Page 38 of Lightningborn

“Bart has,” replied the other. Also female, though younger. “He might know where the True Dragons are. That’s why I need to talk to him.”

They’re looking for Bart.Remy’s stomach churned. Clenching his jaw, he pushed himself upright, still listening as the voices discussed rewards and going after Jhaeros. The world swayed as he got to his feet, but he ignored the nausea and turned slowly, looking around for the speakers.

A woman stood several paces away, speaking to a smaller figure in a cloak and hood, a cowl drawn up to cover their face. The woman’s long red hair and dark purple coat rippled behind her in the wind, and a shiver crawled up Remy’s back as he recognized her. She rarely came to Cutthroat Wedge, but Captain Cutlass was somewhat of a legend, too. At least among the sailors who frequented the tavern. Her ship, theQueen’s Blade, was one of the fastest in the Fringe and, according to the stories, had escaped many impossible situations. Whether this was due to the quality of the ship or the prowess of the captain and her crew was a source of debate among the sailors, but there was no denying that Cutlass was another dangerous pirate who you didn’t want to cross.

Remy set his jaw. This was for his dragon. He was going to get Storm back, but he couldn’t fly to theWindsharkon his own. He needed to track Jhaeros, and a sky ship or a dragon was the only way. This time, he wasn’t going to be left behind.

Taking a deep breath, he raked back his hair, raised his chin, and strode up to the captain, just as she was telling the girl that they didn’t know where theWindsharkwas going.

Perfect timing.

“I know where they’re going,” Remy announced.

Both the captain and the hooded figure turned, and he saw the face of the second figure for the first time. Beneath the hood was a girl around his own age, her blue eyes narrowed in suspicion as she stared at him.

“Who are you?” she demanded.

Remy ignored her. The girl wasn’t important. The girl couldn’t help him get his dragon back. The one he had to convince was Cutlass.

“My name is Remy,” he told the captain, meeting her amused green gaze. “I live here. I was here when Jhaeros took Stor…took the dragon and Bart. I can tell you where they went.”

“Hmm, one of Cutthroat Wedge’s many street rats,” Captain Cutlass remarked, not unkindly. She reached into a coat pocket and withdrew a small leather pouch. “I suppose you want to be paid for this information.…”

“No,” Remy interrupted, making the girl scowl and the captain arch a brow at him. “I don’t want money,” he said as his heart began a loud thud in his chest. “I want to come with you. Take me along, and I’ll show you where they went.”

“What?” the girl exclaimed. “Take you with us? Why? We’re going after Jhaeros and theWindshark. It’s going to be dangerous. Why would you want to come along?”

“Because,” Remy said, clenching his fists, “he took my dragon, and I’m going to get him back.”

Both stared at him a moment. He could feel the disbelief radiating from the girl in waves. “Yourdragon?” she said at last. Her gaze flickered over him, at his muddy rags and unkempt hair. “Where didyouget a dragon?” she wondered, and it sounded like an accusation. “Did you steal it from someone?”

“I didn’t steal him,” Remy said. “I found him. His name is Storm, and he’s a wild dragon.”

“You found a wild dragon.” The girl’s voice was dubious. “Did you check for a tattoo? All dragons have them, under their right wing. It will show who the dragon belongs to.”

Remy’s temper flared. “Yes, I checked for a tattoo,” he snapped. “He didn’t have one anywhere. I’m telling you, he’s a wild dragon. Jhaeros killed his mother during a spell storm. He shot her down, and Storm ended up with me.”

“Ah,” said Captain Cutlass slowly, as if she had just figured something out. “Soyou’rethe reason Jhaeros had every pirate crew in the Fringe scrambling over each other looking for his lost hatchling. There are people who would pay anything to have a dragon, especially a baby. And if the creature is wild, they wouldn’t have to worry about ownership tattoos or where it came from.” She gave Remy an appraising look. “You’ll be taking away an extremely valuable resource. Jhaeros isn’t going to be happy if someone tries to steal his dragon again.”

“I don’t care!” Remy burst out. “I don’t care what it takes or what I have to do, I just know that I need to get Storm back. And Bart, too. He was taken because he was helping me. I can’t leave them with Jhaeros.” He set his jaw, glaring at the pirate and the girl. “I know where theWindsharkis going,” he went on. “I…I have a connection. With Storm. I can feel where he is, and how close or far away he’s gotten.” The girl’s eyebrows arched, her expression dubious, and he stifled the urge to wince. “I know it sounds impossible.”

“You’re right,” the girl said. “It does sound impossible. I’ve never heard of anyone having that kind of bond with their dragon, and I’ve lived around dragons my whole life.” She crossed her arms, regarding him with suspicion. “Are you sure you’re not just looking for a way off Cutthroat Wedge, and you’ll say anything to get aboard a ship?”

“No!” Remy protested. “I swear, I can feel where Storm is right now. He’s…” He paused, turning slowly, searching for the feeling again. “Storm is…that way,” he said, pointing off into the distance. “I’m sure of it.”

“‘That way’ is not a direction,” the captain said. “Are you saying theWindsharkhas gone north, or is moving in a northerly direction?”

“I…I don’t know,” Remy said again. “I can just feel him, and he’s…that way. But that’s why I have to come with you.” He could feel himself wilting under the twin disbelieving stares and clenched his jaw. He wouldnotlose Storm, or Bart. Both were counting on him. “You need me,” he told the captain. “I’m the only one who can track theWindshark. If you want to find it, I have to come along with you.”

“So sure of that, are you?” Captain Cutlass gave a faint, unamused smile. “I think you’re both forgetting something important,” she said. “I haven’t actually agreed to do this. Don’t glare at me, Miss Featherbottom,” she added as the girl spun on her, bristling. “Knowing where they went is all well and good, but chasing down Jhaeros is still akin to suicide. TheWindsharkis bigger, better armored, and much more heavily armed than theBlade. They’ll shoot us out of the sky before we can even put a dent in their hull.”

“We don’t have to fight them,” said the girl. “We just need to get Sir Bartello and the dragon out, right? I can fly over with Cloud, sneak aboard and rescue them, and get out the same way. They won’t even have to know you’re there.”

“You have a dragon?” Remy asked. The girl gave him a scornful look but nodded.

“That seems very risky,” the captain mused. “I’m not certain I like the idea of you infiltrating an enemy vessel alone.”

“She won’t be alone,” Remy said. “I’ll go with her.”

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