt beneath those words wrung her heart and she hated that she’d caused him even an instant of pain or doubt, because she knew how much treachery had been served so coldly to him in his lifetime.
It was the last thing she’d ever do to him now. As he said, it was her sister’s specialty.
Never hers. And she hated herself for ever having conspired with her sister to do him harm. Surely, there was a special corner of Annwn reserved for her punishment.
“I won’t betray you, Duel. I swear it.”
He cupped her cheek in his warm palm. “Then I shall put forth all my meager faith in you.”
But she saw the shadow of doubt that remained in his eyes and it made her ache all the more. Not because he felt it, but because she knew that she honestly deserved it. That she had earned his mistrust.
I swear I will make you believe in me.
She had no idea how, but she’d find some way to erase that doubt. Come the devil or the sea, she would prove it to him. Beyond any reason. Du would know that she was sincere, and that in her he had at least one person in his life that he’d never again have to fear betrayal from.
Suddenly, they heard a loud clamor, on the top deck outside.
“I thought everyone was below for the storm?”
Duel scowled. “As did I. I told them not to risk it.” Getting up, he quickly dressed and went to see what the noise was about.
She dressed and followed suit, only to find the crew scrambling to retrieve Kalder from the raging sea, where he must have fallen overboard. Yet how strange. It wasn’t like him to ever lose his footing for anything.
Even in a storm.
He only did that whenever he was trying for the attention of a maid—and usually then, only on land. A ploy Devyl and the others had oft chided him over. But surely, Kalder wouldn’t have tried that in this storm.…
Especially not with the women onboard. He’d respectfully kept his distance from them all, since they lived in such close proximity. And, in spite of Kat’s and Simon’s rather untraditional marriage, it was forbidden by Thorn for them to fraternize. A rule Devyl had just broken with Mara, but he’d deal with that later.
Mara hesitated on deck as she took in the frenetic madness.
Rushing past the shouting crew trying to pull Kalder from the sea, Duel didn’t hesitate to dive in after him and be swallowed by the black, crashing waves that sought to drown them both. She ran to the side, wanting to yell and curse him for his reckless stupidity that never failed to frustrate her. Terrified of the way the giant surf surged and ebbed like mountains, Mara choked on a scream and watched with her heart in her throat until she finally saw Duel break the surface to bob and float above the dangerous mess.
Against all odds, he quickly made his way to Kalder and somehow, in spite of the furious waves, he helped the Myrcian back to the ship. She used her powers to lengthen the wood and scoop them both out, taking extra care to cradle Duel.
Coughing and wheezing, Kalder crawled up her planks to lie on deck while Belle swept her jacket off to lay it over him. Mara carefully placed Duel at her feet and checked on his condition, but he’d have none of her coddling.
With an irritated grimace at her fretting over him that was softened by a peeking dimple in his cheek, he rose and squeezed her hand gently in his, then pressed past her to examine Kalder.
“What happened?” Duel demanded, kneeling beside the merman.
“Bastard shifters took our Miss Jack.” Bart added his jacket to Kalder’s shivering body so that he could use it to blot the water off his skin and hair. “We were trying to stop them from fleeing when lackwit Kalder jumped in after them in an effort to save her. Sadly, didn’t work.”
Duel cursed. “Anyone else go over?”
William shook his head. “They be the only two, Captain. Miss Jack and Shite for Brains. But we did lose a couple below earlier to the takarum.”
Ignoring the epithets he agreed with, Devyl met Mara’s fretful gaze and bit back what he really wanted to say. Instead, he let out a long, tired sigh. Damn it all. He hated to lose any member of this crew. For anything.
Things were getting bad.
Worse?
He was getting desperate.
Devyl ground his teeth. “You know, when I become the sole voice of reason in any given affair, we’re in a sad, sorry state, mates.”
William laughed, until he met Devyl’s sinister grimace. That quelled his mirth. “What are your orders, Captain?”
He glanced over his shoulder to where Belle and Janice stood, both soaked as much as Kalder.
And that gave him an idea.…
“We need to raise a water witch.”
Sancha laughed out loud. “I’m not that drunk, Captain.”
“Then you need to grab yourself some more rum, Miss Dolorosa, for that be the next step. We’re going in for a long, deadly haul.”
Belle paled considerably. As did Janice and Kat. “Have you ever raised a witch of that magnitude, sir?”
“Aye.” But it’d been a while and hadn’t gone very well. They tended to be cantankerous bitches, hence the boo-hag moniker they’d earned.
With no better plan, he locked gazes with Mara and waited for her to join the others in calling him a fool.
“Are you sure about this, Du?”
Not even a little bit, but he couldn’t let the others know how much he doubted his own intelligence in this.
Or his abilities.
“We can’t leave Miss Jack with them. Signal to Santiago, and we can transfer the bulk of our crew to his ship. I’ll need a few volunteers to—”
The sound of their protests drowned him out. But none were louder than Mara, Bart, and William.
“We’re in this together, Devyl,” Will said. “To the end. Come what may. Ain’t a man-jack or molly here what’s going to leave the others to burn.”
“Aye!” they shouted in unison.
“We burn together!”
“But I’d rather we try other means, first.” Valynda cleared her throat as she spoke over their raucous voices. “Not that I’m afraid, mind you. Just, being made of straw, would rather we think about it first. And set fire to our enemies before we give up our ghosts so cavalierly.”
“Hear, hear!” Zumari agreed. “Died once. Not eager for a repeat.”
Sallie snorted. “Bugger that. I say we set the whole of the world on fire. Damned be he who cannot fight and get out of our way!”
“Oui!” Roach clapped Sallie on his back. “Make the blackguards rue that which birthed them and the very air we breathe!”
William grimaced. “You mean they breathe?”
“Non! They should regret that we breathe, for we will make them weep at all the wounds we give unto them. I piss down the throats of the swine!”
Laughing, William clapped him on the back.
“Thieves, drunkards, lunatics, wastrels, and whores we might all be, but there ain’t a coward among us.” Sancha crossed her arms over her chest as she dared Devyl with her gaze to try and move her from the ship.
Devyl wasn’t sure what to make of this camaraderie. Honestly? It scared the shite out of him. He’d never known it before. Not even his own army had been that loyal. Rather, they’d been too scared to raise arms against him for fear they wouldn’t kill him. Only anger him so that he’d disembowel them for the affront.
But that being said, he was all about going after Miss Jack and her brother and seeing this made right. Whatever the cost.
Even if they did have to set the world
Bart handed him a towel. “The shifters pretended to be you, Captain. They told us to head toward the Quella.”
“Well then, let’s not disappoint them. Full speed. Storm be damned, me hearties. In the meantime, let’s see about conjuring us up a hag, shall we?”
Mara groaned out loud, finally giving voice to the doubt he expected from her. “By all means, open the door to hell and unleash someone even more terrifying than Vine. Why not?” She rolled her eyes and shook her head, then narrowed her gaze at Devyl. “Are you sure we need to? Shouldn’t we call for Necrodemians instead? Thorn said we could.”
Devyl snorted at the thought. ’Twas the last thing he’d ever do. “I’d sooner trust Vine. At least I know where I stand with her. Problem with good men … you never know when they’re going to do something evil in an attempt to make something right. Personally, I like stability in battle.” He pulled his flintlocks from his belt and handed them to Bart who, in turn, scowled at him.
“Should I ask, Captain?”
“You never want a water witch to lay her hands on gunpowder, Mr. Meers. Even if it be damp. Disarm yourselves, everyone. It’s not worth what could happen.”
“He’s right.” Mara glanced about. “Make sure all the powder’s put away before he embarks on this next round of idiocy he’s set himself to.”
Devyl smirked at her recitation of his idea, but didn’t bother to correct her words. Mostly because she wasn’t wrong.
It was just irritating to have her undermine him out loud before their crew.
Belle paused beside Devyl to stare up at him with a knowing grimace that melted into a smile. “Feeling better now, Captain?”
He bit back a groan at her silent insinuation. “Don’t be getting cheeky with me, Miss Morte. Me humor’s still not restored fully.”
Her gaze slid to Mara. “I’d wager otherwise.”
“You know, I ate the last crewman who annoyed me.”
She laughed at that. “I’m not worth the indigestion, Captain.” And with that, she flounced off to clap Mara on the shoulder and kiss her cheek.
Trying not to think about the fact that he was actually embarrassed, Devyl waited until all the weapons and powder were secured before he and Janice began the conjuring necessary to summon the witch up from the ocean.
And not just any hag.
The handmaiden of Tiamat herself. Some said she’d been banished to the bowels of the ocean as punishment by a jealous goddess who envied her for her beauty. Others claimed it was a coven of other witches who’d been commissioned to chain her there by women who were sick of her preying on them and their men at night while they slept—that she’d visit them in the form of a cat and suck away years of their life so that she could maintain her beauty and immortality.
The latter being what they attributed sudden sea storms to in this region. It was the old sea hag needing souls to maintain her longevity, and the only way she could get them to her prison. None ever returned from her watery home.
He turned to Mara. “Can you hold her after I summon her?”
She arched a brow. “Did you mean to insult me?”
“Nay, love.” He winked at her with a laugh. “I’d never do such … out loud. Besides, I’m about to put my life in your hands. But I didn’t want to put your life in danger. If you need reinforcement, I’d rather get it now than summon her and find out too late that she’s more powerful than we thought. Last thing I want is to have to cut me own throat for allowing you to be harmed.”
Mara choked on a joyous sob at those words. Words that Dón-Dueli wouldn’t say lightly, which made them all the more valuable. While he might be protective, he never spoke publicly about such things.
To say it for others to overhear …
I love you, too, my surly beast.
He left her side to instruct Simon to signal to Rafael and his crew what they were about while they brought the ship around to head for the area where Strixa was known to prey on unsuspecting vessels.
Kat watched Rosie, then Devyl, as the sea kept the ship rocking while the storm continued to rage. “And do we know for a fact that this be where the boo-hag haunts?”
“The she-bitch takes the form of a giant black owl with glowing red eyes whenever she spies for victims. And an owl at sea tends to stand out.”
Simon crossed himself. “What are we summoning her for, Captain?”
He hesitated on giving up the entire reason. There were some things he didn’t want the others to know. So he settled on a smaller, more logical one they wouldn’t argue with. “It’ll behoove us to pay homage to her, as the gate lies in the midst of her perching range, and we’ll be passing by it. Anyone who doesn’t give her her due regrets it immensely. Not to mention, nothing goes on in this area that Strixa doesn’t know about it.”
“Sound reasons.” William called for them to set anchor and steady the ship as best they could, given the storm.
Belle returned with her oils and salts to help him, and Janice cast the circle for it. “Be ready whenever you are, Captain.”
While Belle set about beginning the ritual with Janice, Devyl took a moment to make sure that Rafael was far enough away from them to be protected should something go amiss—which, given his luck, was highly probable. No need in putting both their crews at risk. Besides, the Deadmen would need to be fished out of the sea if things didn’t go to plan.
Devyl turned to the man who was the closest thing he’d ever had to a friend. “Should this go afoul, Mr. Death, I want you to save as many as you can.”
“No fears, Captain. Me arse’ll be the first one I’ll be rescuing.”
He scoffed at the surly tone, knowing Will better than that. William would never see to himself over the life of another. It was, after all, what had caused him to be hanged.
And that had been over someone William knew had betrayed him, yet he took the noose for the man anyway. Because, aye, Will was just that loyal.
Once they had the ship as stable as they could, Devyl turned to Mara. He saw the concern in her eyes and it warmed him a lot more than he wanted to own up to. “It’ll be fine, my lady. I’ve done worse.”
“Indeed. That’s what scares me most. For I have witnessed some of your more stellar moments of gross recklessness … and stupidity. I shudder at the thought of you repeating them.”
With worry haunting her eyes, she stepped back and melted into the ship so that she could better control it and form a cage around Strixa once she manifested.
Devyl took the small iron pot from Belle’s hand, where she’d already begun the mixture they needed to bind the powerful creature they were evoking and not invoking. A dangerous thing that, especially when dealing with gods and those most powerful.
The fumes from the pot were pungent enough to make his eyes water and to catch in his throat.
Sancha rubbed at her nose as he began to make sigils on the deck. “Doesn’t she prey on children?”
“She can. Why?”
“I’m trying to think if there’s an easier way to lure her. Mentally, Kalder should draw her in.”
Kalder gave a loud, fake laugh at her insult. “I’ve heard she prefers to drink the nectar of loose women, meself.”
“Well then, we get a double dose of it with you.” Sancha grinned at him.
Kalder laughed good-naturedly, taking her insults in stride. At least until a fierce, harsh, screaming wind began.
Devyl grimaced at the banshee-like sound. “Relax. It’s her. She’s protesting our interference with her free will.”
“Is she going to—” Bart’s voice broke off as a massive swell of water came over the starboard side and sent the ship careening.
Several members almost fell overboard, but Mara caught them in a basket and held fast.
Devyl cursed as more waves pummeled them and uprooted their anchors. “Hold tight!”
Easier said than done. Strixa was after their blood and their lives for this. And not just to take a few years off.
She wanted them entirely.
As a result, a wave lifted the ship out of the water and sent it crashing down with a force that rattled their bones and sent them all to the deck. It was so fierce, it shattered the cage Mara had created to hold her.
“Mara?” Devyl shouted, terrified she might have been injured.
“I’m fine.” But her tone was stressed. “Don’t worry over me. You be careful.”
He pressed his cheek against the plank, wishing she was in her body. “Do not get harmed in this,” he breathed before pressing his lips to her wood. “Above all, do not risk yourself.”
The planks warmed beneath him. “Above all, Du, do not be harmed.”
Devyl caressed the boards before he pushed himself to his feet. “Strixa!” He shouted for the witch as he began to evoke her, chanting in the ancient language of his people in an effort to calm her fury and save his crew.
It didn’t work.
She came out of the sea like a phoenix on fire, trailing a stream of water in her wake. Her black wings flapped with the force of a hurricane, sending their ship plunging beneath the waves. Only Belle’s shield, Janice’s chant, and Mara’s determination kept them from being ripped apart and sunk.
The crew lashed themselves to whatever wood they could and many prayed as it seemed the ship was trying to buck them all off into the sea to be drowned.
“This was a stupendously bad idea,” William said as he wrapped rope around his waist and the mainmast.
Devyl growled as he pulled himself up and stood to the side. “No bitching, Mr. Death. I tried to get you to leave.”
“Deeth! And I regret me decision, Captain. Seriously. Should have done it when you told me to.”
Bart caught Zumari as he went skittering past and helped him to anchor himself to the deck. “Am thinking … she’s an owl. They like insects. I vote we feed her Roach and run for it.”
Roach let loose a long string of French obscenities.
Ignoring them, Devyl used his powers to summon Deruvian fire so that he could shoot it at the ancient being to get her attention off his men and onto him, where it belonged.
With a loud screech, she ducked his blast and came for him. He expected her to fight.
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