《The Spectre》 Chapter 1

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Pirate Ship Titles and Responsibilities

Captain - Jonathon Harding

The Captain is the overall leader of the pirate ship, responsible for making strategic decisions during navigation and battle. They hold the authority to command the crew, set the ship¡¯s course, and decide when to engage or retreat from combat. While the Captain has significant power, they are often elected by the crew and can be overruled or replaced if they lose the crew''s confidence. The Captain also assumes other leadership roles not explicitly covered by other officers.

Quartermaster - Cassandra ''Cassie¡¯ Reeves

The Quartermaster is second in command and acts as the representative of the crew''s interests. They are responsible for maintaining order on board, overseeing the distribution of loot, and managing the daily operations of the ship. The Quartermaster also enforces discipline and resolves disputes among the crew. In combat, they assist with tactical decisions and may lead boarding parties. The Quartermaster often takes on roles such as managing supplies and supervising lower-ranking crew members.

Navigator - Beckett Tristan

The Navigator is in charge of charting the ship¡¯s course, steering the vessel through perilous waters, and ensuring they reach their destination safely. They use maps, compasses, and other navigational tools to guide the ship. In addition to navigation, the Navigator may assist in identifying enemy ships and hazards at sea, playing a crucial role in both travel and combat readiness. They may fill roles involving lookout duties and intelligence gathering.

Gunner - Ryden Black

The Gunner is responsible for the ship¡¯s artillery and all aspects of cannon operation. They oversee the maintenance, loading, aiming, and firing of the ship¡¯s cannons during battle. The Gunner trains the crew in gunnery and ensures that ammunition and gunpowder are stored safely. In the absence of specialized crew, the Gunner may take on additional combat-related roles, such as overseeing small arms or directing fire during engagements.

Boatswain (Bosun) - Dryden Black

The Boatswain, or Bosun, is in charge of the ship¡¯s rigging, sails, and general maintenance. They ensure that the ship remains seaworthy by supervising repairs, managing the deck crew, and overseeing tasks like hoisting sails or weighing anchor. The Boatswain also ensures that all equipment, including ropes, masts, and spars, are in good working order. They can take on other operational roles, such as leading tasks that involve deck management or emergency damage control.

Cook - Thayer Shelley

The Cook is responsible for preparing meals for the crew, using the provisions available on board. In addition to cooking, the Cook manages the ship¡¯s food stores, ensures that rations are distributed fairly, and may be involved in foraging or fishing when necessary. Though their primary role is in the galley, the Cook may also assist with first aid, basic medical care, or other domestic tasks on the ship. In the absence of other specialists, the Cook may perform duties related to general crew support.

Powder Monkeys

Powder Monkeys are usually young boys or smaller, agile crew members tasked with transporting gunpowder from the ship¡¯s magazine to the cannons during battle. Their role is crucial for maintaining the steady supply of ammunition needed for the ship¡¯s guns. Powder Monkeys must be quick, careful, and brave, as their job involves running back and forth through the heat of combat, often under fire, to keep the cannons loaded. Due to their size and agility, they can navigate the cramped and dangerous passages of the ship efficiently. In the absence of dedicated crew members for this role, other available crew, such as younger sailors or even the Cook¡¯s assistants, may perform these duties. Chapter 1 ¡°¡­and ever since that day, she has sailed the seas with nary a captain nor crew to helm her,¡± said a woman with soft, orange eyes that seemed to glow in the shadow created by her long brown hair. ¡°Wow! And all that treasure?¡± exclaimed the boy in her lap, his eyes wide, shining with wonder and imagination. ¡°Still in her hold,¡± she replied. ¡°An entire galleon filled with gold and jewels.¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± The boy paused for a moment before furrowing his brow. ¡°But I thought you said pirates stole animal skins and cloth and spices and all.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. The woman laughed. ¡°How very right you are, my smart boy. But you see, towards the end, her captain became very greedy, and instead of selling his plunder and spending it right away, he hoarded it. And the more of his crew that died, well, that was just more room he had to store his ever-growing collection.¡± The boy stared off into the distance for a moment, pondering this information. Then, as if trying to make sense of it all, he began to look around the room. Their home was small and single-roomed¨Cand sometimes it leaked¨Cbut he could just see all the gold and jewels piled up in every corner, filled to the brim until they had no choice but to sit on top of it all. Suddenly, he blurted, ¡°One day, I¡¯m going to take her! And her treasure! Gold. Jewels. Cloth. Whatever it is. I¡¯m going to take it all! And I¡¯m going to be the new captain of The Spectre.¡± The woman¡¯s soft eyes squinted as a warm smile crossed her face, the corners of her eyes wrinkling in the way of someone who had spent their whole life bringing joy to others. She began speaking inaudibly as her face blurred. Suddenly, Jonathon was awake¡­disoriented and uncomfortable. His face throbbed with a dull ache¨Ctemple, cheekbones, jaw¨Call burning as if he¡¯d been pressing against something unyielding for far too long. Where had he fallen asleep this time? he thought to himself, still groggy. Judging by the feel of the thing, and the smell of stale alcohol wafting through his nose, he guessed it was another bar. Jonathon winced slightly as he slowly lifted his head from its unforgiving resting place. As he sat up and glanced around, he let out a sigh of relief. He was indeed at another bar¡ªthe Plot and Plaster, to be exact. A terribly childish name for a bar, but the owner, Greig, had a tendency to be childish. And if a man like him wanted to be childish, you¡¯d be hard-pressed to find someone who would challenge that notion. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s about time ye woke up, ya good-fer-nothin¡¯ layabout,¡± said the man in question at the end of the bar, polishing his glasses. His voice a low rumble, like distant thunder. Standing at a little over six feet, the giant of a man towered over any who entered his establishment. And he wasn¡¯t just tall; he was also burly. In fact, the only thing larger than his arms was his beard. He wore an extravagant, deep-red beard that hung down to his sternum. He had braided either side of his mustache and weighed the ends down with a pair of beautiful, solid gold beard tubes. The inner design of the tubes gave its wearer the appearance of a sea serpent wrapping around each braid of hair. Jonathon had always envied those beard tubes, and Greig¡¯s knack for growing such a beautiful beard in the first place. Anytime he had attempted such a thing, he found his beard just grew outward and never properly down. He¡¯d also found he liked the look of his face with just a modicum of scruff better anyway, so eventually he gave up on his endeavor. But he still envied the man, just a little bit. Jonathon smiled mischievously at the man and said, ¡°Well, having to listen to you tell the same stories night after night gets to be so incredibly boring.¡± He faked a yawn before continuing, ¡°It must have lulled me to sleep.¡± He looked around at the empty bar. ¡°Maybe if you did more than polish those glasses, you¡¯d have more customers in here, eh?¡± Greig paused his polishing for a moment and shot a dark look at Jonathon, a look that made him worry he had taken a step too far with his last comment. Jonathon¡¯s terrified silence hung in the atmosphere around him for what felt like an eternity as the darkness crept ever closer to his heart. But then Grieg smiled, and Jonathon¡¯s heart resumed beating. ¡°You know,¡± Grieg said, continuing his ritualistic task, ¡°most barkeepers tend to clean and polish all their glasses after the bar has shut down. Mayhaps if ye were able to get a real job, instead of living voyage to voyage chasing after a fairy tale, ye wouldn¡¯t have time to harass me with such nonsense.¡± His gaze turned back to Jonathon and his face softened into one of concern as he added, ¡°Besides, there¡¯s a fine line between desire and obsession, Jon. If you keep chasin'' these old tales, one day you might find the story bites back.¡± Jonathon raised his hands, laughing in defeat, ¡°Alright, alright, you win. I surrender.¡± He let his hands fall to the bar and gave a long stretch before continuing casually, ¡°I appreciate you allowing me to sleep it off at your bar, but I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve eaten up too much of your hospitality for tonight.¡± He had heard Grieg¡¯s concerned comment but was used to that kind of lecturing from the man. Grieg was always worried about ¡°the cost of obsession.¡± As if Jonathon¡¯s life-long dream was some dangerous curse that would cost him in the end. He appreciated the concern, and while he had to admit that even he had moments where his pursuit of The Spectre made him feel a sense of unease, both his unease and Grieg¡¯s concern were unfounded. In the end, his prize would be worth the chase. He paused, placing a hand to his chin, feigning a spur-of-the-moment thought. ¡°Mayhaps I¡¯ll head over to The Sleeping Siren for the remainder of my night.¡± Greig laughed as Jonathon stood and walked toward the exit. ¡°Ye know, at this point, ye¡¯d likely have been able to buy yerself a manor with the gold ye throw away at that place.¡± ¡°Ahh, but a manor doesn¡¯t keep my bed warm now, does it, Greig?¡± he said with his arms splayed open wide, walking backward toward the door. He turned and began exiting the bar. He paused halfway through the door, hand resting on its frame. ¡°But you know, Greig, you and I both know she¡¯s more than just a fairy tale, and too valuable to be labeled as an obsession. One of these days, The Spectre will be mine. I¡¯m so close I can almost taste it, and if my last tip is true, it won¡¯t be long before I buy that manor you spoke of. Two, in fact. One for me, and one for you.¡± He exited before Greig could respond and made his way, slightly stumbling, toward The Sleeping Siren. He didn¡¯t want to keep Scarlett waiting any longer! Chapter 2 Chapter 2 As he stumbled down the dirt road, Jonathon¡¯s mind drifted back to his dream. ¡°Eighteen years,¡± he mumbled to himself. ¡°Can¡¯t believe it¡¯s been that long since Mom first told me about The Spectre.¡± He paused and laughed drunkenly to himself, ¡°Can¡¯t count the number of times I¡¯ve dreamt about that damned ship since then. Feels like it''s practically every night.¡± He thought back to a conversation he had had with Grieg one night. ¡°Oi Jonathon, what makes this ship so special?¡± following one of Jonathon¡¯s failed expeditions to find The Spectre. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked, brows raised, the validity of the man¡¯s question never crossing his mind. ¡°I mean how many ghost ships ye figure ye¡¯ve ¡®eard of all these years? I don¡¯t see ye chasin¡¯ after those any. So why¡¯ve ye got to be so dead set on huntin¡¯ down this¡¯un?¡± Jonathon smiled, ¡°Easy Grieg, those other stories are mere fantasy. The Spectre¡¯s the real ghost ship of The Stern Sea. Why else would I dream of her every night?¡± Grieg gave a defeated smile and shook his head, ¡°Aye, can¡¯t argue with that, can I? Still, I worry what your obsession¡¯ll cost ye eventually. There¡¯s always a price.¡± Jonathon laughed and shook his head. ¡°Grieg and his ¡®cost of obsession¡¯ superstition,¡± he mumbled as he stumbled further down the dirt road. The nearby laughter of a child caused him to slow his pace. He looked around to see a mother and son laughing in the living room of a nearby home. The scene quickly made him think of his own mother. He turned away from the home and looked up toward the night sky. ¡°Besides, if the story was nonsense, why would you tell it to me every night, Mom?¡± It had been a little over a year since she had passed, and ever since then, he had noticed a shift in his dreams. He still dreamt of the ship, but now it was in the setting of her telling him the stories as a child. He didn¡¯t mind; it gave him the opportunity to see her again every time he closed his eyes. He turned his attention back to the road and continued his journey, his steps wavering as the ground seemed to tilt beneath his boots. As he neared his destination, the sounds of laughter and merry-making shook him from his reminiscing and reminded him where his mind had absently been leading his body: The Sleeping Siren, serving the riff-raff of Gravenfair for¡­well, who cared how long¨Cit was still serving this riff-raff, and that was all that mattered as far as Jonathon was concerned. As he turned the corner of the dusty road and looked upon the manor-like building that housed the thriving business, Greig¡¯s words replayed in his head. For a moment, Jonathon genuinely wondered how much of what he saw was from his own pockets¡­then he shrugged and continued onward. No good pondering that now, he thought to himself. As he entered the building, he was greeted by the unmistakable sounds of satisfied customers that so frequently permeated the establishment''s air. The unique mixture of cheap perfume and sweat led to a scent that felt almost like home to Jonathon¨Cat least, what had come to feel like home while he was ashore. ¡°Welcome to Ze¡­,¡± the Madame started, her expression brightening as she recognized him. ¡°Ah, Jonathon! I vas beginning to vorry zat ve vere not going to get to see you tonight. I¡¯m so glad you vere able to make it. Shall I summon Scarlett? You¡¯ve seemed to ¡®ave fancied her as of late, no? Or shall I call for ze full lineup?¡± She flashed a playful smile, already knowing his answer.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Though the Madame had no doubt been beautiful in her day, those days were many years past at this point. Still, it was obvious from the amount of colorful makeup and strategically tight-fitting clothing she wore that she still attempted to be desirable to her clientele. And who was he to deny her that pleasure after having put in so much effort? Besides, it could never hurt to be on her good side. ¡°Scarlett will do just fine, Madame,¡± he said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it with a wry smile. ¡°Unless, of course, you are part of that lineup now?¡± Blushing and giggling like a woman half her age, the Madame pulled her hand away with a playful swat. ¡°You know, Jonathon, if you continue with zese comments, I¡¯ll have no choice but to acquiesce one of zese days. Then vhat vill you do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be the luckiest man in all of Gravenfair, Madame,¡± he responded without a second¡¯s hesitation. She continued to smile and said, ¡°Good answer. Vait here, I¡¯ll fetch Scarlett for you.¡± ¡°No need, I already know vhere to find her,¡± he said, playfully mimicking her accent as he walked past. He dropped Scarlett¡¯s payment on the front desk near the Madame and flipped a gold coin to her before ascending the stairs. ¡°Thank you for the tantalizing conversation. I¡¯m sure Scarlett will find I¡¯m full of extra energy tonight for some reason.¡± He left the Madame blushing in the foyer as he made his way up to Scarlett¡¯s room. Despite how she made it sound, it wasn¡¯t like he had any feelings for this particular employee. Admittedly, he knew where everyone¡¯s room was here. It just so happened that Scarlett had been his flavor of the week¡­well, month¡­okay, the last few months, but it¡¯s not like it was his fault she was as good at her job as she was. As he approached her door, he paused, taking a few moments to place his mind elsewhere and collect his thoughts before entering. He wouldn¡¯t want to be seen as too eager now, would he? As he entered the room, the smell of lavender hit his nose. He looked up to see Scarlett lying seductively to one side, a thin sheet draped over her undoubtedly naked form. ¡°Ninety seconds,¡± said a voice that would make silk jealous as Jonathon entered the heavily scented room. ¡°I beg your pardon, m¡¯lady?¡± Jonathon asked, teasing her with her nickname. ¡°Ninety seconds you stood outside my door before coming in. And after making me wait all night for you. Do you know how many clients I turned down tonight expecting your arrival?¡± she asked with an accusatory glance from her silk-draped canopy bed. Jonathon smiled and looked the woman over. She truly was splendid. Her almond-colored skin and curvaceous body were enough to make his ninety-second vigil for naught. As he closed the distance from the door to the bed and slid towards her, his rough hands moved across her smooth skin. He wasn¡¯t sure what it was she did to it, but it was the softest skin he had ever felt in his entire life. Smooth as¡­well, silk. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t belong in the hold of some pirate ship, Scar?¡± he asked suddenly. ¡°I beg your pardon, m¡¯lord?¡± she mockingly questioned back, clearly bewildered by the out-of-place question. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just, I was just thinkin¡¯ how your voice was smooth, like silk, and how your skin was soft, also like silk. And you have silk hanging from your bed, and¡­¡± Jonathon trailed off, his voice slowly disappearing as he realized how silly his thoughts sounded aloud. ¡°And you wondered if I were made of silk, and thus something pirates would want to steal, is that it? That¡¯s the line you¡¯re going with?¡± she asked, her voice thick with feigned exasperation. Jonathon began feeling somewhat awkward at this rare misstep in his flirting from its usual smoothness¡­like silk? No, now he was just getting in his head. He shook his head and reset. ¡°Maybe. Or maybe I¡¯m just trying to gauge how much you¡¯d enjoy being tied up in the hold of a pirate¡¯s ship. Mayhaps we should test that on this bed?¡± Scarlett¡¯s smile widened, her eyes gleaming with mischief. ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± she purred as Jonathon reached for the rope. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 They lay there afterward, panting. Their sessions were always a whirlwind. Jonathon was never quite sure how much time passed during each round or what it even was that they did half the time. He just knew that whatever it was, however long it lasted, it worked for him. And it seemingly worked for her too, though she would die before admitting it to his face. ¡°You¡¯re contemplative tonight,¡± Scarlett said, rolling over to trace her fingers through his hair. ¡°And you need to let your hair grow out more. This beautiful brown hair shouldn¡¯t be cut so short all the time. There are women here who would kill for hair as full and wavy as yours, y¡¯know, and yet you squander it away with,¡± she paused, searching for the right words before finally giving up and letting go of his hair, ¡°whatever it is you decide to do with it that week. Besides, what kind of pirate doesn¡¯t have long hair that blows in the wind as he hangs from the side of his ship?¡± Jonathon chuckled. ¡°You know that¡¯s just the stories you and the girls make up about pirates, right? Real pirates don¡¯t do that. We have much more important things to do than waste time lollygagging, hanging from a net somewhere out past the safety of the ship.¡± He was lying, of course. He loved hanging off the ratline, the wind and spray of the sea on his face. But no way was he going to admit that to her. ¡°Is that so?¡± she asked, disappointed. ¡°Well, I bet you¡¯d look dashing doing it. Maybe you should try it sometime. Who knows? You may find a new favorite pastime, aside from your nights with me, that is.¡± She added with a playful wink. He smiled. She wasn¡¯t wrong. On land, there wasn¡¯t any better place to be than The Sleeping Siren. The Plot and Plaster was a close second, but unfortunately¨Cor perhaps fortunately, for Greig¨CScarlett¡¯s company far exceeded that of the bar¡¯s proprietor. ¡°Mayhaps I shall, then. Mayhaps I won¡¯t. Who¡¯s to say?¡± Jonathon bantered coyly. She smiled at him, and silence drifted between them as they stared at each other. She let the comfortable silence play out for a moment. Then, with a touch of curiosity in her voice, she said, ¡°So, rumor has it you¡¯ve gotten another hot tip on your legend,¡± her voice without a hint of mockery. ¡°Care to share anything with me?¡± Jonathon smiled at the woman, her eyes probing like the bauble of a fisher¡¯s line. He never could tell if her questions were out of genuine interest or because she was being paid. Regardless, he appreciated it. It was nice to have someone to talk to about The Spectre without the silent judgment he had become accustomed to receiving. He shrugged, forcing a nonchalant tone. ¡°Nothing solid. Just a rumor about a tribe to the north that reportedly has a piece of The Spectre herself.¡± He was lying again, at least partially. The truth was, he didn¡¯t have much more than a vague direction¨Ca jungle and the whisper of an old tale. By most standards, it was a flimsy lead, but he couldn¡¯t dismiss it. His source had never steered him wrong before, especially when it came to profitable raids. And every scrap of information about The Spectre, no matter how thin, had always pointed him closer to something real. He got up and began pacing the room, his fingers tapping a restless rhythm against his thigh. His eyes the only thing on his face that betrayed his certainty. He wanted to believe that this tip was the real deal, that for once, he was on the brink of something¨Cnot just chasing shadows. But Jonathon never liked looking desperate, especially not in front of Scarlett. He paused by the window, staring into the silent night. In the morning, he¡¯d meet with his crew and begin preparations to ship out the day after tomorrow. A weak lead was better than nothing, and this might be the closest he¡¯d ever get. And sure, the riches would mean he and his crew would never need to work again, but for Jonathon, the real prize was the ship itself¨CThe Spectre. His heart began to race with his growing excitement. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± came Scarlett¡¯s gentle voice, bringing Jonathon back to the present. He shook his head. ¡°Of course,¡± he said slowly, trying to figure out how to explain his extended silence and sudden pacing. ¡°I was just¡­observing the room.¡± He began to look around, as if studying. All of the rooms in The Sleeping Siren were designed the same¨Ca single entryway into a square little room with a window that overlooked the street below. Each room also came with a furnace for the colder months of the year, though they were rarely needed while the room was in use. The differences in each room came from the individual¡¯s personal preference for decor. For instance, Jasmine preferred the simpler, no-nonsense look of a single dresser to place things on and a bed for business, relying more on her own exoticism to serve as stimulation for her guests. Others, like Scarlett, preferred to show a bit of their creativity and personality in their decor. In her case, Scarlett had her furnace tucked in the back corner of the room, a dresser with a large mirror in the corner closest to the door, and a small table with two chairs by the window. She had also taken the time to paint the walls herself¨Cor at least had a client who did it for her; he wasn¡¯t sure which. Unlike most of the girls who either left their walls bare or painted them a dark and sultry color in an attempt to increase the seductive nature of the room, Scarlett had painted her walls a lighter beige, a choice that had always baffled him considering he felt the color was so boring.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. A noise from the street below caused Jonathon to peek out the window in distracted curiosity. Two men were laughing and singing, arms wrapped around each other, as they exited The Sleeping Siren and made their way back toward the docks. As he observed the men, a genuine realization struck him. ¡°You know, it¡¯s strange. I know you girls all have the same-sized rooms, but yours feels larger to me for some reason,¡± he said, their prior conversation lost to the tides of thought. ¡°Is that so?¡± Scarlett teased, accustomed to Jonathon¡¯s wandering mind. ¡°Strange. It¡¯s almost as if it was intentional.¡± He¡¯d come back to her original probing eventually, she knew, but for now, he had drifted. She had learned that about him during their time together. Jonathon¡¯s mind was a sea of shifting tides¨Cnever still, always exploring. In fact, she wasn¡¯t sure which was vaster: the sea or the number of topics Jonathon pondered throughout the day. He wasn¡¯t the smartest man she had ever met by any means, but he was gifted with curiosity and common sense, a combination that often added up to something greater than just smarts. ¡°What do you mean intentional?¡± he asked, curiosity thick in his voice. ¡°Did you somehow add on to your room? No, you couldn¡¯t have done that, it would have been noticed. And you actually have more things in your room than most of the other girls, so it can¡¯t be that. That only leaves the walls themselves¡­or some form of mysticism.¡± He paused his pacing and began scrutinizing the room. After about a minute, he concluded, ¡°It¡¯s either mysticism, or something about the color of the walls you¡¯ve picked. I¡¯ve always thought the color seemed more boring than you would pick, but now I wonder.¡± He paused, hoping she might give him a hint. She laughed. ¡°How right you are. I am indeed a mystic from a far-off land, and I¡¯ve cast a spell on this room and all who enter to shrink in size, thus giving the illusion of space,¡± she said, attempting to mimic Jasmine¡¯s accent. ¡°Now you¡¯re just being a tease,¡± he said, returning to her side in bed. ¡°We both know there¡¯s no such thing as mysticism. Are you really not going to tell me your secret?¡± She smiled at him, briefly feigning a moment of secrecy before relenting. ¡°You¡¯re right, it is the color. I¡¯ve found that brighter colors tend to make a room appear larger. It¡¯s not just the color of the walls, though. It¡¯s also the rug in the center here under the bed. It¡¯s light in color, but it has a pattern that includes more of the colors I prefer. And have you noticed the tapestries near the window? I order them long and hang them as close to the ceiling as I can. Even the mirror on my dresser, the artwork on the wall, and the smaller nature of the furniture I do place in here all add to the feeling of a room that¡¯s larger than it really is.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± he said, his curiosity sated for the time being. ¡°You have some hidden talents in there, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Are you just now noticing my talents, Jonathon Harding?¡± she laughed seductively as she wrapped her arms around his neck, moving in closer to him. ~~ Some time later, they extricated themselves from each other and lay in silence, recovering. After a few minutes, Jonathon said, ¡°You know, about the tip, I actually leave the day after tomorrow. I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯ll be back, though.¡± Scarlett laughed to herself, she knew he¡¯d come back to it eventually. Then she paused and said, ¡°Wait, the day after tomorrow? But you¡¯ve only been ashore a week. Don¡¯t you usually take longer than that between voyages? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve already spent your earnings from your last expedition,¡± she said accusingly. Jonathon thought he heard a hint of desperation in the woman¡¯s voice. ¡°Not even close,¡± he laughed, feeling a surge of appreciation at her sudden panic and peppering of questions. ¡°I received the tip a few days after we returned, and I don¡¯t want to lose the lead to anyone else out there who may be searching as well. I¡¯ve already alerted me crew¡­¡± ¡°¡®Me crew?¡¯¡± she interrupted, mimicking his slip. Jonathon blushed. ¡°Yes, me crew,¡± he said, knowing full well where she was going with this. ¡°I sail with a crew of cutthroat pirates, of course I¡¯m going to pick up some habits along the way. What of it?¡± ¡°No, no. Nothing at all, oh fearsome Pirate Captain Harding. Please continue¡­arrrr,¡± she teased, drawing out her last syllable. ¡°Uh-huh¡­anyway,¡± he continued warily, ¡°they¡¯re not ecstatic, but I¡¯ve told them we may hit a few villages or a merchant¡¯s ship along the way as a bonus for them allowing me to indulge this lead.¡± This too was a half-truth. He had told his inner circle to ready the crew for an exploratory expedition, but he had not given the exact details, specifically the fact that they would be pursuing a ¡°legend.¡± ¡°¡®Allowing¡¯ you?¡± Scarlett asked, curious. ¡°What do you mean? Are you not their captain? Can you not just tell them when and where they will be going?¡± ¡°Well, in a way, yes,¡± Jonathon replied. ¡°I could tell them tomorrow that we are sailing straight out away from land and toward the world¡¯s end if I so chose, but I may not have as many heed my call. A good captain must weigh the needs and desires of his crew if he is to maintain any form of power. Become too selfish, and you risk a mutiny.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Scarlett said. ¡°That makes sense. But don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve done enough for them by now that you don¡¯t have to make those sorts of compromises?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said ¡®may,¡¯¡± Jonathon explained. ¡°In this case, I believe they would come if I asked, but just the statement alone shows them I¡¯m willing to think of their needs, not just my own.¡± ¡°How selfless of you,¡± she teased. ¡°Not at all,¡± he responded. ¡°I¡¯ll never say no to more booty. Besides, I¡¯ll never be able to reach The Spectre sailing a ship by me lonesome.¡± He paused and shot her a look as she began to say something. She smiled and let him continue. ¡°I¡¯ve got to be able to sway those under me if I¡¯m ever to succeed.¡± She giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck again, drawing him closer. ¡°It can¡¯t be that hard, can it? I¡¯m able to sail your ship by me lonesome well enough.¡± Chapter 4 Chapter 4 As Jonathon got dressed the following morning, he took care not to wake Scarlett. He slid on his breeches and tunic, strapped his cutlass to his hip, and pulled on his boots. He left a bag of gold on her dresser. He had already paid the Madame the night before, and this was far more than the going rate at The Sleeping Siren, but he felt bad about her turning down business last night and about having to leave early. Besides, he thought, she was good at her job. Her pay should reflect her abilities. He exited The Siren, the early morning light casting long shadows on the dirt streets. He began his journey to the docks where his ship, Mother¡¯s Myth, was in the process of being careened. Under normal circumstances, this would have taken a little over a week, but he had paid the dockworkers a little extra to bump his ship up the list and finish faster. The job would be completed later today, but he still needed to meet with the inner circle of his crew and ensure that all was ready to set sail on the morrow. As he walked through Gravenfair, he basked in the familiar sounds and smells of morning that he had come to know and love. While it wasn¡¯t the most savory of ports, it was by no means a pirate¡¯s den. There was, of course, an area of town that housed the more depraved members of society, but the same could be said of any port town, really. No, Gravenfair was, for all intents and purposes, a normal port. As such, the sights and smells he enjoyed this morning were all those of the legitimate businesses of a town: the butcher chopping away at the cuts of meat that had been ordered, the general commotion of stores and shops opening their doors and placing their street signs out to draw in the populace, and the baker preparing for the day¡¯s sales. It was at this last one that Jonathon stopped to purchase his breakfast. He had no time to swing by The Plot and Plaster for a full meal, so he decided to settle for the second-best option he could think of¨Ca loaf of freshly baked bread from Doughy Delights. From outside, he could hear the owner singing as she kneaded the dough. As he stepped inside, the door¡¯s bell announced his arrival. ¡°We¡¯re not open yet, dear,¡± came a melodic voice from the kitchen, ¡°but if you come back in an hour or so, I¡¯d be happy to help you.¡± ¡°Aww, but I heard the bread made here was the best in all of Gravenfair. Plus, I have important business to tend to today. Are you sure you can¡¯t make an exception just this one time?¡± Jonathon asked innocently. ¡°Jonathon Harding? Is that you?¡± The sound of clattering dishes followed, and the kitchen door swung open to reveal Ruby Whatley. Mrs. Whatley was a woman who embodied warmth and comfort. She was a charmingly plump woman who often reminded Jonathon of what people meant when they said ¡°the mother someone never had.¡± She was short, with dirty blonde hair pulled back in a loose bun and an ample bosom. Of course, accompanying that ample bosom was an equally ample belly and bottom, but she carried it well enough. She smiled softly as her eyes met Jonathon¡¯s, and for a brief moment, he was reminded of his mother. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°I thought so,¡± she said, closing the distance between Jonathon and herself before pulling him into a tight embrace. ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you, dear. Please, come in and tell me how you¡¯ve been. I feel like it¡¯s been weeks since the last time I saw you.¡± Jonathon shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t today, Mrs. Whatley. I wasn¡¯t kidding before, I actually do have important matters to tend to at the docks. But I was hoping I might be able to purchase a loaf from you before I headed that way.¡± Her gentle, nurturing face became stern as her hands found her hips. ¡°Jonathon Harding.¡± How was it that she could say his name in such a way that made him feel like a child being scolded? ¡°You sit down right this instant. You¡¯ve been gone for weeks, and I¡¯ve not heard a word from you. You will at least let me know how you¡¯ve been and that you¡¯ve been taking care of yourself. Otherwise, you won¡¯t get a crumb from me.¡± He quickly sat down at the nearest table, and her gentle smile returned. ¡°There. Now, isn¡¯t that better? Sit tight, dearie, and I¡¯ll get you some breakfast.¡± She disappeared back into the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with a few small loaves, a jug of milk, and some of her homemade honey butter. Jonathon¡¯s urge to rush down to the docks was forgotten as he spotted this rare treasure. Mrs. Whatley¡¯s honey butter was one of the most coveted items in town. She mostly made it for herself and close friends, and any excess was snapped up instantly by the lucky souls who came into her shop first. His mouth began to water as she placed the bread, butter, and milk down at the table. He began eating as she peppered him with questions about where he had been, how he had been doing, and if he had been taking care of himself. He was quick to reassure her on all fronts, though he spared her the details of some of his more unsavory activities. It wasn¡¯t that he was ashamed of his work as a pirate, he just didn¡¯t want to trouble the sweet woman with such unpleasantness. After about half an hour, her questions lessened as her curiosity was sated. She stood, smoothing her apron. ¡°Well, dear, I feel as though I¡¯ve kept you long enough. You have your business at the docks, and I¡¯ve got a shop to open.¡± She began walking back towards the kitchen. ¡°Wait,¡± Jonathon said, quickly standing to stop her before she disappeared. ¡°How much do I owe you?¡± ¡°Nothing at all, dear,¡± she said, that gentle smile returning to her face. ¡°Just promise me you¡¯ll stay safe. You¡¯re all I have left of dear Sophia.¡± It had been a long time since he had heard his mother¡¯s name. For a moment, Jonathon felt like he could almost hear her voice, soft and comforting, echoing from his dream the night before. He felt a pang of grief shoot through his heart. He realized, or maybe just remembered, why Mrs. Whatley was so demanding of his time and safety. ¡°Very well, Mrs. Whatley. I promise.¡± She smiled a bittersweet smile and disappeared back into the kitchen without another word. He lingered in the shop, the smell of fresh bread mingling with his thoughts. Mrs. Whatley had been there for him in ways he could never repay. But once he found The Spectre, he¡¯d make sure to do his best to try. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 As Jonathon walked aboard Mother¡¯s Myth, he noted the repairs and work that had been completed in such a short amount of time. Gold well spent indeed. Between the dock workers and his Bosun, Dryden Black, Mother¡¯s Myth was already back to full functionality after just a few short days. This was doubly impressive given her size. She was larger than most ships of her design, and its construction had cost Jonathon every coin he had ever earned, but it had been worth it in the end. He took a moment to admire the figurehead: a woman with soft eyes and long, flowing hair. He remembered how happy it had made his mother when he showed it to her for the first time. She never particularly cared for his piracy, often attempting to persuade him into more legitimate businesses, like trade, but he would always respond with the same argument: ¡°Being a trader won¡¯t give me the freedom I need to find The Spectre.¡± She would always smile at this, silently concede with a graceful nod, and drop the subject. As he wondered whether or not she ever regretted telling him that story, he made his way aft to the captain¡¯s cabin, where his inner circle awaited his arrival. As he entered the cabin, five sets of eyes turned and five mouths fell silent as they saw their captain walk in. ¡°Crew,¡± Jonathon said seriously as he made his way to the central table in the back of the room. As he took his seat behind the table, a young woman spoke up, ¡°Sir, you requested our presence to discuss this upcoming¡­¡®exploratory voyage¡¯? I assume it has something to do with all of the extra requests you asked each of us last week.¡± Cassie Reeves, his Quartermaster, was lean and beautiful. Her gorgeous orange curls, freckles, and green eyes made up the dominating features of her face. She wasn¡¯t curvy in the same way that women like Scarlett were, but she had enough where it mattered to turn the heads of any she passed. Traditionally, it was considered bad luck to have a woman aboard a ship in the first place, let alone a beautiful one like Cass. In fact, if she hadn¡¯t proven how well she could handle herself on so many occasions, he might have worried about having such a beauty aboard his ship. But Jonathon had never been one to subscribe too closely to superstition, and her talents more than compensated for any superstitious concerns she brought with her. ¡°Indeed I did, and indeed it does,¡± Jonathon said. ¡°Please, Cassie, if you would indulge me, answer a question for me. What prey do I seek more than anything else on this planet?¡± Cassie smiled wickedly at him before saying, ¡°From what I hear, a woman named Scarlett, sir.¡± The rest of the crew erupted in laughter as Jonathon felt his face flush with embarrassment. ¡°What?¡­I?¡­Scarlett?¡± was all he could manage before she continued. ¡°Apologies, sir. I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± Jonathon¡¯s face slowly returned to normal as the room quieted down and she finished answering his question. ¡°I believe the answer you were looking for was The Spectre. Correct?¡± She paused and rolled her eyes, letting out an exasperated groan. ¡°Sir, please don¡¯t tell me we¡¯re going on some wild goose chase in search of that myth? I know you believe it, but not a single soul has reported so much as a sighting of her in over a century.¡± He had expected a reaction like this, but it still stung to see his expectation become reality. ¡°Indeed I do, Cass,¡± he said confidently, careful not to betray the hesitation he felt about presenting something this ¡®silly¡¯ to his crew. ¡°And sure, no one has seen her, but there have been plenty of reports of sailors finding pieces of her or items from her crew over the years¡­And you don¡¯t have to call me ¡®sir¡¯ in these meetings, Cass, you know that. I¡¯m the same age as you for cryin¡¯ out loud!¡± ¡°Aye aye, Captain,¡± she said with the barest hint of a smile and a quick wink, her eyes guarded. ¡°With all due respect, though, these reported pieces are likely just junk peddled by con artists in the market trying to make quick coin off the driftwood they found washed up on the shore or the errant compass they picked up off an unsuspecting sailor. Besides, if the pieces truly did come from her and pointed the way back to her as the legends say, why has no one found her yet?¡± ¡°Fair,¡± he responded, risking vulnerability with his inner circle. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, most of the ¡®pieces¡¯ we¡¯ve come across in the past have had the stench of fraud about them. And if the supposed pieces that had been found really did point the way back to their origin, you would think someone would have found the ship by now. But still, I can¡¯t shake this feeling that this lead is worth pursuing. Besides,¡± he added, forcing confidence back into his speech, ¡°she hasn¡¯t been found yet because no one has been good enough to find her¡­but we¡¯ll be the first. I received news from one of my sources shortly after docking last week that there is a tribe in The Kihariel Jungle that found a piece of the ship herself!¡± ¡°The Kihariel Jungle?!¡± exclaimed the man to the left of Cass. Beckett Tristan, the ship¡¯s Navigator, was a middle-aged man with long black hair and a matching beard that almost rivaled Greig¡¯s in size. Of average height and slightly overweight, but muscular, he had sailed the sea more than anyone Jonathon knew. There wasn¡¯t a trade route on The Stern Sea, active or inactive, that he didn¡¯t know. ¡°That¡¯s madness,¡± he continued. ¡°The people of that jungle don¡¯t communicate with anyone from the outside world. And the only water they have access to are the estuaries that flow into the ocean. How could they possibly have a piece of The Spectre?¡± Unlike most Navigators, Beckett¡¯s knowledge didn¡¯t stop where the ocean met the land; he also had an impressive amount of knowledge about the majority of areas on land near the ocean as well. ¡°I admittedly didn¡¯t think about that when I received the tip,¡± Jonathon confessed. He paused briefly as he hesitated on his course of action before continuing. ¡°But that¡¯s all the more reason to investigate this. Why would something this outlandish have made it to me if there wasn¡¯t some validity to it?¡± Also of average height and a little more than overweight without the muscle, the ship¡¯s Cook, Thayer Shelley, was next to speak. ¡°Cap¡¯n, it may not mean much, but if ye believe this tip to be real, then me and the boys are more¡¯n happy to serve this fine crew and do what we can to support yer dream.¡± A collective groan was heard throughout the cabin. Everyone liked Thayer well enough, but they also knew how appreciative he was of Jonathon for allowing him to stay on after he lost his arm during a raid a couple years back, even if it was only as the Cook. Still, Jonathon always felt a little guilty for the man¡¯s loyalty. It wasn¡¯t uncommon for a man in his situation to be allowed continued service as the Cook, so Jonathon wasn¡¯t sure what it was that inspired such gratitude and loyalty from the man. ¡°Thank you, Thayer. Your unyielding loyalty and support never ceases to amaze me,¡± Jonathon said, grateful to hear at least one affirmative comment regarding his proposed trip, even if it may have been biased. He looked to the remaining two who had yet to weigh in. Simultaneously, they said, ¡°What¡¯s this about a ghost, now?¡± Dryden and Ryden Black, the ship¡¯s Bosun and Gunner respectively, and Mother¡¯s Myth¡¯s newest additions to the crew after her previous two retired. Well, one retired: the ship¡¯s prior Boatswain. He was getting on in years and wanted to live out the remainder of his days peacefully across The Stern Sea. They¡¯d thrown him one hell of a party, the kind that left the docks echoing with laughter and songs till dawn. Jonathon had even given the man the whole of his own share from the prior expedition as a way of thanking him for his years of service. The ship¡¯s prior Gunner, on the other hand, retired in a somewhat more¡­explosive manner. His loss was a constant reminder of the danger of being in charge of the ship¡¯s gunpowder¡­and of stupid ideas like trying to see how far out of a cannon one could be shot one night whilst drunk. The twin brothers were no older than seventeen and inexperienced, not the best traits for men in their positions, but Ryden showed an uncanny knack for explosives and could hit the mast on a sloop two hundred yards out. His brother, Dryden, while not as naturally gifted, proved a quick study, and with the help of Beckett, who was able to provide a decent education on the responsibilities of the boy¡¯s station, he was proving himself to be a competent Bosun despite his age and lack of experience. They were young and eager¨Ctoo eager sometimes¨Cbut Jonathon saw potential in their raw talent. If he could keep them alive long enough, they might just turn into the best damned Bosun and Gunner on the sea. ¡°The Spectre,¡± Jonathon corrected, ¡°is a legendary galleon filled with gold that sails aimlessly out in the sea somewhere, just waiting for its next captain to come and claim it for his own!¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Oh,¡± Ryden said. ¡°And what¡¯s this about a tribe having a piece of her?¡± Dryden asked. ¡°Well,¡± Jonathon continued with a smile, more than happy to educate and hopefully sway these two to his side, ¡°legend has it that pieces from The Spectre, be they actual parts from the ship, or equipment from one of its former crew, such as compasses, will, in some way, lead the owner of these pieces back to The Spectre herself.¡± ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s like magic!¡± Ryden said. ¡°Could really pick up some tail with the gold from that score, eh, Ry?¡± Dryden asked. ¡°Sure could, Dry. Ladies for days, bro,¡± Ryden continued. ¡°More like ladies for weeks, bro,¡± Dryden egged. ¡°Or ladies for months,¡± Ryden laughed. Jonathon groaned internally. They might be decent at their respective jobs, but put them together, and they became borderline insufferable, seemingly lost in their own world. They continued like this for a few more moments before Jonathon cleared his throat, staunching the flow of adolescent hormones that were filling his cabin. He wondered if he had been this bad at their age or if it was a weird twin thing. ¡°So, I take it that means you boys are interested?¡± ¡°Without a doubt, Cap,¡± they both exclaimed simultaneously. With that, Jonathon turned to his Quartermaster and Navigator. ¡°I know this is a myth to you two. And I¡¯m aware of the likelihood that this doesn¡¯t pan out, but this is why I took up sailing. It¡¯s what¡¯s pushed me to where I am today. I would like to pursue this lead, but I respect you both, and your opinions mean a lot to me. If you don¡¯t support this expedition, I can put it to the side until I hear more concrete evidence.¡± Cassie glanced at Beckett, then back at Jonathon, her expression softening. ¡°What¡¯s the plan, Captain?¡± Jonathon grinned. ¡°Okay,¡± he said as he unfurled his map onto the table in front of them. ¡°The tribe in question is reportedly near the coast in The Kihariel Jungle, far to the north. As you may have guessed, depending on how deep into the jungle this expedition takes us, we may end up farther north than we usually travel.¡± When raiding, they typically stuck to small villages on the eastern side of The Stern Sea between Gravenfair and Brightstone, hitting different settlements every few months after they had time to rebuild their stores, or they ambushed merchant vessels sailing along the coast from Brightstone to Gravenfair. On occasion, they would stalk the trade routes between Silvercove Harbor and Brightstone for more exotic wares, though these were rarer expeditions as they typically required a longer time commitment. These voyages were particularly profitable however, as there were no trade routes between Silvercove Harbor and Gravenfair. Older stories suggested there used to be trade routes between the two, but some hundred years or so ago, they vanished as tales of krakens and large, tentacled monsters became increasingly prevalent. Since then, all who sailed The Stern Sea tended to avoid that area. Thus, most trade from Silvercove Harbor occurred in Brightstone. And Brightstone, as its namesake implied, coveted all that was shiny. To the point that many of the wares from Silvercove Harbor never made their way down to Gravenfair. ¡°The way I see it, we have three options,¡± Jonathon continued. ¡°The first is to anchor in Brightstone Bay and take one or two of our jolly boats upriver into the jungle. A tribe needs water, and if we travel up the river, we¡¯re bound to come across someone. Even if they¡¯re not the villagers we¡¯re looking for, they can potentially point us in the right direction. The second is to anchor in Brightstone, find a local guide to lead us through the jungle to the nearest village, and make our way from there. The downside is that I worry about how our crew will entertain themselves while being docked in a city like Brightstone unsupervised for however long it will take us. Our third and final option, which is similar to the first, is to sail north past Brightstone, anchor along the coast there, and travel upriver on our jolly boats.¡± He paused and looked up to ensure everyone was following before continuing. ¡°The way I see it, it¡¯ll take us about two weeks to sail to our anchor point, give or take a few days depending on which option we choose. From there, I suspect another four or five days to find this tribe, another day to acquire the piece, and then four or five days to return to the ship. From there, our true journey will begin, and I have no idea how long we would be gone at that point. Thoughts? Suggestions?¡± The crew sat in silence for a moment, contemplating what Jonathon had laid before them. Cass was the first to speak. ¡°Well,¡± she began, ¡°as nice as it would be to have an expert guide us straight to one of the tribes, I¡¯m afraid I agree with your concerns about leaving our crew unsupervised in Brightstone. As for the other two options, they¡¯re essentially the same plan, just different starting places, so it doesn¡¯t really matter which we pick.¡± Beckett cleared his throat and spoke up. ¡°I agree with Cassandra¡¯s assessment here.¡± Jonathon flinched at the use of Cassie¡¯s full name. She hated being called by it, and everyone had picked up on that fact¡­everyone except Beckett, that is, who could never quite seem to remember, no matter how many times she had screamed at him. As Jonathon glanced in her direction, however, she wasn¡¯t fuming as he had expected her to be. Instead, she just locked eyes with him and rolled her eyes, seemingly having given up on correcting him. ¡°However,¡± Beckett continued, oblivious to the unspoken exchange that had just occurred, ¡°unless you have a particular gut feeling about option one or option three, I¡¯d personally vote we anchor in Brightstone Bay. It¡¯s closer, so our travel time will be reduced, and the bay will provide calmer waters for us to anchor in. Additionally, I have some knowledge of the rivers in that area. Not much, mind you, but it¡¯s more than I know about the rivers north of Brightstone, which is to say, nothing, I¡¯m afraid.¡± The other three nodded their heads in agreement and Jonathon felt a surge of excitement threaten to break his composure. ¡°Then it seems we have an accord. All in favor of anchoring in Brightstone Bay and sailing upriver into The Kihariel Jungle in search of a tribe possessing a piece of The Spectre, say aye.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± echoed five voices in unison. ¡°Alright then,¡± he said, a smile beginning to spread across his face, ¡°we¡¯re officially in business. Dryden, I saw the repairs as I came aboard. Is the rest of the ship in as good of shape as her exterior?¡± ¡°Aye, Cap, she¡¯ll sail through whatever you put her through. No leaks or holes on this girl.¡± Dryden replied ¡°Excellent. Ryden,¡± Jonathon continued, ¡°how are our gunpowder stores?¡± ¡°Solid Cap. Filled her up just yesterday. You need a hole somewhere, I¡¯ll put it there.¡± The two boys giggled to themselves at the mention of holes and Jonathon sighed internally again. ¡°Wonderful. Beckett, anything to report?¡± ¡°None Cap¡¯n. The route up the coast should be relatively simple. One we¡¯ve sailed plenty of times before.¡± ¡°Perfect. Thayer, do you have enough food for us?¡± ¡°I should be able to make it work Cap¡¯n. If needs be, I can always take one of our jollys to Brightstone for supplies.¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s try and avoid that though. Make sure we have enough food for six weeks to be on the safe side. That should at least be enough to get us back to Gravenfair to regroup after we obtain the piece.¡± ¡°Aye aye sir.¡± ¡°Cass?¡± Jonathon asked, turning to his Quartermaster. ¡°We¡¯re ready, Captain,¡± she responded. ¡°I finished the last round of hiring yesterday after we discussed who I¡¯d selected. The men, old and new, have been told to report here tomorrow morning in preparation for sail at first light. Otherwise, ship repairs are done, supplies have been filled and checked, and the crew is ready to go. Come first light, we¡¯ll be set to weigh anchor and hoist sails.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Jonathon said. ¡°In that case, dismissed.¡± ¡°Aye, Captain,¡± came five voices in response. ~~ The following morning, Jonathon sat at his table, staring at the map and mentally taking stock of everything they would need and whether or not it had all been accounted for. It had, of course, but there wasn¡¯t really much else for him to do at this point. His crew of cutthroats, a mixture of old faces and new, were all working diligently outside to prepare the ship for departure. Soon, they would set sail on an expedition eighteen years in the making. He looked up from the map and looked around his cabin. It was a modest cabin, all things considered. It wasn¡¯t the fanciest on the ocean, but it wasn¡¯t lacking by any means. He had his bed and nightstand against the starboard side near the door. Large enough to fit himself and a companion comfortably, he had the top of his mattress and his pillows stuffed with goose down, with simple cotton sheets dyed the color of wine. The port side of his cabin was used for storage¡ªa few barrels and chests of miscellaneous knick-knacks and treasures he had collected over the years. He also had a small shelf where he stored the various books he had collected. Most were related to The Spectre in one way or another, but he had a few on ship anatomy, sailing, and mercantilism as well. These areas made up the two-thirds of his room nearest the bow. The remaining third, towards the aft of the ship, was his workspace, delineated by two equally spaced beams on either side of the room. This space contained his worktable, a few chairs for him and his inner circle, a wardrobe, and a large standing mirror. The walls were decorated with sconces, with a simple chandelier hanging above his worktable. It was a comfortable room, one that Jonathon had spent the previous night in. He had considered returning to The Plot and Plaster and The Sleeping Siren to say goodbye to Greig and Scarlett but decided against it, opting instead to spend his last night before departure in his cabin¨Ca common practice, he realized. Perhaps he was always simply too eager to start his journey. As he thought this, he noticed the first hint of light on the horizon and quickly made his way outside to join Beckett and Cassie at the helm. After making his final checks, Jonathon gave the word, and Mother¡¯s Myth set sail toward Brightstone Bay. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Two weeks later, Jonathon found himself anchored in Brightstone Bay, not more than a nautical mile from shore. From where he stood on the deck, he could see the entrance to the jungle and the river they would row up to reach it. They had arrived in decent time, though they had to fight a nasty storm halfway up the coast that came out of nowhere. They lost a crewmate during the struggle and spent an extra half day searching for the poor soul, but the sea had already claimed him. Jonathon was reminded how quickly a life could be cut short. Something as simple as a slick rope underfoot at the wrong time, and all your hard work and aspirations were gone. Still, they moved on and had made it to their first stop. ¡°Cass, are we good to go?¡± he asked as his quartermaster stepped onto one of the two jolly boats they¡¯d be taking upriver. ¡°We are, Captain. I¡¯ve left Thayer in charge while we¡¯re away,¡± she said, pausing as she glanced to the other jolly boat which contained two very enthusiastic looking twins laughing and having a good time. She sighed, ¡°Are you sure we need to take the twins with us?¡± ¡°I am,¡± he replied. ¡°They may not be crucial to our mission, but they¡¯re young and need experience. This will be a great opportunity for them to learn about some of the world and how to navigate it properly.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± she sighed, ¡°but if I have to hear them go on about the women they¡¯re going to bed when they¡¯re rich one more time, you may be returning with two vacancies in your crew.¡± ¡°Duly noted,¡± he laughed, giving the signal for the jolly boats to be lowered from the davits. Jonathon, Cass, and three rowers took one boat, while Beckett, Dryden, Ryden, and a rower took the other. Beckett hadn¡¯t initially wanted to be alone with the twins, for very much the same reasons as Cass, but he relented when Jonathon explained how he was hoping Beckett would be able to take the time to teach them some of what he knew. ¡°Besides,¡± he told Beckett, ¡°it¡¯ll be hard for them to get lost in their own world when they have to row the boat themselves.¡± Jonathon chuckled to himself. They¡¯ll hate it, but it¡¯ll make them stronger in the end. Plus, it would be amusing for the rest of them to watch, which was equally important. ~~ As they made their way into the estuary that connected Brightstone Bay to The Kihariel Jungle, Jonathon could hear Beckett lecturing the twins on how to row properly to maximize their strokes and minimize fatigue. He also heard the groans and complaints of two young men who were quickly realizing that their adventure was not going to be as relaxed and fun as they had imagined. Jonathon turned to Cass and said, ¡°I know you don¡¯t believe in any of this, but I wanted to thank you all the same for accompanying me.¡± She looked at him and smiled, a rare sight. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Captain. And you¡¯ve done right by me. If you say you want to pursue a fairy tale, then I¡¯ll be by your side.¡± Even in her leather armor, Jonathon was struck again by her beauty. He preferred a little more freedom during combat, electing to forego traditional armor in lieu of standard clothing, but Cassie favored a full set of leather armor. Her chest piece, pteruges, and boots with simple blue linen breeches underneath made up the basic portions of her armor. Her left pauldron was covered with dark fur, while her right was solid metal with an intricate design. Similarly, her left gauntlet was simple leather, while her right was topped with a metal plate bearing a design similar to the one on her pauldron. ¡°To protect the sword arm,¡± she had told him when he first asked. On her back and at her side, she carried a shield and cutlass. ¡°A beauty and a softie,¡± he teased. ¡°But even if that¡¯s the case, why follow me on what you see as a fool¡¯s errand?¡± ¡°Because while you may be prone to belief in fairy tales,¡± she said, ignoring his compliment, ¡°you are no fool. You are actually very grounded in reality. If the evidence presents itself to you, you will cease your pursuit and return to your normal life. You¡¯re not the kind to get so caught up in belief that you become a danger to yourself or others.¡± Her words were blunt, but Jonathon couldn¡¯t help but feel comforted by them. He knew he could always rely on her to balance fantasy with reality should he ever fail to. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong about that,¡± he said, ¡°but thank you.¡± She gave him another soft smile, and they continued their way up the estuary toward the jungle. The remainder of the day passed uneventfully. Jonathon and Cassie spoke occasionally, but of nothing important. Beckett and the boys, on the other hand, talked almost non-stop. As the sun sank lower in the sky, they beached their boats on the riverbank and secured them to a sturdy tree, just in case. They spent the next hour or so setting up camp and gathering supplies for a fire. They had brought a few days¡¯ worth of rations, so they didn¡¯t technically have to worry about hunting tonight, but Beckett had taught Ryden and Dryden how to make a snare trap after they set up camp, and now the twins had run off to place some, hoping to catch something. Jonathon certainly wouldn¡¯t complain if they did; more food was always a plus, and he loved rabbit stew. As the sun disappeared from the sky and darkness engulfed their surroundings, the twins returned from their hunt empty-handed and disappointed. Jonathon watched as they approached the campfire.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, boys?¡± Beckett laughed. ¡°Trouble with yer snares?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± they replied in unison. ¡°We built ¡®em just like you said,¡± Ryden began. ¡°But we didn¡¯t catch anything,¡± Dryden finished. ¡°Ah, well, don¡¯t be too hard on yerselves, boys,¡± Beckett encouraged. ¡°You¡¯ll get it in no time. All it takes is practice and patience.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Ryden said to his brother, his spirits beginning to lift. ¡°You know what? I bet we just got a string of bad luck!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Dryden agreed, his energy rising in unison with his brother. ¡°There probably aren¡¯t even any rabbits in this jungle.¡± As the two reached this optimistic conclusion, Beckett opened the lid of the pot that housed their evening¡¯s dinner. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ryden and Dryden asked in unison. ¡°Rabbit stew,¡± Beckett said with a smile as the boys¡¯ spirits visibly dampened again. Jonathon considered telling them that Beckett had brought the rabbit from the ship specifically for this prank but decided against it. Their dejected, tired little faces, while pitiful, were also amusing in a way that only someone who had experienced similar growing pains could understand. Besides, Jonathon thought, sometimes a little tough humor was needed to keep morale up¨Ceven if it was at the twins¡¯ expense. ¡°So, Beckett,¡± Jonathon said, steering the conversation away from the twins¡¯ embarrassment. ¡°What can you tell me about the people who live in this jungle?¡± Beckett leaned back, the firelight casting shadows on his weathered face as he reached up to stroke his beard. ¡°Not much, I¡¯m afraid. As ye know, me specialty is the sea, but I¡¯ve ¡®eard tales here and there of the people of The Kihariel Jungle. While I have no doubt there are many tribes scattered throughout this jungle, the predominant peoples that populate this part of the jungle call themselves the Barmuru.¡± ¡°The Barmaru?¡± Ryden asked between bites of stew. ¡°Barmuru,¡± Beckett corrected. ¡°And yes, the Barmuru. They are a matriarchal tribe that¡ª¡± ¡°Matriarchal?¡± Dryden interrupted. ¡°Yes, matriarchal,¡± Beckett explained. ¡°Means they¡¯re ruled and dominated by women.¡± ¡°You hear that, Ry?¡± Dryden grinned. ¡°Dominated by women, eh?¡± Ryden¡¯s face began to mirror his brother¡¯s. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind being dominated by a woman.¡± ¡°Or by multiple women,¡± Dryden laughed, and they were back in their own world. That is, until two rocks hit each of them square in the head. ¡°Ow,¡± they said in unison, rubbing the fresh bumps. ¡°What was that?¡± As the twins looked around, their eyes locked with Cassie¡¯s, who was staring daggers at them. Jonathon was quickly reminded of her warnings on the jolly boat earlier that day. ¡°Alright,¡± he laughed, ¡°let¡¯s stay focused, shall we? Beckett, please continue.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Beckett said, struggling and failing not to laugh at the two boys now rubbing their heads, where two rock-sized eggs were already beginning to form. ¡°The Barmuru are a matriarchal people. Their leader, The Matriarch, is often the eldest woman among ¡®em. Some accounts say she rules alone, others say she has a council of elders.¡± ¡°Strange,¡± Jonathon said, intrigued. ¡°If the women rule everything, what do the men do? Are they just used for fighting and hunting?¡± ¡°No,¡± Beckett explained. ¡°The warriors of the Barmuru Tribe are also predominantly women. They¡¯re known as Banshees.¡± ¡°Banshees?¡± Cassie questioned. ¡°Like the banshees of folklore?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Dryden interrupted, itching from having stayed silent for longer than a minute, ¡°I know this one. The banshee¡¯s the one who signals the death of a family member by screamin¡¯, right?¡± ¡°The very same,¡± Beckett confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s said that the Barmuru war cry is enough to paralyze all who hear it with fear.¡± Jonathon, still curious about the role of men in the tribe, pressed on. ¡°So what about the men? What do they do all day long if the women are leading and fighting?¡± He had nothing against women in power¨CCassie was proof of that¨Cbut he had never heard of a culture like this before. He wanted to know more about how something so different from what he was familiar with operated. ¡°The men help take care of the tribe,¡± Beckett answered. ¡°Those who prove themselves might join the women in fighting and hunting, but most stay within the tribe, focusing on building, cooking, or taking care of the home.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fascinating,¡± Jonathon mused, trying to picture what daily life in such a society would look like. ¡°It¡¯s not what you¡¯d expect. Almost the polar opposite of life as we know it.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Beckett agreed. ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s about the extent of my knowledge on the Barmuru people. They keep to themselves, and there are few accounts of them from outside the jungle. Most of what I¡¯ve heard came from travelers who lost their way in the jungle.¡± The evening continued without further incident as the group settled into a rhythm following their meal and clean up. As the night deepened, they all eventually retired to their sleeping packs, leaving the rowers to alternate keeping watch. Jonathon lay back, staring up at the canopy of trees that loomed above, his mind still spinning with thoughts of the Barmuru and their unique way of life. He tried to imagine what it would be like to meet them, to see firsthand how they lived. As he glanced over at one of the rowers starting his watch, he gave a small chuckle. Maybe tomorrow he¡¯d have the twins take turns at standing watch. It would be good experience for them¡­and perhaps it would keep their minds occupied with something other than women. With that thought, Jonathon closed his eyes. The unknown environment of the jungle had led him to the sensation that he had been being watched all day. Even as he let the sounds of the jungle and the steady rhythm of the lapping river lull him to sleep, he felt as though he could feel the eyes of all of the jungle¡¯s denizens watching him. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Seven days. Seven days had passed since they entered this gods-forsaken jungle. Seven days of humid air that caused their clothes to stick miserably to their bodies. Seven days of biting insects that savagely and relentlessly attacked any exposed portion of their skin. The smell of what could only be described as sewage permeated the air around them at all times, and the sounds of unseen dangers lurking just beyond sight provided a constant reminder that they were unwelcome here. The second day had been much the same as the first, with them rowing upriver, looking for any signs of human life and finding none. At the end of that day, however, as they were bringing their boats ashore, one of the rowers was grabbed by a flat, scaly behemoth of a beast with a long V-shaped snout and what seemed to be a penchant for murder. Beckett told them the beast was called a crocodile and that they inhabited places like this. Since then, they had taken great measures to avoid these creatures. They had even begun sleeping in the trees to avoid being left vulnerable to their attacks. Much to their dismay, however, they had since seen many of the beasts lounging on top of large trunks and on the branches of trees that they could only have gotten to by climbing. So, they also began moving inland by fifty paces. Day four saw them lose another of their rowers to a snake that he stepped too close to while attempting to relieve himself. Yesterday had been a brief reprieve. They had still found no signs of life anywhere, but they made camp near an area with a spot of water shallow and safe enough to bathe in. That¡¯s what made it not so bad in the end. Jonathon had ¡®accidentally¡¯ managed to make his way through the trees to the area while Cassie cleaned herself. He had never been more satisfied with a decision in his entire life. Her lithe, muscular form a testament to her years of training and discipline. Her dimensions, he realized, had been heavily underestimated by the armor and breast bindings she traditionally wore. He had honestly begun wishing she wasn¡¯t a member of his crew so that he could pursue her. Unfortunately, mixing business with pleasure never ended well, and Cassie was a damn fine quartermaster. He wouldn¡¯t want to risk losing what she brought to his crew. But, he thought to himself, stealing a peek every now and again, and maybe finding a brothel with a worker who looked similar to her, certainly couldn¡¯t hurt anything. Today, midday had already come, and still, they found no signs of life. ¡°Beckett, are you sure we¡¯re in the right jungle?¡± Jonathon asked, trying to mask the growing frustration and desperation he was feeling. ¡°We didn¡¯t accidentally sail to the wrong bay and start traveling upriver into some other jungle, did we?¡± ¡°No, Cap¡¯n, we¡¯re in the correct jungle. The jungle is large, though. Perhaps we¡¯ve simply not gone deep enough.¡± Beckett replied, his voice lacking the confidence it had had just a few days prior. ¡°Haven¡¯t gone deep enough?¡± Jonathon asked, his voice threatening to crack. ¡°We¡¯ve been sailing up this river for a full week now! If we¡¯re not careful, I¡¯m worried we¡¯ll simply sail straight through this jungle to the sea on the other side.¡± Beckett chuckled to himself at how small his captain seemed to believe the world around him was. ¡°Mayhaps you¡¯re right. Should we turn ¡®round and begin our journey back to the ship?¡± Jonathon paused as Cassie¡¯s words as they began their journey echoed in his mind. Finally, he sighed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s just continue for the rest of today. If we don¡¯t find anything by the time we have to make camp, we can pack it up and head back on the morrow.¡± And so, they continued upriver. The river¡¯s waters remained muddy and brown, the current so slow it almost felt stagnant. The trees, dense and large overhead, were crisscrossed with an unimaginable amount of vines that connected each and every tree to the other, casting a mottled shadow on everything beneath them. Crocodiles sunbathed on half-submerged logs and rocks along the river in the areas where the light was able to penetrate to the floor below. They looked to the world as though they were sleeping peacefully, but Jonathon could tell they were fully aware of the crew¡¯s exact location at all times, silently waiting for the right moment. By mid-afternoon, Jonathon had begun to feel depressed. How awful would it be if he was one step from finding The Spectre but ended up missing it because he couldn¡¯t find the tribe that housed its missing piece? Finally, it became too dark for them to continue their journey, and Jonathon ordered them to make camp for the night. As they sat around their campfire, an awkward silence hung in the air. Beckett worked to prepare some of the meat they had left over from a prior night¡¯s kill, while Ryden and Dryden sat by the fire, their usual banter subdued in a rare moment of situational awareness. Over the past week, they had actually become fairly proficient in their trap-making, though they had yet to catch anything. However, one of them had managed to kill a large snake two nights prior. Tired of the awkward silence, Jonathon cleared his throat and spoke up, ¡°Ryden, why don¡¯t you tell me again what happened with this snake? I¡¯m still not quite sure I believe it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to question, Cap,¡± Ryden began. ¡°The proof¡¯s in Mr. Beckett¡¯s hands there. It was the dead of night. There I was, sleepin¡¯ like a lad safe in me mother¡¯s arms. Suddenly, I woke with a crampin¡¯ pain in me legs. I tried to stretch ¡®em out and found I couldn¡¯t move ¡®em. It was as if I had been swaddled. I looked down and realized that I had been swaddled¨Cby the largest damned snake you¡¯d ever saw! It had somehow managed to get its mouth ¡®round me legs and make its way to me knees before I realized it. Panicked, I tried to think of what to do. I didn¡¯t want to cry out and risk it pullin¡¯ me off into the jungle, and runnin¡¯ wasn¡¯t an option. Then I remembered the knife that I keep strapped to me thigh at all times. Thankfully, the great snake hadn¡¯t swallowed her yet. ¡°So, I slowly reached down and slid ¡®er out. I didn¡¯t want to stab the beast in the head for risk of stabbing meself at the same time, so I thought for a moment on what to do. As the creature¡¯s maw moved up me thigh, I noticed there was a portion of the creature¡¯s head, just past the mouth, that seemed relatively thin. I figured if I could get me knife into the creature¡¯s mouth, I may be able to sever its head with one swift motion. And that¡¯s exactly what I did!¡± He proclaimed proudly, ¡°I carefully slid me knife between the top part of the creature¡¯s head and me leg, got to the edge of the creature¡¯s mouth, and pulled with all me might. Next thing I know, I¡¯m covered in blood, and the creature begins writhing and convulsing in its death throes. For a bit, I was worried it was going to tighten down on me legs and drag me off the tree. Thankfully, though, everything came to an end after another fifteen seconds or so. And that¡¯s when you all finally decided to wake up and prove yourselves useful,¡± he chided in conclusion. That was the third time Jonathon had heard the story, and he was still impressed by the way the boy handled himself. Not many grown men would have had the wherewithal to remain calm in a situation like that, let alone analyze and neutralize a new threat so efficiently. ¡°That certainly was impressive work, Ryden. You did good.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Mayhaps you can sleep in such a way as you did that night again tonight,¡± Beckett joked. ¡°This is the last of the meat from that kill, and we¡¯re getting low on provisions.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. They had only taken enough provisions for ten days, and they were already on day seven. They had bolstered their supplies slightly with Ryden¡¯s kill, but they wouldn¡¯t have enough supplies to make it back as they were. ¡°Well,¡± Jonathon sighed, ¡°tomorrow we¡¯ll start heading back to the ship. We can do some group hunting in the evenings before the sun gets too low. It may increase our travel time by a day or so, but it¡¯ll be safer.¡± The rest of the evening passed without much in the way of conversation. Beckett continued reviewing hunting techniques with the boys, the remaining two rowers played a few games of cards that they had brought with them from the ship, and Jonathon found himself alone with Cassie by the fire. ¡°Well, I guess you were right, Cass. I owe you an apology. This trip¡¯s been a fool¡¯s errand,¡± he said, his voice tightening with frustration, ¡°and I¡¯ll have wasted a full six weeks of mine and the crew¡¯s life pursuing a rumor by the end of it.¡± His hands clenched into fists as his despair, which had deepened the further into the jungle they had gotten, continued to increase. It¡¯s likely why he was still up now: if he went to sleep, next would be morning, and that would mean an end to what he had envisioned as the start of his dream. Cassie shook her head and said, ¡°Nonsense, Captain. There have been plenty of detours you¡¯ve taken in the past to sate the curiosity of one of your crew members. Most of those were definite wastes of time, and some of them even ended up costing us in the end.¡± ¡°Like that time when Thayer thought he had become a world-class chef and insisted we take him to Brightstone so he could enter that cooking competition?¡± Jonathon asked, a weak half-smile forming on his face as he remembered the tale. Cassie laughed lightly, ¡°And he got so mad when he saw how well all the other competitors were doing that he went around to each station and began knocking over all of the cookware and got arrested. Then we had to not only bail him out but also pay for the damages he had caused.¡± It was rarer than her smile, but Cassie¡¯s laugh had a way of setting anyone near enough to hear it at ease, at least in Jonathon¡¯s opinion. It wasn¡¯t boisterous like Beckett¡¯s, and it wasn¡¯t too loud or too mumbled like Ryden and Dryden¡¯s laughs tended to be. It was soft and gentle, like a bird tentatively stepping out of its cage after being cooped up at sea for too long. Jonathon stared at her for a moment and contemplated the woman before him. He wasn¡¯t exactly sure what it was, but for some reason, he was finding her very hard to resist right now. Not that he hadn¡¯t always been attracted to her, but he had always been able to maintain an appropriate amount of distance between them in the past. Maybe it was what he saw the other day. Or maybe he was weakened from this current setback. Or both. It was probably both. As he wandered in his own thoughts, she caught his gaze, her expression questioning. ¡°What is it, Captain?¡± she asked, her tone curious. Jonathon scrambled as he quickly brought his thoughts back to the present. ¡°Nothing at all. I¡­was¡­just wondering why you never call me by my name.¡± She gave him a discerning glance and replied simply, ¡°Because you are my captain. Why would I not call you by the title you¡¯ve earned?¡± ¡°Well, sure,¡± Jonathon pushed, ¡°but it¡¯s not like I call you ¡®Quartermaster.¡¯ And the others still call me by my name when we are not in front of the rest of the crew. Well, the twins still don¡¯t, but I suspect that has more to do with them and their age than it does me. You, though. You don¡¯t do that. We¡¯ve worked together for three years now, and not once do I think you¡¯ve called me by anything other than ¡®Sir¡¯ or ¡®Captain.¡¯ Why is that?¡± Cassie fell silent as she turned her head and gazed into the fire. She had a strange look on her face, as if she were contemplating something. Finally, after about a minute, she said softly, ¡°Why did you come and spy on me the other day as I bathed?¡± Jonathon¡¯s heart immediately sank to his stomach, and his throat tightened. Shit. She had seen him? This was bad. She was going to kill him! Worse, she¡¯d probably castrate him. Jonathon had seen what she did to the men that crossed her line. He was not looking forward to what she had planned for him. Gods, why had he been so stupid?! ¡°I¡­uh¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­What¡¯s this now?¡± he said, adding an unconvincing chuckle as he tried his best to sound as though this was the first time he had heard anything like this. ¡°Don¡¯t try to deny it. If you don¡¯t think I know when a man is trying to spy on me by now, then you are a fool,¡± she said, a slight smile on her face. ¡°Well¡­I¡­um¡­¡± Jonathon stammered. ¡°See, the thing is, I was actually looking for some tinder for the campfire at that time, and I¨C¡± ¡°Just so happened to find yourself silently crouched behind a bush at the pool that your quartermaster had just told you she was going to?¡± Cassie finished for him, her slight smile now turned to a more irritated frown, her eyebrows furrowed. This was bad. He had to get ahead of this before it got out of hand. He hung his head and let his shoulders slump. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry, Cass,¡± he said, his voice low. ¡°I crossed a line. I¡¯m not sure what quite came over me, and I shouldn¡¯t have done it. You are my quartermaster and crewmate. More importantly, you¡¯re my friend. And I should have respected you and the nature of our relationship and roles more. I promise, it won¡¯t happen again.¡± Cassie¡¯s expression softened, though the frown still lingered on her lips. She turned back to the fire, her silence stretching uncomfortably between them. Jonathon waited, the squirming in his chest growing ever restless as he braced himself for whatever punishment she deemed fit. Finally, she spoke, her voice quiet but firm. ¡°I¡¯ll let it slide this once¡­¡± She paused for a while after this as if trying to say something, but after a few seconds, she just said, ¡°¡­Captain.¡± Jonathon was confused by how he had avoided any pain and her overall reaction to the event, but he certainly wasn¡¯t one to question good fortune. After a moment, he excused himself from the fire and made himself comfortable in the nearby tree he had picked out. As he settled into a somewhat comfortable position, he looked back down toward the fire. Cassie was still sitting there, silently staring into the flames. As he fell asleep, he continued to watch her stare into the flames, the fire dancing in the reflections of her eyes, her face a mask to whatever lay underneath. Slowly, sleep took him. ~~ The sound of the most blood-curdling cry he had heard in his entire life quickly woke him from his sleep. Wait, not cry, cries. Multiple ones. What kind of creature made a sound this terrifying? Quickly, he jumped from his tree and stood near the smoldering remains of the campfire, the other members of his crew quickly joining him. As they stood shoulder-to-shoulder, they looked into the darkness prepared to lash out at whatever creature lashed out at them. Jonathon¡¯s pulse thundered in his ears, the screams echoing in his mind like the remnants of a nightmare. Then Jonathon heard two thumps as his rowers went down without so much as a sound. The twins were next, crumpling to the ground like ragdolls. Then he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck. As he reached back to see what had bitten him, he began to feel unsteady. He grabbed something at the site of his pain and pulled his hand back. Is that a dart? How clich¨¦, he thought as his knees buckled and the world around him faded into blackness. The last thing he saw before his eyes closed was Cassie, still standing, her eyes wide with a mix of fury and defiance. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¡°Ah¡­seems¡­up¡­Nice¡­join¡­¡± Jonathon¡¯s head swam as he struggled to make sense of the voices around him. They were muffled, like echoes through water. His eyelids felt like they were weighed down with lead, his body sluggish and heavy. Underneath, he felt something soft. Furs? He could feel the heat of something nearby. The smell of smoke told him he was near a fire. Memories flickered in his mind: a scream, a sharp pain, and the sensation of being dragged, his wrists held in the tight grip of figures dressed in grass-woven clothing. Then, darkness. Finally able to overcome the weight of his own head and body, he sat up slowly and began to look around. He was in a hut of some kind. Large, circular, and with a pointed top that had a covered opening in it through which smoke was currently billowing out of. The walls of this hut were made from animal hide, the floor covered with more hides and pelts, along with cushions for people to sit on. Looking around, he saw he was accompanied by the rest of his crew. They were all lying on one side of the circular tent, closest to a flap that led outside. On the side opposite them sat five individuals flanked by a guard on either side. The five seated individuals were all elderly women, and the middle of the five was seated slightly higher and further back than the other four, a subtle but clear indication of her status. They were all dressed in animal hide similar to that of the tent around them, but the clothing had many more layers with each layer having a different color¨Cblue, orange, brown, sometimes red, with the occasional feather or animal foot tied at the end of a leather thong. It seemed so random and out of place as he tried to analyze each piece individually, but as he looked at them as a whole, he couldn¡¯t help but think their clothes looked very comfortable and nice. His gaze shifted to the guards on either side of the women and recognized their dress immediately. They wore the same grass-woven clothing as the ones he remembered dragging him while he was unconscious. He didn¡¯t remember seeing so much skin before, though. The tops covered the important parts, but left the arms and navel exposed. The bottoms similarly covered most of the good parts, leaving from the thigh down exposed, their boots going up to the knee. While the outfit seemed odd at first, he could tell it was designed to maximize cooling and freedom of movement while still protecting the sensitive and vulnerable portions. ¡°I do not think the poor boy heard me,¡± said the middle woman. ¡°Good evening, young one. It is nice of you to join us.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Jonathon said, still groggy from the lingering effects of the drug. ¡°I would¡¯ve joined you sooner, but I¡¯m afraid I was drugged, then dragged against my will to an unknown location in the middle of a murderous jungle.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but feel a spike of irritation. He didn¡¯t appreciate being treated as if he had any control over the fact that he had been drugged. The other women in the tent gasped, and the two guards shifted their posture into a more threatening stance. The older woman put up her hand. ¡°It is alright. He is right, you know? It is not as if we came out and requested his presence here. Indeed, I imagine I would be similarly upset were I to be put through what these individuals were.¡± She turned to look at Jonathon. ¡°Do you know who I am, boy?¡± The other members of his crew were beginning to rouse at this point. Jonathon turned to the elder and stated, ¡°Well, we were in the jungle searching for a tribe. This tribe was likely to be part of the Barmuru Tribe. The Barmuru Tribe is a female-dominated society with the eldest among them serving as their leader. I assume that would make you The Matriarch.¡± His grogginess fading, Jonathon gathered his bearings and pushed his charming and calm demeanor to the forefront. He turned to the remaining four. ¡°Which must mean these four lovely ladies in front of me are your Council of Elders.¡± He paused and looked at the guards. ¡°And these fearsome figures the Banshees I¡¯ve heard so much about. And I mean that literally,¡± he said, rubbing his ear with his finger. ¡°After hearing them in action, I no longer question the name.¡± The guards¡¯ faces did not change at this comment, but he could¡¯ve sworn he saw them stand a little taller. As far as The Matriarch and the other elders went, well, it seemed flattery truly was a universal language. Smiling, The Matriarch said, ¡°You are correct on all counts. Now, you say you were out looking for us? It must be something terribly important for you to have traveled directly into the heart of our jungle for seven days and risked running out of food before deciding to turn around. Please, tell me what it is you seek.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Jonathon began before pausing, his brow furrowing. ¡°Wait a minute, how did you know we had been here for seven days? Or that we were running low on rations? Or that we were planning to turn around? Were you watching us at camp last night?¡± ¡°My child,¡± The Matriarch said, laughing softly at him, ¡°We have been watching you since you entered our jungle seven days ago. How do you think it is that any of you are still alive?¡± Jonathon was dumbstruck. Since they entered? ¡°Still alive?¡± he asked, his temper flaring as he thought of his crew¡¯s hellish week. ¡°We lost two good men to these jungles, and¨C¡± ¡°And you would have lost a third if my granddaughter, Naomi, had not taken an interest in your friend there and thrown a rock at him to wake him from a slumber that was deep enough to be partially consumed by an anaconda.¡± Ryden, who was the last to join the crew in consciousness, perked up at this new bit of information, and the guard to the woman¡¯s right gasped and said, ¡°Grandmother! Do not say it like that! I just felt bad for the boy. Why must you say something so embarrassing?!¡± The Matriarch laughed at her granddaughter¡¯s embarrassment and said, ¡°Regardless, we also did our best to chase off predators while you slept each night, the anaconda, unfortunately, being an exception. Now, I believe you were about to tell us all why you have come here.¡± Jonathon¡¯s mind was racing. They had been following them since they came into the jungle? And none of them had noticed? How were they able to track so well and so quietly without even leaving so much as a footprint behind? He felt his skin prickle at the thought of the unseen eyes that had been watching their every movement, his nightly feelings of observation validated. Suddenly, he realized that everyone in the room was waiting for him to respond to The Matriarch¡¯s query. He cleared his throat and responded, ¡°You¡¯re right, Matriarch, I was. You see, my name is Jonathon Harding, and ever since I was a young child, I have dreamt of finding something. Something most consider to be mere legend. And rumor has it, you have a piece of this something that will lead me to my dream. Rumor has it, you have a piece of The Spectre.¡± The mention of the ship¡¯s name sent a visible ripple of unease through the group of women. Fear flashed in their eyes, and even the guards seemed to tense. The Matriarch¡¯s gaze hardened. ¡°And how is it that you came to hear this information?¡± she asked. Jonathon shrugged, ¡°Just rumors here and there.¡± ¡°And this was enough to prompt such a dangerous expedition into the jungle?¡± she asked incredulously. ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m an optimist. But now that I¡¯ve answered your question, perhaps you can answer mine: are the rumors true?¡± Jonathon asked. The Matriarch stared intently at Jonathon, her eyes piercing and unreadable behind her wrinkled face. ¡°Tell me, child,¡± she said, ¡°what is it you think you know of this ship?¡± ¡°Everything,¡± Jonathon answered confidently, ¡°The Spectre, or Love¡¯s Radiance, as it was called at the time, was a galleon captained by a man named William Lancaster, or ¡®Ruthless Billy¡¯ as he would come to be known in his later life. Billy started out as a merchant trader sailing between the three major ports of the region. He and his wife, whose name varies depending on who tells the story, sailed together as a team. A successful one at that. In fact, some accounts say they sailed out into the unknown, returning with foreign treasures the likes of which no one had seen, though I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve seen enough evidence to say I believe that part.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Regardless, one day, on the passage from Silverport Harbor to Gravenfair, Billy was attacked by pirates. He hid his wife, who at the time was heavy with their first child, in the captain¡¯s cabin and offered the pirates no resistance for the goods. In exchange for this, they spared him and his crew. However, as they were leaving, the pirate captain noticed Billy¡¯s wife looking through the window from the captain¡¯s cabin. Upon seeing the woman, the pirate captain ordered his men to bring her out. Despite the pleading and begging from Billy and his wife, she was soon out on the deck, the tension higher than the rigging of a ship that didn¡¯t manage to furl her sails before the storm hit. When the pirate captain¡¯s desire became more carnal for the wife, Billy was unable to control himself. He lashed out at the pirate captain, slashing and cutting with his cutlass. While Billy did cut an impressive and intimidating figure, he had had no formal training in swordplay. ¡°The pirate captain quickly turned the offensive back on the young merchant, easily pushing him across the deck. He had backed Billy into a corner and was on the downswing of delivering the death blow when his sword met something unexpected¨CBilly¡¯s wife. Knowing the fate that awaited her and wanting to hopefully spare the life of her beloved, she placed herself between the two men and took the killing blow on Billy¡¯s behalf. Furious at the loss of his prize, the pirate captain backhanded Billy unconscious and ordered his men to kill the entire crew, leaving Billy alive as punishment for opposing him. ¡°When Billy awoke later that night, he found his crew all hung from the rigging, their throats slashed. His wife lay on the deck next to him where she had been struck down. The blood of his crew and wife had soaked through the planks of the deck, staining them a dark, ominous color. In a single afternoon, all that Billy had worked for his entire life had been taken from him by men who simply took what they pleased. The grief from his loss and the injustice of what he was being forced to endure caused a break in the man. ¡°When he finally stood, he was changed. From that day on, he turned to piracy. He changed the name of his ship and outfitted her for war. He sought, and eventually found, the pirate captain who had taken his prior life from him. Eventually, however, he became greedy and his madness caught up with him, and he and his crew died at sea. Since that day, The Spectre has floated aimlessly, filled to the brim with the treasure Billy had been hoarding.¡± It had been a while since Jonathon had recited the full story out loud to anyone. He had admittedly forgotten how sad the tale was, his mind always jumping to the treasure at the end. The story also reminded him of why he had a strict ¡°no killing unless necessary¡± policy. Aside from the fact that it would only serve to create an enemy somewhere that was intent on killing you, as was the case with Billy, it also robbed the killer of a potential future source of income. Kill a village and steal their treasure? Sure, but what happens when you¡¯ve killed all the villages and no one builds in the area anymore? The Matriarch¡¯s voice brought his train of thought back to the topic at hand. ¡°Well well well, you are indeed very well read on the subject. However, you only told,¡± she paused, placing an old, thin finger to her chin and staring thoughtfully up at the ceiling, ¡°I would say you only told around three-quarters of the whole story.¡± Jonathon¡¯s eyes went wide, and his jaw dropped slightly. He stared at The Matriarch in disbelief, ¡°Three-qu¡­I only tol¡­three¡­I¡­I¡¯m missing an entire quarter of the story?!¡± he asked, aghast. ¡°How is that possible? I¡¯ve read every book I could find; spoken with every person I could about this legend. Had you asked me before just now, I would have told you that there¡¯s not a person alive who knows more than I on The Spectre. What could I possibly be missing?¡± She smiled and gave him a serious look. ¡°The important part, child. You have told me of how he came to be and how he ended, but you never thought about what lied in between?¡± she asked accusingly. Jonathon shrugged. ¡°I admittedly never thought it mattered,¡± he said defensively. ¡°He was driven mad by the loss of his wife and firstborn, and that madness followed him to his deathbed. What more is there to it?¡± The Matriarch stared at Jonathon, silently judging him. ¡°Tell me, child, how long would you say the average pirate remains alive?¡± she asked. ¡°Well,¡± Jonathon thought, ¡°the average pirate actively involved in fighting and pillaging typically only lasts a few years. An above-average pirate may be able to squeeze eight or so years out before either running out of luck, moving to a position that is less involved in fighting, or retiring. Why?¡± ¡°Because William Lancaster was no older than you when he turned to piracy, and yet he actively terrorized the seas for four decades before disappearing out on the ocean. Have you never thought that to be odd?¡± The Matriarch had an excellent way of making him feel like a child who was proposing a plan he had put absolutely no thought into. Her constantly calling him ¡°boy¡± and ¡°child¡± certainly didn¡¯t help matters either, he supposed. ¡°Well, no,¡± Jonathon began sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. ¡°I mean, yes, I did think it strange, but I always assumed his madness was what provided him with his protection. Take a trained fighter and a madman with the bare minimum of fighting experience and pit them against each other, and you¡¯ve got a close match on your hands. The madman is unpredictable, often taking actions that most would not in an attempt to get at his target. Pit this against any man, even a trained one, and all but the most dedicated of masters will quickly lose their training in the face of such unpredictability, falling back to the most basic of defenses. Add the terrifying mythos and his intimidating figure to the mix, and I figured that was enough to explain it.¡± The Matriarch raised her eyebrows and gave Jonathon a conceding nod, ¡°You do make an excellent point. I will accept your reason for ignorance. Tell me, child, have you ever seen a piece of this ship in person? Ever stood in its presence?¡± ¡°If I had, would I be here?¡± he joked. ¡°I see,¡± she said, unamused. ¡°Very well, I will enlighten you as to what it is you are missing since you seem so dedicated to this story. Perhaps then you will see the folly of your pursuit.¡± Jonathon suddenly became very intrigued. He had hoped she would tell him, but he didn¡¯t think she actually would. ¡°That would be amazing¡­um, ma¡¯am,¡± he said, realizing for the first time he had no idea how to address this woman. ¡°Though I must warn you, I don¡¯t see myself changing my mind on this venture.¡± The Matriarch nodded, ¡°Mayhaps you will not. But we will discover that answer on the morrow. Tonight, it is late, and these old bones need to rest. Naomi here will guide you all to your accommodations.¡± At this, The Matriarch¡¯s granddaughter stepped forward and said, ¡°As you wish, Matriarch.¡± ¡°Oh stop that,¡± the old woman said, ¡°just call me Grandmother as you always do. Now, take these good people to their huts. And do try not to avoid getting ¡®lost¡¯ whilst showing the young one there to his.¡± Naomi instantly blushed at this statement. Even with her dark skin, he could see the redness building in her face and ears. As he examined her closer, Jonathon decided she looked to be around the age of sixteen or so. She had skin the color of chocolate, and while she was average when it came to her chest, she was certainly above average in her bottom; as were her thighs. All in all, a bit young for his tastes, but still a very aesthetically pleasing woman nonetheless. Ryden likely couldn¡¯t do much better. In fact, he thought, this Naomi would likely be the one settling. Keeping her head turned downward in an attempt to obscure part of her face, the young girl quickly moved past the group. She held the flap of the tent open with her spear, avoiding eye contact as she said, ¡°Come with me please. I will show you to your tents for the night.¡± They all got up, thanked The Matriarch for her time and hospitality, and exited the tent. They followed Naomi down the hill that The Matriarch¡¯s own dwelling resided on and into the nearby valley where Jonathon was surprised to see dozens of tents. It was still very dark, but looking back in the moonlight, he could also make out a large, pointed structure further up the hill from The Matriarch¡¯s tent. Naomi brought them to a group of nine tents, all arranged in a circle spaced slightly farther from the other tents than what seemed to be normal. She showed them to each of their own tents. ¡°Please do not wander. The jungle is dangerous, and it is easy to get lost,¡± she warned before dismissing herself. As they all stood there, still tired from the hour and recovering from the poison, Jonathon said, ¡°I know this is all a lot to take in, but perhaps for now we should focus on the fact that we managed to find the tribe we were seeking. And based on the way The Matriarch spoke, it sounds like the rumors are true! Let¡¯s sleep this off and reconvene in the morning to discuss our situation further, if we have the time. For now, do not leave this area. We are technically guests¨Cand guests in need of something they possess, at that. So let¡¯s not do anything to make them our enemy, understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± answered six tired voices. They all disappeared into their tents. They weren¡¯t as large as The Matriarch¡¯s of course, but there was enough room to stand comfortably. There was room for a small area of cushions, a small, squat table with cushions serving as seats, and a bed covered with animal furs. Jonathon lay on the bed, the soft fur of the pelts pressing against his back as his mind processed the events of the day. The Matriarch¡¯s words echoed in his thoughts. He couldn¡¯t believe that after all of his research and lore seeking, he was still apparently missing such a large portion of the story. He looked forward to all that he would learn when he awoke in the morning. As he drifted off to sleep, he could¡¯ve sworn he heard the sound of one of the tent flaps outside opening and the soft footsteps of someone entering. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¡°¨CI¡¯m going to take it all! And I¡¯m going to be the new Captain of The Spectre,¡± the boy said, his eyes filling with visions of gold, jewels, and riches beyond anyone¡¯s wildest dreams. The woman¡¯s soft, pale eyes squinted as a warm smile crossed her face. ¡°My darling boy, weren¡¯t you listening? No crew nor captain has been able to even find, let alone tame, The Spectre. The ship is a cursed vessel, doomed to forever sail the seas and lure any sailor foolish enough to pursue her to an early, watery grave.¡± ¡°But the treasure¨C¡± the boy began. ¡°Is not the point of the story, darling,¡± she interrupted. ¡°The point is that neither vengeance nor a ship overflowing with gold is enough to overcome mismanaged grief. What happened to Captain Lancaster was a terrible tragedy that no human should have to endure, but by giving in to his grief and his hatred, he squandered the sacrifice his wife made on his behalf. And though he terrorized the sea for another forty years, he never lived another day after his wife died.¡± Her face blurred again as Jonathon¡¯s consciousness surfaced. Not the point of the story? he thought as he rubbed his eyes. What? That had never been part of it, had it? He¡¯d been told that story countless times as a child, and dreamt of those stories at least every night for the past year, and this was the first time he remembered hearing anything beyond the lure of treasure. Had The Matriarch¡¯s comments tainted his memories? Or had they reminded him of something he had forgotten? ¡°Nah,¡± he mumbled to himself as he stretched the night¡¯s stiffness from his body, ¡°it¡¯s more likely her story got in my head and made me misremember things. Besides, even if it was true, I don¡¯t have any mismanaged grief or hatred, so it¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything wrong with me pursuing her.¡± Based on the pale morning light creeping in from outside, he could tell it was still fairly early. Still, he figured it wouldn¡¯t be much longer before people started moving about, so he may as well go outside and survey the grounds. As he stepped out from his tent, he heard an almost inaudible gasp. He looked up and locked eyes with a very guilty-looking Naomi, who appeared to be leaving one of the other tents: Ryden¡¯s tent, if memory served. So that¡¯s what he heard last night. Unbelievable. Well, at least one of his crew was going to be in a good mood today. Naomi¡¯s eyes widened as she quickly pressed her finger to her lips, a look of silent pleading in her eyes. She darted off before Jonathon even had a chance to formulate a sentence. He stood straight and began looking around at the¡­camp? Tribe? Village? He wasn¡¯t quite sure what to call it. As far as he could tell, they had no houses, shops, or buildings of any kind in the field beneath The Matriarch¡¯s abode; there were only more of the tents like the ones he and his crew had slept in last night. Some tents were bigger than others, likely denoting a larger family. Some were plain and barren on the outside, some had simple paintings that appeared to be painted by children, and some had intricate drawings depicting what appeared to be stories. Some of these stories appeared to involve hunting, with imagery suggesting the prey was many times larger than the largest horse he had ever seen in his life. Others depicted very detailed portraits of various animals. Others still depicted a bunch of tribe members bowing down before some kind of figure that was shaped like a human, but was most certainly not drawn the same way as the other tribe members. Perhaps this was one of their gods? He moved on from the tents and turned his gaze towards the large, pointed structure behind The Matriarch¡¯s tent that he hadn¡¯t been able to make out the night before. It wasn¡¯t just large, it was gigantic! Larger than any manor he had seen before. It was made entirely of stone and consisted of five levels. Each level was laid out in a square, with each subsequent level being a slightly smaller square than the one below it. At the top of the structure, he could make out a large opening with a staircase that traversed down the side all the way to the ground. Gods, it had to be at least a hundred stairs in total. Looking at it now, he was actually confused as to how such a structure came to be given that the stones that made up the structure were each large enough to need an entire crew just to move it, let alone find a way to lift it off the ground and on top of the structure. And did they really need such a large structure just to have a singular, small room way up at the top of such a large staircase? It seemed a bit excessive, unnecessary even. As he stood there, he could hear the signs of life coming from each of the nearby tents as the remainder of his crew came to. Unsurprisingly, Cassie was the first to emerge from her tent. She stepped out, stretched, and joined Jonathon at the edge of their little circle. ¡°Captain,¡± she said formally, ¡°how did you sleep last night?¡± ¡°I slept well, Quartermaster,¡± he replied mockingly. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Surprisingly well, all things considered,¡± she said, her tone or posture giving no indication that she picked up Jonathon¡¯s teasing. ¡°Their beds are not half bad here. Could have done without all the noise from the tent next to me, though.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m not the only one who noticed,¡± Jonathon said, smiling as he tried to keep his voice down. ¡°I saw her leaving Ryden¡¯s tent this morning. It was The Matriarch¡¯s granddaughter!¡± ¡°The Banshee?¡± Cassie asked, a small smile attempting to break through her stern face. ¡°Yes!¡± Their gossip session was cut short as the remainder of the crew joined them. ¡°Good morning, crew,¡± he said, shifting his own tone to a more formal one. ¡°I trust everyone slept well? No long nights of tossing and turning for any of you, I hope?¡± ¡°None for me, sir,¡± Beckett answered. ¡°The wood bedstead was a mite stiff, but I rather enjoyed the furs.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°And what about you Ryden,¡± Cassie asked suddenly, her eyes sparking with mischief, ¡°how did you enjoy the furs?¡± The boy, still looking understandably tired, gave a slight start as he heard his name. ¡°I liked ¡®em well ¡®nough, Quartermaster.¡± As he began a large yawn, Dryden asked, ¡°So, Cap, how long we s¡¯posed to stand ¡®round here, eh?¡± ¡°Hopefully not too much longer.¡± As he looked around the interior of their little circle, he noticed their packs had all been placed outside of their respective tents, along with a satchel of food and a pile of firewood stacked inside a small circle of rocks. ¡°Ah, looks like we can at least start on some breakfast while we wait. Men,¡± he directed toward the rowers, ¡°get to work.¡± ~~ They had finished their breakfast and were sitting around talking when they saw the group approaching them from The Matriarch¡¯s tent: a group of four Banshees, being led by a fifth. As they approached Jonathon and the crew, he realized Naomi was the one leading the group. She stopped in front of Jonathon and said, ¡°Captain, The Matriarch requests your presence at the top of the ziggurat.¡± Jonathon was impressed, not even so much as a glance in Ryden¡¯s direction. Her slightly reddened face was the only thing that betrayed her otherwise convincing performance. ¡°The ziggurat,¡± he answered, ¡°I take it that¡¯s what you call that large structure atop the hill?¡± ¡°You would be correct, Captain Harding,¡± she replied and turned to start marching up the hill, leaving the rest of the crew no choice but to follow. As they made their way up the hill, Jonathon noticed more of the Barmuru people exiting their tents and beginning their day. He could hear the sound of chopping wood and small chatter as most of the men were either gathering wood for fires or walking into the forest with large baskets of clothes. His eyes followed a group of talking men to the edge of the forest, where the women stood, preparing for the hunt. Some would sharpen spears, some would inspect the tautness of their bowstrings or the arrows in the quivers at their hips, and still others would check the quality of their bolas, ensuring they were strong enough to hold whatever creature they ensnared. To Jonathon¡¯s surprise, not many of the members paid attention to the group of outsiders walking the outskirts of their home. Were they that disciplined? Perhaps they were more accustomed to outsiders than he had been led to believe. Regardless, Jonathon and his crew attracted minimal attention as they made their way up the hill. Naomi stopped just short of the stairs to the ziggurat. She turned to them and said, ¡°You are not familiar with our ways, so please pay attention. Once you step foot on the ziggurat, you will be on sacred ground. It is asked that you keep unnecessary talking to a minimum and that you not wander outside of where you are directed. If we kneel, you kneel. If we pray, you pray. Lastly, though I imagine it may be against your nature, do not take anything from this temple. Theft is punishable by immediate execution. Attempted theft, or intent to commit theft, will result in immediate and permanent banishment from the tribe for you and all of your companions. Do you understand?¡± She finished this statement staring directly at Jonathon. He had never been keen on being told what to do, especially when that ¡®to do¡¯ involved not taking something he may or may not want. But, so long as it got him the piece of The Spectre, he figured he could keep his hands to himself for the day. ¡°Understood, Banshee.¡± She gave him a curious look, then chuckled and said, ¡°Banshee is not my title, Captain, it is my role. You may call me Naomi.¡± ¡°Understood, Naomi,¡± he corrected. At that, Naomi turned and started up the side of the ziggurat. ~~ It was a tedious, quiet, and boring walk to the top, but they eventually reached the final step in their climb. They stood before a large entryway flanked by two more Banshees. Up close, Jonathon was astounded at the level of detail that went into the arch of the opening. Unlike the walls of the tents in the valley, the carvings engraved in the archway did not tell a story; they were simply a collection of intricate shapes and lines that resulted in a beautifully complex design accented by a deep green stone. Inside, the carvings continued on every column. The walls were also carved, but these were more like the tents outside. They seemed to depict what he assumed were either religious tales or important events in the tribe''s history¨Cor both. They, too, were accented with the green stone, but they also had a large amount of gold intertwined in the design, as well as a broad sheet of gold that lined the top and bottom portions of every wall. The floor was a mosaic of green stone tiles with golden borders that intersected, creating a network of shimmering paths beneath their feet. Walking quietly down this long hallway, Jonathon understood why Naomi had taken the time to warn against theft. At the back end of the room stood a small dais where The Matriarch stood, awaiting their arrival. Naomi signaled the crew to stop, and she and her girls took their places on either side of The Matriarch. ¡°Good morning, Captain,¡± she began as everyone took their places in front of her. ¡°I trust you and your crew slept well?¡± ¡°Indeed we did, ma¡¯am. Well, most of us anyway,¡± he said with a quick wink to Naomi. The old woman laughed out loud. ¡°It did seem as though my dear Naomi got rather lost during her late-night trip to the ¡®bathroom.¡¯¡± Naomi¡¯s face flushed, and she suddenly found her navel to be of particular interest. When the old woman had finished having her fun, she continued, ¡°Last night, I offered to enlighten you as to the portions of Captain Lancaster¡¯s life that you were unfamiliar with. Please, take a seat, and I will begin my tale.¡± She gestured toward them, and, as if from shadows, Banshees materialized and set down cushions for the crew on the ground and for The Matriarch on the dais. They made themselves comfortable as she continued, ¡°While your recounting of Captain Lancaster¡¯s life was mostly accurate, you did make one mistake: his wife was not pregnant when she died. She had given birth to a healthy baby girl no more than a month prior to the expedition that took her life. She had proposed to Captain Lancaster that she and the child stay ashore with her parents while he and his crew made their trip, but he would hear none of it. He insisted that she and the child both accompany him as a symbolic start to the line of Lancaster traders. Unfortunately, she was not able to dissuade him from this notion. Thus, the wife and young baby Lancaster were present during the journey.¡± She paused as she saw the look of confusion on Jonathon¡¯s face. ¡°Yes, child?¡± Jonathon, not sure how she knew he had a question, said, ¡°Apologies, ma¡¯am. While I do find this to be very intriguing, I¡¯m failing to see the relevance. The baby had been born by the time of the attack, sure, fine, but what exactly does that add to the story? She was still present in one form or another when the ship was attacked, and Billy was still the sole survivor.¡± ¡°Ah, but there is where your lack of knowledge staunches the flow of understanding,¡± she said as she leaned forward, smiling. ¡°For the captain was not the sole survivor of the attack.¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Confusion. Nausea. Fear. Pain. Pain. Pain. His eyes opened, and the horrors of what he had hoped had been a nightmare became reality for William Lancaster. He slowly pushed himself up from the deck, fighting the weight of his grief, and surveyed the horrors before him: his beloved, motionless on the deck in front of him, her eyes staring into nothing, a sacrificial lamb for his worthless life; his crew hung from the rigging, swaying gently with the ship¡¯s slow movements, their throats slit as punishment for choosing to follow the wrong man; himself, alive and soaked in the blood of his dear wife, thick and sticky as it clung to his hands and clothes, his own punishment for daring to resist. How could this have happened? How could such a terrible thing have happened? Were they not all laughing and happy no more than a day ago? Did they not all have plans for their lives when they returned to shore? These thoughts circled his head, taunting and tormenting him as he stood in front of the carnage. ¡°What am I to do now?¡± he sobbed weakly to himself. ¡°I¡¯ve lost my life. My love. My world. There¡¯s no point in continuing any further.¡± An image of his daughter flashed through the canvas of his mind, and he felt another pang of loss. She was likely dead too. He dared not enter his cabin and discover what horrific things the pirates had done to his darling girl. She had been born no more than a month prior. Damn it all! Why had he not listened to his wife when she asked to stay ashore? Why had he been so stubborn and set on bringing them along for this trip? If only he had listened. If only he had made one different decision, none of this would have happened. His feet turned, and he began to move toward the taffrail. Without knowing how, he found himself looking into the ocean below him, the waves lapping gently against the side of the ship, a mockery of the chaos aboard. He extended his leg, prepared to take his final step and be reunited with his family. Then he heard it. Wait. What? Heard what? Had he heard something aside from the crashing waves and creaks of the rigging as bodies swung from them in the wind? Then it came again. It was faint, but there was something else here¡­and it was coming from his cabin! He quickly pulled his leg back in, descended back to the deck, and dashed up to the quarterdeck toward his cabin. Throwing wide the doors, the sound was unmistakable: crying. Crying! He heard crying! His darling daughter was still alive! He crossed the overturned room to the cubby he and his wife had constructed to protect their daughter from the tumultuousness of the sea. It wasn¡¯t necessarily designed to be a hidden compartment, but as he looked at the door to the cubby now, he could see how, if she had been quiet, it could easily have been overlooked. He opened the door, and a ray of hope flooded his heart again. His daughter, safe and sound, lay crying in the cupboard. He picked her up and began soothing her. As she quieted down, a thought occurred that sank him back into the pit of despair he had just started to climb out of: How was he going to get her home? He sank to his knees, his child in his arms. He grasped her tightly as he began sobbing again. Just another cruelty this life was throwing at him. Take everything from him. Then, as he was on the verge of achieving peace, give him his daughter back, only to force him to watch her starve to death in front of his eyes. For what other future awaited him now? He was four days out to sea. He was alone. Even if he could somehow manage to sail back to shore by himself, his daughter wouldn¡¯t be able to survive the time it took to get back. He continued to sob. As he sobbed, he despaired. As he despaired, he hated. As he hated, he seethed. Before he knew it, he was screaming into the air, spewing obscenities and cursing whatever being had decided this was the fate he deserved. He began vowing vengeance: vengeance to the being, vengeance to the world, and vengeance to the pirate who took everything away from him. It was during one of these strings of vengeance swearing that he heard the creak of the door to his cabin swinging open. He looked up to find his wife standing in the doorway. ¡°L¡­Laura?¡± he stammered out, spittle still falling from his lips, as she looked at him. ¡°H¡­How?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe it. His wife was there; right in front of him, alive. But she was different. Her soft, waved red hair blew gently in the breeze, free of the blood that soaked it. Her neck, destroyed by the pirate captain¡¯s blade, was mended, her freckled skin free of any wound. Her white blouse and baggy brown breeches were completely devoid of the blood that had stained them before. She smiled sweetly at him and stepped into the cabin. ¡°Hello, Will.¡± There was no mistaking it, that was her voice. Had he gone mad? ¡°Laura? What happened? How are you like this?¡± he managed to say without stammering. ¡°We don¡¯t carry the wounds from this life with us to the next, darling,¡± she said. ¡°So, then, you¡¯re still¡­¡± he began. She nodded, a solemn but peaceful look on her calm face. ¡°But despair not, for we can still be together. But let us not speak of that for now. Let us instead go home.¡± At that, she turned and walked back out to the quarterdeck. William put his daughter back in her bed and stepped outside. The bodies were gone! As was his wife. The deck where the blood had pooled was still stained, but aside from the empty ship, there was no sign of the previous tragedy anywhere. He was still feeling hollow, but the thought of seeing his wife again brought him some comfort. He looked around to see where she had gone, but found nothing. There was no sign of her anywhere on the ship. He did notice, however, that the sails and rigging were tied perfectly for sailing. He made his way to the helm and gripped its handle. At once, he felt the wheel move as if on its own accord. He quickly let go. The wheel stopped. He tentatively reached out his hand and grasped the handle once more, and the wheel and ship began to turn around as wind filled her sails perfectly. ~~ Four days later, William found himself pulling into the harbor at Gravenfair. The last four days had been a blur, and he was still trying to wrap his head around it all. He had noted a few interesting developments, though, over this time. For starters, he noticed that so long as he manned the helm, the ship sailed and functioned as though she had a full crew aboard. Sails would furl and unfurl at a thought or change their facing depending on the weather. The ship¡¯s wheel also seemed to know where to go, turning in his hand and guiding him back home. However, this was only when he grasped the helm. The moment he let go, the ship was empty once more. Secondly, he had not really seen or spoken with his wife again since that initial encounter. He thought he had caught glimpses of her here and there in his periphery, but as soon as he fixed his gaze on her location, she was gone, the echo of her soft laughter drifting away on the wind. Still, he felt her presence, a comforting shadow that kept him moving forward. Finally, his daughter had somehow managed to survive the trip. He would hear her cry on occasion and attempt to console her. As he made his way to the captain¡¯s cabin, however, he would find the door to be closed and locked. When he attempted to peer through the opaque glass, he thought he could see the outline of his dear Laura sitting at the table. It was then he would hear her humming. Shortly after this, the baby would quiet down. When he would visit the cabin later, after the humming had ceased, he would find his daughter sleeping peacefully with a full belly. In all, he felt he should be disturbed by these findings, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to find anything other than comfort. Just the presence of his wife, even in the little bit he got, was enough to convince him this was a blessing for his troubles. Now that he had found his way safely back home, he would begin his preparations for what came next. On the pier, the harbourmaster greeted him. After a short, vague, and edited discussion about the horrors he had witnessed during his trip, the harbourmaster, eyes brimming with tears, said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m certainly sorry for your loss, Mr. Lancaster. Your wife and crew were good people. I will make sure you get the information you need to alert the families of your crew. In the meantime, are you in need of any care or require any repairs to your ship? If you are not in any state to think on such things, please do not feel as though you need answer me now. You are free to take all the time you need.¡± ¡°Thank you, Henry,¡± he responded. ¡°I¡¯ll make my way to the families I know while you gather the information. And yes, I actually do require some work to be done. There are stains on the deck. Dark ones. I need you to get your boys to stain the rest of my ship that color.¡± ¡°The rest of your ship, sir?¡± the harbourmaster asked, his tone confused as his brow furrowed at the captain. ¡°Surely you mean you wish us to remove the stains, yes?¡± ¡°I do not,¡± William replied. ¡°It may sound strange, but I want the rest of my ship to be the color of those stains on the deck. I¡¯d also like her to be outfitted with cannons on the first two levels below deck. Lighter cannons on the first, heavier cannons on the second. I¡¯d also like her to have a few bow chasers and stern chasers. How long do you think it¡¯ll take for your boys to do that?¡± The harbourmaster stood aghast. ¡°That¡¯s an awful lot of cannons, sir. I¡¯m sure you would only need¨C¡± ¡°What I need, sir,¡± William stated, cutting off the harbourmaster as his temper rose, ¡°are the modifications I just requested of you so that I don¡¯t have to lose an entire crew again. Now, how long will it take?¡± ¡°W¡­We¡­Well,¡± the harbourmaster stammered, surprised by William¡¯s sudden burst of outrage, ¡°with the careening, cleaning, and staining of the ship, and the procurement and outfitting of cannons, I¡¯d say yo¡­you¡¯re looking at¡­at least two months.¡± ¡°Excellent. Start your boys on it today,¡± William said as he turned and started walking down the pier. ¡°I always insure my shipments. I¡¯ll have the money for you by the time you finish.¡± ~~ ¡°Over the course of the next month, Captain Lanc¡­¡± the sound of a cleared throat filled the chamber. The Matriarch paused, ¡°Yes, Captain?¡± she asked, irritation light in her voice at the interruption. ¡°Yes. Sorry,¡± Jonathon began, a placating smile forming on his face. ¡°It¡¯s just, normally, I would be all for hearing every little detail about the ship¡­but I can¡¯t help but notice that your story is focusing a lot more on more of the very detailed portions of Billy¡¯s life immediately following his wife¡¯s death. And, as you said, he terrorized the seas for forty years, sooo¡­¡± He trailed off for a moment. ¡°Not that you don¡¯t weave a fascinating tale, of course!¡± he added quickly, seeing The Matriarch¡¯s unamused face. ¡°You¡¯re amazing! Truly! I actually felt like I was there¡­but I was wondering if we might not be able to, perhaps, take a larger view of the story?¡± The Matriarch gave a disapproving look, ¡°As you wish, boy. I assumed you would enjoy hearing so much given your fascination with the ship, but I will ¡®take a larger view.¡¯ Now, where was I? Oh, yes. ¡°Over the course of the next month, Captain Lancaster outfitted his ship, hired a new crew, and renamed his ship. He also decided to leave his daughter with his wife¡¯s parents while he was out at sea. He swore he would return when he had brought their daughter¡¯s killer to justice. He assumed that, with the help of his newly sentient vessel, he would quickly find the pirate captain who caused him so much pain and rain vengeance down upon him. However, as he placed his hand on the helm, the wheel did not move. The rigging remained silent. She remained silent. ¡°And so, Captain Lancaster, or Captain Billy as he was having his newly hired crew call him now, set out with his crew to search for and destroy the pirate captain. However, he found little success, and eventually, he found that the measly amount of gold that remained from his insurance would not be enough to keep his new crew hired for much longer. Considering the nature of his task, he had hired individuals from a seedier portion of Silvercove Harbor than usual. Help there was cheap and filled with those who would be okay with the venture he had in mind, but they would not work for free. If Captain Billy was to keep them on, he would need to find money, fast. He had no time to run one of his old trade routes; he needed something quick. And so, he turned to the only option he saw for quick gold: piracy. Not just ordinary piracy, though. He did not want to become like the one who took everything from him. Besides, he was hunting a pirate, and what better way to find a pirate than to pose as a merchant vessel? So he did. For the next few weeks, Captain Billy would float in the area near where he had been ambushed, baiting pirates to attack. Many fell for his ruse, but none were the pirate captain he sought. Still, with each attack, he would kill the captain and crew of each ship, saving however many he needed to replace the crew he had lost, take their cargo, and scuttle the ships. Any crew who backtalked or second-guessed their captain found themselves hung from the rigging, their throats slit, swinging in the wind until Billy¡¯s tempered rage would deem it time for them to be taken down. So, while his crew were initially apprehensive about attacking other pirates, his intimidating appearance and brutality toward those that opposed him kept them in order. ¡°During this time, the captain¡¯s rage and anger and brutality continued to grow, along with his impatience. He continued to attack pirate vessels; however, he had also begun attacking trading ships as well, convinced that the pirate captain was trying to hide from him. Those he killed were no longer innocent in his eyes. All were part of the reason he had not found his quarry, all were helping hide the pirate captain from him, and he showed them no mercy. But, just as rage and cruelty grew in his heart, so too did despair begin creeping back into the corners of his mind. What if he was unable to find the pirate captain? More importantly, what if he was never able to see his wife again? Since he had started his voyage, he had not seen any signs of his wife aboard the ship as he had before. On occasion, when he had had too much to drink, he would think he saw a figure standing in the corner of his cabin, or hear the soft, gentle laugh of his wife. But every time he would turn to look, he would find nothing. ¡°On one such night, after six months at sea, Billy¡¯s despair overcame him. He sat, sobbing in his cabin, pleading to whatever had brought his wife to him the first time to bring her back again. For her to help him find her killer. For her to return so that they could be together. If whatever it was could do that for him, he would give them anything they asked. Suddenly, he heard the creak of his door opening as someone entered his cabin. His rage ignited as he prepared to kill whichever crew member had dared enter his cabin unannounced. He froze as he turned to see his wife standing in the doorway. ¡°The following day, Captain Billy found the pirate captain. It is said that his crew would tell stories of how they had never before heard so much screaming come from a single individual. How they had never known a man could survive so long under such pain and duress. And, for those who had cleaned the captain¡¯s cabin afterward, how they had never known the human body was capable of producing so much blood. ¡°Following Captain Billy¡¯s completed vengeance, stories of a ship that would sail on its own, save for its captain who manned the helm, began to spread throughout the sea. An unmanned ship that would pursue, fire upon, and sail right up to you without seemingly a single person aboard. As the ship came close enough to almost touch, an entire crew would burst out from the lower decks and lay waste to those in its path. The crew of The Spectre lived well, for a time, making port regularly to spend their riches. And Captain Billy was able to be reunited with his wife. ¡°One night, about a year into The Spectre¡¯s reign of terror, Captain Billy¡¯s wife approached him. She told him she missed their child and wished to see her daughter again. She asked him to bring their daughter to her so that they could all be reunited again. He agreed to this but told her he wanted to wait until the child turned twenty before bringing her back onboard. And so it was that for the next two decades, The Spectre would continue to terrorize the seas, eventually moving away from its original ambush site and sailing all across The Stern Sea, sometimes even outside of it. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.¡°However, over that time, the captain experienced some concerning things. On occasion, he would wake in the middle of the night and see a shadowed figure whose head reached the almost ten-foot ceiling of his cabin, hunched and staring at him from the corner. When he would call out to it or bring a light to it, he would find the corner to be empty. ¡°He also became plagued with terrible night terrors that he noticed would increase in frequency whenever he angered his wife. Crew members would report waking up in the crow¡¯s nest or perched precariously atop the bowsprit. And then, there were the deaths. He was not sure whether it was the drunken and clumsy nature of the crew he hired or something more, but he found that his ship had terrible misfortune with accidents while out at sea. Slipping on the deck and cracking their skull on a cannon, losing their footing while climbing the main mast to the crow¡¯s nest and falling to their death, or simply falling asleep one night in their hammock and being found mangled and wedged in the head when the sailors would go to relieve themselves in the morning. ¡°Finally, on the day of their child¡¯s twentieth birthday, Captain Billy¡¯s wife came to him again and urged him to bring their daughter to her. This time, he refused. He told her he did not wish for her to be brought into this life. The wife became angry. The two argued, each refusing to give ground on their stances. After realizing the captain had no intent on changing his mind on the matter, the wife became still. As the captain approached her, his arm outstretched, wishing to resolve their dispute, his wife¡¯s own arm twisted backward and cracked. The sound of bones snapping and cracking filled the cabin as the woman twisted and contorted in impossible ways, the skin of her limbs stretching and twisting in unnatural and nightmarish ways; her figure slowly morphing into an inhuman form. As the captain watched her body sink lower and lower to the deck, he saw something form on her lips: fingers. The fingers gave way to a hand. The hand to an arm. The arm to a head. Then a body. Then legs. Slowly, the ten-foot-tall figure that the captain had seen watching him at night crawled out through his wife¡¯s mouth as if sliding out of a pair of breeches, its blackened skin leathery and yet seemingly made of shadows. With piercing orange eyes that burned like embers and a twisted smile, it stared down at the captain. It was at this time that Captain Billy truly understood what horror he had made a deal with all those years ago. ¡°The entity told Captain Billy that it had given him what he wanted and that the captain was to offer up his daughter¡¯s soul to it as the payment they agreed upon. The captain, though terrified, had become quite fearless in his years at sea, and his rage had done nothing but grow in that time. Though he was indeed horrified at what stood before him, he balked at the entity and told it it would get nothing from him, for he knew the ship could not sail unless he was manning the helm. The entity smiled a smile that sent a shiver through the captain¡¯s spine and told him it had learned much in their time together. It warned him that death was not the worst thing it could do to him. Still, the captain remained indignant. ¡°Eventually, the entity realized that the captain was right. It could kill everyone aboard the ship, but unless Billy manned the helm, it would be stuck. The entity feigned defeat, and for the next twenty years, it would continue to serve the captain in his ventures. During this time, however, it harnessed the souls of those that were slain on its deck to increase its own power. Captain Billy, noticing the entity¡¯s actions and subsequent increase in power, eventually stopped going ashore, refusing to replenish his diminishing crew. One by one, the entity picked off the remaining members of his crew until only it and Captain Billy remained. Finally, when it was clear that the captain would rather die at sea than return to shore and supply it with more souls to feed on, it confronted him for a final time. The entity told Billy that his time was up. That it had spent the last twenty years amassing its power. All it had to do was kill the ship¡¯s current captain, and it would have gained the power it needed to be able to operate the vessel on its own. It would be reliant on mortals no longer. But, the entity bargained, if the captain were to uphold his original end of the bargain and offer up the soul of his daughter, it would leave him alone and allow him to live out his years in comfort and luxury. ¡°Captain Billy¡¯s legendary rage flared, and he lashed out at the creature. He had four decades of experience and quickly pushed the creature outside of the captain¡¯s cabin onto the quarterdeck of the ship and into the rain. He slashed and cut and pushed with all the skill he had acquired in his career. He would put the creature down if it was the last thing he did. He had forced the creature against the taffrails when he noticed something truly terrifying: the creature was smiling. In an instant, Captain Billy¡¯s body froze mid-swing. His legs lifted from the deck, and he felt his arms and legs being pulled as his back arched backward from the force. His head snapped back violently, and he found himself looking up into the entity¡¯s eyes. The entity gave him one more sadistic, satisfied smile, and the captain¡¯s body broke itself multiple times as he crumpled into a ball and fell to the floor of the deck. ¡°Triumphant, the entity roared into the night. It quickly focused its power on the helm, determined to direct the vessel on its own. However, try as it might, it was unable to control any element of the vessel. Billy had been right; it needed him to captain it. Anguished, the creature screamed out, cursed to remain trapped aboard a vessel it could not control.¡± ~~ The Matriarch, having completed her tale, said, ¡°Now you know the events that led to the current fate of The Spectre. Now, I ask you again, do you still wish to pursue this fool¡¯s venture?¡± Jonathon sat, silently processing the new information he had received from The Matriarch. He had to admit, the ¡°full¡± story was much more than he had ever anticipated. With how fantastical it was, he was admittedly surprised that it wasn¡¯t more well known. Of course, that was if The Matriarch¡¯s version was the full story. Who knows how their tribal legends and second hand recountings had changed or twisted the story over time. He had just thought it himself, if this truly was the full story, he would have heard it by now. These weren¡¯t minor details that were simply lost with time. After a few minutes, he said, ¡°Matriarch, ma¡¯am, I understand your apprehension based on the story you¡¯ve told me, but do you really expect me to believe that The Spectre is cursed¨Cor haunted¨Cby the ghost of Billy¡¯s dead wife?¡± ¡°No, I do not, child,¡± she replied. ¡°I expect you to believe that Captain Lancaster was tricked by an inhuman spirit. There are no such things as ghosts. There are, however, inhuman spirits that prey on the weakness of mortal minds, appearing to us in the form of lost loved ones. Such a spirit, drawn to the slaughter that occurred aboard The Spectre that fateful day, appeared before Captain Lancaster and fooled him into believing it was his wife in an attempt to gain a foothold in this realm. When it could not do so through the newborn child, whose soul it hoped to be offered by the captain, it attempted to do so through the vessel itself. That is why the ship has not been seen in all this time, and that is why none must pursue it. The evil on that ship must stay on that ship, lest it be released on our world.¡± Jonathon smiled as kindly as he could, trying his best to withhold his own laughter at the woman¡¯s superstition, and said, ¡°I understand how scary such a tale sounds, but I¡¯ve yet to see anything in this world that would lead me to believe that such a being could exist. Perhaps the story has been twisted throughout the years. Perhaps what was once a ¡®shadow¡¯ that attached itself to the captain as a sign of his grief slowly evolved into a full monster that consumed him in the end. It would not be the first time such an exaggeration occurred in stories such as these.¡± The Matriarch continued to look disappointed in Jonathon¡¯s responses. She sighed, ¡°Very well. I was hoping to avoid this, but you leave me no choice. You say you have yet to see anything that would lead you to believe our tale? Then I will take you to the piece we have recently acquired. It is set to be destroyed at week¡¯s end, but perhaps it will serve to prove to you the danger of your quest.¡± Jonathon¡¯s ears perked so fast he thought they would pull him to his feet. ¡°The piece? You¡¯re going to take me to the piece?¡± ¡°I am, child,¡± The Matriarch replied. ¡°Now, follow me. But just you.¡± Cassie looked as though she were going to object, but Jonathon held up a hand, glancing at her before returning his gaze to The Matriarch. ¡°That¡¯s fine. They can wait for me back at our tents.¡± The Matriarch smiled and said, ¡°I have a better idea. Instead of waiting around doing nothing, why not make themselves useful and help our hunters prepare for the feast tonight.¡± ¡°Feast?¡± Dryden said before he could remember his instruction to remain silent. ¡°Indeed, child, a feast. We were planning to have one in celebration of the piece¡¯s destruction, but with the arrival of so many guests, we decided to move the feast up a bit. Now, I will take your captain with me. You all see if you can make yourselves useful down below. We will join you in time.¡± With that, The Matriarch began walking towards a door at the back side of the room. Jonathon nodded to Cassie and followed The Matriarch towards the door. He couldn¡¯t believe it, the rumor had been true, they really did have a piece of the ship! Not only that, she was taking him to see it! Based on the way she was talking, he doubted she was going to simply give the piece to him. I mean, what was it she said? Destroy it? They couldn¡¯t really believe that strongly in such a tale, could they? He had never been as superstitious as most pirates tended to be, but still, this tale of spirits and curses just didn¡¯t make sense. Now, if the story involved Billy angering the sea, then maybe he¡¯d be concerned, but a ghost? Or, excuse me, an inhuman spirit? Absurd. But it didn¡¯t matter what he believed. It mattered what they believed, and they believed in the spirit. They also apparently believed in destroying any surviving piece of The Spectre, which left only one option: if he wanted that piece, he was going to have to steal it. And if he was going to steal it, he was going to need to pay attention. How many turns had they taken? Two? Yes, two. A right at the end of the hallway after the door, and a left at the second intersection after that. Jonathon continued to follow The Matriarch down the labyrinthine corridors, the echo of their footsteps swallowed by the heavy silence. The walls, cold and rough under his fingertips, seemed to pulse with ancient energy, each turn taking them deeper into the heart of the ziggurat. Despite trying to keep all of his focus on remembering the path to the treasure, he couldn''t help but admire the complexity of the structure. For starters, he had been dead wrong about the top room being the only part of the ziggurat. These tunnels were proof of that. They had already passed numerous intersections with turn-offs at each one. Now, as they reached the end of a particularly long and winding downhill hallway, they came out into a large, domed room. While it was designed very much the same way as the room above them, this room was at least half again larger than the one above. The walls were all lined with scrolls and books, and the room itself was filled with many tables and chairs. It was a library. Wait, a library? What sort of library would these people have? It wasn¡¯t as if they communicated with the outside world; could they really have so much to say about themselves? Of course, they apparently had enough contact to obtain a piece of The Spectre, and to somehow know more of the story than anyone he had ever met, so maybe they had more contact with the outside world than he originally thought. They passed through the library and exited out the left side of the room, the second door from the right he noted, and continued their downhill trek. After what seemed like half an hour of walking, The Matriarch came to a halt in front of a door at the end of one of the ziggurat¡¯s many hallways. Two very intimidating Banshees stood guard on either side. The Matriarch turned to Jonathon, the top half of her face obscured in the torchlight. ¡°This is it, boy. The piece you seek is beyond this door. Know this before you enter, however: you will not be leaving with this piece. Is that clear?¡± Jonathon mustered up as much of a respectful attitude as he could and said, ¡°I understand, ma¡¯am. You are showing me this as a means to prove the existence of your spirit. I will respect the wishes and customs of your tribe.¡± She smiled before returning to her stern gaze. ¡°Good. Now, prepare yourself.¡± She grabbed the torch from the sconce on the wall and pushed the door to the room open. He briefly wondered why such a room would be unlocked, but then glanced again at the Banshees and figured he knew why. The Matriarch entered the room in front of him, and Jonathon saw her shiver. It was colder down here than outside to be sure, but he didn¡¯t think it had gotten that cold. Perhaps it was just her age. He stepped through the door and realized what The Matriarch had shivered from. The room was easily ten degrees colder than it had been outside. Did they really keep the door to this room closed for that long? They continued into the room, and Jonathon realized he was able to see his breath! After a few moments, they stopped in front of a table, and Jonathon saw it: a compass. ¡°Behold, boy, your fabled piece of The Spectre,¡± The Matriarch said, clearly uncomfortable in this room. ¡°Are you able to feel the truth behind the story now?¡± He looked at the compass. It was old, to be sure. Possibly old enough to have existed back during Billy¡¯s time. He glanced quickly at his own compass and noticed with a thrill that the compass was not pointing north! Looking at the inside of the top of the compass, he noticed a small mirror. Out of sheer curiosity and thrill for seeing an actual piece of The Spectre, he bent down to look into it. His reflection, not easy to make out in the torchlight, was faded by the age of the glass. As he turned his head and moved to try to see if he could get a better view of himself in the mirror, he noticed someone standing in the doorway behind them. Quickly, he turned to see who it was. He found no one. The Matriarch, still shivering from the cold and visibly uncomfortable, looked at him questioningly, ¡°What is it, child?¡± ¡°I thought one of your guards was coming in through the door. It startled me,¡± he replied. ¡°Oh, no, child,¡± she replied, perplexed by Jonathon¡¯s comment. ¡°They are instructed to never enter this room while a piece resides in it. Nor would they ever desire to.¡± She shifted again as Jonathon looked around at the corners of the room. ¡°You may need to replace that torch, ma¡¯am,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s not even burning bright enough to light the edges of this room.¡± ¡°It is not the torch that is the problem, boy,¡± she said condescendingly. ¡°Come, you have seen the piece, and we have both been in its presence for too long. Hopefully, you now understand why we cannot allow such a piece to reenter the world.¡± He still had no idea what the old woman was on about, but a little placation couldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°I do, ma¡¯am. I appreciate you taking the time to show me the errors of my ways. I see now that my life¡¯s dream has been a fool¡¯s errand. I will pursue this folly no longer.¡± He focused on keeping his voice steady, being careful to mask the flutter of excitement coursing through him. He could feel a plan already forming in his mind. The Matriarch gave him a skeptical look but nodded, ¡°Then let us leave this place and return you to your crew. The feast should be starting soon!¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 They exited the top of the ziggurat and began their descent. A pair of Banshees that had been waiting outside the door of the top chamber, Naomi being among them, joined them and walked silently on either side of The Matriarch. Tired of walking in silence for as long as they had, Jonathon finally caved and asked, ¡°So, you mentioned that the feast was to celebrate the destruction of the piece of The Spectre, but you moved the feast up to honor our visit¡­which we appreciate, by the way. But does that mean you plan on destroying the piece tonight as well?¡± ¡°No, child,¡± she responded calmly. ¡°We have a very specific reason for the times we choose for the destruction of such pieces. These reasons are not so flippant as to be changed on a whim. So, its destruction will remain at week¡¯s end as before. The feast, however, well, that is just something we do to treat ourselves.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Jonathon said, trying to mask his relief. ¡°Well, we will likely be gone by then, but I wish you luck in your endeavor.¡± ¡°Oh, it is not so hard that we require luck,¡± she responded, laughing slightly. ¡°The destruction part is easy. It is usually just a piece of wood, after all. We have done it countless times already. No, the hard part is holding on to such evil for the time it takes for the moon to be just right.¡± Jonathon¡¯s heart hit his stomach for a moment. Countless times? How much sooner could he have found a piece if they hadn¡¯t been actively collecting and destroying them all? He was contemplating this as they reached the bottom of the hill and began walking through the camp. For the first time since that morning, Jonathon paid attention to the camp around him. It was like a completely different area. There were strings of paper spheres with candles somehow burning inside of them without burning the paper strung up on strings and hung between adjacent tents. There were also children, a lot more than he saw this morning, running around with paint all over their faces, laughing. The adults sat around numerous campfires scattered throughout the camp, laughing, drinking, and smoking from long pipes. They passed many of these groups on the way to the center of the camp. Some were drinking and socializing, some were at tables with various colored paints for the children to request their favorite animal, and some were just groups of Banshees working on their equipment. It was these tables that caught his eye the most. Most worked on unstringing their bows or fletching new arrows, but a few were actually creating some of those knock-out darts he and his crew had experienced the night before. He made a mental note of where they were as he and The Matriarch continued their trek. Finally, they made it to the heart of the camp. Here, they had cleared a large, circular section and lined its perimeter with poles and more of those strung lights. There were multiple cooking areas in this area where men would boil, sear, stew, or roast anything from vegetables to beans to corn to apples. In the very center of the clearing, they built a large, flat, rectangular fire, easily twenty feet by ten feet, with a gigantic spit hoisted above it. Normally, Jonathon would wonder just how many animals they were planning on cooking, but seeing as they were almost prepared for the feast, the answer to that question was already rotating on the spit: one. Jonathon wasn¡¯t really sure what the animal was, but it was larger than anything he had seen before. It looked like an ordinary deer, but close to twenty times its size and with an extra pair of legs immediately behind the front pair. The antlers, equally massive, had been removed and were off to the side, serving as a climbing area for the children. The points were too numerous to count, but the cage they made when turned upside down was large enough for Jonathon to stand underneath comfortably. Next to the pit, a stage had been constructed where the cooks tended the meal. Five men stood along the length of the beast with large bowls of what appeared to be seasoned butter, their sole task being to paint any dry portion with their brushes. Another walked the length of the creature and back with a bowl of mixed herbs, stopping here and there to apply a generous application to wherever he deemed necessary. The real work, though, was done by the turners. Attached to either end of the large pole that supported the beast was a large wheel with a rope run through it and attached to a second wheel on the stage. The second, larger wheel had a long handle attached where the men could line up and work together to spin the beast. This seemed to be the part of the show that the Banshees enjoyed the most, judging by the size of the crowd around the stage and the numerous catcalls he heard coming from it. This, apparently, was also where his crew had made themselves most useful¡­or at least where they had most recently made themselves useful, as this was where he found them. They were all sitting with a group of the tribe members, also laughing, drinking, and smoking from the long pipe. ¡°Captain,¡± Cassie said, standing unsteadily as Jonathon approached. ¡°Glad to see zhu back. Did zhu secure the piece?¡± Her face was tomato red, and she wobbled slightly as she stood there. Whatever was in those pipes must have paired really well with whatever they were drinking; he had never seen Cassie so affected by alcohol before. ¡°I did not,¡± he said. ¡°The Matriarch here showed me the futility of my search. We will celebrate with them tonight and begin our journey back to the ship tomorrow.¡± ¡°But Captain, you¡­¡± Cassie began, her words trailing off as Jonathon¡¯s sharp gaze cut her off. ¡°...have seen the error of my ways,¡± he finished for her. ¡°We will leave on the morrow. If you wish to discuss the matter, you may do so with me later, Quartermaster.¡± He hoped his reminder of her role would shut her up before she let anything slip. Which it did, because she immediately shut up, sat back down, and began studying the edges of her cup with silent intensity. ¡°But Captain, you¡­¡± Ryden began, his voice high in a mocking tone. ¡°...have seen the error of my ways, Quartermaster,¡± Dryden finished, his own voice low but equally as mocking. ¡°Come by my tent later and we¡¯ll discuss it more¡­in depth.¡± Ryden let out an exaggerated, high-pitched moan and the two dissolved into laughter. Once the humor had run its initial course, Dryden mumbled to Ryden, ¡°I¡¯d like to get in depth with one of these Banshees.¡± Clearly, it wasn¡¯t just Cassie who had been affected by this pipe, Jonathon thought to himself. Though the twins¡¯ behavior was admittedly not too far from normal, the open mockery of their quartermaster and captain was certainly new. Jonathon turned to Beckett and said, ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have something odd you¡¯d like to say to me too, do you?¡± ¡°No, sir,¡± Beckett responded. ¡°I apologize for the twins Cap¡¯n, they¡¯ve been a mite insufferable since their first turn at the pipe. I actually had to actively pull ¡®em out of the eye of the general public after Dryden here tried to flip the skirts on one of the Banshees. Damn near got himself killed.¡± Hearing this recounting of their actions, the twins dissolved further into their own world, mumbling and laughing at their own perversions. Surprised at the level of sobriety his navigator was displaying, Jonathon commented, ¡°I assume the pipe was not to your liking, Mr. Beckett?¡± ¡°Not at all. I actually rather enjoy the quality they have here,¡± he replied warmly. ¡°I see,¡± Jonathon pressed, attempting to discern the difference in his crewmate. ¡°Then the alcohol is not to your taste?¡± ¡°What? The wine? Maybe a little fruity, but better than most of the grog I have on a regular basis.¡± He laughed, holding up his cup. ¡°Not nearly as strong either. This is probably me eighth or ninth glass.¡± Jonathon couldn¡¯t stop himself from laughing out loud, ¡°You never cease to amaze me, Mr. Beckett. I¡¯ll trust you to keep the boys in line.¡± He turned to The Matriarch, who had been watching everything play out with great amusement. ¡°Matriarch, thank you for your hospitality. We will enjoy the festivities and be on our way tomorrow.¡± The Matriarch eyed him curiously, smiling. ¡°Indeed, boy. Enjoy the feast. If you find yourselves too tired to begin your journey on the morrow, you are still welcome to stay another day. We will not kick you out just because our feast has ended.¡± She laughed and left the group to their own devices. As the hours drifted by, the aroma of the roasting beast filled the air, rich and intoxicating, mingling with the earthy scent of burning wood and the sweet smoke from the pipes. The warmth of the fires bathed the clearing in a golden glow, flickering shadows playing on the tents like dancing spirits. Jonathon initially sat with his crew, drinking and discussing all that The Matriarch had said and shown him. Then he listened as Cassie and the twins tried to form cohesive sentences. In the end, he figured Beckett was the only one who had actually followed everything he had said. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Finally, shortly after the sun had set and the glow of the numerous fires had begun to light up the crowns of the surrounding trees, the chefs announced the beast had finished cooking. Their group formed in line with the other members of the tribe, only to be pushed to the front. Apparently, it was customary to allow guests the first cut of their choice of meat. Cassie took a cut of the leg, Beckett the backstrap, the twins the rump¨Clikely just so they could say ¡°rump¡±¨Cand Jonathon took a cut of the shoulder. Once off the stage, they began making their way through the other various cooking stations seen before, filling the remainder of their plates with roasted vegetables, peppers, beans, and corn. After successfully building their respective, precarious food towers, they made their way back to the campfire and began eating. The meat itself was some of the most delicious Jonathon had ever tasted in his life. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was the butter, the seasonings, the way they cooked it, his particular slice, or the nature of the meat itself, but each bite seemed to melt in his mouth in an explosion of flavor that he feared would ruin his preference for other foods indefinitely. The roasted vegetables also served as an excellent side to the meat. Peppers of various colors and sizes added the perfect complement to the meat¡¯s buttery savoriness. The beans and roasted corn, while simple in their flavor profiles, still added an excellent diversion for his taste buds, making his return bites of the meat and peppers as explosive as the first. They all sat in relative silence, each moaning in delight with every bite. Over the next hour or so, they were visited by various members of the tribe who would stop and speak with them about the outside world and where they were from. At some point, Naomi and one of her friends came and sat next to the twins, giggling and blushing at every little thing the boys said. After a while, they invited the boys to dance. Without even a glance at Jonathon or either of their other two superiors, the boys were gone, order forgotten in the presence of desire. Shortly after that, one of the Banshees approached Beckett for a dance. As he glanced toward his captain for approval, Jonathon nodded and the man smiled. He stood to leave with the woman, but came over to Jonathon instead. He clapped Jonathon on the shoulder and said, ¡°Try an¡¯ enjoy yerself, Cap¡¯n, but please be careful. The Matriarch might smile, but she sees more¡¯n she lets on.¡± With that, he turned and followed the woman into the crowd. Unlike her male counterparts, Cassie, still influenced by the pipe and drink, had turned down every one of the men that asked her to dance. With each denial, she moved closer to Jonathon. After about the fifth or sixth invitation, Jonathon figured she¡¯d end up on his lap by the end of the night¡­not that he¡¯d complain, of course. ¡°Would you like to dance, Cass?¡± he asked her. ¡°Would I, what?¡± she asked, her face reddened in the firelight. Was she blushing? Or was that the redness of intoxication? She definitely hadn¡¯t been this red a second ago, had she? No, it was probably just a mixture of her intoxication and the change of lighting and position from Jonathon standing up. ¡°I said, would you like to dance with me?¡± he repeated, offering her his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to want to dance with any of the locals that have asked, but if you¡¯d like, we can dance and save you the trouble of being repeatedly asked.¡± Maintaining her vigil of averting her eyes from his, she sat still on her seat for a moment. Slowly, she raised her hand and allowed Jonathon to raise her and lead her out to where the others were dancing. It wasn¡¯t quite the dancing that either of them was used to, but he figured they would catch on pretty quickly. It wasn¡¯t as slow or deliberate as the way the wealthier people of Brightstone would dance, and it wasn¡¯t quite as tribal as he had read about in different texts. The reality was somewhere in the middle. Two individuals stayed paired and moved together, staying close, as they would in Brightstone, but there was also a lot of individual movement between the pairs, as one would expect in a tribal setting. Overall, it wasn¡¯t so foreign that Jonathon had difficulty blending, but still chaotic enough that no one would notice if he were to slip away from the center crowd. First, however, he had to be seen in the crowd. As he and Cassie made it to an open area, Jonathon began mimicking the movements of those around him. Just as he felt he was doing a good enough job to start moving around, he looked over at his dance partner, who seemed to have caught on to the dance better than he had. More than that, she actually seemed to be enjoying herself quite a bit. He forgot his quest for the moment and decided to take this rare opportunity and enjoy this ¡°fun Cassie.¡± And that¡¯s exactly what he did. For the next hour, he and Cassie danced their way through and around the crowd, not seeming to notice anyone else around them. Were they dancing the right way? Maybe, maybe not. Did they look stupid? Probably. But for some reason, neither of them were able to find the ability to care. She moved one way, and Jonathon moved the other. She stuck out her hand, and Jonathon grabbed it without hesitation and spun and dipped her low. He had never seen her so carefree¡­or beautiful. Was the air of this jungle permeated with some kind of strange toxin? Or was he being cursed for stealing a look at her? Whatever the reason, Jonathon found himself again having to actively remind himself of his and her role on the ship. It was in the middle of one of these mantras, near the edge of the group of dancers, that Cassie had moved in closer to him. Placing her hand on the upper portion of his chest, she leaned in, the touch of her whisper tickling Jonathon¡¯s ear, and said, ¡°I¡¯m having a lot of fun J¨C¡± Startled by her sudden closeness, Jonathon jumped back, accidentally cutting her off. ¡°Well done, Cassie. I think we¡¯ve provided sufficient alibi to slip away now,¡± he said, his brain fried and grasping for something, anything, to say. He grabbed her hand and hurriedly slipped between the tents. He continued to lead her quietly through the tents as she said, ¡°Wait, what did you say?¡± ¡°I said we¡¯ve given ourselves enough time dancing with the tribespeople to have sufficient alibi to sneak away and acquire some equipment for what I have to do tonight,¡± Jonathon said, fighting the heartbeat that he was sure she could hear from behind him. He dared not look back or pause in his movements; otherwise, he knew he¡¯d be unable to resist crossing the line that he forced between them. ¡°¡®Sufficient alibi?¡¯¡± Cassie asked incredulously. ¡°Why would you need an alibi?¡± ¡°Well,¡± he continued, still not stopping or turning to face the woman behind him, ¡°on the way here from the temple, I saw some Banshees working on their equipment. Among them, I saw a couple of them crafting some of those lovely knockout darts. I figured if I could get my hands on some of them, then breaking into the temple tonight would be a hell of a lot easier.¡± He felt her hand leave his. He stopped, finally turning back to face her. She had stopped moving and was staring straight at him. Oh no. He had seen that look before. He had seen it on the face of many women the following morning when he went to leave with no intention of returning. He had seen it on the faces of villagers and sailors alike once they realized their goods were being surrendered to him and his crew. Yes, he had seen that look enough times in his life that he could place it anywhere, but he had never before seen it on Cassie¡¯s face. She was hurt. Her knitted brows almost touched. Her eyes, normally sharp and unwavering, were soft, a slight coating the surface. Her lips were slightly parted, as though she wished to respond, but then she pressed them back together. For the briefest of moments, she looked almost defenseless. Jonathon continued to stand there, silently staring at her, frozen in place, afraid to break the silence for fear of what consequences hid behind Cassie¡¯s face. After nearly ten minutes, she said, her voice barely above a whisper, ¡°Is that why you invited me to dance? So that you would have an excuse to slip away?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, Cass,¡± Jonathon confessed. He knew he could lie to her, but her eyes told him that was the last thing he needed to do in this moment. ¡°You looked uncomfortable having to constantly say no to those guys, and I needed a reason to leave the area, so I figured we could kill two birds with one stone.¡± Instant regret. He wasn¡¯t sure if lying would have been any better, but it certainly couldn¡¯t have been any worse. Cassie¡¯s eyes flared as her voice began to regain its usual confidence, the defenselessness he had seen moments before quickly receding behind an impenetrable wall of anger. ¡°You thought I was uncomfortable having to turn down the men who asked me to dance? Really?! You think me so frail and timid that I can¡¯t tell a man no? Have you not seen what I can do to a man with my cutlass?¡± ¡°True, true, true,¡± Jonathon cajoled. ¡°All true. You¡¯re right. Honestly, I just assumed the mixture of whatever was in the pipe with the alcohol had thrown you off.¡± He paused, reflecting on how he had arrived at his conclusion. Had he only seen what he wanted to see in that moment? No, she had certainly appeared uncomfortable. Something about her in that moment was wrong, he was certain. ¡°But if you weren¡¯t uncomfortable,¡± he asked, his voice losing its placating tone, ¡°then why did you look so timid and shy?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ve never asked someone to dance with me before!¡± she almost shouted back at him. ¡°But you didn¡¯t even ask¡­¡± was all he managed to get out before she had stormed away, out of sight. Gods, he thought, what was going on with her? He had never seen her so volatile before. Whatever, he thought as he remembered his goal, it was probably better this way anyway; any longer and she may have drawn attention to them. He turned and continued his journey back to the equipment tables. Unfortunately, Cassie¡¯s anger wasn¡¯t so easy for him to just put away. He continued to find his mind drifting back to their interaction, the pain on her face etched into his memory. He would obviously prefer not to have hurt her, but he didn¡¯t understand any of it. Why was she choosing to make such a big deal out of this? Sure, he used her in his scheme, but it¡¯s not like he hadn¡¯t done that before. Why was she choosing now of all times to get upset about it? He put the thought aside for what seemed like the sixth time in the last few minutes and focused on what he was doing. He continued to slip and slide between tents, avoiding the ones that were lit or those that had groups near them, and choosing the ones that were darkened. The darkened ones with sounds coming from them were the best ones as they provided a muffling for what little sound he did make. After a few more minutes, he saw the tables. Thankfully, they had been completely abandoned at this point in the night, and thankfully, the village was trusting enough to leave the equipment out in the open. He snuck up to the closest one. His heart raced as he reached for the blowgun, his fingers grazing the smooth wood. Footsteps approached, and he ducked inside the nearest tent, praying it wasn¡¯t inhabited, the faint smell of the tent¡¯s material filling his nose as his knees pressed against the cool, packed dirt. He held his breath, attempting to be as silent as possible, as a Banshee passed by. Seconds seemed to stretch into eternity. He could feel his heart beating in his ears. His lungs began to burn. He regretted holding his breath, but knew if he were to breathe now he would give himself away. Just as he felt he wasn¡¯t going to be able to hold it in any longer, she moved on, leaving Jonathon to breathe again and quickly snatch the darts and slip away into the night. Prize in hand, he made his way towards the temple. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Jonathon sat with his back against the cool stone of the ziggurat¡¯s backside, his breaths shallow and labored. He had known he couldn¡¯t take the stairs since he would have been spotted too easily, so he decided to climb up the back¡­what a mistake. Not only were there no stairs, but each ¡°step¡± of the ziggurat was higher than he was tall. So, at each level, Jonathon found himself looking for hand and footholds and rock climbing to the next step. His muscles ached from the climb, his palms scraped raw from gripping jagged stone edges. In the end, he had no clue how long he had been climbing, but he was certainly glad it was over now. As he rested, he thought again about his confrontation with Cass. He thought about the feast down below and wondered how many had already retired to their tents since he had left. Had his presence been noticed? He shook his head and recentered his thoughts. He remembered most of the path to get down to the room, but he wasn¡¯t sure just how confident he felt in that knowledge. He wondered just how vast the structure was and how long it would take him to find his way out if he did get lost. Oh well, it didn¡¯t matter, he was pretty sure he would be able to get it right once he got down there. He took stock of his equipment: five darts and a blowgun. A light load to be sure, but he didn¡¯t see how he would need anything more. Honestly, he only needed two of the darts, one for each guard outside the door, but he wanted one or two extra just in case. The fifth he hoped to study and potentially make his own version of in the future. Being able to incapacitate people could come in very handy if they ever decided to attempt raids on larger, more defended areas. Once he had caught his breath, he stood up and made his way along the edges of the ziggurat toward the front entrance. He suspected his three biggest hurdles would be the entrance, the library, and the guards at the very end. The guards were the only ones that would require action on his part, the others may or may not even be an issue, but the likelihood of someone being in those rooms was¡­well, actually pretty low, that¡¯s why he chose to do this now instead of another night. He put the thoughts aside and peeked into the large chamber that he would have to cross. There were pillars along the length of the room that he would be able to skirt around, and plenty of shadows for him to conceal himself in. Surveying the open portions of the room, he didn¡¯t notice anyone else. Still, he thought as he shrugged to himself, better safe than sorry. He quickly darted from the outside entrance to the nearest pillar and shadow. He took stock of the room once more. Still no one. He found the next shadow and silently skirted his way to it. He repeated this process down the entire length of the room. Thankfully, the torches on the inner portions of each pillar provided consistent cover to the backside for him to conceal himself behind. In the end, he could have just walked down the center of the hallway and been fine, as he never saw a single guard. Whatever, he told himself, it was good practice. Having reached the back of the room, he was able to see the door The Matriarch had taken him through. He took a chance in the light, dashed to one side of the door, and listened for signs of life coming from down the hallway. Nothing. Completely quiet. ¡°I guess it was really smart of me to have chosen to do this now,¡± he silently joked to himself, ¡°apparently they let everyone off for the festival.¡± He quickly passed through the door and began making his way down the hallway. As he entered the hallway, he felt a sinking in his gut as he realized just how stressful the rest of his heist was going to be now. Unlike the grand entrance before, this hallway was just that: a hallway¨Cno crevices to hide in, no pillars to hide behind, nothing, just a straight hallway with the occasional split. At least he still had some shadows, he thought to himself as he looked down the hallway. There were pockets of light from wall-mounted torches, but they were spaced every thirty feet or so, giving him much more time in the dark than the light. Still, there was only so much the darkness would do for him if someone came along with a friend, or worse, a torch! Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about it at this point. So, he began his long journey down the hall. Right at the end of the hallway, left at the second intersection, another left, another left, a right. Jonathon slowly traced the path he had etched into his memory earlier that day. After walking for about ten minutes, Jonathon froze in his tracks. His breath caught, and his heart jumped into his throat. He had heard the last sound he wanted to hear in this hallway: voices. Frantically, Jonathon began looking around for a hiding place that he knew he wouldn¡¯t find. The voices were getting closer. How long ago did he pass a room? He couldn¡¯t remember. It definitely hadn¡¯t been anytime so recent that he could go back to it now without losing too much time, or being caught before he even reached it. He heard the sound of the footsteps increasing as the threat creeped ever closer to his position. Crap, he thought, he was running out of time. He began trying to think of other places he could hide. He hadn¡¯t noticed any points along the wall where he could wedge himself between. Despite what he assumed the age of the ziggurat was, the infrastructure was kept in remarkably good shape. The voices were even closer now. They couldn¡¯t be more than a hundred feet or so. It was hard to tell at this point in the hallway as he was in the middle of a turn and could not see too far ahead, but he had to do something, now. The voices were on him now, and two tribesmen turned the corner, speaking in whatever language the Barmuru people spoke in. Sweat dripped from Jonathon¡¯s brow, his breath barely a whisper against the cool, stone walls. Each step echoed in the silence, a deafening reminder of how easily sound could betray him. His heart raced in his throat as the two continued their talk, passing right by him and rounding the remainder of the corner, disappearing out of sight. They had not noticed Jonathon at all. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. It had been awkward and difficult, but he had managed to get himself off the ground and had been able to hold himself aloft between the walls, feet on one wall, hands on another. Thank the gods they didn¡¯t have a torch, he thought¡­and the fact that no one ever looks up. He slowly shimmied his way down and continued his journey, finally coming out into the large, domed library. This room seemed empty as well. As he began crossing the room towards the left side, he paused. He thought about the end of his journey and the two Banshees that awaited him. They were at the end of a long hallway, with torches, and nowhere else to look. How was he going to incapacitate them with these blow darts that he had never used before? He looked at them as a thought crossed his mind. He quickly crossed to the nearest bookshelf and quietly moved some of the books off the shelf, enough to make a small clearing. He then took out the blowgun and examined it. After a minute or two, he figured out how to properly load the weapon and use it. He aimed at the bookshelf and blew. In an instant, a dart appeared on the shelf. Amazing! It had crossed so quickly! Unfortunately, it had completely missed the area he was aiming at and had landed in the spine of a nearby book. He went to retrieve the dart and found it was still in good shape. He reloaded the blowgun and tried again. This time, he hit the area he was aiming for. The blowgun was surprisingly easy to pick up and use, he realized. Jonathon continued practicing his aim with the blowgun and testing its range. After about ten to fifteen minutes, he decided he had tested his luck of remaining in this room alone for long enough. He felt moderately confident in his ability to at least hit a human from thirty feet away. He replaced the books on the shelf and continued toward the left side of the room, crossing the threshold and continuing his journey. After another twenty minutes or so of lefts, rights, and straights, Jonathon began having doubts about his memory. He figured he hadn¡¯t been walking long enough to definitively say he had made a mistake, but he was also starting to get anxious about how long he had been walking. Sure, the hallway looked familiar, but how unfamiliar could a hallway look anyway? They all honestly looked the same down here. He could have easily made a wrong turn somewhere and be completely lost in this temple. His mind began to wonder about what he would do if he was in fact lost. How long would it take for him to find his way back, or for someone to find him? How would he try to explain his presence here in the first place? Would they believe anything he said at that point? And what if they decided to punish him? As this myriad of futures and problems were running through his mind, Jonathon made a right at the next intersection and found solace for his thoughts. There, at the end of the hallway, stood a door with two Banshees standing guard on either side. Considering the minimal number of Barmuru in the temple so far, the likelihood that these two Banshees just so happened to be guarding something else seemed low to him. Now the hard part: incapacitating the Banshees. He crept as far down the hallway as he could, just outside the light of the first torch. Damn, this would definitely be testing the range he had practiced at. On top of that, he had been practicing on a still object. Once the first Banshee went down, if he even hit her, he would have to deal with the second one, who would most certainly be moving. A hand grasped Jonathon¡¯s stomach as he thought about how precarious of a situation he was actually in right now. He closed his eyes and took a few seconds to breathe. He had come this far. Dangerous or not, he could not leave here without the piece. He loaded the first dart and raised the blowgun to his lips. He aimed at the first Banshee on the left, center mass. He didn¡¯t have to hit anywhere specific; he just needed the dart to pierce the skin to do its job. He aimed slightly upward and blew as hard as he could, hoping this would add some range to his attack. The dart struck the first Banshee in the thigh. There was a grunt as she felt the dart pierce her skin. ¡°Who goes there?¡± she barked, her voice already beginning to slur from the sedative. The other Banshee turned quickly to see what was wrong. Jonathon loaded the second dart and aimed at the other Banshee, hoping to hit her before she could raise the alarm or begin charging him. He aimed slightly up and blew hard. He heard the sound of the dart hitting the stone to the left of her as it missed its target. Damn! Having heard the sound of the second dart hitting the wall, and seeing her partner collapse, the Banshee began charging down the hallway, spear at the ready. The hand that was grasping Jonathon¡¯s stomach now moved to his heart as the threat of imminent death was now charging him. He quickly loaded the third dart and blew. Driven by his panic, he had not spent as much time aiming as he probably should have. Fortunately, the distance the Banshee had closed had given him a larger margin of error. It stuck her in the shoulder, and she collapsed just as her spear came within range of Jonathon, crouched in the shadows. Whether or not she had actually seen him was a mystery, one he was certainly glad he hadn¡¯t needed to find out. With no obstacles standing between him and the piece, he crossed the final hallway and grabbed the torch at the side of the door. He opened the door, taking a moment to inhale deeply before he entered the room. The torch lit the room, and Jonathon noticed a number of things simultaneously: for starters, the room was not as cold as it had been before; secondly, the torch he held was able to illuminate the entirety of the room; lastly, the compass was gone. Jonathon stood there, confused and crestfallen. He began wondering what his next course of action would be when he heard the clearing of a throat and a familiar voice coming from the doorway. ¡°You disappoint me, child. Not only do you think me foolish enough to believe your placation, but you also insult me and my people by attempting to steal from us,¡± The Matriarch said, stepping into the room. Jonathon¡¯s heart sank as he turned slowly to face her, his mind racing for a plausible excuse. ¡°I¨C¡± ¡°I do appreciate you not resorting to murder in your quest for death,¡± she continued, cutting him off with a raised hand. ¡°Though I wonder if this was out of desire to avoid bloodshed, or fear of engaging in combat?¡± ¡°A desire to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, ma¡¯am,¡± Jonathon replied, anxiety coiled tightly around his stomach. ¡°Then at least you are not a liar, thief, and murderer,¡± she replied, her voice heavy with disappointment. ¡°Attempted theft,¡± Jonathon corrected. A disappointed half-smile graced The Matriarch¡¯s lips. ¡°Right you are, boy. And you remember the punishment for such an act, I presume?¡± Before Jonathon could answer, the sting of the dart hit him like a sudden, icy wave, paralyzing his breath as he slumped to his knees. The Matriarch¡¯s voice, a blend of disappointment and inevitability, echoed unknowable words as his consciousness faded. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Jonathon woke to the sound of seagulls cawing overhead and the rhythmic crash of waves against the shore. Each screech and crash reverberated through his skull, splitting his head with a pain that matched the turmoil in his gut. He blinked against the harsh light of the sun, forcing himself upright with unsteady arms. Sand clung to his clothes as he sat up, groggy and disoriented. He knew this beach. He was back on the beach of Brightstone Bay. Somehow, they¡¯d made it back. He slowly looked around, being careful not to move too quickly lest he lose what little remained in his stomach. Speaking of, what did he have left in his stomach? It felt like he hadn¡¯t eaten in days. That tracked, he thought to himself, the last thing he remembered was standing in the temple with The Matriarch. For him to be here now, he must have been out for at least a week! As he looked around, he noticed a number of bodies lying on the beach. One. Two. Three. Four. Four bodies. Four? Shouldn¡¯t there be six? He jumped to his feet and instantly regretted it. His head began to spin as his stomach did backflips. He lost his balance and fell back down on the sand. He called out weakly, ¡°Cas¡­Cassie?¡± No response came from his first mate. ¡°Beckett?¡± Silence. Jonathon''s stomach stopped doing backflips and started sinking. He attempted to stand again, this time being slower and more deliberate. After a few minutes, he found he was able to stand without falling and began slowly making his way toward the first form he saw. Judging by the hair, it was Cassie. He crouched down next to her and felt for a pulse. Thank the gods, it was still there! Despite everything, her pulse felt like a small victory against whatever darkness they had left behind in the jungle. He shook her slightly. ¡°Cassie, get up. I need your help.¡± Immediately, her eyes opened. She quickly hopped to her feet, only to land straight on her butt as Jonathon had. She groaned in misery as she fell back on her back. ¡°Take it easy, Cass,¡± Jonathon warned. ¡°We¡¯ve been out for at least a week now, and I suspect whatever they used to keep us asleep is probably not meant for long-term use.¡± She groaned again as she slowly pushed herself onto her elbow and began massaging her eyes. ¡°Captain, is that you? What happened? I remember the feast and going to sleep, but that¡¯s all. How¡¯d we end up here? Wait, did you say we¡¯ve been out for a week?! How did this happen?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Jonathon began, ¡°about that. See, I managed to sneak through the ziggurat into the room where they kept the piece of The Spectre hidden away. Only, when I got there, the compass was gone! That was when The Matriarch caught me. It had been a setup! She knew I was going to go after the piece and had moved it ahead of time. She confronted me about my actions, and then they shot me with one of those stupid darts! I woke up here just now. I suspect they knocked the rest of you out while you slept shortly after I was captured.¡± He saw Cassie¡¯s nostrils flare at the reminder of their prior interaction before he had left for the ziggurat. The anger subsided quickly as Cassie closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, she calmly asked, ¡°So, you still didn¡¯t find the piece then?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jonathon replied, dejected. ¡°I was so close, and now, now I don¡¯t know what to do. I¡¯ve lost my best chance at finding a piece. It almost feels like it would have been better to have never found the tribe in the first place¡­¡± He heard a snort and a nearby voice say, ¡°Well, that seems a bit dramatic.¡± Jonathon jumped and looked around. That was when he noticed the figure sitting on a nearby rock. Her dark complexion, garb, and figure left no doubt who it was. ¡°Banshee,¡± Cassie said before Jonathon had a chance to say anything. ¡°What are you doing here? Did they leave you behind to kill us as we woke?¡± ¡°And what sense would that make?¡± she replied, amused. ¡°Why would we not have just killed you in our camp and saved the four-day journey back to the beach? Perhaps you think we merely wanted to drag you around for sport? And again, my name is Naomi, not Banshee.¡± ¡°Good luck with that,¡± Jonathon said dryly, ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to get her to call me by my name for three years now, and she still only calls me ¡®Captain.¡¯¡± Cassie scowled at Jonathon. ¡°Wait a second,¡± he said, turning back to Naomi, ¡°Did you say four days? How did you manage to get us here in four days? It took us seven before we even found you!¡± Naomi chuckled, ¡°Yes, and it would take a toddler longer to walk across her tent than her parents. You do not know our jungle as we do, Captain Harding.¡± Around this time, the others were beginning to stir. Jonathon quickly remembered his original quest to ensure his crew¡¯s survival. He scanned the beach again and looked at each form as they roused and sat upright. He noted the two rowers they took with them and Beckett, but that was it. There were two of his crew not accounted for. Where were the twins? He looked back at Naomi, ¡°Where are the¨C¡± The Banshee chuckled, ¡°Do not worry, Captain Harding, your boys are fine. I told them I was hungry, and they both ran off into the woods claiming they would find the largest prey.¡± Jonathon shook his head. That tracked, they¡¯d rather go off to impress a girl than check on their crewmates. He¡¯d have to talk to them about that one. He looked back up at Naomi and said, ¡°So, not that I mind your presence, but what exactly are you doing here? Surely you aren¡¯t worried about us stealing something else, you would have simply searched us prior to leaving. And we never actually found your tribe, so it¡¯s not like we can go back. Is there something you want from us?¡± She smiled, ¡°You are right, Captain Harding. There is something that I want from you.¡± She paused, her eyes searching his own as she found her words. ¡°I want you to take me with you.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°What?¡± he and Cassie asked in unison. ¡°Why exactly do you want to come with us?¡± Jonathon continued. ¡°And what exactly makes you think we¡¯d take you anyway after losing our treasure to your people and being banished from your tribe?¡± ¡°You mean our ¡®treasure¡¯? The ¡®treasure¡¯ you attempted to steal from us? That ¡®treasure¡¯ Captain Harding?¡± the Banshee chided before adding with a smile, ¡°I am tired of the life I have in my tribe. I will one day be an elder too. I will be expected to rule them as my grandmother does, yet I know nothing of the world outside of our jungle. My grandmother assures me that this is nothing to worry about, yet I still feel a draw to the outside. I feel as though there is something out here that I am supposed to learn.¡± She paused, her eyes now scanning the horizon of the bay. ¡°Regarding why you would take me with you,¡± she continued, a roguish smile spreading across her face, ¡°I know where you can find your piece of the devil ship.¡± Jonathon¡¯s ears perked and he stared in disbelief, ¡°Really? You can lead us to the compass?¡± ¡°No,¡± she replied simply, waving her hand as though his question were a bothersome fly. ¡°That piece is gone from this world. But, I know where you can find another piece.¡± ¡°And how exactly would you know where to find another piece when you¡¯ve never left the jungle?¡± he asked. ¡°Captain, I have been by my grandmother¡¯s side for many years now. I have listened to the Seekers who have brought the pieces back and heard tales of each piece¡¯s origin. While the locations are many, there is one area that has stood out from the rest.¡± After a moment of holding his breath, waiting for Naomi to continue her sentence, Jonathon impatiently asked, ¡°And?¡± ¡°And what?¡± she replied coolly, that roguish smile returning to her face as her eyes narrowed mischievously at the captain. ¡°Where is that location?¡± he pressed. ¡°Why would I tell you now when you have yet to accept my end of the agreement?¡± she replied, pretending to examine her nails. ¡°If you wish to know the information I offer, you must first accept my terms.¡± Jonathon¡¯s hand found his chin as he unconsciously picked at the scruff. Could she really know where another piece of the ship was? Could his dream not be over yet? Jonathon¡¯s spirits began to lift from their temporary depression as hope wormed its way back into his heart. He stood up and extended his hand to the girl, ¡°Naomi, you get me to that piece, and with me and my crew, you¡¯ll see the world!¡± Cassie groaned, realizing their pursuit was not over, and Naomi smiled as she took his hand and shook it. It was at this point that Jonathon saw two figures emerge from the jungle. One had a small creature of some kind dangling from his hand, the other was trying to grab the creature from him. Even from this distance, there was no mistaking the twins. As they came within earshot, Jonathon could hear their ongoing argument. ¡°C¡¯mon bro, that¡¯s not cool,¡± he could hear Ryden whining as Dryden approached with a rabbit in his hand. ¡°M¡¯lady, I humbly present thee with this bounty from the dangerous jungle,¡± Dryden said mockingly as he knelt before Naomi and offered the creature up to her. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him Naomi! I caught that thing,¡± Ryden said, red-faced and panting from the exertion of his chase. Naomi looked at the two boys and said, ¡°The credit for this catch seems rather important to you, my dear Ryden. Is there a reason why?¡± Ryden¡¯s red face somehow deepened its hue as he quickly said, ¡°N-No, Nao¡­Bansh¡­ma¡¯am. I just thought it should be known who truly caught the rabbit, that¡¯s all.¡± Dryden, who had kept his head down the whole time in mock deference, lifted it at the opportunity and added, ¡°That¡¯s not true, Ry. Didn¡¯t you say you were going to catch the biggest rabbit in the forest and impress Naomi with your ¡®manly prowess¡¯?¡± Naomi raised an eyebrow and continued to smile at Ryden without saying a word. Concerned that the boy¡¯s face might actually explode if any more blood rushed into it, Jonathon decided to end the poor boy¡¯s misery. He put on his captain¡¯s voice, placed his hands on his hips, and said, ¡°Ah, boys, I see ye¡¯ve finally reported back to yer captain. Any particular reason why I woke to find that two of me crewmates had woken before me and, instead of doing their duty and ensuring their crewmate¡¯s safety, had rushed off at the behest of a woman to find food in the jungle?¡± The colloquialisms of being a pirate were by no means fake for Jonathon, but he was well-versed in both dialects and found it easier to fulfill his role as captain when utilizing the more¡­gruff of the two. He also found that the closer to sea he got, the more likely it was for him to slip into that way of speaking. The ability to switch masks so quickly had admittedly served him well on a number of occasions when he needed to blend in. It was Dryden¡¯s turn to join his brother in awkwardness as the reality of their offense suddenly dawned on the two. ¡°I-I-I¡­Well, c-captain¡­¡± they both stammered simultaneously as their previously hormone-clouded minds quickly cleared and were now racing for an excuse. ¡°Well¡­¡± Dryden said. ¡°...ya see, what had happened was¡­¡± Ryden said, continuing the thought for his brother. ¡°We¡­uhh, saw that everyone was on the beach, right¡­¡± Dryden said, looking back at his brother. ¡°...yeah, and then we saw Naomi¡­¡± Apparently it was going to take two minds to come up with this excuse. ¡°...and she didn¡¯t seem concerned¡­a-a-and said she was hungry¡­¡± ¡°...r-right, hungry¡­and we thought¡­¡± ¡°...well wouldn¡¯t everyone else be hungry too? I-I mean, we certainly were¡­¡± ¡°...right, we for sure were. So, we figured¡­¡± ¡°...since you all were probably okay¡­¡± ¡°...that we¡¯d go and find food for everyone¡­¡± Ryden finished. They each paused for a moment, looking at each other. Apparently satisfied with the excuse they had crafted together, they looked back to their captain, stupid smiles plastered on both of their faces. ¡°I see,¡± Jonathon said slowly. ¡°And so ye thought that that rabbit was ¡®nough to feed all of us, did ye? Additionally, you presented it to the Banshee instead of yer captain, who was standing right next to her. Is that right?¡± Naomi¡¯s entertainment was practically uncontainable as the stammering started again. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 The following day, Jonathon sat at the table in the navigation room, preparing for the meeting. After returning to the ship yesterday, the rest of the day had been spent updating the crew on the journey into the jungle and the addition of another woman to the ship. Understandably, there had been a lot of hesitation regarding bringing another woman onboard. The presence of one woman was a compromise they had learned to tolerate, but two, particularly one dressed as minimally as Naomi, felt like tempting fate. Some of the older crew members had exchanged uneasy glances, their grizzled faces marked with years of sea superstition. A few others whispered behind calloused hands, wary eyes flicking toward Naomi as if she might bring the very devil aboard with her. Eventually, it was Cassie who stepped forward to convince the crew otherwise, ¡°The Banshee warriors are a fierce people,¡± she had said, ¡°and Naomi is one of their best. Anyone who doubts that will be invited to test her skills directly.¡± Naomi, ever willing to prove her worth, had stepped forward, letting loose one of her chilling, guttural screams that echoed off the ship¡¯s timbers like a wail from another world. Most of the men flinched, their own superstition belied by their fear. The more stubborn among them, however, were only silenced after Naomi demonstrated her prowess in combat, swiftly incapacitating those foolhardy enough to challenge her. Following this display, Jonathon was glad to find that his crew miraculously had no objections to Naomi¡¯s inclusion. The next question became where Naomi was going to sleep. Typically, Naomi would be expected to sleep with the rest of the crew. However, given that she was as yet unfamiliar with the dangers of sea life and was still a stranger to the crew, he felt it better to treat her more as guest than crewmate until Cassie could properly educate the girl on the realities of such a crew and life at sea. Not that Jonathon wouldn¡¯t have the man who violated the trust of his fellow crewmates flogged, but he knew what time at sea and low self-control could do to a man. Punishment or no, there would always be one scallywag that was dumb enough to let his desires blind him to the consequences. He¡¯d be a fool to ignore such a reality, and he preferred to save Naomi that experience if possible. So, it was decided that until such a time that Naomi had been fully educated and trained, and until she had proven to the crew that touching her in any way that was unwelcome would lead to a fate worse than flogging, she would bunk with Cassie. Surprisingly, Cassie didn¡¯t seem to mind this as much as Jonathon thought she would. Indeed, she gave no objections or concerned questions when he announced the arrangement. Did she really enjoy the idea of mentorship that much? Or was she simply happy to have another woman onboard? Shortly after the fact, Jonathon had asked her in private. ¡°It¡¯s not really so complex, Captain,¡± she replied thoughtfully, her eyes softening as she looked at her captain. ¡°I see her trying to navigate the unfamiliar waters of the crew¡¯s banter, and I¡¯m reminded of my own early days onboard. I know the lines she¡¯ll have to cross to earn her place¨Cand the ones she¡¯ll have to draw to keep it.¡± As Cassandra¡¯s words echoed in Jonathon¡¯s mind, he heard a knock on his door, announcing the arrival of his crew. ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened and Cassie, Beckett, Ryden, Dryden, Thayer, and Naomi all entered, each greeting the captain as they approached and took a seat at the table. Ryden and Dryden made a show of trying to offer their respective seats to Naomi before Jonathon rolled his eyes and moved his own seat over for Naomi to sit, electing to stand rather than listen to their adolescence any longer. ¡°Thank you for joining me, everyone,¡± Jonathon began. ¡°Before we get started¡­¡± He looked to Dryden. Dryden perked up and said, ¡°Right, sir. The sails and the riggings all appear to be in good shape. We are ready to set sail whenever you decide.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Jonathon replied. He still had to prompt the boy to do his job, but he at least was remembering to do the inspections now. He turned to Ryden. ¡°The powder kegs all appear to be at the same level and dry, sir. The powder monkeys said no one tried to gain access while we were gone. All the cannonballs are in good condition, as are our weapons,¡± Ryden replied. The powder monkeys were the young boys onboard that were typically used to run the gunpowder from below deck during battles, but Ryden had taken to using them as a bit of security, maintenance, and spies for the powder and weapon stores while he was away. They also assisted Thayer in the galley from time to time, but their primary responsibilities lied with the powder. While he was initially worried that Ryden would outsource some of his responsibilities to them even while he was onboard, he had seen the boy doing the job enough to know that concern was unfounded. In addition to his knack for explosives, Ryden also seemed to show a genuine passion for his role. And, honestly, it showed. The weapon and powder rooms had never been in better condition. ¡°Excellent,¡± he said. Finally, he turned to Thayer, ¡°Thayer, any news to report while we were away? I know we didn¡¯t get a chance to speak yesterday.¡± ¡°No, Cap¡¯n,¡± Thayer answered. ¡°Not really. The boys got a bit restless, but we was able to entertain ourselves well ¡®nough while you was away.¡± ¡°Good.¡± He turned his focus to Naomi. ¡°Naomi, how have you been settling in?¡± Naomi hesitated. ¡°It is¡­different, Captain,¡± she responded somewhat less enthusiastic than she had been yesterday. ¡°I admit some of the things your quartermaster has been teaching me are quite disturbing, to say the least. I am surprised that another culture would allow such things to happen to each other.¡± ¡°I understand such things are hard to come to terms with,¡± Jonathon consoled. ¡°Rest assured that with Cassie¡¯s training and your own skill, you¡¯ll likely be safer than most of the men aboard this ship. Also, rest assured that should such an event come to pass, our dear quartermaster here will make sure the perpetrator receives a flogging they¡¯re not like to forget.¡± Cassie gave a quick, reassuring nod to Naomi who said, ¡°I appreciate it, Captain Harding.¡± Beckett, attempting to lighten the mood, laughed boisterously and added, ¡°That¡¯s right. Dear Cassandra here is feared for ¡®er floggings! The number that ¡®ave been necessary since she was brought on as quartermaster has dropped to practically none!¡± Jonathon noticed the brief flaring of nostrils at the mention of her full name as Dryden laughed, saying, ¡°Plus, Ry here says he¡¯d skewer any man who so much as looked at her the wrong way, ain¡¯t that right, Ry?¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Ryden quickly punched his brother in the arm, ¡°Shut up, Dry! I don¡¯t know nothin¡¯ ¡®bout any of that,¡± he defended weakly, ¡°but I don¡¯t see the point in letting someone hurt a crewmate, eh?¡± ¡°Thank you, Ryden Black. I do hope I can find a way to repay you for your kindness.¡± Naomi smiled at Ryden, biting her lip in a way that showed much less inhibition than Jonathon had previously seen back in the jungle. Ryden shifted uncomfortably in his seat and mumbled, ¡°I think we¡¯ve stalled Cap¡¯s meeting for long enough.¡± Jonathon smiled and said, ¡°Ryden is right. Now that we¡¯ve got everything settled, let¡¯s get this meeting started. Naomi, you have been welcomed aboard my ship and have been found a place next to my quartermaster. You¡¯ve even managed to secure protection from a fine young man such as Mr. Black here,¡± he said, unable to resist the jab at Ryden, who was now attempting to make himself as small as possible. ¡°My end of the bargain has been upheld. Now, I believe you have information to share?¡± Naomi turned back toward Jonathon and said, ¡°I do.¡± She looked down at the map on the table and, after studying it for a moment, pointed to an island on the southern edges of the map. ¡°There. An island in The Stern Sea. Between a place called Gravenfair and Silvercove.¡± They all fell silent. Finally, Jonathon let out a long, disappointed sigh and said, ¡°Really? That¡¯s where you think so many pieces were found? In an area that no one travels for fear of krakens?¡± He was beginning to get that sinking feeling in his chest again as he realized he may have been duped. He was thinking about what his next steps would be after dropping her back off on shore when she spoke up. ¡°I cannot say what your people do, Captain, but our Seekers are devoted to finding these pieces and seeing them destroyed. And they have no reason to shade the truth behind their discoveries. If they say they found pieces at this location, that is where they found them.¡± Jonathon, becoming increasingly agitated at the thought of having been fooled, said, ¡°Oh yeah? And if so many pieces came from there, what makes you think there¡¯d be any more? Why wouldn¡¯t they just pick the island clean, huh?¡± ¡°They do, Captain,¡± she responded, sensing Jonathon¡¯s temper. ¡°They have, on a number of occasions, returned with multiple pieces of your devil ship that they claimed had washed up from the sea. These pieces were collected at different times by different Seekers, all claiming to have swept the whole island. You of all people should know debris can wash up anywhere at any time. Do you clean a beach once and never find debris on it again? If you are looking for a piece, that island is the best chance you are going to get, Captain.¡± Jonathon looked around the table at the others. ¡°Well? What do you all think?¡± Cassie was first to speak, ¡°If we¡¯re going to pursue this, then I say we pursue it. The Banshee¡¯s information is the only clue we have towards where to go next. I¡¯ve never been one to believe in such fantasies as sea monsters, but it¡¯s possible that there is something out there that is dangerous. If we do go, we should be prepared for a fight, be it from the sea or another ship.¡± Beckett chimed in, ¡°Aye, Cap¡¯n. I agree with dear Cassandra here. This be the only information we ¡®ave to go on. However, unlike our dear quartermaster, I do believe the stories of sea monsters. I also know that pirates roamed those waters long before they were abandoned. Whatever caused them to stop being used, I¡¯ll wager ye¡¯ll find it was no man.¡± Thayer spoke next, ¡°Cap¡¯n, ya know I support ya regardless of what decision you make, but I will say that you advised me to pack for six weeks. Well, we¡¯re a good way through those provisions now. I¡¯m no navigator like Beckett here, but I¡¯d wager the journey out to that island from here will likely take two to three weeks, maybe four if the weather is particularly foul. We likely won¡¯t even ¡®ave enough food to make it there with our current stores. We¡¯ll need to restock in Brightstone before we set sail.¡± Jonathon looked to the twins next. They admittedly wouldn¡¯t be able to add anything of real value at this point in their experience, but he wanted them to become accustomed to having and sharing their opinion when asked. As he turned to look at them though, he became almost afraid to ask. They honestly appeared a little too excited, even for Jonathon¡¯s liking. ¡°Ryden¡­Dryden¡­¡± he began hesitantly. ¡°Dare I ask to share your thoughts on the matter?¡± Ryden chuckled, ¡°A voyage to a forbidden island, eh?¡± ¡°Surrounded by sea monsters, eh?¡± Dryden continued. ¡°Just asking to be killed, eh Dry?¡± ¡°I¡¯d say so, Ry. And if sea monsters are real, you know what else could be real?¡± Ryden laughed in the way they did and responded, ¡°Mermaids?¡± This sent Dryden into his own laughing, ¡°You think they¡¯re lady top, fish bottom?¡± ¡°Or fish bottom, lady top?¡± Ryden finished. ¡°Or both?¡± Naomi chimed in. This was getting out of hand, Jonathon thought, now they had three of them! ¡°I¡¯ll take that as two in favor of,¡± he said, massaging the bridge of his nose and hoping he could staunch the flow of adolescence that was beginning to permeate the air. He brought his attention back to the rest of the table. ¡°It seems we¡¯ve landed on going, but preparing for perhaps more than the usual fight before leaving. All in favor?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± came the response. ¡°Aye,¡± Jonathon replied. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s make preparations for a trip into Brightstone.¡± Thayer¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Aye, Captain, I¡¯ll check our stores and get ready for departure to shore as quickly as possible.¡± Beckett glanced at Thayer with a teasing smile. ¡°You sure you¡¯re welcome in Brightstone after last time?¡± Cassie and Jonathon smiled as Thayer turned a shade of pink, his hand inadvertently rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°A-Aye, I am, Tristan. They only suspended me from the city for six months. And we paid ¡®em for the damages. No hard feelings. Besides, who else is going to know what all we need to buy? The twins?¡± He had a point. Sure, he could make a list, but Thayer didn¡¯t know how to write, and Jonathon didn¡¯t really feel like transcribing the list for him. ¡°In that case, Beckett, would you mind staying with the boys and showing them how to hold down the ship while Thayer, Cassie, Naomi, and I head into town?¡± ¡°Me, Captain?¡± came Cassandra¡¯s and Naomi¡¯s surprised responses. ¡°Aye, Cass,¡± he replied simply. ¡°I¡¯ll need you with me should anything go wrong.¡± Cass¡¯s usual calm demeanor faltered for a moment as she stammered, ¡°A-Are you sure, Captain? Surely Beckett or the twins could accompany you instead?¡± Jonathon felt a quick pang of irritation at her uncharacteristic second-guessing without reason. ¡°No, Quartermaster, they can¡¯t. Beckett has his duties to attend to and¨Cno offense boys¨CI¡¯m not entirely sure I¡¯d be able to handle all three of them for the whole day. Is there any particular reason you do not wish to come ashore?¡± Cassandra quickly regained her composure as she sensed Jonathon¡¯s frustration. She hung her head and said softly, ¡°N-No, Captain. I will accompany you as you wish. I apologize for my outburst.¡± With that settled, Jonathon turned to Naomi. ¡°As for you, you said you wanted to see the world, didn¡¯t you? Well, Brightstone is an excellent place to start.¡± It was his turn to smile mischievously at her, ¡°Besides, who else is going to help carry all of the supplies we need?¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 As they approached the city, Jonathon was reminded why it was called Brightstone. While it had come to reflect the fact that its citizens valued all of the expensive and shiny goods from Silvercove Harbor, its original name came from the stones used to build its outer walls. The cliffs near Brightstone were a bright white, and when the city was being built, they served as the local and inexpensive source of material for its construction. As if reading his mind, Naomi said, ¡°I can now see why they call this city Brightstone.¡± Jonathon, grateful that for once Beckett wasn¡¯t around to steal the chance to show off his historical knowledge, was just about to explain to Naomi the origins and present-day interpretation of the city¡¯s name when the guards at the city gate abruptly halted their entrance. ¡°Halt!¡± the first one yelled to them as he approached. ¡°You,¡± he said, pointing a finger at Thayer. ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed in this city no more, Thayer Shelley.¡± Thayer, who had brought his collar as close to his face as possible trying to keep a low profile, slowly lowered it and turned to the guard with the most apologetic and least threatening smile he could muster. ¡°Ah, m-my good sir,¡± he said, pulling an assortment of papers and forms from his pockets, ¡°I believe ye¡¯ll find I was only suspended fer a period of six months. Ye can check the dates on the forms here; that time has since p-passed. And this other form will show that the cost of the damages ¡®ave been paid as well.¡± The guard studied the papers, looking back and forth between them and the rest of the group. After a minute or two, he walked over to the other guardsman and the two looked over the forms together. Finally, the original guardsman came back and said, ¡°Everything appears to be in order. You are permitted entry. Please, do try to refrain from causing any problems this time,¡± he said, his eyes looking only at Thayer. ¡°Aye, sir. Thank ye, sir,¡± Thayer replied nervously, bowing awkwardly as he walked quickly into the city. As they passed through the gates, the lively hum of market stalls filled the air, vendors shouting the day''s deals over the clinking of coins and the braying of livestock. The air was thick with the mingling scents of fresh bread, roasting meat, and the briny tang of the sea. As they walked, Naomi¡¯s wide-eyed curiosity and unique garb drew smiles, chuckles, and whispers from passersby. After a few blocks of hurried silence, Naomi finally asked, ¡°Master Thayer, what was that about?¡± Jonathon and Cassie smiled at each other as Thayer reddened and quickly explained the events of the cook-off to the young girl. By the end, Jonathon felt that Cassie was on the verge of actually laughing out loud. She managed to hold it in, however, and finished with, ¡°And that is why Thayer here is no longer allowed to participate in competitions on the ship.¡± Naomi, whose mouth had been agape for most of the story, laughed and said, ¡°It sounds like you are a very passionate man, Master Thayer. In my village, this passion would be valued by many of the Banshee warriors.¡± Thayer smiled and appeared on the verge of tears, ¡°Thank ye, ma¡¯am. Mayhaps I ought visit this village at some point in the future.¡± Jonathon began to look around, ¡°Thayer, where exactly are we going? I¡¯m not very familiar with Brightstone. Should we not have started in the market?¡± ¡°Nay, Cap¡¯n,¡± Thayer responded. ¡°First, we¡¯ll needs visit the livestock merchant. Then the market for produce and spirits. Then the spice shop for our various herbs and spices. Then the butcher. Finally, we¡¯ll needs make a stop by a shop I know a little deeper in the city.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t they have livestock for sale in the market? Why not just buy there?¡± Jonathon asked. Thayer chuckled. ¡°Not that there¡¯s anything particularly wrong with those beasts, but I¡¯ve found those animals are often the ones that suppliers are itchin¡¯ to get rid of the most. Besides, I know a shop right around the corner that I prefer.¡± As he said this, they turned a corner and approached a storefront with a sign that read ¡°Celestine¡¯s Cattle Company.¡± As they entered, a middle-aged, heavy-set woman with wiry green hair and greener eyes greeted them. ¡°Greetings, I am Celestine, your purveyor of all goods livestock related. How may I serve you fine ladies and gentlemen this day?¡± Naomi spoke first, ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± she exclaimed, unable to contain her enthusiasm, ¡°your hair is such an interesting color. I have never seen someone with green hair before. Does this run in your family?¡± Jonathon was just about to apologize for Naomi¡¯s outburst when the woman smiled brightly and said, ¡°It does not, my dear, but is this green not the most fetching color you have ever seen? The newest fad in Brightstone has been the use of dyes and other compounds to change the color of one¡¯s hair. I even had copper pipes installed in my shower to help keep some of the green lasting longer.¡± Naomi was about to follow up with another question when Thayer interjected, ¡°Well, it looks lovely, ma¡¯am. We were just stopping by to pick up a few chickens, two pigs, some hay, and some feed for ¡®em.¡± She smiled pleasantly and hustled off to grab the animals. ~~ After some mild negotiating, they had secured the livestock and arranged for them to be sent to the docks where the ship would be pulling in soon to be loaded. As they exited, Naomi lingered near Celestine, asking more about the dye process with wide-eyed fascination. They made their way back to the market square they had passed earlier. The square was a whirlwind of activity. Naomi¡¯s questions continued unabated as they moved through the crowds, her wonder at the outside world evident in every inquiry. ¡°Master Thayer, you said we are to pick up produce and spirits next, correct? Why do you not make your own spirits, as we do?¡± Thayer looked back at Naomi and said, ¡°Well, lil¡¯ miss, we don¡¯t have quite the same amount of time or space that you good folk do to make our own spirits. Let alone in the amounts that we¡¯d need.¡± Naomi¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°But there are so few men aboard your vessel. How could you need so much?¡± Jonathon laughed and said, ¡°You¡¯ll find that we sailors enjoy our spirits. We even put it in our water!¡± ¡°Surely you cannot enjoy drinking it that much, can you?¡± she asked. Thayer interjected, ¡°Yes, an¡¯ no, lil¡¯ miss. While we do indeed enjoy the taste of ale and rum, it¡¯s only part of the reason we consume as much of it as we do. The fact is, we also use it out of necessity. Another thing we¡¯ll be needing to buy before we disembark is fresh water. Not sure if you know this lil¡¯ miss, but the water of the ocean is salty an¡¯ not fit fer drinking. So, we ¡®ave to bring our own fresh water. Problem is, after a couple of weeks of sittin¡¯ in a barrel, the water starts turnin¡¯ rancid. Rancid water¡¯s better than salt water, but it certainly don¡¯t taste like it. So, we use the rum to mask the flavor¨Cthat¡¯s what the men aboard ¡®ave been calling ¡®grog.¡¯¡± Naomi¡¯s eyes widened even more, her enthusiasm dampening slightly. ¡°Master Thayer, are you saying I will have to drink this rancid water mixed with spirits while on this journey?¡± Thayer nodded, his tone matter-of-fact. ¡°¡®Fraid so, lil¡¯ miss. It¡¯s not so bad once ye get used to it.¡± Jonathon, his smile wide, bent down towards Naomi and teased, ¡°Still want to get out and ¡®see the world?¡¯¡± ¡°Of course I do, Captain,¡± she defended weakly. ¡°What about catching rainwater?¡± she asked, turning back to Thayer. ¡°A good idea in theory,¡± Jonathon interjected, ¡°but not reliable enough. You can¡¯t rely on the weather for something as critical as water out on the sea. Besides, not only would we have a difficult time finding a place to set up such a thing, we¡¯d also struggle with keeping seawater out of the contraption during storms, thus defeating the purpose altogether.¡± He could tell the realities of the ¡°outside world¡± were failing to live up to what Naomi had envisioned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Naomi, it¡¯s not the most pleasant thing in the world, but you get used to it.¡± Naomi fell silent, absorbing the less glamorous realities of life at sea. They moved through the market, bartering for fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and barrels of rum, Naomi watching closely as Thayer expertly negotiated prices. She remained silent as they made their way to the spice shop. As they approached the door to the shop, Thayer turned to Jonathon, ¡°I¡¯ve ¡®eard this store is one of the top stores in town. They ¡®ave a lot of the spices I need that I ¡®ave ¡®ad a lot of trouble finding in the past.¡± He excitedly turned and walked through the door, a bell tinkling slightly as the door opened. ¡°Get out!¡± said a man with bright yellow hair and matching mustache behind the counter as the group walked in. ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Jonathon started. ¡°Get out! The lot of ya,¡± the man repeated. ¡°Sir,¡± Thayer began, ¡°we are in need of yer product, and ye ¡®ave one of the widest selections in town.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°I know I do, Thayer, now get out,¡± he said, uninterested in Thayer¡¯s needs. Thayer¡¯s forehead wrinkled at his name and his eyes widened as he said, ¡°How do ye know me name?¡± The man stepped out from behind the counter, approaching Thayer. ¡°If you don¡¯t think I would find out the name of the man who cost me almost a season of sales, you¡¯re dumber than you look, Thayer Shelley.¡± The man looked as though he expected his statement to clarify his anger, but he was instead met with four furrowed brows. After a moment, he sighed and said, ¡°Did any of you notice the name above the door before you barged in here?¡± ¡°Cricket¡¯s Garden,¡± Naomi said. The man nodded toward her and said, ¡°Correct, ma¡¯am. Does that do anything to clear up your confusion, Mister Shelley?¡± The furrowed brows continued until the man finally sighed again in resignation and said, ¡°How about Cricket¡¯s Culinary Chronicles Competition?¡± The comprehension the man was searching for earlier enlightened them all aside from Naomi at once. ¡°I am afraid I still do not understand.¡± ¡°You remember that cooking competition we told you about earlier?¡± Cassie asked her. ¡°That was its name.¡± Realization hit Naomi, and finally, everyone in the shop was on the same page. ¡°Now that you all understand,¡± Cricket continued, ¡°get out!¡± Thayer spoke up, ¡°Now, wait a minute, sir. I¡¯ve cost ye nothing. We paid all our fines and covered the cost of the damages. Besides, my time away from the city is up. There¡¯s no reason for you to chase us out of ¡®ere.¡± ¡°¡®Cost me nothing?¡¯¡± Cricket asked, his brow raised in surprise, his voice almost cracking. ¡°You think the measly ¡®reparations¡¯ you paid to cover your damages is all that your stunt cost me? I rely on that annual competition to keep my store¡¯s name at the forefront of everyone in town¡¯s mind for the remainder of the year. How exactly do you think I manage to make enough to sponsor such an event every year? I¡¯ve already seen a drop in sales by twenty percent compared to last year! Twenty percent Thayer! Now get out! I will not repeat myself again.¡± ¡°Now hold on a minute, sir,¡± Jonathon said, stepping to the front of the group. ¡°You said we cut your sales, but based on what Thayer was saying as we were walking in, you¡¯re still known as one of the top stores in town.¡± ¡°One of?!¡± Cricket practically screamed, his voice actually cracking this time. ¡°I am the top store in town. That has never been in question. The fact that any other stores have managed to even worm their way close to mine shows just how much your stunt has cost me.¡± ¡°Why would Master Thayer¡¯s stunt affect your business, sir?¡± Naomi asked innocently. Cricket, his shoulders slumped in the face of the cluelessness of his current clientele, sighed and said, ¡°Because, ma¡¯am, the good people of this town are fickle. They are incapable of separating an individual from the works they may be connected to. They assume that because I hosted an event where one madman went crazy that I too am to be treated with the same level of trepidation. Thus, some decide to pick up some of their more common goods from other, lesser stores. When enough people do that, I lose money.¡± Jonathon thought on the man¡¯s words for a moment before saying, ¡°It sounds to me like you shouldn¡¯t really be turning us away then.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Cricket started, turning back to Jonathon. ¡°You say your sales are down, yes? Yet you would turn away business at the door?¡± Jonathon asked, eyeing the man with a look of concern for his business acumen. ¡°Your business, yes,¡± Cricket responded. ¡°I have already been damaged by his presence at my event. I can¡¯t have him further damaging my reputation by having him in my store!¡± Jonathon pressed, ¡°And yet, there will have been those that saw us walk in already. And there will be those that see us leave. Sounds to me like the ¡®damage¡¯ has already been done. You may as well make a profit from us while we are here.¡± ¡°That may be the case,¡± he responded slowly, ¡°but if you leave empty-handed, I may still be able to say I turned away those who were unworthy.¡± Jonathon could sense the man¡¯s resistance wavering. ¡°Right, except we¡¯d be leaving empty-handed regardless, seeing as we¡¯re buying enough of your stock to last an entire ship for a couple of months.¡± Jonathon let the last of his sentence hang in the air for a moment as the man mulled it over, twirling his golden mustache between his fingers. Finally, Cricket threw his hands in the air and said, ¡°Fine. You can shop here, but only if I¡¯m satisfied with the amount that you buy. Afterward, you will leave and loudly declare that you can¡¯t believe that a shop as great as mine turned you away for not being worthy enough¡­A-and,¡± he added, stuttering on the last word, ¡°you must swear that you will never try to join any of my competitions ever again.¡± Jonathon looked to Thayer, ¡°Your choice mate. You¡¯ll be the one making the statement.¡± Thayer, who had become increasingly downtrodden during this entire exchange, thought for a moment before sighing and saying, ¡°I reckon it¡¯s the least I could do after all the trouble I caused. But after this, we¡¯re square, aye?¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Cricket said, extending his hand for a brief shake. ~~ ¡°Why, I can¡¯t believe it!¡± Thayer practically screamed as they left the store. ¡°They had everything I needed for me cookin¡¯ and he said he wouldn¡¯t sell to me because I ain¡¯t ¡®worthy ¡®nough.¡¯ Where am I s¡¯posed to get me spices now? This is the only shop that stays stocked with the selection and variety I need for me dishes!¡± Jonathon thought Thayer might have been overdoing it a tad but, based on the looks of those around them and that of Cricket inside his store, it appeared as though he was doing it just right. Once Thayer felt he had performed his role well enough, they quickly made their way to their next stop: the butcher. As they walked, Jonathon asked Thayer, ¡°Are you okay, Thayer? I can¡¯t imagine you enjoyed having to act as though you were beneath such a man.¡± Thayer scoffed, ¡°What do I care? The man certainly does have a fine selection. Finest I¡¯ve seen in almost any port. And besides, not only did we get what we needed, we may ¡®ave restored a potential source for our goods. Regarding the scene outside the store, I¡¯ve ¡®ad worse. Hells, I¡¯ve certainly caused worse in me life. Well worth the trade if you ask me.¡± Despite the man¡¯s objections, Jonathon could see Thayer¡¯s cheeks were flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger, the sting of what had just happened and Cricket¡¯s accusation cutting deeper than he cared to admit. Thayer had made mistakes before, but seeing how they rippled out to affect his crew had reminded him of the weight of his actions and made him feel as though he had burdened his captain. In the end, Jonathon decided not to press the subject. Further discussing it would likely make the man feel even more unnecessary guilt. So, he let the situation drop from his mind. Compared to the spice shop, the butcher was a boring affair. They bought an assortment of raw and salted meat. They did, however, buy a lot of raw meat. Way more than Jonathon figured his crew could eat. He also noticed that of the raw meat Thayer bought, most of it appeared to be close to spoiling, and some of it was just scrap pieces from the animal that no one would buy. Even the butcher had appeared surprised when Thayer asked their price. As they left, Jonathon asked, ¡°Thayer, I know it was cheaper than the fresher meat you bought, but isn¡¯t it a waste to buy all the meat you did? There¡¯s no way we¡¯ll eat as much as you bought before it goes bad.¡± Thayer laughed and said, ¡°Yer right, Cap¡¯n. Though ye¡¯d be s¡¯prised how long I could make even that meat last. Why¡¯s ye think I end up using so many of these herbs and spices in me dishes? It tastes good, sure, but mostly it¡¯s¡¯ta cover up the fact that the meat is rotting.¡± Naomi and Jonathon¡¯s mouths dropped at this. He knew that the raw meat they bought likely was borderline by the time they finished it, but he never realized it got to the point of rotting. Cassie seemed somehow unfazed by this news. And something about how casually Thayer talked about serving rotting meat to him and his crew bothered Jonathon. He narrowed his eyes for a moment and said, ¡°Thayer, I don¡¯t have to worry about you poisoning my crew, do I?¡± Thayer laughed heartily and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t yet, ¡®ave I, Cap¡¯n?¡± Naomi¡¯s mouth remained agape as Jonathon continued, ¡°Still though, there¡¯s no way that we can eat the amount of meat you bought before it¡¯s too bad for even you to cook, is there? And besides, I certainly hope you¡¯re not trying to tell me that you plan to serve us those scrap pieces you bought.¡± ¡°Right ye are there, Cap¡¯n, and no I don¡¯t,¡± he said, tapping his nose with his finger. ¡°The worst of the meat and the scrap pieces are fer our traps out on the ocean. If we do happen to ¡®ave bad ¡®nough luck to run into a sea monster, we¡¯d best be prepared.¡± ¡°Prepared?¡± Cassie spoke up from behind Thayer. ¡°Do we plan on bribing the beast with rotten meat?¡± Thayer laughed again, ¡°In a matters of speakin¡¯, Miss Cassie. The way I figures it, beasts like that must either be rare or live deep in the depths; otherwise, we¡¯d see them more frequently. If they live in the depths, why would they come to the surface if not to feed or recover from battle? I reckon if we encounter one, it¡¯ll either be one that¡¯s hungry and desperate for food, or one that¡¯s injured from battle. Hopefully the former.¡± ¡°Why the former?¡± Naomi asked. ¡°Would it not be better for the creature to be wounded and recovering from battle?¡± ¡°Not necessarily, lil¡¯ miss,¡± Thayer answered. ¡°A hungry animal may be bribed with food, but an injured animal can be particularly dangerous¡­especially if it begins to feel cornered. In the case of a sea monster, I¡¯d rather attempt bribing a hungry one than risk making an injured one feel cornered.¡± ¡°So you plan to feed it and hope it leaves us alone?¡± Cassandra asked. ¡°Not necessarily, ma¡¯am. I doubt all of what we bought today would be ¡®nough to satisfy any beast as large as the legends say. No, the meat is simply the vessel we¡¯ll use to disguise our real plan: poison.¡± ¡°Poison?¡± Jonathon asked. ¡°Is that what this other place you¡¯ve mentioned deeper in town is?¡± ¡°Aye sir.¡± Thayer responded. ¡°Pavlov¡¯s Poisons is the place. Given the nature of the product, you can imagine why it needs be in a less reputable part of town.¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 The sun was getting low in the sky, and the smell of the fisherman¡¯s catch was just starting to catch in the air when they stopped outside a nondescript shack near the docks. The name ¡°Pavlov¡± was etched over the door. Inside, the scent of potent herbs and chemicals hung heavy in the air. Pavlov, an extravagant man with vivid purple hair and a voice to match, greeted them with a flourish. ¡°Welcome to Pavlov¡¯s, purveyor of fine potions and poisons. All products are conditioned to your specific needs. How may I, Pavlov, your humble servant, be of use to you fine gentlemen and gentle ladies, today?¡± Thayer had explained most of his plan to Jonathon on the way down here, but, seeing as it was still his idea, he looked to Thayer to begin. ¡°Aye, Mister Pavlov. We¡¯ve need of some of yer most potent poison. And a lot of it at that,¡± Thayer said. ¡°Oh dear me,¡± Pavlov responded, grasping his chest with his hands and elongating his words dramatically. ¡°My most potent poison, you say? And what could four upstanding citizens such as yourselves possibly need with this poison?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going huntin,¡± Thayer responded simply. ¡°Oh my! Hunting?¡± Pavlov said, his voice laced with emotion. ¡°Surely you must know that the poison I could offer you would taint the very meat of the creature you¡¯re hunting, making it ill-suited for consumption. Mayhaps I can offer you a more, hmm, palatable poison that has minimal effects on the meat?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not plannin¡¯ on eatin¡¯ the game I¡¯m ¡®fraid,¡± Thayer said. ¡°Not even sure we¡¯ll even encounter it, but we¡¯d best be prepared. We¡¯re preparin¡¯ to kill a kraken.¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened and a large smile spread across his face as he became even more animated and enthused. ¡°Ohh, such a large and fearsome creature you plan to hunt. Such a creature would require oh so many barrels of poison. I¡¯d say at least ten full barrels of the stuff.¡± ¡°Ten barrels?¡± Jonathon asked incredulously. ¡°Indeed, my good sir. Ten barrels. Now, typically, that much poison would run you around five hundred gold pieces, but, seeing as you¡¯re ordering such a large amount and going after such a dangerous creature, I¡¯ll cut the price down to four hundred gold. Just. For. You,¡± he finished in a sing-song manner. The enthusiasm on the man¡¯s face made it difficult to tell if he was genuinely excited for their plan or for the potential sale. It also made it difficult to tell if the man was being forthcoming about the price of the poison. Jonathon pulled his cook aside. ¡°Thayer, are you sure about this plan? That¡¯s more money than we¡¯ve spent on everything today,¡± he asked, concerned. ¡°Are you sure we need this poison?¡± Thayer¡¯s brow was upturned with concern. Jonathon could tell he didn¡¯t expect such a large price. He turned back to Pavlov. ¡°Sir, that seems a mite expensive, even at your discounted price. Are you sure you can¡¯t do with, say, three hundred gold?¡± It was Pavlov¡¯s turn to furrow his brow. ¡°I am quite sure, good sir. If you need poison that is potent enough and effective enough to take down a creature as large as a kraken, you need what I¡¯m offering. It¡¯s strong and fast acting, a combination that is an unquestionable prerequisite for your plan. The cost of materials alone is close to two hundred and fifty gold pieces to acquire, given their rare and deadly nature. When you factor in the fact that it will take me nearly a week to complete such a large order, four hundred gold is more than fair. In fact, you¡¯ll find I¡¯m barely making a decent profit as it is.¡± Jonathon was about to respond when the door to the shack swung open and five men entered. Scarred and grizzled, Jonathon could tell immediately that these were likely closer to the type of clientele that Pavlov was used to. The man in the center, who was clearly the leader, was tall with shoulder-length brown hair, a stubbly shadow, and multiple scars across his face, one of which being the apparent cause of his opaque left eye. The two closest to him had hair cut short to the scalp with similarly stubbly beards. One also had a few scars showing the evidence of his experience; the other had half his face covered in burn marks, and almost no ear to speak of. The remaining two had shaved heads and faces to match. There were fewer scars on them than the others, but the contrast almost made them appear more dangerous. As they entered, Pavlov¡¯s enthusiasm disappeared briefly before returning with a much more forced feeling. ¡°Oh, good day, gentlemen. If you¡¯ll allow me to finish with these customers, I¡¯ll be right with you,¡± he said casually. Jonathon noticed a slight upturn in the man¡¯s brow that made him question the sincerity of his casual response. ¡°They can wait, Pavlov,¡± the man with the long hair said. ¡°It¡¯s sundown, and it¡¯s been three days. We won¡¯t wait no longer.¡± He smiled viciously at the purple-haired man as he pulled back his coat to reveal a long hunting knife attached to his hip. ¡°We would ¡®ate to see anything happen to you or this shop again, now wouldn¡¯t we?¡± Jonathon quickly turned to look around at some of the other goods the man offered in his store. Whatever problems this man had, he wanted no part of it. Cassie and Thayer quickly occupied themselves with the shelves as well. Ideally, Pavlov would pay whatever it was he owed these men, and they would leave. Jonathon was working on a way to convince the man down on his price when a familiar voice said, ¡°Excuse me, sir. You are not threatening this man with violence, are you?¡± Jonathon¡¯s stomach grew heavy, and his groan was almost audible as he turned to see Naomi standing between the two men. ¡°And what¡¯s this then?¡± said the burned man. ¡°D¡¯you hire some slave girl to work for you, Pavlov? If you have enough to buy help, I hope that means you have enough to pay us.¡± ¡°What?¡± Pavlov started. ¡°No, no. Gentlemen, please do not misunderstand, this girl is not¡­¡± ¡°Pay you five for what exactly?¡± Naomi asked, temper rising in her voice. ¡°Not that it¡¯s any of your business, girl,¡± said the long-haired man, ¡°but Pavlov here owes us for the protection we offer him in this dangerous part of town. We make sure that no one hurts him or his store.¡± ¡°You mean, aside from you if he does not pay for your extortion?¡± Naomi continued, either unaware or uncaring of the danger she was creeping ever closer to. ¡°In my village, we protect the weak, not exploit them.¡± The long-haired man¡¯s leer turned dark. ¡°You think I care what some jungle girl thinks?¡± Jonathon didn¡¯t like this. Whatever this Pavlov was involved in was his own problem. He didn¡¯t have the time or the reason to risk his or any of his crew¡¯s necks for him, but Naomi was quickly making that harder and harder to do. He clenched his jaw, torn between admiration for Naomi¡¯s boldness and the cold reality of their situation. Her actions, though noble, jeopardized their own safety. He admired her courage, but he couldn¡¯t afford the consequences of her naivety. As he was contemplating the best approach for this, Cassandra stepped in, ¡°Excuse my friend here, gentlemen. She is new to this area and is as of yet, still unfamiliar with the way things work. Come, Naomi, let us leave these gentlemen to their business.¡± As Cassandra went to grab Naomi¡¯s arm, the scarred man to the left of the leader grabbed it instead. He twisted it upward, causing Naomi to wince in pain as he said, ¡°Well, if she¡¯s ¡®as yet unaware¡¯ of the way things work down ¡®ere, mayhaps we should take her and teach ¡®er a lesson. Mayhaps we won¡¯t even charge the bitch for it.¡± He said as he looked Naomi over and licked his lips, his eyes consumed with lust. Jonathon could see fear and understanding dawn in Naomi¡¯s eyes as Cassie spoke calmly, ¡°Sir, I do not know who you are, nor do I care. I do not care what business or arrangement you have with the owner of this establishment. However, you would be wise to remove your hand from her wrist this instant before I remove it for you.¡± The fire in Cassie¡¯s eyes left no room for misunderstanding as the man holding Naomi let her arm go. The same level of awareness could not be said for the man on the far left of the group, however, as he grabbed Naomi instead, saying, ¡°Gods Allen, you¡¯re such a pussy. You gonna let some bitch sca¨C¡± The man¡¯s words cut mid-sentence as he stared down at the arm that had grabbed Naomi, or rather, the stump. Faster than anyone in the shop had realized, Cassie had drawn her sword and cut clean through the man¡¯s arm. The man screamed as the stump began squirting blood all over him and the shop. He fell backward onto the floor of the shop as he quickly rushed to tear parts of his clothes off to staunch the flow. Cassie turned and spoke to the remaining four men whose anger was now solely focused on her. Her voice was calm and firm, but her stance and eyes screamed the danger the men had found themselves in. ¡°I will say this one more time. I will allow you to complete your business with our friend here. I will even overlook your recent actions against us and allow you to leave with your lives, but you will leave us out of this.¡± The long-haired man stared daggers at her, contemplating her words. He then looked at Naomi, Thayer, and finally, back at Jonathon before laughing and saying, ¡°You¡¯ll regret that, you bitch.¡± He grabbed his knife and quickly slashed up towards Cassandra. The two on either side of him lunged toward her while the one on the far right grabbed for Naomi. Thayer, who had been trying to stay quiet, rushed the fifth man, using his weight to easily knock the man back into several shelves, where he remained, his eyes staring into nothing, an errant shard of glass poking through his neck. Thayer quickly grabbed Naomi, threw her over his shoulder, and ran out of the shack, nodding to Jonathon as he left. Jonathon quickly looked back to Cassie. The stumpy man was still on the ground trying to stop his bleeding. Of the two men that lunged for her, one was lying on the floor with a large slash across his chest, his shirt quickly filling with hot, sticky blood. The other had managed to grab hold of her and was managing to stay just out of reach of her sword, able to get in some punches to her side while she was busy deflecting the long-haired man¡¯s advance. Jonathon could see the long-haired man was quickly beginning to gain the upper hand fighting his grappled quartermaster. He quickly drew his saber and swung toward the man himself. Unbelievably fast, the long-haired man brought his dagger back to block Jonathon swing and turned his attention to him. ¡°If you think I got to where I am today without knowing how to smell an attack from behind, you¡¯re sorely mistaken, boy,¡± he said, his opaque eye staring through Jonathon. Jonathon flared with rage. What was it with all of these people calling him ¡°boy¡± lately? He had never had this problem in his entire life, and yet, he had now had to tolerate it from two separate people in the past two weeks. Well, tolerate it from one, anyway; this man was quickly going to learn the difference between a boy and a man. He struck out again with his saber. The long-haired man deflected his blows but never seemed concerned. He continued to bat away Jonathon¡¯s swings as though they had been choreographed. Jonathon''s anger flared even more. He was by no means a master of the sword, but he was no novice either. He wouldn¡¯t be bested by this man.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Jonathon could see Cassie finishing off the other man. He made a few swings in an attempt to back the man in her direction. When he was close enough to her, she lunged viciously, only to be parried away by a second knife the long-haired man pulled from somewhere in an instant. The momentum of her attack sent her lunging past the man and almost into Jonathon. She quickly recovered and the two attacked the long-haired man. He continued to deflect their attacks for a few more rounds before he changed his style and began lashing out. He was at a disadvantage given the length of his blades, but it didn¡¯t seem to make a difference to him. His attacks were precise, hitting their blades at just the right spot to send a jarring amount of force through the entirety of Jonathon¡¯s arms. The man was slowly pushing them back to the opposite side of the shack when he hit Jonathon¡¯s sword differently. The strike sent Jonathon¡¯s arm shooting into the air. In an instant, the man ducked under either of their swords, wrapped himself around Jonathon like a snake, and held one of his knives to Jonathon¡¯s throat, his other arm holding Jonathon¡¯s sword arm in the air, the blade in its hand threatening to separate Jonathon¡¯s own hand from the rest of his body. Cassie¡¯s attacks stopped mid-air, and the long-haired man, who Jonathon could hear was panting much less than either of them, said, ¡°Good girl. Now, drop the sword, or this man will not live long enough for you to make another attack.¡± The sword clanged to the ground, and the man smiled. ¡°Good. Now¨C¡± there was a gurgling noise as the words stopped. The man¡¯s grip on Jonathon loosened, and he quickly pushed himself free. He turned to see Naomi standing behind the long-haired man, her dagger sheathed inside the man¡¯s throat. ¡°You are lucky your death came for you as quickly as it did, you vile man. In my village, were you to threaten a Banshee and attack her comrades, your mistake would be one which took much longer to pay for.¡± She quickly unsheathed her dagger, and the man crumpled to the floor. Naomi turned to the only conscious member of the group, still gripping his severed stump, and said, ¡°If this was your leader, you will leave this store and never return. If this man was just one of your leaders, you will return to your tribe and tell them that all attacks on this store are to cease immediately. This man is under new protection now, and if I ever return to find anything has happened to it, I will personally hunt you and your men down, and I will show you what the death of a Banshee¡¯s enemy feels like.¡± She finished her threat with one of her screams. If the man had not been convinced before, he certainly had been now. Tears in his eyes, the man fled the store faster than a starving man with food. ¡°So much for sensing attacks from behind,¡± Jonathon muttered to himself as he sheathed his saber and rubbed his wrist. After taking a moment to catch a breath, he quickly turned on Naomi and said, ¡°What exactly did you think you were doing, Naomi?!¡± Naomi met his gaze, unflinching. ¡°I was doing what was right, Captain. Is that not why we are here? To fight for what is right?¡± Jonathon¡¯s temper flared. ¡°No, Naomi, that¡¯s nowhere near why we¡¯re here! We¡¯re here for our crew and we¡¯re here for ourselves! We are not here to save every damned shopkeeper and street rat we meet!¡± Naomi held her ground. ¡°Then perhaps it is you who does not understand the value of honor, Captain. In my village, we do not turn a blind eye to suffering.¡± Jonathon¡¯s eyes flashed with fire and he felt his heart rate spike even higher at the accusation, his hands tightening with rage at the young woman¡¯s disrespect and petulance. ¡°Well for starters, we aren¡¯t in your village anymore, we¡¯re in the real world. Secondly, this has nothing to do with honor and everything to do with reality.¡± Naomi¡¯s gaze was steeled as she defiantly said, ¡°Excuse me, Captain, but these men were going to extort this man for money simply to not harm him.¡± ¡°And?¡± Jonathon asked, incredulously. ¡°And what, Captain?¡± Naomi responded, maintaining her temper. ¡°And why do we care about that, Naomi? That¡¯s none of our business. You almost got me and Thayer killed. More importantly, you almost got yourself and Cassie killed!¡± Jonathon screamed at her. ¡°But you did not die, did you, Captain?¡± Naomi replied simply. ¡°None of you did. And now, we have saved this man from being extorted.¡± ¡°That is not our job, Naomi!¡± Jonathon said, unsure what it was about this that she was not understanding. ¡°We take care of our crew. That¡¯s it! It¡¯s not our job to take care of everyone else.¡± ¡°But what about¨C¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything more about it, Naomi,¡± Jonathon said, cutting her off. ¡°Don¡¯t make a move like that again without my permission! Not only did you risk our lives in this foolish attempt at heroics, but you¡¯ve also risked this man¡¯s life as well!¡± ¡°How? I have saved him from these villains, and I have told them that he is under my protection,¡± Naomi responded stubbornly. Jonathon was incredulous, ¡°Oh you did, did you? And how exactly do you plan to back up that statement, huh? Please, tell me. Do you think that this group will look at a shop full of their dead men and not retaliate against this man? Do you plan on staying in this man¡¯s shop until either you or he is killed? This man will be lucky to last the remainder of the month!¡± Cassie stepped forward, placing her hand gently on Jonathon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Captain, if I may?¡± Jonathon looked at Cassie and turned away, throwing his hands in the air in defeat. Maybe she could handle the problem. ¡°Look, Naomi, I understand your reasons for standing up for this man, but unfortunately, that is part of the world that we live in. This man has a dangerous business dealing with dangerous people. He takes on these risks knowingly. Similarly, as the captain has said, even if we wanted to help, we couldn¡¯t. We don¡¯t have the time to protect this man full-time from people like this. And if we did, we too would have to charge him for our protection. I understand your frustration, but this is the world we live in.¡± Naomi appeared on the verge of tears from frustration. Beginning to understand the danger she caused the man from her intervention, she said, ¡°But I was helping him. He was in trouble, and we helped. How is that wrong? That is not the way we were taught to treat others.¡± Cassie looked at the girl warmly and said, ¡°I know. It¡¯s a sad reality, but it¡¯s one we have to live with.¡± Naomi¡¯s eyes darted back and forth around the room, searching for an answer. Finally, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and said, ¡°Well, what is done is done. I cannot change my actions. I cannot change that we will be unable to protect this man once we leave, but the man said it would take him a week to complete your order. I will stay with him during this time and protect him. It is not much, but it is what I must do.¡± Cassie looked to Jonathon for approval on her idea. Jonathon shrugged and said, ¡°Sure. Fine. Whatever. But we¡¯ll have to send a couple of others from the crew with you. If these men were part of a larger group and any indication of that group¡¯s skill, you¡¯ll be dead before the week¡¯s end.¡± He turned to Pavlov, who had slowly stood up from behind the counter and begun dusting himself off. Normally, he could have turned this situation into getting him a better price, but seeing as Pavlov had heard their whole conversation, there was really no spinning it now. ¡°Pavlov,¡± he said, turning to face the man, ¡°I sincerely apologize on behalf of my crewmate here. Will you accept her offer for protection while you complete our order? I will also accept the price of four hundred gold.¡± Pavlov, shaken from the event of the last few minutes, slowly recovered his elegance and said, ¡°O-of course, sir. It would be my honor to fulfill your request, though I may have to move after this is all said and done. Maybe they have needs of a purveyor of poisons in Silvercove Harbor,¡± he finished to himself. Jonathon nodded to the man. ¡°Again, I¡¯m sorry for the trouble my crewmate has caused. I will return in a week¡¯s time for my order. In the meantime, Naomi and a few members from my crew will be nearby should you require any more protection from her actions.¡± He placed a pouch on the counter in front of the man. ¡°Here¡¯s half the payment now. The rest will be paid upon delivery. Come, Naomi, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°I am afraid I cannot leave, Captain,¡± Naomi replied simply. Feeling as though his head was going to explode, Jonathon turned to her and asked, ¡°Why not now, Naomi? You¡¯ve gotten what you want. What more could you possibly want from me?¡± ¡°Nothing, Captain,¡± she replied, ¡°but I must stay here. If what you have said is true, this will be a very dangerous time for this man. I assume the closer to the event, the more likely the retaliation. Thus, I must stay with him during this time. I would ask, however, that when you send your men to back me up, to please send them with my spear. I am not as effective with my dagger as I am my spear, even in close combat.¡± Jonathon sighed and looked at the man behind the counter, ¡°Is this okay with you? Do I have to worry about you trying anything funny while alone with her?¡± Pavlov¡¯s smile returned as the man continued to recover from the incident, ¡°Of course not, dear. If her display of self-defense were not enough to sway your concerns of any lecherous behavior on my behalf, perhaps you can take solace in knowing that lecherous behavior is not inspired in me by her.¡± He paused, looking Jonathon over. ¡°You, on the other hand, I would certainly have to watch my behavior around.¡± He smiled as Jonathon realized what he meant and laughed, ¡°I tease, sir. You¡¯re not my type either, I¡¯m afraid. Still, you have my word as a gentleman that no harm will befall this wonderful breath of fresh air in this dank area of town.¡± Jonathon sighed, suddenly exhausted from the day¡¯s activities. ¡°Very well. Naomi, be safe,¡± he said waving one hand in her direction as he rubbed his eyes with the other. ¡°I¡¯ll send some men and your spear when we get back to the boat. Come on, Cass, let¡¯s find Thayer and head back. Our work is done for the day. And I need a drink.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± she responded. She gave Naomi¡¯s hand a reassuring squeeze and followed her captain outside. They found Thayer sitting outside, his legs hanging off one of the nearby docks. He stood up and said solemnly, ¡°Cap¡¯n, I hope ye¡¯re not mad with me for me actions. I¡¯ve not been in combat since that day, and I figured I¡¯d be more hindrance than help to ye. I did try to get the lil¡¯ miss out though.¡± He looked around, noticing her absence, ¡°Where is the lil¡¯ miss? I know she went back in to fight? Did she¡­not make it?¡± The man¡¯s voice began to waver, and Jonathon could see guilt starting to build behind his eyes as he held up his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Thayer, she¡¯s fine. She actually saved our lives. She¡¯ll be staying with the man for the time being to protect him. You have nothing to feel guilty about. And you made the right call ensuring Naomi and your own safety first.¡± He could see the relief beginning to fill Thayer¡¯s eyes. ¡°Besides,¡± he added, grasping the man¡¯s shoulder reassuringly, ¡°don¡¯t sell yourself short, you took out one of them for us on your way out. You¡¯re a good man, Thayer, and you did a good job.¡± Thayer smiled widely at Jonathon, tears of gratitude replacing the ones of regret that had been forming. ¡°Thank ye, sir. Means a lot.¡± Jonathon smiled back at the man, and the three turned and began walking back towards the ship. ~~ As they approached the gangway to the ship, Jonathon said, ¡°Thayer, this order will put us back a week. Based on what you said prior to us leaving, we should still be well set enough for food, but let me know if we need to make any more trips into town before we leave.¡± ¡°Aye, Cap¡¯n,¡± Thayer nodded before heading up the ramp, stopping to help some of the men who were still loading the day¡¯s purchases. Cassie stopped Jonathon before he could follow, ¡°Captain, what about the men and shore leave? Am I to tell them to stay aboard the ship?¡± Jonathon thought for a moment. They didn¡¯t usually spend much time in Brightstone, so he wasn¡¯t sure how much of their tomfoolery the town would tolerate, especially after Thayer¡¯s prior stunt. But he also cut their shore leave in Gravenfair short, and they had already had to wait on the boat during their expedition into the jungle. If he wasn¡¯t careful, the men would get restless and irritable. ¡°Tell them they have limited shore leave,¡± he said. ¡°They are allowed to stay near the docks, but they are not allowed to fully explore the city proper since we are simply docked while we wait for an order to be completed. Also, tell them that part of the cost for their shore leave will be protection of Pavlov¡¯s store. Tell them I want at least three men with eyes on that store at all times. Either they or you can work that out amongst themselves. I don¡¯t care so long as it gets done.¡± She nodded. ¡°Yes, sir. I¨C¡± ¡°Excuse me, miss,¡± came a small voice from behind them. They turned to find a young boy standing on the dock with a letter in his hand. A courier, by the looks of it. ¡°Yes?¡± Cassandra said hesitantly to the boy. ¡°Are you Miss Cassandra Reeves?¡± he asked. ¡°I am,¡± she replied even more hesitantly after hearing her full name. ¡°I ¡®ave a letter for you,¡± the boy said as he handed the letter he was holding out to her. Cassandra took the letter and handed the boy some coins. ¡°Thank you.¡± She looked at the writing on the envelope and quickly shoved it into her pockets. ¡°Everything okay, Cass?¡± Jonathon asked. ¡°Fine, Captain,¡± she responded quickly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing you need to be concerned about. I¡¯m going to turn in for the night if it¡¯s all the same to you.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Jonathon added slowly, his own curiosity piqued. ¡°If you need anything, let me know.¡± She nodded and walked away. Jonathon watched as she followed Thayer up the ramp. His curiosity was eating him up inside, but he knew Cass better than to pry. If she wanted to tell him, she would. He looked around, but the courier boy was already gone. Jonathon shrugged and walked over, grabbed one of the many crates still sitting on the dock and walked up the ramp. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Jonathon stood in the middle of his cabin, preparing to leave. He had important work to tend to today. He checked his outfit in the mirror, assuring he looked the part of a captain¨Ctoday was an important day, after all. Satisfied with what he saw, he opened the door to the deck of his ship. She was spectacular! Her dark deck shone like new, her riggings perfectly maintained and ready for sail. The wind was blowing perfectly as the spray from the sea lightly misted Jonathon¡¯s face. The Spectre was everything he had wanted and more. He turned to make his way to the helm. As he crossed the quarterdeck of his new galleon, he admired the intricate woodwork on the railings. Work such as this likely had to have cost Captain Lancaster a fortune. As he approached the helm, Beckett stood aside for him to take control. He admired the craftsmanship of its handles, tracing the intricate designs with his fingers before reaching out and grasping one of them. ¡°Why are you here?¡± he heard a familiar voice say, concern heavy in her voice. He turned to see his mother¡¯s usually gentle face staring back with what appeared to be sorrow. Her brow was upturned and her soft, pale eyes reflected the concern in her voice. Her down-turned lips parted and¡­ Jonathon opened his eyes, the ache of dread fleeing from his heart. The vision of his mother¡¯s face, however, lingered. Her sorrow a heavy weight on his chest. What was that? His dreams had been becoming increasingly vivid after their time in the jungle, but this was the first time he had dreamt of being on The Spectre. He smiled as he thought about how beautiful she had looked. He was amazed his mind could conjure such beautiful imagery. He was certain he had never seen anything like it before in his life. His thoughts then turned to the weight on his chest. Why had his mother been there? Why did she look so sad? He knew she had never truly wanted him to pursue The Spectre, but she had never made it seem like his pursuit of the vessel was something that caused her distress. Damned Matriarch, he thought, this was her doing. Her superstition about the vessel was clearly bleeding into his memories of his mother. He pushed the thoughts from his mind and focused more on the splendor of the vessel he had dreamt of. He felt so close. It wouldn¡¯t be long now before she was his, he just knew it. Once they got the poison, they¡¯d set sail for this remote island Naomi mentioned. They¡¯d find a piece there and follow its trail all the way back to his prize. He had never felt so close to his dream in his life. Still, he thought, we¡¯ve a few more days before the poison is even ready. Despite his initial concerns, the first few days in port passed uneventfully. Aside from those with daily duties to the ship, like Ryden and Dryden, the ship itself was mostly empty. During the day, Beckett would teach the twins about their respective duties and how to efficiently perform each one. In the evening, both boys would disappear into the town. At first, Jonathon was worried they would mess up shore leave for the rest of the crew, but he had yet to hear anything negative about them. Or any of the crew for that matter. Whatever it was his men were doing in town, they were apparently behaving themselves¡­or, at the very least, not getting caught, which was all that truly mattered. There had also been little from the shop during this time. Naomi seemed insistent on spending every minute of each day protecting Pavlov and his store. Jonathon thought, not for the first time, about how good of an idea it had really been to have accepted Naomi into his crew. She hadn¡¯t even been part of it for a week before she had caused fairly significant trouble for not just herself, but the entire crew. He was also worried about how her good-nature would likely cause problems with his and the crew¡¯s actions, particularly if they were to come across a merchant vessel during their journey. He made a mental note to speak with her about it when she returned. Aboard the ship, Beckett and Thayer seemed uninterested in journeying out into Brightstone during this time. They each gave their own excuses for this, stating they had too much to do aboard the ship to prepare for the upcoming journey, but Jonathon suspected they may have simply been enjoying the silence and mild privacy of the barren ship. Cassandra, however, had been strangely absent during these past few days. She attended their morning meetings and reported diligently, but the rest of the day was spent in her cabin, doors closed, her presence a quiet absence that Jonathon couldn¡¯t help but notice. He had thought about going to talk to her as he had Beckett and Thayer, but decided against it in the end. If something was bothering her, she¡¯d come talk to him when she was ready¨Cshe always did. Not that he was one to judge, he thought to himself. He had been aboard the ship this whole time too. Usually, he would have found himself a nice little local brothel to call home during this time, but each night, he found himself without the desire to seek out such an establishment. He figured he was just too excited about the upcoming journey to really care. Besides, he¡¯d have plenty of time for such things after he claimed The Spectre. He got up and dressed himself in preparation for the morning meeting. He walked over to his desk and stared at the map. Beckett had traced a few route suggestions for once they left Brightstone. He traced one such route with a finger that wavered slightly. The call of The Spectre was relentless, gnawing at him in quiet moments and propelling him forward with a force he couldn¡¯t quite name. He felt it was more than just treasure now¨Cit was also vindication, a chance to prove that his faith in the legend wasn¡¯t the fool¡¯s errand that everyone believed it to be. ~~ ¡°Captain, there have been no reports of misbehavior in town from the crew, at least, none that are serious enough to cause us any trouble. And reports from the merchant¡¯s shop remain uneventful,¡± Cassandra reported at their meeting. ¡°I¡¯ve also been looking over the ledgers and have set aside the necessary amount to pay for the remainder of the poison. With what we spent on supplies and for the maintenance, we¡¯ll likely need to hit a vessel along the way to this island.¡± Beckett nodded in agreement to this statement. ¡°Thank you, Cass,¡± Jonathon said. ¡°Glad to hear we¡¯re not causing too much of a raucous out in town; it¡¯d be a shame to restrict the men to the ship, or worse, have to leave town early and find a way to sneak back to pick up the poison. ¡°Regarding the finances, I agree. I was actually hoping we¡¯d encounter a trader between here and Silvercove. It¡¯s been too long since we had a score from that route. I believe it would do the ship and crew good to make that happen. Beckett, what are your thoughts?¡± ¡°Aye, Cap¡¯n,¡± Beckett responded. ¡°I believe we should be able to make it happen. I still remember the routes well. I¡¯ll ask around the docks today and see if I can¡¯t find out when they expect the next shipment from Silvercove.¡± ¡°Thank you. And your report?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been studying our maps and believe I¡¯ve found us a course that will get us there in a couple of weeks, barring poor weather or mishaps,¡± Beckett said confidently. ¡°Assuming we don¡¯t meet our end fighting this kraken, you may ¡®ave yer piece by month¡¯s end, Cap¡¯n.¡± ¡°Alleged kraken, Beckett,¡± Jonathon corrected as he smiled at his navigator. ¡°Still, good work. Keep me updated about that shipment. Thayer?¡± ¡°Aye sir,¡± the cook responded. ¡°I¡¯ve accounted for our stores and ¡®ave packaged our supplies accordingly. Given yer plan, I¡¯ve also spoken with our quartermaster and requisitioned some of the finances for a bit of ice to help keep our supplies fresh a little longer. Ways I see it, we should ¡®ave enough supplies to last us for around ten more weeks. None of us¡¯ll likely be too happy by the end of those weeks, and I expect latrine duty may end up requiring more hands around that time, but I should be able to make ¡®er work.¡± ¡°Good man.¡± Jonathon said. He turned to look at the twins. ¡°Boys?¡± Ryden spoke first. ¡°Cap, the powders have been appropriately sifted. I¡¯ve also cleaned the cannonballs and inspected them for rust. All weapons are in good condition.¡± Jonathon glanced to Beckett who nodded approvingly. ¡°Good job Ryden. Your report was much more succinct this morning. I do believe we¡¯ll make a proper pirate out of you yet.¡± Ryden beamed. ¡°As if there were ever a doubt, right Dry?¡± ¡°Right Ry,¡± his second half responded. Jonathon rolled his eyes. Almost there, but still a little lacking. ¡°Dryden?¡± he continued, ignoring their prattling. ¡°Captain,¡± he began, his light-hearted demeanor quickly shifting towards anxiety, ¡°I¡¯ve, uh, talked to the guy on the deck¡­¡± ¡°...The Harbourmaster?¡± Jonathon prompted. ¡°Aye sir, the Harbourmaster,¡± Dryden responded, the nerves building in his voice. ¡°He says the careening ought to be done today. I¡¯ve also inspected the sails, and they all appear to be in good shape¡­¡± He trailed off and stared past his captain. After a moment, he nodded, apparently done. ¡°And the rigging?¡± Jonathon prompted again. ¡°Right,¡± he said, his face flushing further, ¡°rigging too. It¡¯s good too. No problems sir¡­sorry,¡± he finished weakly. Jonathon nodded encouragingly at the boy, ¡°You''re getting better Dryden, but it¡¯s important to remember to report all of the duties you¡¯ve fulfilled. Even if nothing has changed from the previous day, it¡¯s good to get in the habit of checking them and reporting them, that way I know you can be trusted to do your job. More importantly, nothing ever falls by the wayside. Just remember your report when we were docked in Gravenfair and you¡¯ll be fine. Maybe rehearse some with your brother before coming in since he seems to have gotten it down.¡± Dryden¡¯s face was a mixture of embarrassment and anger as he muttered, ¡°It¡¯s only because he doesn¡¯t have as much to do. Anyone can polish weapons and stir powder.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Ryden opened his mouth to respond, but Jonathon held up his hand, cutting him off, ¡°I understand, Dryden. But remember, each of you has a very specific role to fill. And while it may seem like more work at times, the significance of what you each do is equally important, that¡¯s why you each receive a higher share of our booty than the rest of the crew. Also, don¡¯t forget that Ryden¡¯s duties aren¡¯t just stirring powder and polishing weapons. He¡¯s responsible for our ability to effectively fight other vessels. Not only does he have to be able to correctly determine how much powder is needed in the middle of battle, he must effectively communicate this with the men and the powder monkeys. Without his skills, our ability to fight is severely diminished. This isn¡¯t to belittle what you do, but you must remember, his responsibilities are more than they appear on the surface. You¡¯re doing well Dryden, don¡¯t get discouraged.¡± Dryden nodded sullenly, ¡°Aye aye, Cap.¡± Ryden perked up at this, ¡°Right Dry. Besides, without you, we¡¯d have no sails to sail. Our rigging would be in shambles. Our hull would be a mess. We wouldn¡¯t even be able to be out on sea, and then we wouldn¡¯t have anyone for me to fire at. No one to fire at means no money. No money means no ladies.¡± An all too familiar smile began to creep back onto Dryden¡¯s face, ¡°Maybe for you, Ry. I don¡¯t need money to get ladies.¡± Ryden smiled in turn and chortled, ¡°No way, Dry, you¡¯re the one that needs the money. I¡¯m the better looking one.¡± Jonathon smiled at them both, the boy was making good progress, he just needed time. He was reminded of the sinking feeling he had had in his chest when he had been told he didn¡¯t do something right. In time, those moments grew fewer and fewer for him, as they would for Dryden. He returned to the present and rolled his eyes at the hormones that had taken up residence in the short time he had been away. He cleared his throat, ¡°Anyway, good job Dryden. Keep up the good work, both of you. I believe Beckett has a few lessons regarding the different areas of the ship and navigation prepared for you today. Aside from that, you are all dismissed.¡± ¡°Aye sir,¡± came the response. As they filed out of his cabin, Jonathon noticed Cassie was lingering. Once they were in the room alone, Jonathon asked, ¡°Is everything okay, Cass?¡± She hesitated. Opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again, and closed it again. This went on for a few minutes while Jonathon waited patiently. Finally, she took a deep breath and said, ¡°Captain, I need to discuss something¡­personal with you¡­about my past.¡± Something akin to surprise filled Jonathon. He figured she wanted to discuss something personal given her behavior in Brightstone, the exchange on the dock, and the way she had been acting since, but he was still surprised she had initiated it. In the three years since he¡¯d met her in Gravenfair, he had learned almost nothing of her past save for the fact that she didn¡¯t wish to discuss it. He certainly didn¡¯t want to miss this opportunity. He walked to a nearby chair and sat down, ¡°Of course, Cassie. Do you want to sit down?¡± She nodded and sat in the chair next to him. ¡°The letter I received on the docks a few days ago¡­¡± She paused. ¡°The one delivered by that boy?¡± Jonathon encouraged. ¡°Yes¡­It¡¯s¡­from¡­my parents. Here in Brightstone,¡± she said, her voice fighting her private nature. Jonathon¡¯s eyes grew wide, ¡°Your parents? Here? But I always thought you came from Gravenfair? Did they move?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, they didn¡¯t. I did. I¡­grew up here¡­in Brightstone. I ran away four years ago¡­after my father announced that he had arranged a marriage for me to one of the families across the sea.¡± Jonathon felt another surge of surprise. ¡°An arranged marriage? That certainly sounds unpleasant. Can¡¯t imagine that went over well with you.¡± Cassie continued, her face stern but with an undercurrent of betrayal. ¡°Aye, it was. And no, it didn¡¯t. After years of encouraging me to be free and to be able to support and defend myself, my father pulled this marriage out of nowhere. I argued with him, pleaded with him. I told him I didn¡¯t want to marry this random man I didn¡¯t know. He told me it no longer mattered what I wanted and that I needed to be wed and begin continuing our bloodline.¡± Her voice trembled as she recounted her father¡¯s sudden change of heart. For years, she had believed in the freedom he promised, only to see it snatched away when she was deemed a tool for her family¡¯s legacy. The pain of the betrayal, though years old, was still raw for her. Jonathon¡¯s mouth was agape. Arranged marriages weren¡¯t exactly unheard of, but they weren¡¯t something ordinary families typically participated in. Usually, you only saw it with local nobles and those with wealth. After a moment he said, ¡°¡®Bloodline,¡¯ huh? That¡¯s a strange thing to hear nowadays. Do you come from a very traditional family? I can¡¯t imagine most ordinary families participating in arranged marriages, even considering Brightstone¡¯s extravagant nature.¡± She shook her head again, ¡°My family had never been very traditional, but we also weren¡¯t an ordinary family.¡± She paused again, her determination wavering as her jaw clenched. Jonathon watched her eyes dart around the room, attempting to relocate her resolve. Finally, she took a deep breath and said, ¡°My family is actually one of the founding families here in Brightstone.¡± If Jonathon had been surprised before, he wasn¡¯t sure there was a word for what he was now. After he had a moment to collect his thoughts, he said, ¡°You know, I¡¯m not terribly familiar with the nobility of Brightstone, but I¡¯m almost certain that ¡®Reeves¡¯ isn¡¯t any name I¡¯ve ever heard. But the courier from before still referred to you as such. Is there a Reeves household?¡± ¡°No,¡± Cassie continued, ¡°there is no Reeves household. And you¡¯re right, he did refer to me as ¡®Cassandra Reeves,¡¯ but that''s because that¡¯s my first and middle name. My full name is Cassandra Reeves Brighton.¡± Now that was a name Jonathon had heard before. Even the least educated in Gravenfair knew the Brightons weren¡¯t just one of the founding families of Brightstone, they were the founding family. There were other ¡°founding families¡± of course, but there was a reason the city was named ¡°Brightstone,¡± and not ¡°Whitestone,¡± or some other similar name. ¡°Brighton?¡± Jonathon asked, his shock blatant. ¡°Brighton? As in the Brighton family? The wealthiest family this side of The Stern Sea? That Brighton?¡± Cassie nodded solemnly, ¡°Aye, Captain, that Brighton.¡± The questions began to pour out of Jonathon like water from a faucet. His mind was racing. ¡°Why did you never tell me about this? How is it that you came to join me in Gravenfair? Why did you join me in Gravenfair?¡± ¡°I already told you, I ran away,¡± she repeated, slightly irritated. ¡°I know, but¡­why? I know you said that your father arranged a marriage, but you had to have had everything you could possibly have wanted with as wealthy as your family is!¡± Jonathon said, flabbergasted. Through Jonathon¡¯s disbelief he could sense a rising irritation in Cassie. ¡°I wasn¡¯t free to choose my own future. Money only buys so much, Captain. My father told me my whole life that I would be free to live as I saw fit. To marry whomever I saw fit to marry. My father made sure I was educated and trained to defend myself. He spent my whole life telling me and teaching me how to make my own decisions and live according to how I wanted. Then, when it became apparent that my mother was not going to be able to sire a son, everything changed. By then, I was already nineteen. He began to worry that if I waited too much longer, I¡¯d be unable to wed anyone.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jonathon asked. ¡°You¡¯re the Brighton family! The wealth alone would be enough to attract any suitor.¡± Cassandra¡¯s glare back at Jonathon made him quickly shift his thinking. ¡°Be-Besides, wouldn¡¯t you take your husband¡¯s name anyway? How would that help your family?¡± ¡°As you said Captain, we are the Brightons. Many a man would be willing to take my name just to join our family¡­¡± she paused and stared at the floor. ¡°...and not a one of them would care one bit about whether or not I was someone they even wanted to be with¡­¡± After another moment, she inhaled and sat back up. ¡°But you¡¯re right, my family¡¯s reputation alone would be enough to guarantee a suitor, but my father was also concerned with me siring heirs to continue our family¡¯s bloodline before I became too old. And given the difficulties he had with Mother, he wanted to make sure I had plenty of time to try¡­¡± She trailed off again as she said this. Jonathon¡¯s disbelief settled down as he saw her brow furrowed with lines of worry. Her gaze was distant, as if searching for solace¨Ca solace Jonathon was not providing. He recollected his thoughts and sighed, sitting next to her and placing a reassuring hand on her knee. ¡°I¡¯ve not been handling this well, have I? I¡¯m sorry, Cass, I was just caught off guard. Not five minutes ago, you were a commoner I met in Gravenfair three years ago. Now, you¡¯re the heiress to the wealthiest family I know of. If this were a fairy tale, you¡¯d be a princess.¡± She scoffed, and Jonathon saw the hope of recovery for this conversation. He laughed lightly, ¡°I know it¡¯s silly, but it¡¯s true. And obviously there¡¯s more to you than just your family, but this was just a lot that was thrown at me at once. So, I¡¯m sorry I was a little slow on the uptake, but I¡¯m up to speed now¡­I think. ¡°You spent your whole life being promised freedom and given the tools to be free. Then you were suddenly told you were to marry someone you didn¡¯t even know, let alone love, all for the sake of your family¡¯s name, with no consideration for what you had been told your whole life. So you ran. ¡°You made your way to Gravenfair at some point and that¡¯s where you ran into me. You joined my crew and have been sailing with me ever since.¡± He paused, looking to Cass to confirm that he had the right of it. She nodded and he continued, ¡°But Cassie, why didn¡¯t you ever tell me this? I¡¯ve known you for years, and not once have you ever mentioned any of this.¡± ¡°Because I¡­I didn¡¯t want to be seen as the runaway heiress. I didn¡¯t want to be defined by my family¡¯s name or wealth anymore. I wanted to be my own person. To prove I could live on my own terms.¡± She looked up at him, her eyes fierce with the determination that had driven her all these years. ¡°I thought if I stayed quiet about it, I could leave that part of me behind.¡± Despite the seriousness of the situation, Jonathon couldn¡¯t help but admire the fire in his quartermaster¡¯s eyes. He smiled gently at her and said, ¡°I get it, Cassie. You¡¯ve built your life on your own terms, and you¡¯ve done a damn good job. But this letter¡­what do they want?¡± Her mind returned to the present and she pulled the letter out and handed it to Jonathon. ¡°It may be easier for you to just read it instead.¡± Jonathon took the envelope from her hand and examined it, noting the thickness and quality of the paper that housed the letter. If they could afford this just to send a letter, their wealth truly was more than he could imagine. He took the letter out and began to read it aloud. ¡°Cassandra, we hope this letter finds you well. It has been far too long since we have heard from or seen you. It is our wish for you to join us for dinner at the end of this week. The courier who delivered this to you has been instructed to report back to us once it has been delivered, so we will expect you by week¡¯s end. Sincerely, your parents.¡± He stared at the letter for a moment. It was surprisingly short for a daughter they hadn¡¯t seen for so long. He wondered how much money they had spent having a letter out to be delivered for gods only know how many years. ¡°So there you have it,¡± she said. ¡°I am to meet with them for dinner tomorrow night, and¨C¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Jonathon interrupted, knowing her question, ¡°you have my permission to leave the ship and spend as long as you need in town. Honestly, Cass, I¡¯m surprised you even think you need to ask about this.¡± She gave a momentary pause, staring into the distance of his cabin, as if trying to work towards something. After a couple of minutes she said, ¡°Thank you, Captain, while I appreciate your permission in this matter, that¡¯s not why I¡¯m here. I need you to attend the dinner with me.¡± Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Jonathon stood in front of the largest doors he had ever seen in his entire life. They were made of solid wood, each carved from a single piece of what must have been a giant of a tree. The carvings that made up the majority of the bottom portions of the doors were simple, yet elegant squares; however, the top of the doors were adorned with an intricate carving of a large star shining brightly over a mass of people. ¡°The Brightons,¡± Cassandra interjected, noting Jonathon¡¯s gaze, ¡°leading the city¡¯s people into the future.¡± ¡°The craftsmanship is incredible,¡± he replied, attempting to hide his discomfort. ¡°I can only imagine the glory of Mother¡¯s Myth if I¡¯d had this craftsman around when she was built.¡± She smiled weakly, and they fell into silence. As they waited, Jonathon¡¯s mind wandered back to the events that led him to this point. ~~ ¡°You want me to what now? I¡¯m sorry, you want me to go with you to dinner? Why?¡± Jonathon responded, his mouth losing its increasingly difficult battle with gravity. Cassandra averted her eyes and began studying the floor of Jonathon¡¯s cabin intently. ¡°I need someone I can trust by my side. I can¡¯t avoid this dinner, and I know that they¡¯re going to try and push me to return and marry.¡± She paused again. Her face was soft, almost vulnerable, as her eyes continued to trace the patterns on the floor. There was a quiet resolve in the way her lips were slightly parted, as if preparing to say something difficult. ¡°But they won¡¯t¡­if they meet my fianc¨¦¡­¡± Her hesitation and aversion suddenly made sense as realization dawned on Jonathon. Jonathon felt the involuntary increase in his heart rate as he said, ¡°Your fianc¨¦?! What? Me? Cass, are you sure this is a good idea?¡± ¡°No,¡± she admitted, ¡°but it¡¯s the only thing I can think of to possibly make it out of this dinner and maintain my freedom.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®maintain your freedom?¡¯¡± he asked. ¡°You think they would forcibly hold you at home?¡± ¡°Maybe not,¡± she replied, her eyes finally finding his, ¡°but I don¡¯t know the state of mind they¡¯re in anymore. If they¡¯re desperate enough to continue the bloodline, then they may. But if I¡¯m already set to marry and they feel as though the bloodline is secured, maybe they would ease off of this idea of an arranged marriage.¡± He knew quite literally nothing about her family aside from what she had just revealed, but Jonathon could see how such a plan could work, given what she had said about them. He considered her request. It was an unusual one to be sure, one that would put him in a world he was totally unfamiliar with¡­but Cassie had stood by him through countless storms and battles; the least he could do was stand by her now. ¡°Alright, Cass,¡± he said, standing up and offering her his hand to shake. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you. Whatever they throw your way, we¡¯ll deal with it. Though I doubt they¡¯ll be happy with their daughter marrying a pirate from Gravenfair¡­¡± Cassie¡¯s relief was palpable as she stood and shook his hand, letting out a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you, Captain. And you¡¯re right, they wouldn¡¯t accept a pirate¡­but mayhaps a trader from Silvercove?¡± Jonathon couldn¡¯t help but smile at this. He always enjoyed the idea of fooling people with his powers of deception, and he knew Cassie was using her knowledge of this to try and convince him. ¡°A trader from Silvercove, huh? And how exactly did we meet?¡± ¡°You reluctantly gave me safe passage to Silvercove when I ran away. You showed me kindness without knowing who I was. Once we reached Silvercove, I decided to stay on with you. Over the past few years, we¡¯ve grown closer as I¡¯ve become more and more invaluable to your trading operation. While I ran the trips to Brightstone with you, I never disembarked while we were ported here. Around three months ago, you finally worked up the nerve to propose, and we¡¯ve been engaged ever since. Upon our arrival to port this time, I surprised you by saying I wished to come ashore. I had planned to bring you by to introduce you to my family, but we received the letter before that could happen.¡± Jonathon couldn¡¯t suppress his smile as he noted the hints of truth weaved into her lie. He had warily taken her aboard in Gravenfair without knowing her true identity years ago. And she had indeed made herself invaluable to him and his crew between then and now. ¡°I think I understand. That¡¯s a well-crafted backstory you¡¯ve created.¡± He took a deep breath and exhaled. ¡°Well then, love, what else should I know for this dinner tomorrow?¡± Jonathon thought he saw the blood rush to her face as they continued their conversation. ~~ The large doors at the front of the mansion opened, drawing Jonathon from his memory. He shifted uncomfortably and adjusted his clothing. They had stopped by a local store and picked up some clothes ¡°more befitting a trader from Silvercove.¡± Since their conversation, Jonathon had had trouble suppressing the thoughts about Cass that lingered from their time in the jungle, so he certainly didn¡¯t mind doing this for her¨Cespecially in light of his current expedition¨Cbut he had to admit, the price tag for their outfits had been far higher than he had expected them to be. In fact, he was honestly afraid to even be wearing the clothes for fear of ruining them in some way. He couldn¡¯t imagine finding another reason to ever wear something this nice again after tonight. They had also stopped by a barber and each had their hair washed and trimmed to match their outfits. Again, Jonathon had been staggered by how much they charged to do what he could do for free in a matter of minutes. Admittedly though, he thought to himself, their job looked much better than anything he had ever done before. Perhaps Scarlett had been on to something with her teasing of his haircuts. ¡°Good evening, Miss,¡± the man who answered the door said. He was an older gentleman dressed in a butler suit. His tailcoat, bow tie, and gloves seemed almost textbook for what one would expect to find a butler wearing at this time of the day. ¡°Good evening, Reggie,¡± Cassandra replied to the old man, her voice cordial and proper. Clearly, the years at sea had not erased her high society training. He smiled warmly at her and said, ¡°Please, come in. It¡¯s been far too long since I¡¯ve had the honor of holding this door for you.¡± His eyes trailed over to Jonathon¡¯s form. He made no attempt to hide the fact that he was sizing Jonathon up, and yet somehow, he managed to perform such a blatant act while maintaining an air of elegance and class. Seemingly satisfied with what he saw, the man smiled politely and said, ¡°And who is your guest tonight, Ms. Brighton?¡± ¡°Come now, Reggie, you know you don¡¯t have to be so formal with me,¡± Cassandra smiled a deeper smile than Jonathon had ever seen. She grabbed his arm and tightly hugged it against her body. ¡°This is my dear betrothed, Captain Harding.¡± Jonathon felt as though his heart was going to tear through his neck, stomach, and loins simultaneously. She had warned him about the fact that she would be acting differently than he was used to, but this was a little too overwhelming. The shift in how expressive she was alone was enough to cause an adjustment period, but the sudden physical contact of his arm with her form was more than he had prepared for. Jonathon had been doing his best to avoid even looking in Cassandra¡¯s direction ever since they had changed into their outfits. It was bad enough that she was no longer wearing her breastbands, but her dress pushed this test of willpower into the extreme. Her dress was an overall dark, deep blue that would make the ocean envious. The top had intricately hand-crafted, cream-colored lace that outlined her exposed shoulders and collarbones before dipping into a cut that Jonathon felt toed the line between classy and intentionally provocative. The top hugged her form snugly, as was the fashion, but unlike other dresses that he had seen women wear that poofed out to exaggerate the their hips, the dress Cassandra chose continued to hug her form all the way down to her mid-thigh before lightly loosening down to the floor. The lace that adorned the top also decorated her sleeves and the design of the lower portion of her dress, creating peaks and dips. Even though he had spied on her in the jungle, or perhaps it was because he had spied on her, Jonathon found it nearly impossible to look at her for too long lest he say or do something improper. The sudden contact of his arm with the entirety of her body from breast to stomach made that fear creep ever closer to reality. Despite having worked with her for three years, he had actually had very little physical contact with her aside from the occasional graze of the hand when passing papers, or bump of the shoulder when fighting another crew or a particularly nasty storm. Even the reassuring hand on her knee the other night had been an oddity. Of course, the same could be said for the rest of his crew. It¡¯s not as if he had been avoiding contact with her intentionally, it was just part of him keeping a professional distance on their relationship. He felt the same could be said for any member aboard his crew. While the crew themselves likely had more occurrences of physical contact with each other given the more cramped nature of their living arrangements, it¡¯s not as though they went around gripping each other¡¯s arms or deeply embracing each other. So this level of physical contact was more than Jonathon was mentally prepared for. It didn¡¯t help that it had been a little over a month since he last saw Scarlett, and he hadn¡¯t utilized any of the facilities in Brightstone since they had been docked. Whatever, he thought to himself, you¡¯re thinking too hard about this. Just focus up on your job. How do you hope to pass off being betrothed if you tense up at her grabbing your arm? Jonathon suddenly became very aware of how long it was taking him to respond. He cleared his throat and held out his hand. ¡°Yes, good evening. My name is Jonathon Harding; I¡¯m a trader between Silvercove Harbor and Brightstone.¡± The butler seemed shocked that Jonathon had offered his hand to shake, and Jonathon wondered, obviously too late, whether or not that had been the right move. Regardless, the old man respectfully shook his hand and bowed elegantly, saying, ¡°Of course, Master Harding. An honor to meet someone special enough to capture our dear madam¡¯s heart.¡± The man moved aside and opened the door further, allowing the two of them entry. As he led them down an obscenely long and lavishly decorated hallway, Cassandra nudged him and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m glad you remember that you¡¯re a trader from Silvercove, Captain, but you don¡¯t have to tell everyone that in your introduction.¡± Jonathon blushed, and she smiled teasingly at him before continuing, ¡°Just be yourself. The only thing I¡¯ve changed about our story is your profession.¡± ¡°Well, and our romance,¡± Jonathon added. Cassandra looked at Jonathon, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corners of her lips, as if she were silently indulging his obliviousness, allowing him to miss the significance of her words without pushing him. There was no sadness in her gaze, only a tender patience, as she said, ¡°As you say, Captain.¡± Jonathon, too enraptured in his own thoughts to notice Cassandra¡¯s expression, tried to calm himself. She was right, he thought. She was still an invaluable member of his ship, and he was currently engaging her services as his quartermaster; so, aside from the impending marriage and his profession, their relationship was essentially the same. ¡°Apologies, darling,¡± Jonathon teased back. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll get my act together.¡± He felt her jump at the pet name and laughed to himself at the chance to tease her. They followed the man into a large, ostentatiously adorned room with a winding staircase on either side of the room leading up to another floor. In the center of this staircase on the floor they were on was another set of doors. The butler stopped outside these doors and looked at the two of them. ¡°I will introduce you two. You may then enter.¡± The two of them nodded, and the man looked to Cassandra and asked, ¡°Would you like for me to introduce this man as your fianc¨¦? Or would you like the honor?¡± ¡°I would prefer to tell them, please,¡± she responded. The man nodded his head and entered the room beyond the doors. ¡°Introducing Madam Cassandra Brighton and her dinner guest, Master Jonathon Harding,¡± came a muffled introduction from the other side of the doors. ¡°That¡¯s our cue,¡± Cassandra said as the doors opened and she led him into the dining hall. ¡°Just follow my lead, Captain.¡± Though he should have expected as much given what he had already seen of the mansion, the dining hall was larger than any he had seen before. Granted, his experience was bars and brothels, so the bar was already pretty low, but this was still something altogether different. The table that occupied the majority of the room could easily seat thirty people, and the hand-carved stone fireplace in the center of the room had a roaring fire going despite the fact that the weather did not necessitate one. The walls were adorned with what Jonathon assumed were portraits of the family¡¯s prior heads of household. They walked toward the end of the table at the opposite end of the room where a man and woman¨Cassumedly the lord and lady of the house¨Cstood, awaiting their arrival. They both had a genial smile, but Jonathon could see the hint of surprise in their eyes. While the middle-aged man wore a head of fully grayed hair and a full gray mustache, his stance and stern gaze showed that there was still a spark of youth in him, his cool, green eyes staring at the two as they approached. The woman, who appeared around the same age, still retained much of the orange that Cassie had inherited, though streaks of gray and white threatened their coming at the edges of her face. She held herself with a formal, yet graceful air that made Jonathon uncomfortably aware of his own posture and stride. They reached the end of the table, and Cassandra and Jonathon bowed respectfully to the two individuals, who bowed slightly in return. Then the two moved quickly to Cassandra¡¯s side and each gave her a big hug. ¡°Oh Cassandra,¡± the man began, ¡°you have no idea how good it is to see you after these long years!¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the woman continued, ¡°we were so worried that something awful had happened to you. We were so relieved when we finally received word that our letter had been delivered to you!¡± Cassandra smiled, her face a mix of genuine happiness to see her parents again and hesitance about the inevitable conversation. She hugged them each in turn before saying, ¡°Mother. Father. I¡¯m sorry to have worried you so. It¡¯s good to see you both again.¡± The three smiled at each other, temporarily lost to the present as they savored their reunion. Finally, the man noticed Jonathon again and said, ¡°And who do we have here, dear?¡± ¡°Jonathon Harding, sir,¡± Jonathon said, bowing awkwardly again, wary of offering his hand for a shake in case it was another mistake. The man and woman both smiled, amused. The woman said, ¡°Nice to meet you, Mister Harding. Cassandra did not inform us that she would be bringing a guest. Of course, she didn¡¯t exactly tell us she was even coming, but you are of course welcome to join us.¡± She held out her hand for Jonathon to grasp. ¡°I am Cassandra¡¯s mother, Margaret Brighton, and this is my husband, Anthony. We are pleased to meet you.¡± Jonathon grabbed and kissed her hand gently before saying, ¡°The pleasure is all mine, ma¡¯am. Had you not told me you two were her mother and father, I would have sworn I was meeting her sister and brother-in-law.¡± It seemed even the wealthy were subject to fall for the same flattery as anyone else. Mrs. Brighton blushed and giggled, and her husband smiled graciously as she said, ¡°Oh dear, Cassandra, you¡¯ve certainly brought a charmer to grace our dinner. Please, you two, let us sit and eat. Mister Harding, I will have the servants bring another place setting, so please sit wherever you wish.¡± ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am,¡± Jonathon said, taking a seat next to Cassandra, who sat next to her father at the head of the table and across from her mother. ¡°And please, feel free to call me Jonathon.¡± Servants brought a place setting for Jonathon, and dinner was brought out. Jonathon wasn¡¯t quite sure what he expected to be served, but in his head, he had imagined large platters loaded with a variety of food, maybe even a whole roasted pig. What was set in front of them, however, was much simpler: a simple plate of roast beef with potatoes and carrots. A large basket of bread was set in the center of the group, and the servants stepped back. Cassandra was right; they certainly weren¡¯t traditional. While he was disappointed that the spread wasn¡¯t the feast he had imagined, he had to admit, he respected the simplicity of their dinner. They had no one to impress, and they felt no need to flaunt their wealth. A trait that he felt spoke to their character.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°We made your favorite, Cassandra,¡± Mrs. Brighton said. He saw an unsure smile cross Cassandra¡¯s face as she noted this gesture and said, ¡°I see that, Mother. Thank you. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve even had roast beef, let alone Charlie¡¯s roast beef.¡± Mrs. Brighton¡¯s smile faltered, and she said, ¡°Oh dear, I¡¯m so sorry to tell you this, but Charlie passed away a little over a year ago. But he had been teaching his son to follow in his footsteps. I daresay he did a marvelous job; the boy has his father¡¯s talent.¡± The unsure smile on Cassandra¡¯s face disappeared altogether. Jonathon saw a familiar mixture of sorrow and remorse. ¡°I see,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Did he fall ill?¡± Mr. Brighton nodded solemnly and said, ¡°Pneumonia. It was dreadful. It also caused quite the stir of fear amongst the entire household, given the ages of not just ourselves, but our staff as well. Fortunately, no one else fell ill.¡± An uncomfortable silence fell over the table. No one had taken even a bite of the food yet. Jonathon was worried if this were to go on for much longer, no one ever would. ¡°Well,¡± he began, awkwardly picking up his utensils and scooping a spoonful of the roast beef, ¡°he sounds like he was a wonderful man and father who was loved well and remembered fondly.¡± He lifted the spoon and said, ¡°To Charles,¡± and took a bite. ¡°Here, here,¡± Mrs. Brighton said and also took a bite. Cassandra and her father followed suit, and dinner finally began. The roast beef was the most savory Jonathon had ever had in his entire life. Well, maybe not the most savory. That title was still held by the beast he had eaten in the jungle, but still, its quality far surpassed his typical meals. The texture and feel of the meat as it melted in his mouth sent a wave of salivation through him. The potatoes were slightly firm on the outside, but cooked to the perfect amount of softness on the inside. The carrots were¡­carrots. Jonathon had never really cared for carrots. He¡¯d eat them in stews, but short of that or being drenched in a sugary glaze, he really just saw them as filler for whatever dish they were thrown into. He reached for one of the small rolls that sat in the basket at the center of the table. The crust had the perfect level of crisp and crunch to it, and the inside was fluffy and flavorful. Jonathon observed the rest of the table to ensure he wasn¡¯t showing his lack of wealth. Mr. and Mrs. Brighton ate as one would expect of a Lord and Lady, knives cutting their bites before delicately placing the food into their mouths and chewing gently. Cassandra, who had reverted to her prior training, also used her knife to cut polite bites of her meal. A stark difference from the woman he had seen eating with her bare hands with the crew. Jonathon briefly wondered which was the true Cassandra. How did she eat when she took her meals in her cabin? How did she behave when she believed no one was around? The table sat in the mark of a good meal for a while. While no conversation was had, Jonathon noted the occasional glances of Mr. and Mrs. Brighton to their daughter. He also felt as though Mr. Brighton had been observing him and his actions. He would look up and find the man staring at him or the way he was eating. Jonathon wondered if he was emulating their behavior poorly. Once the initial wave of consumption had completed, Mrs. Brighton spoke, dabbing her lips lightly with her napkin. ¡°So, Cassandra, we must ask, where have you been these past four years? We¡¯ve been ever so worried about your health and safety, dear.¡± Mr. Brighton nodded in agreement. Cassandra, who had just finished a bite of her meal, set her utensils down, wiped her mouth, and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been in Silvercove Harbor with our guest here running trade routes between our two cities.¡± The Brightons'' eyes widened in surprise at their daughter¡¯s response and the idea of her working on a trade vessel. Jonathon held his breath as he waited for their response; this was the first real test of his and Cassie¡¯s story. Would they accept her working on a trade vessel that brought the goods so many in Brightstone valued? Would they consider it beneath her? If they approved, the odds of them approving of the fake engagement between her and Jonathon would be higher. After a moment, Mrs. Brighton¡¯s eyes softened, she smiled, and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad to hear you¡¯ve found success in your travels.¡± ¡°Yes, I did always teach you the value of earning what you had with your own hands,¡± Mr. Brighton added. ¡°Am I correct in assuming then that this man is the captain of your vessel?¡± Cassandra nodded. ¡°Yes. He took me onto his crew with little concern for the fact that I was a woman. I¡¯ve been working with him ever since.¡± At this, their attention turned to Jonathon. Mr. Brighton spoke first. ¡°That is truly a rarity among seafarers these days, given the superstition around having a woman aboard.¡± Jonathon, mimicking Cassandra¡¯s actions, finished his bite, placed his utensils in the same manner she did, wiped his mouth, and said, ¡°It is, but the truth behind the superstition falls to the fact that most don¡¯t trust the crew to behave themselves around a woman when alone at sea for long periods of time. A sad reality in this world, but not one that is of concern with your daughter. She could easily split any man who attempted to harm her. That, along with the repercussions they would face should such a mistake be attempted, have been enough to keep her safe while on board. Her being our quartermaster certainly helps too. I must admit though, I¡¯m not sure I would accept a woman aboard as an ordinary member of the crew. The odds of such an occurrence happening increase significantly when the woman must sleep amongst the men. There¡¯s a difference between superstition and foolishness, after all.¡± ¡°Too true.¡± Mr. Brighton responded. ¡°So, Cassandra,¡± Mrs. Brighton began, ¡°if you¡¯ve been running the trade routes between here and Silvercove all these years, why have we not heard from you? I know we weren¡¯t on the best of terms when you left, but I would have hoped you would have visited before now.¡± Cass failed to suppress a scoff and said, ¡°That¡¯s putting it mildly,¡± and the uncomfortable silence crept back between the four again. Jonathon saw the apprehensive look he had recently become familiar with on Cass¡¯s face as she searched for the strength to say what she wanted. Her father seemed to find it first as he cleared his throat and said, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. You must understand, though, that your mother and I simply wanted to ensure that our family was secure before we left this world.¡± His eyes shifted away from his daughter¡¯s face, and discomfort crept into his expression as he slowly continued, ¡°In fact, your mother and I have stayed in contact with the Waverlys across the sea. Their eldest son has since married, but the second son is near your age and is, as of yet, unwed. They¡¯re still willing to take the Brighton name. We were hoping that after these years away, you might now be willing to reconsider meeting with the boy?¡± Jonathon felt the discomfort surrounding Cass shift to anger. Her apprehensive face became resolute. ¡°That¡¯s what you want to discuss?! I run away because I don¡¯t want who I marry and when I marry to be dictated. I finally come back and one of the first things you bring up is to try and convince me to continue with the arranged marriage?! What¡¯s more, it¡¯s not even the same man! It¡¯s simply the man¡¯s younger brother, ¡®because the eldest has since married.¡¯ As if the man your daughter will spend the rest of her life with is so easily interchanged! Do you even care who you¡¯re trying to marry your daughter off to? Do you even care whether or not I want to marry this man? Who am I kidding, of course you don¡¯t; otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t even be having this conversation!¡± The discomfort in the man¡¯s face turned to shame as his eyes cast downward. ¡°Cassandra, we¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s Cassie, Dad. You only started calling me Cassandra when you decided I had to marry for ¡®the sake of the family name.¡¯¡± The father¡¯s shoulders slumped more, and he continued almost inaudibly, ¡°Cass, we do care about who you marry. That¡¯s why we picked who we picked. Yes, he is the younger brother of your original suitor, but the Waverlys are a good people. And they come from a strong male line. They are well-respected and have no scandals attached to their name. We just want to ensure the future of the Brighton name and the vast wealth and history associated with it.¡± Jonathon couldn¡¯t help but feel for the man. He doubted Cass could see it given how close to the situation she was, but Jonathon could see the conflict behind the man¡¯s eyes. He could see the struggle between doing what he felt was best and what he felt was right: the pain of the knowledge that his actions had caused his daughter so much pain, and the belief that there was no other way. ¡°Well, if all you care about is ¡®a good family¡¯ and ¡®the future of the Brighton name,¡¯ then you don¡¯t have to worry anymore,¡± Cassandra said sharply. ¡°Part of the reason I even came tonight is to tell you that our guest and I are engaged.¡± The room fell silent at the sudden revelation, and the food in Jonathon¡¯s stomach became made of lead as the cordial, accepting aura that had been extended to him suddenly shifted to one of suspicion and inquiry as the nature of his relationship to their daughter shifted in the minds of the Brightons. Jonathon smiled weakly as he awkwardly waved his hand at the two sitting across from him. Mrs. Brighton spoke first. ¡°I see. So, Jonathon, I must confess, I¡¯ve never heard of the Hardings. Your family must be a new name to Silvercove.¡± Jonathon cleared his throat and held his finger up toward the two as he took a sip of his wine¡­a long one. He put the empty glass down and exhaled as a servant appeared to refill it. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. We are not as old and wealthy as most families in Silvercove. In fact, I am the first of my family to find the level of success that we have. Naturally, we come nowhere close to your level of nobility,¡± he thought he saw amusement flash across the two¡¯s faces at the word, ¡°but we work hard, and we take care of our own. And your daughter is well worth taking care of.¡± Mr. Brighton spoke next. ¡°And do you have any siblings? Who were your parents?¡± Jonathon became uneasy. He had not expected to talk about his parents, though in hindsight, he now wondered how he had expected not to. ¡°I am an only child. My father died at sea when I was very young. My mother practically raised me on her own. It wasn¡¯t until very recently that I was able to work up to having my own vessel. I met your daughter shortly after that, and she¡¯s helped me establish all that I currently have. I truly feel as though I wouldn¡¯t be near as successful without her.¡± ¡°Her name certainly doesn¡¯t hurt either, does it?¡± Mr. Brighton asked accusingly. Cass finally spoke up. ¡°He didn¡¯t know my family name until yesterday.¡± The accusation behind the man¡¯s eyes died down at this. He looked back to his daughter, studying her face for a moment before saying, ¡°And you¡¯re happy?¡± Cass nodded and said, ¡°I am. Captain Harding took me in when no one else would. He didn¡¯t look at me for my gender, but for what I could do and what I brought to his crew. He saw the value of me at a time that I questioned the value of myself. Over the years that we have sailed together, I grew to care for him deeply. I had never met anyone as passionate and caring as he. And not just about his own passions, but about the passions of those around him as well. He¡¯s shrewd in his business, but he has his own set of boundaries that he won¡¯t cross. And he inspires others to hold those same boundaries. Eventually, I found that the affection I had developed for him wasn¡¯t just the fondness of a friend, but love. I couldn¡¯t imagine leaving the life I have with him now. I brought him here hoping that you may remember what you taught me to follow my whole life when pursuing my happiness and fulfillment, accept this engagement, and stop trying to force one on me.¡± The table sat, stunned, Cass seemingly included. Jonathon couldn¡¯t believe she had not only been able to come up with such a story but to be able to say it with such a convincing display of emotion. He couldn¡¯t believe she¡¯d hidden this ability from him for so long. Over the next few minutes, recovery found each individual at the table. Jonathon, being in on the deception, recovered first. Cassandra was next to recover from her performance, and her mother after that. Mrs. Brighton initially appeared as though she was going to speak but chose to hold her thoughts and instead looked to her husband. Mr. Brighton¡¯s face was an impenetrable wall of stone as he stared at his plate, contemplating this new reality. Jonathon could detect neither joy nor rage from his features or demeanor, a true testament to the man¡¯s discipline. After what felt like five minutes of pure silence, Mr. Brighton seemed to find the words he had been searching for. He looked around the table at each of their faces before settling on Cass. He cleared his throat again and said, ¡°Well, if what you say is true, then not only have you ensured the survival of our family, but you¡¯ve also followed what I have truly wanted for you all along.¡± His mask fell away as an apologetic smile formed on his face. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for how we got here, Cassie, but I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve found someone to share your life with.¡± He turned to Jonathon and said, ¡°I¡¯ve only just met you, Jonathon, but my daughter seems happy and well taken care of. And I trust her judgment. Are you willing to take our family name?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Jonathon replied. Mr. and Mrs. Brighton smiled, and Mrs. Brighton said, ¡°Then welcome to the family!¡± A sense of relief flooded Jonathon and Cass, and they both audibly sighed. Their ruse, it seemed, had succeeded. The conversation following this shifted to a much less strenuous nature¨Cat least for three of the individuals at the table. For the next hour, Mr. and Mrs. Brighton peppered Jonathon with questions, testing his knowledge about the trade routes between Silvercove and Brightstone, the state of Silvercove, and the politics of Brightstone. Jonathon followed along, answering questions as carefully as he could, trying his best to remain aware of the invisible line he couldn¡¯t cross. Even as he spoke, however, he could feel Mr. Brighton¡¯s scrutiny, the subtle but relentless probing for cracks in his story. In the end, Jonathon wasn¡¯t sure how satisfied with his answers he was, but they seemed good enough for the Brightons not to question further. There were a few times when Mr. Brighton would look at him questioningly, and Jonathon thought his cover had been blown, but then he would smile and continue the conversation. He wasn¡¯t sure if this was a scare tactic or what, but considering nothing bad had happened, he counted it as a win. As their questioning died down, the servants cleared the dinner plates away and brought out dessert, a chocolate mousse with whipped cream and raspberries on top. As they exited the room through one of the doors behind Jonathon, one of the servants dropped a tray. The loud clatter caused him to turn around and look at the commotion. Jonathon heard a small gasp come from Mrs. Brighton, and when he turned back, found that she was looking at him. ¡°Is everything ok, Mrs. Brighton?¡± he asked warily. ¡°We just noticed the tattoo on your neck.¡± Mr. Brighton answered. ¡°Care to explain what a trader is doing with such a thing?¡± Shit, Jonathon thought. The compass rose on the backside of his neck would have normally been hidden by his clothing, but part of it must have been exposed when he turned to look at the commotion. ¡°Ah, that,¡± he started tentatively, unintentionally reaching towards his neck. How was he going to spin this? Wait a second, he thought to himself, they had likely only seen part of it. They probably didn¡¯t even know what it was. It¡¯s not like he had a Jolly Roger on his neck. Tattoos like a compass rose were common amongst all seafarers. He continued more confidently, tugging the collar of his shirt down for the two to see. ¡°It¡¯s a compass rose, Mr. Brighton. Surely you¡¯re familiar with this tattoo. It¡¯s very common amongst seafarers. It ensures the sailor will always find his way back to his home port.¡± He was relieved that his outfit covered his arms. Some of the other tattoos he had would be much harder to pass off as benign. Mr. Brighton smiled and said, ¡°Of course it is. I¡¯ve spoken with traders with such tattoos before. If I recall correctly, it also serves as a symbol of charting your own course. A life guided by your own rules as you search for freedom and fortune, correct?¡± Jonathon felt a surge of surprise at the man¡¯s knowledge behind the tattoo¡¯s meaning. He also began to feel a bit of kinship with the man as he pinpointed the truth behind Jonathon¡¯s tattoo. He smiled genuinely and said, ¡°That¡¯s correct. That is another aspect of the tattoo, and one I feel I resonate with more. You¡¯re well-informed.¡± Mr. Brighton politely returned the smile and continued, ¡°Jonathon, I couldn¡¯t help but notice your hands are fairly scarred. I feel as though I don¡¯t commonly see other traders with hands as scarred as yours. Do you see a lot of combat on your trade routes?¡± Jonathon suddenly felt self-conscious about himself. ¡°Sadly, I do,¡± he started, unintentionally moving his hands out of sight. ¡°Pirates are an ever-present danger to our livelihood.¡± Mr. Brighton stared shrewdly at Jonathon. Shit, he just said he doesn¡¯t commonly see traders with hands like his, and his knowledge would certainly be of traders between Silvercove and Brightstone. ¡°But I do admittedly feel as though I am attacked more frequently than others in my profession,¡± he added hastily. ¡°Likely because my ship appears to be an easy target compared to some of the larger trading vessels on the sea.¡± He smiled as he thought of the deceptive lethality of Mother¡¯s Myth. ¡°That is, of course, until we broadside ¡®em and send the bilge rats to the depths.¡± He felt Cassandra¡¯s hand grab his leg and tighten its grip under the table. He jumped at the sudden contact. Had he said something wrong? Maybe she wanted him to steer the conversation away from sailing in general? It¡¯s not his fault though, they asked him. He looked to Mr. and Mrs. Brighton to gauge their response to his answer. It wasn¡¯t encouraging. Mr. Brighton¡¯s masked expression had returned. Mrs. Brighton, however, was a far easier read than her husband. Her face gave Jonathon all the information he needed: they were concerned. Jonathon¡¯s heart began to race as Mr. Brighton¡¯s brow furrowed, and he said, ¡°Cassandra, who have you brought into our house?¡± Cassandra, her voice betraying her expression, said, ¡°What do you mean, Father? I¡¯ve brought my fianc¨¦.¡± ¡°Let me rephrase then,¡± he responded, his voice as cold as his stare. ¡°What have you brought into our home?¡± He turned his steely gaze onto Jonathon. ¡°You claim to be a trader, yet you bear a tattoo with a symbolism that is more common to pirates. You bear the hands of a man that has seen much combat, and your casual talk of naval tactics and combat are more than I¡¯d expect of a trader. Not to mention I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard a trader use the term ¡®broadsiding¡¯ or ¡®bilge rat¡¯ before. So I ask you again,¡± his gaze unwavering as they bored deep holes into Jonathon¡¯s soul, ¡°what have you brought into our home?¡± Jonathon felt he may choke if the tension in the room got any thicker. Despite the man¡¯s older age and likely lack of real-world combat, Jonathon couldn¡¯t help but feel a genuine sense of danger emanating from the man in front of him. He was scrambling to think of how to recover. He may have been able to play off the meaning behind his tattoo, or maybe his hands, but with all three working against him, Jonathon felt convinced the jig was up. He looked to Cass; her face was one of fear as she stared at her father¡¯s expression. ¡°What have you done to my daughter, you fiend?¡± Mr. Brighton spat at Jonathon, rising from his seat at the table. ¡°Did you come across her during one of your raids and decide she¡¯d make you more money in ransom than selling her as a slave?!¡± Jonathon¡¯s anger surged and his fear was lost at the man¡¯s accusation. As if he would ever trade in human lives! He opened his mouth to defend himself, but Cass spoke first, ¡°Never! He would never do something so terrible as trade in human lives! Yes, you¡¯ve caught us, he is not a trader, he¡¯s a pirate¡­but so am I! But this changes nothing Father. I will marry this man, and you can either learn to accept this and who we are, or you can find a new way to continue your precious bloodline!¡± At this, her hand moved from Jonathon¡¯s leg to his hand. She stood and stormed out of the room, dragging Jonathon behind her. As Jonathon looked back at the two, he couldn¡¯t help but lament the result of the evening. Mrs. Brighton had a look of pure terror and sorrow on her face for her daughter. Mr. Brighton was a mixture of fury, fear, and regret as he watched his daughter storm out of the room, all three of them too stunned to stop her.