Page 66 of Take No Prisoners
"You and Vadim caught the evening meal," Efren said.
"That was for everyone on the island."
Efren made a sound between a grunt and a snort. "So is sailing on one of our ships. Beatrice hasn't earned a day's wage since she retired from the navy, but she's allowed our coin to feed and clothe herself, same as the other elders, and the same as anyone else. Trust me. You've earned the coin I've spent on you and then some, simply by surviving. Soon, you'll use your magic to benefit everyone on the island, too. No one here would dare question the food on your plate or the clothes on your back, Niall. You've earned them simply by being here."
It was a hard concept for Niall to accept after Master Othelio had treated him as an indentured servant, unable to earn his freedom without his own master's mark. In Landale, coin meant just as much as a person's name, and Niall had neither. On Aquarion, he had his family's pirate lineage and Efren's coin. Neither sat well with his own pride, but he was too tired to worry about it anymore.
He turned his back to Efren and was surprised when Efren pulled him against his chest and tethered him with a firm arm around his waist. It had the same effect as it did on the ship, securing Niall in place and calming his turbulent emotions. He slept.
Chapter 16
Efren
The next morning, Niall was still down in the doldrums, and Efren empathized. His grandmother was in danger, and he was the only one on the island who could save her. That was enough to worry anyone.
Efren tried his best to make Niall smile as they bathed and dressed. The closest he received was a cynical grin and, "Shouldn't we be on our way to Horseshoe Island?"
It took a quarter hour to wait for Petri to dice paradise fruit, pineapple, and coconut into the large brown shells for their journey, and another three quarters for Vadim to talk Klaus into coming with them.
Finally, Niall had pounded on the door to Vadim's shack hard enough to shake the walls and Klaus let him inside. It didn't take long for Niall to return with a red-faced but compliant Klaus.
"I don't know why he's fighting so hard," Niall muttered as he walked past Efren. "Vadim's obviously smitten. If he were a paying customer in Landale, Klaus would be begging him to propose by now."
Efren had a feeling Klaus feared death weavers, as did most people, but he said nothing. Instead, he looped his arm through Niall's and directed him to the borrowed skiff they were taking to Horseshoe Island. They were steps away from the dock when he remembered what his crew was supposed to be doing without him.
"I forgot something," Efren said. "I'll be back." He turned to Vadim. "Get her ready for us."
"If you're not back in fifteen, you'll be swimming to Horseshoe."
Efren grinned. "You think I haven't done it before?"
"I know you have." Vadim smirked. "You were younger, then."
"I'm still young enough to catch you and drag you under the water."
"Keep arguing with me and wasting time, then."
Efren turned on his heel without another word and headed for the long dock whereStarlight Specterwas moored.
"Captain." Olivia saluted as he came aboard. "We're almost ready."
"Is Milton going with you?"
"He is." Her grin gave her away. Efren had pulled her aside at dinner the evening before and shared the information he'd gleaned from the other air weavers. "You were right. He craves adventure, and he doesn't want anyone else to fall prey to General Coryn. He said a friend of his never returned from Stony Eel Island. He'd tried to leave the navy over it, but the general refused."
"What about the others?"
"Those two," she pointed to two men at the rear sails, "are a couple. They don't want to be split up again. They have family in Glamiere. The other two are lazy cowards who would desert at the first sign of trouble. They're best left to their own luck in Luminest."
"Thank you for your report."
"We'll need another sail bed in the hold," Olivia said. "Do you want Niall to have one, too?"
"Aye."
Her face scrunched in confusion.
He held up a hand to stave off her questions. "I don't want his choices to be either sleep with me or find a nest with the rats. If the sail goes unused, it goes unused."
