Flintlock (Cutlass Series)

by Ashley Nixon

  They continued across the island, moving through the sand until they came to an entrance in the ground. There was a metal door and dark stairs. Barren took the lead this time and helped Aethea down the steps. The process was slow, and Larkin moved down a step at a time behind them, tempted to push them the rest of the way.

  Finally they came to an underground shelter. Barren led Aethea down a hallway that branched off of the main room. Larkin stood in her spot at the end of the stair, staring at the room in wonder. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected. There was simplicity to Silver Crest, a grandness to Sanctuary. And this, this was simply impressive. The shelter wasn’t huge, but it was spacious. People moved around her, going about their business as if the visitors hadn’t even arrived. Children played on the floor, some areas carpeted and others exposed, cold stone. The main area was filled with various things including beds, tables, and chairs. Sheets hung from different parts of the ceiling, creating privacy for sleeping areas. The walls were covered with old wooden planks, and built in shelves were full of books and other strange ornaments. There were two hallways that led off the larger room, but Larkin’s attention was drawn to a long wall of darkness where water seemed to reflect on the surface. She moved toward it and pressed her hand against the wall. It was cold and glass.

  “It’s a window,” said a voice she didn’t recognize. Her gaze met the face of a young man in the reflection of the window, and she turned. He had olive skin, a head of thick, dark hair, and an inviting smirk.

  “Why?” she asked.

  He shrugged and approached her. “Why not? Don’t you think it’s charming?”

  She smiled a little. “I don’t think a pirate creates for charm. She creates for safety, for protection.”

  The man raised his brow. “You think us so single-minded? Some of us are romantics.”

  She laughed. “Single-minded? No. Practical, yes.”

  She heard someone clear his throat behind them, and she turned. Cove was standing there, eyes narrow. He’d been the one to clear his throat, but Larkin’s gaze went straight for Barren, whose eyes burned into hers. It was that angry passion that ignited her senses, but it was jealousy, too.

  “Xavier, don’t you have chores to finish?”

  The boy hesitated, looking between Larkin and the two men who’d joined them. It took him a moment to understand, but when he did, he hurried off. Larkin moved toward Cove and Barren.

  “Did you build this?”

  He laughed. “No, I didn’t. This particular station is older than my Network. I’m not sure who built it, but I’m thankful for it all the same.”

  “You never worried that whoever made it would come back for it?”

  Cove narrowed his eyes a bit. “It’s been abandoned for quite some time. Whoever created it isn’t come back.”

  That made Larkin shudder. Cove and Barren turned and walked down one of the hallways. Larkin followed. They turned into a room on their left. It was a small office, simple but enough for someone living underground. A man stood behind a desk. He had dark skin and eyes, and his head was covered with a scarf. He was reading a long letter. He looked up from it and took a breath before addressing Cove and Barren.

  “Good to see you boys, unexpected as it is,” he said.

  “Kerry,” Cove nodded to the man.

  “I’ve heard about your encounter with Edward,” he began.

  “It doesn’t surprise me that you have. He would be quick to profess his innocence.”

  “He is innocent, from the Elders’ perspective,” said Kerry.

  Larkin watched as Barren grew tense, and she started to wonder if they really had friends here.

  “It seems Edward came after you because the Elders placed a bounty on Larkin’s head,” then he looked at Barren. “They also want you to appear at Sanctuary for sentencing.”

  Barren went rigid, and Larkin felt her heart pick up speed. Barren moved to cover her.

  “We’re not going to have a problem here, are we Kerry?”

  “Not from me,” he said. “But it should be a warning to you that others might not be so dissatisfied with the Elders.”

  “What are the conditions on the bounty?” asked Cove. “Is she to be returned to the Elders or Maris?”

  “Maris,” said Kerry. He looked around on his desk for a moment then picked up a piece of paper, moving it before Barren and Cove. Larkin peered around Barren to look. A face stared back at her. It was her own. She compared it with the one Barren had drawn of her, finding that whosever hand had penned it felt she was much harsher and more wild than Barren had. There was a crudeness to her features, a sneer on her mouth. “They want her alive.”

  “That is bold of them,” said Cove. “Larkin is not one of their own. They do not have a say in her life or death.”

  Larkin wondered why the Elders wanted her in Maris so badly. At the trial they’d wanted her gone. Had they discovered she had magic? Or did they believe she was a traitor?

  “Regardless,” said Kerry, looking at Barren. “Every Network has been advised to retain Larkin and turn you over for sentencing. It is only safe to harbor you one night. Any longer and you may be discovered. Further, a split has occurred among us. Your supporters remain in Silver Crest. The others have taken refuge at Sanctuary.”

  This was terrible and Larkin couldn’t help but feel it was her fault in some way, but at least Silver Crest held out in support of Barren. He had not completely lost everything.

  “Are there Elves frequenting these parts?” Cove asked. “Just before our arrival, we encountered an Elfin ship, destroyed. There was only one surviving member of the crew, and he later died. It seems strange they would be so close to the boarder of the Octent.”

  “There have been more in the past weeks,” said Kerry. “Some come from the Octent, others come from the West. We believe they may be using the Ore Mines while the Orient and the Octent come to a compromise.”

  “You’ve not followed them to confirm this?” asked Barren.

  “It is not easy to follow a ship of Elves,” said Kerry. “They know we’re coming miles away. Besides, their concerns have never been ours.”

  “It is our concern if they are using the Ore Mines. The Elves are as much a part of the Orient as the king,” said Cove.

  “They’ve never felt that way,” said Kerry.

  It was true that Lord Alder did not wish to associate himself with mortals or their world. The only reason he did was to protect his kingdom.

  “Any news from Arcarum?” Cove asked. There was an edge to his voice, as if he dreaded this conversation.

  “The last bit of news we received was this,” he picked up a newspaper from one side of his desk and placed it before Cove. The front page announced Ambassador Rowell’s departure to search for the escaped assassin, the belief that pirates had been involved, and the disappearance of Sara Rosamund. The article hinted at two possibilities, that Sara had been kidnapped by pirates or that she had sailed away with Cove to elope.

  “You know what I’m going to say next,” said Kerry. “There is no lack of rumors.”

  Cove grimaced. “Well, in this case, they are all half-right. Sara was a stowaway on our ship.”

  “You didn’t think to return her?”

  “It was not that simple,” said Cove, and he left it at that. “Send word to Alaster. Request information, specifically on what Ben Willow’s activities have been.”

  Kerry nodded. “I will see it done.”

  They left then. Larkin was shown to her sleeping quarters. She was surprised to find that it was an actual room with two bunk beds. It was small, but she wasn’t going to complain. Sara was already there, sitting on the bottom bed. When Larkin walked in, Sara was sewing the hem of her skirt, though it was still wet from wading through the water earlier.

  “While we are here, perhaps we can find you some clothes,” said Larkin. Sara was smaller than Larkin, and none of her clothes would fit.

  “I am fine,” she said.

>   “Surely you would like to change,” Larkin suggested. Sara’s gown was stained, and the salt water on the hem would discolor the fabric.

  “I said I am fine,” she snapped.

  Larkin regarded the girl for a moment. Tears fell and hit her hands as she worked to sew her dress. Larkin sat down beside the girl. “You can tell me,” she said. “Are you homesick? Do you wish to go home?”

  “No,” she said, and she covered her mouth as her crying grew louder. “No, I do not wish to go home.”

  She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. “He will not speak to me,” she said. “I don’t know what I have done.”

  Larkin sighed and then moved to kneel before the girl. She took the needle and thread from Sara and then took her hands. “Do you not see why Cove is angry?”

  Sara just stared.

  “You are not oblivious,” she said. “I think you realize the mistake you made, and now you cannot take it back. That’s why you’re here. What was between you and Cove, it means you can never be just friends. You were never destined for that.”

  “Just as it was not your decision to marry William, it was not mine to marry Ben. I warned Cove. If he left too often, my father would move on, and he did,” she paused to swallow a sob. “But what I know of him now and this life… how can I accept this? It was better that I were ignorant of it all.”

  Larkin smiled a little. “But you weren’t ignorant of any of it,” she said. “Cove doesn’t want this life for you. You’re a lady. All you’ve ever known is finery.”

  “But you’re a lady and have only known finery,” she argued. “And you fight.”

  “I do,” Larkin said. “You and I, we come from very different backgrounds. My father, whether he realizes it or not, prepared me for this world.”

  “My father prepared me for marriage,” Sara said, almost bitterly, but then perked up quickly. “Will you teach me to fight?”

  “Leaf is already teaching you with the bow. What more would you want to learn?”

  “I want to fight with a blade,” she said, her blue eyes hardened with determination. “It was the first weapon I was given. I want to master it.”

  Larkin studied her for a moment. “Are you doing this for yourself, Sara?”

  “Yes,” she said. “Yes, more for myself than you realize.”

  “Okay,” she said. “I will teach you.”

  Sara reached for Larkin’s hands. “Thank you.”

  There was a knock on the door and it swung open. Barren appeared. Larkin rose to her feet.

  “Come,” he said. “We are meeting.”

  ***

  They crowded into a small room with a long table. The feel of this shelter was much like being on a ship. The ceilings were low, and the same creaks and moans ensured that it was never quiet.

  When they’d arrived, Slay had been sleeping with his feet propped up on the table. Sam had slammed his fist on the table to wake him up, and the dwarf had drawn a knife to illustrate his anger. Cove glared at them, and Slay put the knife away.

  With the door closed, the air became hot. Larkin wasn’t sure how long she could stay in here. Her anger had already flared when Barren left them to retrieve Aethea from whatever hole she’d been placed in. When he walked in with her, her eyes were no longer blindfolded. He directed the assassin to a chair at the table, and she sat, back straight, arms tied behind her back. Larkin kept her eyes averted.

  Barren sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, as if he were irritated. “We cannot all go into Aryndel,” said Barren. It was the same tune he always sung before they did things like this. “If we leave our ship unwatched, it will likely be looted, and if we all entered Aryndel, there will be no one to help us get out in the event we are captured.” Larkin glared at him, daring him to tell her to stay. He met her stare. He already knew what she was thinking. The last time he’d asked her to stay on the ship, she’d snuck into one of the worst prisons in Mariana. It hadn’t gone well for either of them. “I would like to bring Leaf and Sam with me. Aethea will lead us to Sabine. Everyone else will remain on the ship. If we need aid, Cove can organize a rescue party.”

  “What am I to do?” Larkin asked.

  “I don’t want you there,” said Barren.

  “You don’t want me there?” The pain she felt at his words just made her angry. “Yet you’d trust the assassin to lead you to Sabine? The assassin who used the vacair to kill your brethren? As if she doesn’t have plans to kill you!”

  It was dangerous for her to speak about the assassin in such a way, especially considering what Aethea knew, but Larkin was tired of being overshadowed.

  “Aethea has nothing to do with this,” Barren grated.

  “You both keep talking like I’m not here,” Aethea’s voice made Larkin’s skin crawl. “If it will ease your mind, Lady Larkin, I assure you I do not intend to kill your beloved.”

  “As if your word means anything,” Larkin spat.

  It was the first time Aethea didn’t smirk at something said to her. The assassin pressed her lips together tightly, and her eyes seemed to burn into her. There was silence, and then Barren spoke.

  “It’s hard enough to go back to the Underground without Christopher Lee’s daughter. You will be a target.”

  “Go back? What do you mean?” Larkin asked. She’d never heard of Barren going to the Underground in the first place. And if she was merely a target, then why hadn’t he sent her back to Maris already? He was starting to sound like the Elders. He was turning her into a burden. “Are you going to explain this to me, or are you going to pretend like it never happened?”

  He stared at her for a long moment, biting the inside of his lip. Everyone in the cabin looked away, and Larkin realized she was the only one left in the dark. “There is little to hide, I suppose. There was a time when the Underground benefited Silver Crest as much as it has the king. My crew and I worked for the Underground. It’s how I met Leaf.”

  “So what happened?”

  “Silver Crest broke from the Underground,” Barren said with a shrug. “More than likely, it was to ease tension. The Underground works with the Avalon pirates, too.”

  “And what were you made to do?”

  “We were Runners. We did what we were asked,” said Barren. “I’ll let you imagine what that means.”

  “I don’t want to imagine!” she hissed.

  “We moved inventory, destroyed rival shipments, killed lead dealers,” said Leaf. Barren glared at him. “The Underground is as much a market as it is a race. We did what we did, and we don’t anymore. That should be all that matters.”

  “Just like Éire doesn’t matter?” She stared at Barren, waiting for him to speak, but harsh silence filled the room. “Leave us,” Barren said, and his crew stood and left. Cove directed Aethea from the room. She was clearly amused. When the door shut, heat built in the air between them.

  “While my crew and I were Runners for the Underground, I was betrayed by one of my own. Issac Noble spoke of a traitor on the ship. He believed Ambrose, one of my closest advisors, would betray me to the Éire fleet. We were delivering a shipment from the Underground. I kept Ambrose close to me. I never voiced what I suspected. When we were attacked, I killed him quickly. There was a battle, and it wasn’t until after that I learned Isaac was the true traitor.”

  There was silence, and Larkin just stared, shocked. That was not the story she expected him to tell.

  “I want to know who told you about Ambrose,” he said. His voice quavered as he spoke, full of pain and anger. “I deserve to know!”

  She just glared, and he grew angry, hitting the table with his fist.

  “Tell me, dammit!”

  Her throat worked, and the words tumbled from her mouth.

  “Ben Willow,” she said.

  “Ben Willow?” He was surprised. "How did you happen to speak with him?"

  She averted her eyes, but they grew red and watery with tears. “At the ball.”


  “You spoke with him at the ball?”

  “I was attacked,” she said. “It was a trap.”

  “You were attacked and told no one?”

  “I-I couldn’t.”

  “You couldn’t tell anyone? Why? Because you didn’t want to admit you were looking for your father? Larkin, I already had that figured out.”

  His voice rose. It made her want to cover her ears.

  “So what did Ben Willow hold over your head to bring you to his side?”

  “I’m not on his side!” she argued.

  “To hell you’re not!” he countered. “You’ve lied to me. You’re supposed to tell me everything!”

  “Well, you don’t make that easy!”

  “It isn’t always going to be easy!” he growled, and he shook his hands in the air. “Ben Willow gave us hell in Arcarum, and now you’re telling me it’s because he knew we were there. Don’t you think this is dangerous for Cove? Don’t you realize it could get him killed?”

  She had realized that. That’s why she’d told Cove the truth, or most of it anyway. As she stared back at Barren, taking in the pain and disbelief on his face, she knew she should tell him that Cove was aware of the situation, that they had a plan—that things would be okay. But she couldn’t. If Barren knew, he would not let her complete her goal, and his relationship with Cove would be wounded. No, the burden would fall upon her.

  “My choices were just as bad as your choices,” Larkin argued. “I cannot justify them, but you brought soldiers right to Cove’s door when you kidnapped Aethea. It is the same thing.”

  “Is that where you were that night?” he asked, ignoring her accusation. “You went back to him?”

  She did not speak, and Barren leaned forward, pressing his palms against the table. “If Ben Willow is the man I think he is, you had better think twice before you place your trust in him.”

  “Who said I trusted him?”

  “Your actions speak volumes.”

  The door opened and Cove stood there. “Larkin, a word.”