Page 98 of The Demons in the Deep: Extended Edition
Flay swung over to the other ship one-handed, a feat he accomplished with such grace Kestra felt like dragging him into their cabin immediately and taking his pants off. Once he was aboard theAscendant, Jazadri turned the wheel of theWind’s Favorover to another sailor and held Kestra in one arm while they both swung aboard. The landing was a little clumsy, but Flay helped her find her footing on theAscendant’s deck.
“Goldfish,” Flay nodded to Rake. “Happy to see you alive. Now if you’ll tell us what happened here—”
But Kestra lunged for Mai, and clasped her tight. For a minute she couldn’t speak, but she had to, shemust—and at last she managed the only words that mattered.
“I didn’t listen,” she gasped into Mai’s hair, her throat tight with tears. “I’m sorry. I was stupid, you were stupid, but I—I didn’t realize how badly you needed this. I promise we’ll make it happen—we’ll—we’ll figure it out.”
Mai was nodding, crying too. But they both pulled apart when Flay said, in a voice so fragile it hurt Kestra’s heart, “Tell me, Goldfish—did you kill my brother?”
Rake looked down at his bloodstained claws. Then he walked a few paces to a large shape covered in a scrap of sailcloth, and he dragged the covering aside.
There was a hole through Feral’s brow. He looked peaceful, but also—empty.
“I had to do it,” Mai said, trembling. “I’m sorry, Flay. He was killing Rake. I had to. Please, forgive me.”
Flay crossed the deck and wrapped her in a tight hug. He whispered in Mai’s ear, but Kestra heard it. “He was my blood, but you and the Goldfish are worth ten of him. There’s nothing to forgive.”
Mai buried her face in the shoulder of his cloak for a long minute, nodding as he patted her back with his hand.
When Flay released her, she sniffed once and wiped her eyes. “We didn’t take the ship alone. The Sky-born helped, and some of the others.” She leaned toward Flay and Kestra, murmuring, “They’re not all good people, so I wouldn’t trust them too far. But they want off theAscendant. Some of them were sold into Feral’s service, and others are just tired of this life. We may have promised them treasure.”
“Mercenaries,” said Flay. “I like it. You’ll all get what’s been promised you,” he announced louder, with a nod to the group.
“Oh, and the winged one—he just wants to go home,” Mai said. “You can arrange that, can’t you, Flay?”
“Arrange it?” Flay grinned, and though it was a thin smile, Kestra was glad to see it. “I think almost anything can be arranged now, isn’t that right, Blossom? TheAscendantis left without her captain, you see. She’s a fine ship, well-respected, outfitted with the very finest weaponry—and I think she needs to be liberated. Given a brand-new captain, one with strength, brains, and mettle to spare. Jazadri.” He turned, beaming at his first mate. “How would you like to take her on?”
Jazadri stared. “What do you mean, Captain?”
“TheAscendant. Do you want her? She’s yours if you do. Once we finish up here, we can hire a full crew for her in Meroa. We’ll be partners, you and I—we can sail together, and none will dare to challenge us. It’ll be weeks before news of this reaches my father, and by then we’ll have treasure aplenty and money to hire a third ship of fighters to escort us, if we need extra protection. Freedom, Jaza—think of it. Honest merchant work, and we keep all the profits. No reporting back to the Magnate, ever again.”
Tears glittered in Jazadri’s dark eyes, but he only cleared his throat roughly and said, “If you’re sure, Captain.”
“That’s just Flay to you.” Flay reached out, gripping Jazadri’s right hand with his own. “Now if you’re ready, Captain, we can get to work.”
30
Three days they spent in the ruined cities—enough time for theAscendant’s decks to be swabbed and the dead to be buried at sea—except for Feral, whom Flay buried in a grave on the island, marked with white stones.
Three days was just enough time to bring aboard the rest of the priceless wine from the cellar, as well as the treasures Kestra had discovered. And it was enough time for Mai to collect some pieces of technology that she was especially eager to study. She found some books and writings as well, tucked away and moldering in a chest.
The remaining crew of theAscendantand the crew of theWind’s Favorwere divided, so each captain would have trustworthy sailors as well as new ones. The two ships set sail together, bound for Meroa—and this time, Mai did not feel the twisting, helpless panic she’d felt before at the idea of leaving the ruins. This time, she had Flay and Kestra’s promise that she could stay in Meroa as long as she needed to. They would hire new crew and set out on Flay’s usual route—except this time there would be no returning to the Magnate.
And when Flay wondered aloud if he should pay his father the profit shares he owed, Kestra promptly stuffed an entire dumpling in his mouth and said, “You don’t owe him anything else, my love. Let it end.”
Mai giggled, watching Flay pull off the half of the dumpling that wouldn’t fit in his mouth and try to shove it into Kestra’s. She ran from him, and he chased her down from the quarterdeck and across the main deck before he finally caught her, tackled her, and shoved the piece of bun in her mouth. Then they both lay there, giggling until they nearly choked, while Mai laughed so hard her stomach hurt.
She was wiping away laugh-tears when Rake approached her. In his hands lay a belt, goggles, and a breathing mask.
“I’m going for a swim,” he said. “Would you like to join me?”
“You mean, swim alongside the ship, like you do?” Mai took the items, wincing. “Are you sure I can keep up?”
Rake flashed her a smile. “Of course you can. And if you can’t, I’ll carry you.”
Moments later they were leaping into the water.
“Stay out of the ship’s wake,” Rake warned Mai, and she nodded.
