I hadn’t even heard the door open, but my eyes crinkle and I turn laughing. My laugh dies when I see him. His curly hair is flat on one side as if he has just woken up. He has a bottle of tequila in each hand.
“Jamie, no...”
His grin is truly the devil’s work. “Oh yes, I heard it was your birthday. You can’t give me any excuses today!”
Riley stretches. I try not to stare at him as he does since, he still hasn’t put a shirt on.
“What did I do to deserve this?” I groan my hands coming down on the bed and my dark hair falling into my eyes as I flop forwards. I hear Jamie’s boots squelch against the floor as he moves towards me.
“Come on, up and at em!” Something pokes me in my side.
“No, go away!”
The bed bounces as a weight lifts from it. I lift my head slightly eyeballing Riley. “Defend me!”
His smile is stiff in response. “Pet, you don’t need me to defend you from Tequila.”
I give up rolling onto my back I accept the bottle Jamie shoves into my face. “Okay, okay! Peace. I’ll drink your bloody tequila.”
“Fantastic, drink up.”
I untwist the bottle and press it to my lips. Pulling a face, I swallow. It tastes like poison. “Ugh, how old is this?” I splutter.
His cheeks are red and dimpled against his pale skin. “It is simply matured.” He pulls the bottle back and I release it willingly. Sniffing the narrow opening he nods. “Yep, matured.” His eyes seem to glaze over for a minute and then he continues. “The Captain wants to see you by the way.”
I sit up pulling my knees to my chest. “Do you think I’m in trouble?” I ask Riley who is slipping his shirt from the day before over his head.
He shrugs, his voice coming out garbled as he pulls his face through the neck hole. “Doubt it, he probably just wants to say happy birthday.”
I stand straightening my clothes. “I better go then... I’ll see you later?”
He nods. “Of course.” Stooping forwards, he gives me a quick kiss. “How’s your birthday so far?”
“It’s been the best.”
I decide to drop my overnight bag off at my cabin before visiting the Captain.
We have only planned to spend the one night on the island before replenishing our supplies and continuing on to Istanbul.
Auristella is there hovering over a vintage looking case when I find her. She looks guiltily up at me as I walk in.
“Cris... I-”
“You don’t need to say anything. I get it.” I lean my back against the bunk, crossing one foot over the other.
Her gaze drops to the silky blue garment she is busy folding. “I know... You’ve been a wonderful friend to me. I feel just terrible leaving.”
“But it’s what you have to do. Don’t feel bad.”
Dropping the item, she moves towards me her hands clasped together and turning pink with the pressure. “I wish you all the best my friend and I am still indebted to you. When you need me I will be there.”
I wave my hand lazily at her. “Don’t be silly.”
“Then forget my debt and know that as your friend I will be there when you need me.”
I smile. “And I’ll be there for you.”
She looks awkwardly down at her feet and I step forward to give her a hug. She smells of lilies and seawater and is softer than I can ever have imagined, like a goose down pillow.
I left her to finish what she needs to do.
“A fine day ta ye Lass!” The Captain greets me with spirit as I enter his compartment.
He is seated on the chaise longue, one leg thrown over the other and his arms stretched out on either side of him.
The old trunk that serves as a coffee table is piled with an assortment of baked goods.
“Good morning sir.” I take a seat beside him. The smell of warm scones and melting butter has my stomach audibly begging me to fill it.
“What’s all this?” I ask. I am suddenly so ravenous all I can think about is grabbing one of the cupcakes slathered in yellow frosting and stuffing it in my mouth. If I could I would do the same with the sugar-coated doughnuts and sponge cake.
“Help yerself. Solange wanted ta spoil me, and I know it’s yer birthday.”
I grab one of the scones pleased to see it is already stuffed with chunks of butter and begin to tear at it.
“Ye look mighty gay today,” he remarks.
“It’s been a good morning,” I reply mid-chew.
His eyes roam the room. “Good, good.”
I pause a large chunk of scone halfway to my mouth. “Are you alright Captain?”
He lifts one arm from his perch and waves me on. “Aye lass.”
I can tell he isn’t being honest with me, but I'm not about to force him to tell me what is giving him crazy eyes. I pop the last of the scone into my mouth. It’s freshly baked warmth travels down my sternum filling me with satisfaction.
I no longer want to devour everything on the table in front of me, although the large chocolate chip cookies do look really good.
The Captain coughs. I turn my attention back to him, ignoring the cookie. “I’ve been thinking lass. I want ye ta take over if I ever leave. Gus will be yer second. I have a great crew, but I couldn’t think of anyone better ta lead them than ye.”
I stared at him dumbfounded. Lowering my gaze, I wipe my crummy hands on my dark jeans. “Why? I don’t know enough to take over! And where is this coming from, are you ill?”
“Nah lass, just precautions. Ye know enough and Gus will help with the rest. Ye need ta know this. Anything can happen at sea.”
I lift my eyes back to his. “You’re joking?”
He shakes his head vigorously moving both of his arms so that his hands are clasped on his lap.
“But I really don’t know what I’m doing!” I know I should be pleased, honoured even, but he is asking a first-year medical student to be a surgeon!
“Cris, yer like me daughter. This is yer legacy now. I’ve watched ye train and I believe in ye, now it’s time ye did the same for yerself.”
I stand up grabbing my hands and twisting them together. “No. I can’t accept this. Nothing is going to happen to you! And anyway, you need a lawyer to approve your will otherwise it won’t be official.”
He presses the fingers of his left hand together, opening and closing them as I speak. I fold my arms to my chest eyeballing him in annoyance.
“I got no time for the law, but here’s what I’ll do lass.” He stands moving to his desk and tearing a parchment in half. “I’ll inscribe it on this here wee parchment and if anything happens ta me ye find Will and ye tell him this is how things are going ta be.”
“Captain! Will isn’t a man, it’s a document stating who gets your assets when you die.”
“Ay! No need ta be swearing at me!” He chastises.
Exasperated I flop back on to the chaise. Now I will eat a cookie. “Fine, you write it down and put it somewhere safe for Will.”
He grins. I'm not sure if he has been playing me this whole time or not but after biting into the soft centre of the cookie I don’t really mind anymore. “Now be off with ye lass and enjoy yer birthday.”
Standing I grab a bunch of cakes. The crew is going to hate me when they discover the Captain's plans for me. I am about to leave when I think back to his obvious dislike for Riley. He is a little older than me, but the Captain treats him anything but a son.
“What about Riley? Why don’t you two get on?”
The Captain seats himself behind his desk and begins moving papers around. “He keeps ta himself. He’s stubborn. Loners can’t be given a man’s full trust, they are too used to looking out for themselves to remain loyal ta ye for long.”
I guess that makes sense, but I’d been a loner throughout high school and I was loyal to the people I loved. “You once told me that he’s an orphan?”
He grunts. “In a sense.” Finally, he locks eyes with me, his brow furrowed. “He�
��s yer lover boy lass, ye should ask him these questions.”
I bite down on my bottom lip. The Captain is right. Riley needs to confide in me, and I can’t force him to speak about a past he so obviously wants to ignore. I venture to the poop deck. Colin and Dante are engaged in a sword fight, Gus sits off to the side carving a flute from bamboo while Keenan, Riley and Jamie argue over a pack of playing cards. This is my life now, my family. Despite everything that has happened I don’t think I could ever go back to being that dorky schoolgirl.
“Cris! You better get over here. Your boyfriend is cheating!” Jamie yells out.
Maybe it is time I relax and have a little fun, after all, it is my birthday.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
My skull feels as if it is contracting and expanding with a dull annoyance of an ache in the centre of my forehead.
I cough, my chest heaving. Rolling over, my hair cascades down so that I am hanging over the side of my bunk. A baby spider scuttles across the wood of the floor. I watch the dust and fluff storm around him as my hair is pulled back.
Closing my eyes, I succumb to the sensation of fingers running through my tresses, the tips tickling my scalp before catching on knots that are gently untangled. The ache seems to pause and I sigh. I immediately regret it since I am alerted to the fact my mouth tastes stale and fruity.
My chest heaves again and I move so that I am resting on my belly, my chin against Riley’s bare chest.
“Ready for eggs and bacon?” He jokes.
My face scrunches up.
“Gag, don’t mention food...”
His chest bounces beneath my jaw.
“Considering how crazy you got last night, I think you need it.”
My cheeks grow hot and I focus my gaze on one of the light hairs on his chest which is straight but bent at the end. Yeah, I’d gotten a little wild, especially when we returned to the cabin. The V between my eyes buckles. The night is a bit of a blur.
“God Riley... I told you guys tequila makes me crazy.”
I tilt my chin so that my cheek meets his skin. My eyes flicking up with worry. Does he think I am a lunatic? He smirks and my heart speeds up.
“You did, but it’s not our fault, you literally stole the bottle from Jamie and refused to give it back. It was nice though, seeing you so...”
“Inebriated?” I groan.
“Free... Relaxed.”
I squint up at him. My body shivering despite the blankets that cover us.
“Ugh, what nonsense came from my mouth?”
His smile is tight. Or maybe I am just imagining it since I feel so vulnerable.
“Nothing that you should be concerned about. We better get up though.”
Giving me a quick peck on the lips he gently moves me to the side of the slim single bunk and manoeuvres past me. I roll on to my back placing the back of my hand onto my forehead and close my eyes. I’d been loud last night. The Captain probably knew that I’d been drinking, among other things... He is going to kill me. How did Jamie do this every day?
I open one eye as I feel Riley’s hair tickle my skin.
“You okay?” He asks peering over at me.
“I think I’m going to be-”
I don’t have time to finish the sentence. Jumping up I push past Riley, sprinting to the toilet.
“I’m never going to drink again!” I splutter from inside the bathroom. My ears are on fire and my nose won’t stop running.
“I’ve heard that from too many people for it to be true. I’ll see you outside okay?”
I nod, but I'm not sure if he sees me. I hear the cabin door close and I sag down next to the toilet in relief. How am I going to get through this day?
Like a sloth, I manage to wash and dress before pummeling on to my bed face down in exhaustion. As if from far away I hear yelling. Pushing myself up on to my elbows it takes a moment for me to stop seeing blobs of colours.
The cabin is dark. The ship lurching so that the small round window is under water. I tumble into the wall holding my hands out to break my fall as the ship rights itself, water droplets racing along with the tight glass of the window.
What the hell is going on? Are we in the middle of a storm?
I sit up shoving my feet into my sturdiest boots. I grab my dagger from my drawer and bound out of my cabin. Running with the sting of nausea behind my heart I follow the sound of chaos to the bridge.
I am not prepared for what I see.
The darkness is the result of the shadow of a massive Zeppelin.
Sparks of electricity seem to be attracted to its side, much like foil in a microwave. The flashes of light have me momentarily blinded.
I cover my eyes, turning my gaze down. Shadows fall around me and with each shadow, the ship sways violently.
Are we under attack?
I begin to retreat. I need to get behind something so that the bloody flashes of electricity won’t confuse me anymore.
“Cris get out of here!”
Riley! I turn to his voice. The lightning making everything look blue and hazy.
“What’s going on?” I yell above the explosive cracking of wild electricity.
“Can’t explain, just go!” He grabs hold of my arm and pulls me back.
Realization sets in, as if my ears have just popped, I hear the yells, the catcalls and the slashing like knives in the wind, the clanging as they hit each other, swords against swords. The intruders are all wearing black their faces covered with balaclavas.
I swallow nervously, my hands searching for my sword. I've left it in the cabin... shit.
Digging in my boot my fist curls around the carved hilt of my dagger.
The top of my arm hurts from Riley’s squeeze. Seeing the dagger in my hand he hisses, “no.”
I try to pull my arm back but his grip is a vice, constricting tighter with each attempt.
“What’s wrong with you? Let me go!”
His eyes seem to glow neon in the bluish light. He looks alien.
“You can’t fight them.”
I stiffen. “Riley, do you know these people?”
He twists his face from mine and then swerves back. I am taken off guard as he grabs each of my shoulders and pushes me toward the edge of the ship.
I scream.
The waves are dark as they gnaw against the side of the ship and with each uncontrolled sway the salt water punches at me. I splutter, digging my nails into his arms.
“Riley!” I gasp.
And then I see why he reacted as he did. Two figures are on us. Riley stabs at them. I dig my feet into the planks of the deck. Biting down on my lower lip, my dagger steady in my hand.
Nothing happens. I look down at the raging sea behind me and curse.
Water... I can’t borrow power from water. Searching the ship, I notice Jamie fighting two men dressed the same as all the others.
I can’t tell how many are on board.
Everything is dark.
All around me is clanging and shouting.
Leaving Riley, I rush forward, twirling gracefully in mid-air, I plunge my dagger into the back of one of Jamie’s attackers. My training has paid off, I can fight and do it well. I land, a puma ready for vengeance.
The man turns grinning at me, yelling, “I’ve got the girl boys!”
That’s when I begin to comprehend what I haven't taken the time to question when I witnessed the attack. These men have attacked my friends... for me? I have put them in danger, and for what? Who are these people? Twenty figures turn, their eyes glinting with each flash of electricity above us. Time is frozen as my friends, my family, take the opportunity to strike them down, one by one I watch as at least seven fall.
The man I've attacked takes the opportunity to grab my arm as I stand stunned.
Riley roars as he tries to get to me. It is his yell that brings me back to reality and what I am facing. I swing again hitting my captor in the eye with my elbow, he stumbles back and I pull my dagger free stabbing again at his
heart, or wherever I can get my trusty little dagger.
As he goes limp, I feel arms grab mine and I twist feverishly until the Captain whispers, “Hush lass, get ta the cabin it’s ye they after.”
I nod, but my pause has already done damage. The Captain slumps against me. The scream that follows is like something out of my nightmares. I crumple down, the Captain’s body draped in my arms. Crimson rushes around my boots mixing with the seawater that has come over from the waves.
“Go.” He rasps trying to push me away.
I stop screaming. I can hardly see with the number of tears cascading from my eyes.
Do I go? Do I stay?
“Cris...” His ebbing voice has me heaving back sobs. Gently I place his torso on the deck and run.
They are after me. He wants me to get to safety. I need to get away, I need time to think, to find whoever did this and kill them! I glance behind me terrified. Heavy breathing to my left alerts me to a presence. It is one of them. Roaring I slice at his throat. He falls, his blood mingling with the water just as the Captain’s had.
Elvin fires a flame arrow from his bow. Another attacker falls. Caiseal is above me, he drops a sack of black sand down from the lookout post, and suddenly everything goes dark.
There is the pounding of my heart and more heavy breathing as another man responsible for the murder of my mentor slows, searching for me.
The black smog smothers me reeking of singed hair and melting tar.
Closing my eyes, I trail my hand across the exterior wall of the bridge searching for the sturdy copper handle that will open the door to my asylum, a place where I will finally be free to see and think clearly.
With my eyes closed and my nose congested with pollution my hearing intensifies. A soft cat like thud alerts me to a new presence behind me. My eyelashes flick up. There is a swish and a crack.
Nervously I swallow, increasing my pace and skidding on wetness. My knees buckle, my upper body slapping against wood. The liquid is sticky and dense, my hands and knees squelching in it as I lift myself up. The nausea cooking in my belly shoots up and I choke back the urge to vomit.
“I presume you’re Cris Scarlet?” The voice comes from the darkness, his silhouette slowly emerging as if he is a mere fabrication of my mind. His pale hand glows as he holds it out to me.
Time Torn Page 20
