My brush is still lying on the dressing table. Just brushing my hair takes more energy than ever before. My arms feel like lead weights as I pull the brush through my wild coppery mane. Perhaps my body hasn't recovered yet from my impulsive use of magic yesterday. My eyes wander from the bed to the door. Should I go back to sleep or head up to the deck? Curiosity pushes exhaustion aside, the call of the sea too much to resist. I drop the brush on the table and braid my hair with shaking fingers before heading out the door.
The sound of metal clashing echoes through the air on deck. In the center of the ship Zane and Taranis are sparring while the crew watches from a safe distance. Neither man seems to be holding back. Skirting around the fighting men, I reach the stairs up to the helm and scale them. Several pirates are leaning up against the railing overlooking the deck. When I appear they move aside to make a space for me in the middle.
"How long have they been at it?" I ask the group of men.
"Half an hour or so," a red-haired pirate replies. "You want in on the betting pool? It's not too late."
"I'll pass thanks."
Only a moron would bet against Zane. Although I have to admit, it appears Taranis is putting up a good fight. He rushes at Zane with a series of furious swings, which are all parried with ease. When he leaps away, Zane charges him. Taranis manages to parry all but one swing. This one he blocks with the large silver gauntlet on his left forearm. Zane takes a step back and lowers his sword.
"Had enough yet, pirate?" he asks laughing.
Taranis is staring at him in cool silence, but his breathing is a bit labored. When the captain rushes him, Zane drops to the ground and knocks him down with a leg sweep. Taranis sprawls on the deck but doesn't lose his sword. Zane leaps to his feet and moves to place his sword at the rogue's throat. Taranis manages to block the strike with his gauntlet before leaping back to his feet.
"I guess not," Zane observes.
Taranis gazes up at me with a leer and a wicked smirk. I don't even have time to gulp before he vaults over the rail to seize me around the waist. My shriek is somewhere between a cry of surprise and a laugh when Taranis pulls me against his side, pointing his sword at Zane.
"Drop your sword, mercenary," he commands.
"Why would I do that?" Zane asks scowling. He's obviously not happy with the direction of the fight. For my part, I lean against Taranis, trying hard not to laugh.
"I have your woman," Taranis declares. "I'm sure you wouldn't want to see her harmed."
"I know you won't hurt her, pirate," Zane says, exasperation apparent in his eyes and his voice.
With a smirk, I glance up at the pirate's jubilant face. I have to agree with Zane. Taranis is as harmless as a puppy.
"Now either get back down here or surrender," Zane yells.
"What if I do this?" Taranis asks, pulling on my braid and baring my neck to him.
His lips start trailing feather light kisses up my neck. I'm too shocked to do anything but stand in his embrace.
"Oh, that's it!" Zane shouts, running toward us. "You're a dead man!"
"Sorry my gorgeous beauty," Taranis says laughing, "gotta go!" He leaps off the railing just as Zane reaches my side.
"Are you all right?" Zane asks, cupping my cheek. I try to keep it in but to no avail. My laughter rings out, and I'm doubled over by the force of it. "I'll take that as a yes," he mumbles before he takes off running after Taranis. "You may as well surrender, pirate! Where are you going to run? This is a ship!"
"You'll never catch me, old man!" Taranis yells from the boom of the aft sail.
"Old man? I'm twenty!"
Zane stops in the middle of the deck, staring at Taranis. Then he extends his arm palm out toward the rogue. A torrent of water rains down soaking the captain. The drenched pirate manages to keep his footing on the boom, pushing his sodden hair out of his face.
"So that's how we're playing this, huh?" Taranis shouts.
The pirate flings his arm toward Zane and a violent gust of wind sends him flying into the cabin door. Taranis leaps down from the boom, stalking toward the fallen mercenary. Zane rises and appears to prepare another spell.
"Enough! Both of you!" I cry, throwing my arms in the air.
Bright silver light shoots from my fingertips, sending multicolored prisms raining down around the two men. Reaching out, I catch one of the prisms on my palm. It disappears when it touches my hand, leaving nothing behind but pleasant warmth. When I glance back up, everyone on the ship is staring at me, most with mouths agape.
"Oops?" I say, my cheeks flushing from embarrassment. Zane starts laughing and soon Taranis joins in. Then the rest of the crew relaxes.
"Come here, Love," Zane says.
I trudge down the steps and walk up to Zane, expecting to be chastised. He takes me in his arms, and I collapse in his embrace.
"You're already quite powerful. Now if we can only teach you control. Remember I told you light magic wields itself?" I nod. "It's attached to your emotions making it incredibly easy to have an unfortunate accident." I nod again, hiding my red face in his shoulder.
"Don't be upset, Ashlyn," Taranis says, stroking my hair. "Your light show was quite amazing and no harm was done."
Zane fixes him with a dark glare, but the captain ignores him and continues to play with my braid.
"I'm really tired," I murmur, "and hungry."
"All right we'll get you some breakfast then some rest," Zane says, picking me up in his arms. Taranis opens the cabin door, moving aside so Zane can carry me through.
"Bring her to my room," Taranis says. "She'll be more comfortable there."
Taranis opens the door to his quarters, and Zane releases a loud sigh before carrying me through the doorway. He places me on Taranis's soft bed.
"I'll have Hanna bring us some breakfast," Taranis says before leaving the room.
Zane climbs onto the bed beside me and pulls me into his arms. Snuggling back against his firm chest, I close my eyes, just to rest for a moment… perhaps two...
Chapter Twenty-Three
What Happens on the Pirate Ship…
Soft talking awakens me. Cracking an eye open I scan the room. Zane and Taranis are across the room by the bookshelf speaking in low voices.
"She never taught me how to heal," Taranis says. "I don't think she knew how."
"Well it's not difficult. Only water and light can heal," Zane says. "You gather your energy and force it into the person you wish to heal. Ashlyn picked it up immediately."
"Yeah but you said light magic is like, really easy to use," Taranis grouses.
"I'll slice my arm so you can practice," Zane says. There's silence for a few moments.
"Aww, man, you're gonna get blood all over my new rug," Taranis whines.
"Heal me before that happens," Zane demands. "Focus. Imagine the water entering my wound." There's more silence, then Zane hisses in pain. "Not real water, you moron! The energy of water."
Curious, I sit up to see what happened. Zane's arm is covered in water. Pink droplets drip from his forearm, soaking into the rug beneath him. I stifle my laughter and wait to see what'll happen.
"Ugh! Maybe I'd be better at this if you explained it clearer," Taranis says scowling. Zane picks up a dagger from the desk beside him and slices the captain's arm. "What in blazes did you do that for?"
"I'll heal you," Zane barks. "Pay attention."
He places his hand over the wound on the captain's arm. There's a soft blue glow and by the relief on Taranis's face, I assume the wound healed.
"Now you try again," Zane orders. "My arm's starting to hurt quite a bit."
"Okay, I think I got it now," Taranis says, closing his eyes. He places his hand above the wound on Zane's arm. Soft blue light glows from his palm then fades. "I did it!"
"Pretty good," Zane says, inspecting his arm, "now you just need more practice."
Taranis has an evil glint in his eyes. I'm about to warn Zane when the captain pulls a dagger from his boo
t and grabs at him.
"Not on me! Find someone else," he demands, shoving Taranis away. Stepping forward, I place my arms around Zane's waist and lean into his back. "Not on her either," he adds when Taranis glances in my direction.
"I would never harm such a beauteous angel," Taranis says in mock outrage. "I'll just go up on deck and see which of those scalawags need healing. Someone's always hurt. I swear I have the clumsiest crew afloat." He heads to the door.
"Wait. Before you go I have a question," I call out to his retreating form. The captain stops and turns around.
"What is it my lovely goddess?" he asks with a bright smile.
"It's about your crew. Why are there so many teenage boys with you?"
"They're mostly orphans and orphanages suck. My parents feared and avoided me due to my magical abilities. Hanna, my nanny, basically raised me from infancy. I know what it's like to be completely unwanted by everyone. So Hanna and I take in the older boys from the orphanage, offer them food and shelter in exchange for their work on the ship," he says with a shrug. "Most of these boys have no family at all. Hanna and I are the closest they have. Many would end up turning to a life of crime. This keeps them out of trouble."
"But you're pirates," I say, my mind swimming in confusion. "Isn't that basically a sea bandit — a criminal? How can a pirate possibly stay out of trouble? Wouldn't it kinda defeat the whole purpose of being a pirate?"
"Nah, we may call ourselves pirates, but we'd never rob or harm an innocent." His lips curl up at the corners, and his deep blue eyes crinkle around the corners. "Think of us as sea mercenaries." He bows his head then exits the room.
"He's an enigmatic person, isn't he?" I murmur. "Do you think he has multiple personalities?"
"I doubt it," Zane says laughing. "I think he hides his compassionate nature behind a carefully built facade. You don't think I'd allow a moronic lecher to accompany us do you?"
The ship suddenly lurches, and I fall into Zane. He catches me, but we both tumble to the floor when the ship shakes again. We jump to our feet, running out to the deck. Taranis is on the starboard side, yelling a string of curses.
"What's wrong?" Zane yells.
"Kraken," he replies, "we need to take it out before it destroys the ship!"
Leaning out over the rail, I'm astonished at the creature in the water. It's an enormous, blue squid-like monstrosity with two large eyes, black as pitch, each at least as large as Freya. Multiple tentacles flail around smashing into the water while several wrap around the ship. In all my life I've never seen a being this massive, as tall as the tallest tree in the forest and as wide as a house.
"Everyone get down below!" Taranis orders. The crew obeys, fleeing to the aft stairwell. "Okay, Zane, help me destroy this thing!"
"Kraken's are highly aligned with darkness. Ashlyn, attack it with your light magic," Zane orders, his eyes meeting mine.
I gape at him. What if I fail? I'm not sure I can attack since I have yet to practice.
"Now! Don't think, just do it! Taranis and I will protect you. You're stronger than you realize. Concentrate and destroy that thing before it hurts one of the boys down below."
Gathering my energy, I picture the weapon I thought of several nights ago. Chambering my right hand against my body, I build the energy around me until I can feel it tingling against my skin. Then I thrust my right hand forward, palm toward the monster.
"Prism spear!" I shout.
The light magic gathers into a multicolored lance that flies through the air and pierces the kraken through the body, blinding us with a brilliant flash of light. When the light fades, the kraken sinks back into the depths of the ocean, tentacles thrashing in a wild dance before ceasing all movement. I'm winded from the amount of energy I expended. When I glance over at Zane, he has an awestruck expression on his face. He picks me up and spins around on the deck with me in his arms.
"That was amazing! No, it was astounding!" He laughs. "Delistaire won't stand a chance against an attack like that."
The rest of the crew starts filtering back onto the deck now that the ship is no longer shaking. Throwing my arms around Zane's neck, I lean into him still dizzy from the spinning.
"You may thank your savior," Taranis informs his crew. "Ashlyn took the monster out single handedly and with only one hit."
There's excited chatter as the story spreads among the crew. I spend the rest of the afternoon sitting on a blanket next to the helm, while watching Taranis and Zane continue to spar with swords, daggers, and the occasional magic spell. Crew members come to sit with me whenever they get a break from their duties. Each one showers me with thanks and adoration. However, the most enjoyable part of the whole afternoon is listening to the story of my conquest grow wilder and wilder with each retelling. Well that and the chocolate cookies Hanna baked to celebrate my victory.
****
The rest of the week aboard the pirate ship flies by in a fantastic blur. I can't remember ever having this much fun my entire life. The days are filled with sparring and magic practice. My control has continued to improve much to my constant amazement. The light magic just seems to flow from within, almost like an extension of myself. Zane and I spend the evenings in Taranis's quarters. We stay up late into the night talking and laughing.
Taranis still acts the lecher at times, but now I find it humorous and only a tad irritating. It seems almost like a bad habit, an old defense mechanism. Perhaps we can break him of it over time. Tonight's our last night on the ship. Taranis expects to dock in Karina tomorrow in the early morning.
Zane and I are seated on the sofa in Taranis's room when he bursts through the door, an excited look on his face.
"So I heard from a certain persistent creature that today is your birthday, my fiery vixen," Taranis says, crossing the cabin with his hands behind his back.
"I'm sorry," I say, shaking my head in confusion. "What creature?"
"Shadow stalked me all afternoon until I finally understood the images he was projecting to me," Taranis replies with a smirk.
"Is this true?" Zane asks me, smiling as he caresses my cheek.
Am I the only one who finds it odd that Shadow is communicating something as inconsequential as my birthday to Taranis?
When I nod, he says, "Happy Birthday, Love." Zane's kiss is soft and gentle, yet it still leaves me a bit breathless.
"Well, since he probably won't let me kiss you, I brought some Meriban wine to celebrate," Taranis says as he displays the bottle with a puffed out chest. "It's the finest wine on the continent."
"And the strongest," Zane warns. "Take it easy with that stuff."
After Hanna drops off the evening meal, the captain opens the bottle of wine. I've never had wine before and find the woodsy berry flavor quite enjoyable. Taranis keeps my glass full, and it's not long before my head starts feeling strange. I'm having quite a bit of difficulty focusing my eyes.
When Taranis calls out to me, I whip my head around only to see two of him. That's just plain scary seeing as one is already more than I can handle. The strangest part is everything just seems so hilarious. I can't stop laughing at anything and everything. I lurch to my feet, falling into Zane’s waiting arms as everything fades to black around me.
****
It's morning. The light against my closed eyes is too bright, and my head is throbbing like a second heartbeat. As I sit up, I try to recall the events of the previous evening. Why does my head feel like someone's stabbing it over and over? When I crack an eye open, I realize I'm in Taranis's bed.
Holy Goddess, what am I doing here?
At least I'm alone and fully clothed. Breathing a huge sigh of relief, I flop back down onto the bed, grimacing when blinding pains shoot through my head again. Now the room won't stop spinning. I throw my arm over my face to block out the annoying light. The door opens, and I listen to soft footsteps crossing the room, followed by a tiny clatter over by the sofa.
"All right, dear," Hanna says in a cheerful voice tha
t turns my stomach. "It's time to get up and have some tea and toast."
My stomach rebels at the thought of food. I groan at the mere idea of eating.
"Oh, you poor thing, Taranis told me what he did to you last night."
Dear Goddess, what did he do to me?
"I've told that boy more than once to stay away from Meriban wine, potent stuff that wine is. Now get over here and eat young lady," she orders.
"Okay, I'm coming."
I drag myself off the bed, collapsing on the sofa. Hanna hands me an herb, and I gobble it down, ignoring the bitter taste. Deciding I can choke down toast, I take a few small nibbles, followed by a sip of tea. The tea is heaven sent. I start feeling better almost immediately.
"Where are Zane and Taranis?"
"They're locked up in separate cells in the brig," she says with a chuckle. "It took most of the crew to corral Taranis. Zane simply asked to be locked up away from you. He was spouting something about you having to remain pure for your quest."
Warmth floods my cheeks. To my horror, she continues the tale.
"He screamed that he couldn't resist you any longer and said we needed to lock him up to save your virtue."
Dear Goddess, it just keeps getting worse.
"Why'd you have to lock up Taranis?" I ask, already fearing the answer.
"After we locked up Zane, Taranis declared you were now fair game. I was honestly afraid that man of yours was gonna break down the bars of his cell."
Unable to face Hanna any longer, I hide my scarlet face in my hands.
"Some of the crew tackled the captain before he could make it back to you. Funny thing is you slept through the whole thing. I haven't laughed so hard in ages!"
"Why are they still locked up?" I ask, choosing to ignore her boisterous laughter.
"None of us are brave enough to let them out so we decided to let you do it," she says through bits of laughter. "Come, if you've finished breakfast it's time to let the ogres out of their cells."
She rises and I follow her from the room without a word. When we reach the deck, everyone stops to stare at me. Trying to ignore the blatant curiosity, I follow Hanna down the aft stairs to the brig. Zane and Taranis occupy cells across from each other. They're both sitting on the floor glaring daggers at each other. Hanna hands the key to me and slips away. Inching closer, I'm careful to remain out of reach of the two prisoners. As soon as they see me, both men jump up and start talking over each other.
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