Page 13 of Tik-Tok

“Come on, then,” Rizmaela grumbled, taking North’s luggage. “The captain didn’t tell me he’d be returning with a prostitute today.”

North’s eyes widened, and she drew in a sharp breath. “I’m not here for that!”

Rizmaela grunted. “Any other female would appreciate being taken by the captain.”

What other female? A hobgoblin? “And I suppose that’s how you got here?” North fired back.

“I’m here because I earned my place.” Rizmaela struck her chest. “After my husband was murdered, I left my home. Chose this.”

North didn’t say anything else, wouldn’t have known what to say to that anyway. She wondered how the dwarf’s husband had been murdered. Even if North had wanted to plan an escape, the ship was somewhere in the middle of the sea, land nowhere in sight.

A pole hung across the deck and North ducked under it, then stepped around a few barrels as she followed the dwarf to one of the doors. Rizmaela pulled it open and motioned North down a ladder that appeared sturdy enough.

Gripping the rails, North headed to the bottom and waited. Rizmaela tossed down her luggage, narrowly missing North’s head, and it landed with athunk. The dwarf slammed the door shut again.

North rolled her eyes and picked up her case. She took in the small room with a single bed covered in satin sheets and fur blankets. Orbs from the ceiling gave off pale-yellow light. But there was nothing else.

It was a prison.

North let out a sigh but didn’t shed any more tears as she rested her luggage beside the bed and sank onto the mattress. At least Ozma, Jack, and Brielle were safe. She truly hoped everyone would be freed from the spell that had made them stone. Tik-Tok had said as much. But could she trust Tik-Tok’s word? Ozma seemed to trust him on that matter, so North had to believe her family would be released from his magic.

This wasn’t Ozma’s fault, even though North knew she would blame herself. North thought back to the story she’d heard as a child about how Ozma and Jack helped save the Land of Oz and Tik-Tok’s part in it. Ozma hadn’t completely trusted Tik-Tok back then, but he’d done his part in assisting her. Even as a child, North had wished for the multiple abilities he held. Had wanted to go on a ship and sail the sea. Well, here she was…

Her family wouldn’t be the only ones looking for her. Birch would be too. She still wished things were different between them. But, as her friend and her guard, he would risk his own happiness, his life, to bring her home. North knew she couldn’t get out of this situation on her own, but she couldn’t have anyone get hurt because of it.

Since she couldn’t flee and wouldn’t possibly be rescued for some time, perhaps there was another way… What would her grandmother do if she was North? She would seduce, then kill the pirate. Tik-Tok hadn’t hurt her, and North had agreed to come, so killing him felt wrong. Besides, she’d never murdered anyone. But maybe North could try to tempt him, the way Reva would have. And once he felt something for her, when she wasn’t a stranger, then there was a higher possibility she would get home this century.

North may not have much experience with physical touch, but she’d imagined every way that she had wanted Birch against her. Then there had been the other night by the tree... She could at least kiss … and grasp a male’s length… North sighed at the last part because she wouldn’t know what to do after that, but she could try. Tik-Tok was hard to read, yet perhaps she stood a chance. At least he hadn’t looked at her like a sister, the way Birch did.

The door flung open without a knock, and North jerked her chin up to watch as Tik-Tok slid gracefully down the ladder. He grinned as he turned to face her.

“How about you knock next time? I could have been naked,” North said, annoyed by the way he came in like he owned the place. Even though she supposed he did.

“I would have closed my eyes.” His grin grew wider. “Maybe.”

She narrowed her gaze.

“Relax, I knew you wouldn’t be changing.” He ran the tip of his gloved finger along the empty wall as he inched closer to her.

“What power do you think I have?” North asked, trying to figure out the right opportunity to put her plan in motion.

“Portal magic.”

North had already tried to open portals while accompanying her father in the South. She could never do it. “I don’t have that.”

“Not portals on land, but the sea.”

“No one can open portals here,” North said.

Tik-Tok looked her over thoughtfully. “No one in Oz, perhaps, except you. Hence, why I’ve waited so long.”

Why was he so worried about opening portals in the sea anyway? She lowered her brows, trying to focus, to see if she could feel any movement of magic within the water. If she did, then maybe she could open a portal, be finished, and then he would send her home. But there wasn’t a single stirring of power. Nothing. “Idon’thave magic.”

“Rest tonight and I’ll help you try another time.” He shrugged and turned on the heels of his boots to leave.

“Wait!” she shouted, desperate. “Come sit.”

Tik-Tok slowly spun to face her, his brow arched. He didn’t leave, though—he took a step forward and sat beside her. Too close. Each time she’d been near him, he’d been too close. Like he didn’t understand proximity.

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