Page 30 of Of Magic and Rum
Like a fool, I look at Jack, hoping he’ll agree, but all I get is a steely glare. Behind those eyes, there’s disappointment, amelancholy sadness laced with uncertainty. And I can’t blame him for it—I just can’t.
“Not the time, lad,” Duke answers him.
Mary shoves through the crowd, peeling off her jacket. “I’ll bloody well take her. At least give the woman some clothes.”
“Woman,” Jack mutters accusingly.
Aranck is pushing his way through next, and I rise once Mary covers me with the coat. I say “sorry” to Jack as Mary leads me away, meaning it with every fiber of my being, but he only continues to peer at me, his glare softening like he can’t decide how to view me.
Aranck fusses over me, checking me over, astonished by what Anne has done to bring me back to life. It’s one of many questions in an ever-growing list consuming my mind. It’s enough to make the world spin, and I push Aranck away along with anyone else who tries to stop the trek to my cabin. It didn’t feel right to send her to the brig, but what else could I have done?
She’s a fish. Or something, or fuck me, I don’t know. And she saved mylife.
I cross the threshold of my quarters and slam the door behind me. Instead of the satisfying sound of wood pounding against wood, something muffles it and keeps it from closing. Sighing, I spin on my heel and flop in the desk chair. Truffles is on my lap and kneading within three seconds, and his soft fur against my palm barely calms my nerves this time.
Duke breezes into my space, closing the door behind him and holding his hands up like he’s about to get chastised. “I’m only here to talk some sense into ya.”
Groaning, I slump into my seat and rest my head on the chair’s back. “You’re wasting your time, Duke. She lied. She deceived us. And I can’t risk her harming anyone on the crew with those death claws she calls nails.”
Duke combs his beard with his fingers and begins pacing a square in front of my desk. “She lied. She deceived. She’s apirate.”
“Correction.” I lift my head long enough to say, “She’s afishpretending to be a pirate.”
Duke stops and glares at me. “You know she’s not a damn fish. And yes, this is a blow, but have you stopped to think of the advantages of having a creature like her on our side?”
No. I haven’t. I’ve barely had the time to process her hiding it, let alone what she is and how I can use it.
“It started as a plan to manipulate ahumanwoman. Iknowhuman women. Know the way they think. But her? Whateversheis makes her unpredictable at best and a liability to the crew.” I poke my finger into the desk with every point made. “She also never mentioned it. Not once.”
“Why the hell would she?” Duke splays his arms to his sides. “She’s a being that’s not supposed to exist. If you ask me? She put a lot of faith in you and this crew to not turn her in to the first interested party we may come across.”
My lip twitches.
No doubt she’s worth a lot of money. And no doubt they’d strap her to a table and do ungodly, despicable experiments on her.
“Answer me this—” I lift a finger and scratch Truffles’ head before moving him to my desk and rising. “—I’ve always believedin magic, myth, and the paranormal. So, why now, am I the one being cautious and skeptical?”
Duke grimaces in pain before limping to my desk and sitting on the corner. “Because honorably, you’re concerned about your crew. But me? I’m not getting any younger, and I’m only glad I’ve gotten to witness magic, which isreal.” He chuckles and slaps his knee. “Believe me, everyone out there is feeling a mix of fear, excitement, and disbelief.”
A knock sounds at the door.
“Come in,” I call out.
Ragnar enters and looks between us. “Are we tossing her overboard or marooning her?”
“Ragnar,” Duke scolds, flashing a warning glare at him. “Don’t give him any ideas.”
Ragnar jerks his head back. “I don’t understand.Bror, you know it’s dangerous keeping her on the ship. Not only has she been hiding it, but we don’t know her capabilities.”
Nausea bubbles in my stomach, and I turn to stare out the porthole window. The storm has moved on, the dark clouds streaking to reveal patches of glowing white starlight. And the rain has finally stopped. “I hear what you’re saying, Ragnar. But I’m contemplating all possible uses for her. Because given what we’ve witnessed, she could’vealsokilled us and commandeered the ship—” I catch Ragnar’s gaze. “—but she hasn’t.”
Ragnar scrapes the pads of his fingers over his beard. “A single person cannot sail this vessel. She’d need, at minimum, six to operate it.”
“Semantics, friend. You know where I was going with that.”
Truffles bumps his head under Duke’s arm, waiting for him to lift it so he can stroll onto his lap.
“Considering she’s been on this ship for some time now and has posed about as much of a threat as Jack’s damn cat, I’d say she’s worth more to us not held up below deck.” Duke sputters asTruffles flicks him in the mouth with his tail to tell him precisely what he thinks of that remark.
