Page 129 of Stilettos & Secrets on the 7 Seas

“How does he always know my orders?” My inner voice donned Doc Brown’s mind reader’s helmet from the movieBack to the Future. Marco wasn’t the only one who watched movies.

“Miss Jennifer, what vessel do ye have?” Max’s tone filled with eager anticipation.

Ace opened his mouth to speak, but I pulled Max away and toward the helm. “Rule number one, you’re supposed to keep your vessel a secret.”

Max scanned his ship. “Mayhaps a difficulty with one so large.”

I stood next to Max at the helm of theSea Storm. I inhaled the salty sea air and prayed we’d make the jump safely. The ocean breeze blew my hair. The sun warmed my face. I glanced across the sparkling blue sea one last time.

Max took the wheel in his hands. I placed my hands next to his. Ace joined us. With our hands holding firm, Max mumbled his ancient Ancalite word, and we helped steer him toward a brand-new life.

Forty-Two

Awall of gray swirled in front of us. Two waterspouts led the nastiest, blackest storm I’d ever seen. It sent chills up my spine that made a U-turn and shot back down to my toes.

A loud swoosh, swoosh, swoosh hummed in my ears and my stomach dropped down, down, down until it hit the bottom of the ocean. Water splashed against my face.

“Miss Jennifer, are ye all right?”

I blinked my eyes open and stared up at Max. “Did we capsize?” He looked worried but not wet. I, on the other hand, was drenched. My clothes, my hair, my ego.

“There she is.” Ace’s face came into view, and I realized I was lying faceup on the deck. The sails rippled in the breeze behind him. “Good news, hon. We made it home with the cargo intact, but bloody ’ell, I thought you were going overboard.”

“Sorry.” Max’s cheeks pinked. “I overshot the landing and caught an awesome wave. It was totally rad.”

Ace helped me stand, and I examined myself for any damage. “I’m OK, I think, but how am I the only one who got wet?”

“I diverted the wave, but I didnae give it enough push, and it landed on ye.” Max’s lips pulled into a sheepish smile. “My bad.”

I recalled a massive wave, and the storm.

Ace’s mouth twisted into a puzzled smile, then he burst into laughter. “He’s got it.”

“Got what?” I asked, wringing the water out of my boho shirt. My flirty skirt hung limp, not so flirty anymore. At least I still wore my stilettos.

“He moved the water. You should have seen him. It was bloody brilliant!” Ace danced around the deck. “He’s a wielder.”

“Wow!” I looked at Max. “Just like your mother.”

“She taught me how to move the elements of the earth with my hands. ’Twas hard at first, but now I control it. Sort of.”

Max could move energy. I didn’t know how to train a traveler with that gift. Or how to acclimate a kid born in the 1700s. Victory had missed a few years, but she knew the world. Max would need an army to help him understand everything.

I spotted Gitmo in the distance, the American flag flying at the main camp. “At least we made it home.”

“This is home?” Max looked around and frowned. His tone hinted he was a bit disillusioned with what he saw. “Looks like Nassau Bay.”

“It’s only a stopping point. We call it?—”

“We call it our little slice of heaven,” Ace interrupted. “Sail us over toward that large building, handsome. The one with the red and white stripes.”

“I like yer lucky flag better.” Max glanced up at Ace’s boxers. Ace grimaced.

“No time to snag those. We’ve been spotted.” I pointed to Jake standing on a platform with binoculars.

We were headed straight for him with a giant vessel, a new time traveler, the King’s key, and Ace going commando.

After Max stepped away, Ace leaned in. “We shouldn’t tell him where we are. After all, he’s halfsies with a Mafuso.”

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