Salvage

by R J Theodore

  But the education proved unnecessary. When Zeela emerged from the companionway, Talis gained a new level of appreciation for the woman’s ability to surprise her.

  To start, her hair was all but gone. The sides were shaved in an undercut, the remaining strip sensibly braided and bound against her scalp, falling to just between her shoulder blades. The only adornments were circumstantial decorations on the barrettes that kept loose strands in place.

  Gone were the full skirts, the billowing sleeves, the gemstones that once dotted her skin down the length of her face and neck. She wore a slim-tailored suit of blue-stained leather insulated with a layer of quilted cotton, which climbed from the open collar of her suit to ensconce her neck, covering the fresh tattoo Kirna had completed the evening before.

  Her silk slippers had been traded for ankle-high leather boots with textured soles, which matched the textured pads on the gloves covering both pairs of hands. She swept a segmented cane along the deck before her, her steps confident and steady, and barely relied on the elbow Amos extended as he walked up the accessway with her. They joined Scrimshaw and Kirna on the bench beneath the wheelhouse, out of the way of the crew but still close to the action. Zeela tucked her feet beneath her and crossed her ankles. She made no comment. More importantly, made no sign of expecting any special treatment. Only made clear her intention to be present.

  Talis exchanged raised eyebrows with Tisker. He shrugged, a bewildered grin on his face.

  “Didn’t you say something about hiring a larger crew, Cap?”

  She harrumphed. “What I had in mind was a crew with a bit more sailing experience.”

  Tisker swung his head to toss his prayerlocks back. He rested a hand on the steering console’s altitude lever. “We all started from nothing.”

  Talis looked over the assembly on her deck. Rakkar alchemists who once would have shied away from the edge of their island, never mind lean over the railing of a ship to steal from the gods. A Vein entrepreneur who went from greedy manipulator to revolutionary. And the crew that had been with her the whole time. All save one very absent figure.

  They had come through the worst of things behind them. Seemed ready for the worst of what was to come.

  “Fair enough. Show me what you’ve got.”

  Tisker pushed forward on the lever while everyone else seemed to sit up a bit straighter.

  Green light cast upward from everyone’s throats as they rose away from Subrosan levels and their sails caught the airstream that would take them out past the forgotten edges of the Imperial border, following Zeela’s lead on Helsim Breaker’s ring.

  Chapter 50

  The Temple of the Feathered Stone was well equipped to handle an island’s worth of refugees. More, even, but not all islands were fortunate to be out of the way of Peridot’s trade winds.

  Illiya and her acolytes visited with each person who came to the temple, bringing food and water to those gathered in the caverns beneath the Fall Island tableland. Jeska taught the other girls to knit, and they made blankets until they ran out of yarn. Then they handed out their vestments, then tore any other material to strips and made blankets from those.

  Who did not visit, Illiya noticed, was the raven whose people these were.

  The congregation asked for their goddess, and the High Priestess inwardly cursed Onaya every time she had to make some excuse.

  Until one day she tired of the excuses. The hypocrisy and the lies.

  She looked up from tending the hearth fires, to where her junior priestess was sweeping up beneath the raven perches. She was barely visible in the shadows there. They had not lit the tunnel sconces that led to the communion chamber, saving the candles for the rooms now full of sanctuary seekers.

  “Jeska, do you trust me?”

  The sound of sweeping ceased, and Jeska’s silhouette stilled. “Of course, High Priestess.”

  “We have not had word from Onaya.”

  “No, High Priestess.”

  Illiya sighed and crossed to her desk. She pulled out the codex from her bottom drawer and placed it square on the surface.

  “I am declaring the Temple of the Feathered Stone for the new goddess, Meran.”

  Even the ravens on their perches seemed shocked into silence.

  “You will have questions, I know.” She put a hand on the codex. “But my research is here; I believe it will ease your spiritual burden.”

  Jeska stepped out of the shadows, into the illuminated area before the hearth. The firelight reflected off the steel surface of a tri-bladed dagger gripped in her hand.

  Illiya stood straight up, startled and speechless.

  “I do, in fact, have questions.” A deep voice sounded from behind Jeska, and a man stepped out of the shadows at her side. Illiya knew him, but it took a moment. Talis’s man. Dukkhat Kheri. Behind him, a small army of temple sailors.

  “What is the meaning of—” Her words faltered, then failed.

  In the middle of Dukkhat Kheri’s chest, four angry magenta eyes opened and seemed to stare directly into Illiya’s soul. “A very good question to begin with.”

  “Shiny Bright Captain”

  Well our captain is a high-born type;

  Proper man, captain! Shiny bright captain!

  You should see his palecoat catch the light;

  Proper man, captain! Shiny bright captain!

  He’ll polish his buttons straight through the night.

  Toast to our captain! Proper man, captain!

  The captain ain’t a bastard like you an’ me;

  Proper man, captain! Shiny bright captain!

  No, the Captain’s got a pretty little ancestry;

  Proper man, captain! Shiny bright captain!

  You could fall to your death from his fam’ly tree.

  Toast to our captain! Proper man, captain!

  Our captain inherited an island home;

  Proper man, captain! Shiny bright captain!

  Doesn’t have to sail where the winds push on;

  Proper man, captain! Shiny bright captain!

  And when we dock that’s where he’s go’n.

  Toast to our captain! Proper man, captain!

  Acknowledgements

  Behind every great author is a long list of people who worry whether that author has eaten today or had any water recently.

  Thanks go to my family, who helped me build our dream studio and to my husband Matt, who (I think) forgave me for almost never emerging from it.

  To Miri Baker, who deserves this sentence to be written in 72 point type, for keeping my spirits up during late-round revisions and reminding me to get over myself.

  To the Author Sack hive mind, for their enthusiasm, herd immunity, and emojis.

  To Julie Dillon, for another glorious cover illustration.

  To Colin and Ryan at Parvus Press, for pushing me to make this the most unrelenting book that it could be and for the faith, enthusiasm, and work they’ve invested in my genre-defying world.

  To everyone who asks how the process is going, even though they know the can of worms that question opens.

  To my patrons and friends on Patreon, whose support is profoundly validating and comforting when I forget who I am and how I got here.

  My sincerest gratitude to each of you.

  Thank you for being awesome.

  About the Author

  R J Theodore is hell bent on keeping herself busy. No, really, if she has two minutes to rub together at the end of the day, she invents a new project with which to ­occupy them.

  She enjoys reading, design, illustration, video games (she will take you down in Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo), binging on movies and streaming series, napping with her cats, and cooking. She is passionate about art and coffee.

  R J Theodore lives in New England with her family.

  In 2018, Theodore ma
de her publishing debut with her self-published novella The Bantam, and her novel Flotsam, Book One of the Peridot Shift series, published by Parvus Press.

  Read about her writing process, find her on social media, and subscribe to her reader list for updates, announcements, and free short fiction by visiting rjtheodore.com

  A Word From Parvus Press

  www.ParvusPress.com

  Thank you for choosing a Parvus title and supporting independent publishing. If you loved Flotsam, your review on Goodreads or your favorite retailer’s website is the best way to support the author. Reviews are the lifeblood of the independent press.

  Also, we love to hear from our readers and to know how you enjoyed our books. Reach us on our website, engage with us on Twitter (@ParvusPress) or reach out directly to the publisher via email: colin@parvuspress.com. Yes, that’s his real email. We aren’t kidding when we say we’re dedicated to our readers.

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  Thanks for being Parvus People,

  —The Parvus Press Team

  Glossary

  May contain spoilers. Entries for Peridot’s deities are listed under the “Religion” section of this glossary.

  Characters

  Amos Ekinax: Absent-minded professor and alchemist. Has read so many books. Likes his tea hot. Would probably find your troubles fascinating. Rakkar. Pronouns are he/him.

  Annie: Daughter of a royal servant in the palace at Diadem. Playmate of Crown Princess Emeranth. Later, assistant to the royal dressmaker. Cutter. Pronouns are she/her.

  Bill: Transporter of totally innocuous cargo and owner/operator of The Folly. Cutter. Pronouns are he/him.

  Behn: Bouncer at the Firespout Triumphant Lounge. Not on duty the evening Talis stops by to visit Tisker. Rakkar. Pronouns are he/him.

  Broste: Paternus. Runs a crime ring in Subrosa. Cutter. Pronouns are she/her.

  Catkin: Non binary tutor for Emeranth in the capital. Lapidary in Rakkar mines beneath Heddard Bay. Attendant at Molten River Memorial Library in Lippen. Breaker. Pronouns are they/them.

  Chel: Captain of ship Im Ufite Rantor commissioned by Eneil zur Selki. Bone. Pronouns are she/her.

  Demir: High-ranking member (Patron) of the Veritors of the Lost Codex. Official of the Imperial Court. Ambassador to the Yu’Nyun refugees. Cutter. Pronouns are he/him.

  Dug: Former first mate of Wind Sabre. Works in ruby, sapphire, and emerald mines of Heddard Bay. Highly skilled with cutting edges. Somewhat skilled at reining in Talis’s impulses. Full name is Dukkhat Kheri. Bone. Pronouns are he/him.

  Emeranth: Crown Princess of the Emperor and Empress and heir to the Cutter Empire. Pronouns are she/her.

  Eneil zur Selki: Merchant who contracted Im Ufite Rantor to carry out a salvage operation on behalf of an unknown party. Vein. Pronouns are they/them.

  Faelyn: Wife of Paternus Grimm. Cutter. Pronouns are she/her.

  Faha: First mate of ship Ketzali het Parantu commissioned by the Temple of the Feathered Stone and in service to Onaya Bone. Bone. Pronouns are she/her.

  Fayal Tazrian: Historical king of Bone people, negotiated treaties over placement of border with Cutter Empire that heralded a mostly stable peace for generations. Said some pretty smart stuff, too. Bone. Pronouns were he/him.

  Fens Yarrow: A Cutter man from the nineteenth generation post-Recreation who built a weapon in order to kill The Five. Executed by Onaya Bone for his intended deicide. His weapon disappeared, but some Veritors hold that it was completed, and that it is possible to find and use it. Pronouns were he/him.

  Flinch: Paternus. Runs a crime ring in Subrosa. Cutter. Pronouns are he/him.

  Grimm: Paternus. Runs a crime ring in Subrosa. Cutter. Pronouns are he/him.

  Hankirk: Former captain of the Imperial naval service. Heir to Fens Yarrow’s dubious legacy. Member of the Veritors of the Lost Codex. Assistant to Hrrin’ru’taetin in Diadem and counsel to Crown Princess Emeranth. Grand architect of Talis’s frustration. Cutter. Pronouns are he/him.

  Hrrin’ru’taetin: Yu’Nyun Representative of Culture and Integration (and let’s be real, that last should be ‘interrogation’). Lives and attends court in Cutter Imperial capital of Diadem to represent the Yu’Nyun refugees whose ships were destroyed by Peridot’s Gods at Nexus. Yu’Nyun. Pronouns are xe/xin/xist.

  Illiya: High Priestess of Onaya Bone at the Temple of the Feathered Stone on Fall Island in Bone territory. Formerly an interrogator for hire. Bone. Pronouns are she/her.

  Jace: Captain of The Folly, Bill’s cat.

  Jeska: Junior priestess of the Temple of the Feathered Stone on Fall Island. Direct assistant to High Priestess Illiya. Bone. Pronouns are she/her.

  Jones: Shipbuilder of Subrosa. Built Wind Sabre, among others in his portfolio. Impatient, proud, and cranky. Cutter. Pronouns are he/him.

  Kirna: Trans woman alchemist and assistant to Amos Ekinax. Knows a lot more than he gives her credit for. Can’t find her favorite hair clip (it’s already in her hair). Rakkar. Pronouns are she/her.

  Liara: Shop attendant at Zeela’s House of Antiquities in the Platform District of Subrosa. Vein. Pronouns are she/her.

  Lita: Royal servant to Crown Princess Emeranth. Cutter. Pronouns are she/her.

  Nisa: Manager at Heddard Bay Harbor office. Accountant extraordinaire. Rakkar. Pronouns are she/her.

  Oren: Bouncer at the Firespout Triumphant Lounge on duty the evening Talis stops by to visit Tisker. Rakkar. Pronouns are he/him.

  Reian: Seniormost shop attendant at Zeela’s House of Antiquities in the Platform District of Subrosa. Vein. Pronouns are she/her.

  Scrimshaw: Nickname given to the former linguist who accompanied Wind Sabre’s crew during their escort mission to Fall Island. Disassociated from Yu’Nyun. Goste of Subrosa. Pronouns are xe/xin/xist (as Yu’Nyun linguist), ghi/ghin/ghist (at the hands of Hrrin’ru’taetin), and si/sin/sist among the crew of Fortune’s Storm.

  Sekkai: Captain of ship Ketzali het Parantu commissioned by the Temple of the Feathered Stone and in service to Onaya Bone. Bone. Pronouns are she/her.

  Sophie: Previous engineer for Wind Sabre. Grew up on a colony airship with too many siblings and overprotective aunts. Talented mechanic and designer of successful capstan and winch systems to make large airships more manageable for smaller crews. Nanny, housekeeper, and thief. Cutter. Pronouns are she/her.

  Talis: Former captain of Wind Sabre. Dock worker at Heddard Bay Harbor. Thief, killer, and professional worrier. Cutter. Pronouns are she/her.

  Tisker: Former pilot of Wind Sabre. Front manager at Firespout Triumphant Lounge, a gambling house in Avurlaza, and busboy and dishwasher at two other establishments that apparently haven’t figured out he can cook. Pickpocket. Grew up as an orphan in Subrosa until he asked Talis for work aboard her ship. Cutter. Pronouns are he/him.

  Talbot: Business associate of Talis. Owns a ship but spends most of his time operating a smuggling ring and fencing business out of Subrosa. Passionate about grooming and pickpocketing. Likes a challenge. Cutter.

  Vennika: Doctor and physician aboard Im Ufite Rantor. Takes the moral high-ground. Bone. Pronouns are she/her.

  Vitnir (Frankie): Smuggler captain and bounty hunter who makes regular border runs across all territories on behalf of Zeela ni Pris, among others. Bone. Pronouns are she/her.

  Zeela ni Pris: Businesswoman offering expensive and hard-to-find items out of the Platform District of Subrosa. Owns Zeela’s House of Antiquities. Provides transcriptions of radio broadcasts from outside Imperial borders to anyone interested in the truth. Vein. Pronouns are she/her.

  Vessels

  Im Ufite Rantor: Barque-hulled airship of Bone construction. Crimson hull with gold trim and satin-varnished goldenwood d
ecks. Twin engines and lift balloons. Built for operation by a crew of at least six hands. Name means ‘Raptor of Fire’ in Matriaherat, or ‘Soul Blade’ in Aherat, with more variations in the meaning across the other Bone dialects.

  The Folly: Small, private cargo airship, owned by Bill. Single engine and lift balloon. Equipped with ballast and buoyancy upgrades to easily make border runs around patrols.

  Fortune’s Storm: Barque-hulled airship of Bone construction. Crimson hull with gold trim and satin-varnished goldenwood decks. Twin engines and lift balloons. Upgraded for operation with specialized capstans that allow for operation by a minimal crew of two at a time.

  Ketzali het Parantu: Closed system ship designed for low-to-no atmo sailing. Hinged canvas cover can enclose the weather decks to protect the airship’s crew from extreme conditions. Triple lift balloons, wide-range ballast and buoyancy systems. Commissioned by High Priestess Illiya of the Temple of the Feathered Stone at Fall Island on behalf of Onaya Bone.

  Lonesome Lad: Galley merchant vessel of Cutter construction operating in Imperial skies. Double lift balloon, triple engine. Crewed by a dozen hands. Equipped with ballast and buoyancy upgrades to easily make border runs around patrols.

  Mothcatcher: Barque-hulled airship of Bone construction. Crimson hull with gold trim and satin-varnished goldenwood decks. Twin engines and lift balloons. Built for operation by a crew of at least six hands.

  Wind Sabre: Carrack hulled airship once crewed by Talis, Dug, Tisker, and Sophie. Wrecked after the battle of Nexus and sunk while en route to Heddard Bay.

  Locations

  Ainteague: A Vein island situated somewhere along the open Bone-Vein border.