Page 74 of Virelai's Hoard
“An opportunity,” Jamie piped up.
Several of the onlooking pirates grinned.
Alaric tilted his head in acknowledgment, then his arms spread. “Your own crew betrayed you. They found an old-ass tablet with creepy demands, got stuck at sea for a few days and just decided to toss you out like you were nothing, yeah?” He looked at them. The ghosts around nodded thoughtfully, in sympathy, several clenched jaws among them.
Riley and Eryx shared an uncertain look, and neither of them said anything.
Mistaking their uneasy silence for agreement, Alaric nodded to himself. “Well, here’s your chance to get back at them.” A strange energy rustled through the crowd. He met Riley’s gaze. “For once, you get to have all the power. For once, you get to make them pay. How would you like that?”
Riley shifted on her feet, pressing her lips together. Suddenly, she felt out of place. She wasn’t the sacrifice here. She was never supposed tobehere. What would happen if these ghosts found out? Would they toss her out to the sea? Somewhere worse? She remembered the green tendrils latching onto Thorian’s ankle and dragging him over the railing. Had that been them? Would she meet his same fate? She met Eryx’s gaze once more, and they looked as baffled as Riley felt.
Unlike Eryx, Riley knew one thing for sure. If these ghosts thought they were offering something valuable, then they would certainly want something in return. Nothing came for free, and she was sure being dead didn’t change that. Not judging by the gold dripping from their captain’s limbs.
“What’s the catch?” she asked. “What do we have to give in return for the,” she licked her lips, “favor?”
Eryx’s lips parted as if to protest, then they thought better of it.
Alaric grinned. “Oh, nothing much. Just your life.”
Eryx gulped. Riley’s mouth went dry. “That sounds like alot.”
Alaric shrugged. “It’s not so bad. You get to do this–” he gestured at the two of them, “every few decades, and the rest of the time you travel the seas, haunt a few ships, make friends with the wildlife. There’s even several islands to explore, if you were to miss the land, but all of us here are sailors at heart. Not to mention, you only need your imagination to make things interesting.”
As if to explain, Alaric swiped his hand, and suddenly they weren’t standing in a cabin on a pirate ship anymore. But in a cavern, mouth wide open on the sea, the waves lazily lapping at the rocks. A sharp wind whipped at Riley’s cheeks. In a blink, they were back in the cabin.
Riley’s mouth was open, and she snapped it closed. She reached a hand to push Eryx’s mouth closed too.
“As you can see, the deal comes with perks. Not every afterlife is this…” His mouth worked, looking for a suitable word. “Generous, let’s say.”
“I was unsure at first too,” Jamie said brightly. “But I haven’t regretted my choice at all. Fuck those bastards. Watching their ship sink was the highlight of my life. Helping you sink your former ship? An immense pleasure.” A hunger rose in his gaze then, dark and unlike anything Riley had ever seen. Its chill was sharper than the wind’s.
“You can get creative with it too!” someone from the crowd said, to loud acknowledgment of the others.
“Yeah! You could call up a kraken to do it for you! They’re really proud creatures, andloveto put on a show. And the screams are–” The ghost’s body gave a shudder of pure delight.
Alaric looked at them thoughtfully. “Since it’s two of you, I’m afraid you’ll have to reach an agreement about this choice, one way or another.”
“And if we refuse?” Eryx asked. “What happens then?”
A low murmur went through the ghosts. Riley supposed that question was unusual. She thought of Nera, and how she would’ve jumped on the deal if it had been presented to her right after. No matter the consequences. Part of her would still jump on itnow.
“You move on,” Alaric said. This time, his expression was hard to parse.
“Move on? What does that mean?” Riley asked.
The ghost pirates exchanged uneasy glances amongst themselves. “We don’t know,” one of them said.
“No one’s turned down the deal before,” Alaric explained.
Eryx touched her hand, drawing Riley’s attention to them. “Can we talk?” they asked her. Then, glancing at Alaric, they added, “Alone?”
As she stared at Patch, still perching on their shoulder, still looking at her as if he didn’t care she followed him into a literal nightmare, Riley nodded mildly.
“You can use the mirror room,” Alaric said. “We won’t eavesdrop. Pirate’s honor.”
He grinned at that, and Riley scowled. They weredefinitelygoing to eavesdrop. Eryx tugged her away, but Riley stood her ground. “Wait,” she said, withdrawing her hand from theirs. “Is the treasure real? The Heart of the Abyss?”
With a mysterious smile, Alaric nodded.
