Page 32 of Take No Prisoners
"I don't care, if you don't," Niall said.
With that bit of permission, Efren took control, flipping them so Niall was on his back on the hard bunk doing his best to swallow around Efren's intrusive tongue. Niall wrapped his arms around the captain's shoulders and held on as the rest of the world seemed to melt away, leaving them on an island of their own desire.
A harsh whistle brought them back to reality.
"Land ho!"
"We're almost to the Equis Islands," Efren said. "I'll ask your friend the seeker if he's willing to seek for us."
Niall wished he had Klaus's power to seek out other weavers. He wanted to be of some use to his new friends. While the prospect of becoming a true master of pottery appealed to him, he wanted to help the pirates even more. He was born on Aquarion, according to his parents. Avenging their deaths and hurting Coryn at the same time sounded far more appealing than setting up his own shop in Glamiere.
Niall followed the captain to the hold and the open crates. They smelled much better without the overwhelming stench of chamber pot.
"Captain," Klaus said with a nod.
"He'll do it," Vadim growled.
"At least give me the chance to ask him like a decent captain," Efren said.
"Do what?" Klaus asked.
"We're coming up on the Equis Islands," Efren said. "Coryn has deposited several weavers there and left them to die over the years. Would you be willing to search for weavers as we pass?"
"I will, gladly," Klaus said.
Vadim hovered in the doorway across from Efren. Niall couldn't read his expression, but he didn't want to cross the man in the dark, or anywhere he couldn't see his hands.
"Thank you. This way."
When Niall had first crossed the ship from aft to prow, he'd thought it was small, but now it seemed far larger than a vessel manned by six people should be.
Seven,Vadim reminded him with an eerie intrusive thought.There should be seven. You'll make a good crew member, if Efren stops hitting on my ... crew ... long enough to realize it.
Vadim's hesitation to call Klaus his crew member made Niall curious. Was the death weaver sweet on Klaus? Niall's thoughts vanished as they climbed to the navigation deck, and he saw the fast-approaching islands. It wasn't his first time staring out at the four distinct landmarks. He had an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.
"Is there a lookout tower on the large island?" He pointed to the island so far east that it almost disappeared in the mist.
"Aye," Efren said. "It's been abandoned for years."
"And a cove on the Aquarion side?"
Vadim sighed. "Yes." He looked particularly stricken, and Niall wondered if Vadim could see his memories as they played like a dream inside his head.
"We spent our summers there. There's a little hut south of the cove."
Niall had been happiest there. They'd spent winters in port at Landale because the weather was more predictable. In the summers, his parents sailed between Aquarion and the island, leaving Niall with his grandfather. His grandfather had joined them on the pirate ship when he was seven, and his parents stopped going to the island after that. When they were gone, Niall had forgotten all about the island.
"No weavers on the far west," Klaus said. "The one off the port, I'll need a closer look. Nothing to the east."
"Thank you," Vadim and Efren said at the same time. Efren glared at Vadim, who was unruffled, to say the least. He never lifted his gaze from Klaus, and he looked pleased.
Niall hated to distract Vadim from whatever made him happy in that moment, but he had to know. "Was Renald really dead when I found him?"
Vadim crossed his arms over his chest and studied him for a moment. "Yes, though not long enough that he was permanently damaged. He died of smoke inhalation. I'm surprised the little girl survived, but she doesn't seem to be hurt by it in the least."
"She's a fire weaver."
"Shouldn't matter, unless she's balanced. She may have barricaded herself with ice. Did you find any ice?"
