Page 69 of Suffer No Fools
"Aye."
Tovey had shared power with Stan a million times, but he'd rarely shared his raw core power with Stan, allowing him to mold it into the earth weaves he needed to pick the boat up, lay her over on the side with the gaping hole so she would drain out onto the beach, and then barricade the beach so the tide would stay clear of her until they got to the repairs.
Tovey had never felt his power meld with Stan's so easily, either. It flowed from him to form weaves he didn't know. When the ship was secure, Stan reversed the flow of his power so that Tovey's air was now in control.
Tovey raised the makeshift mast he'd made from an oar and filled the sail with their shared wind. They raced across the water toward Hugo. The closer they got, the more smoke filled the air.
"He's burning it from the inside out."
"I'd do the same," Tovey said. "It serves them right."
"I can't stop it."Hugo sounded panicked."You have to help me. I don't want to kill them all."
That complicated everything. Fire was the most devastating element. Smoke inhalation in such a confined space threatened all life aboard.
"We'll need to balance," Tovey said to Stan. "Do you think we can?"
"I can control the earth weaves to smother the flames. You control the air weaves to blow the smoke away without fanning the flames."
Their timing had to be perfect. This was the only time Tovey wished he had Vadim's power, only so he knew howmany people were aboard and where. Then, he could direct his air weaves into their lungs. Without being able to sense their location, he could only air out the passages and hope Stan stifled the flames.
"Can you switch to ice?"Tovey was surprised to hear Stan's voice in his head with a message intended for Hugo. It felt like eavesdropping, but it helped to know what Stan had asked.
"Not until we're closer,"Tovey pleaded. Hugo was strong enough to freeze a huge section of the ocean with Frost's help. Their little boat would break apart in a flash-freeze, especially if they hit an ice shelf at their speed.
"I don't think I can switch,"Hugo said."My power is behaving strangely. You'll see."
Tovey didn't need to see it. He felt it when power rippled over them like a shock wave. A hole blasted through the side of the enemy ship above the water line, and a fire nova shot from it. A Hugo-shaped fire nova. He spread his arms, and flames followed his movements like feathers on wings.
"What the fuck is that?" Stan asked.
"That's Hugo." He was the most magnificent creature Tovey had ever seen. "He just used earth to blast through their ship—"
"And he's using air and his own fire currents to fly." Stan let out a low whistle. "I thought those stories about the emperors of old were wives tales or folk legends."
Hugo floated to their boat, and Stan reached for him. Tovey feared for the wood floor and Stan's skin, but the moment Hugo touched their shared weaves, still tethered to the ship and working to douse the flames, his fire went out. He sank harmlessly to the middle seat of the lifeboat.
Hugo was naked. Either he'd burned off the clothes they'd given him, or they'd stolen him right out of their bed without a shred of human dignity. Tovey was so furious he was shakingalong with Hugo, who curled over his knees and shivered in the rain.
Stan had both of his fists clenched at his sides as he stared back at the ship. "Let's bring them in."
"Is the fire out?" Tovey didn't want to bring them ashore just to start a larger fire on the beach.
"It would serve them right if it isn't," Stan said, "but we worked well together. It should be out."
With the driving rain and the awkward angle from the lifeboat, Tovey's air wouldn't be an effective way to move the enemy ship closer to shore. He gave his core power over to Stan again, and Stan used earth to tether the larger vessel to theirs.
"Set their sails on fire," Stan said to Hugo. "This won't work if they try to sail away from us."
Hugo raised one hand above his head, and his fingers glowed red for a moment. An echoing flame started again at the top of the masts and quickly caught on the five sails. Tovey hadn't realized how big the ship was. Gods, they were lucky they'd caught up to her in the storm. With clear skies, they would have neededWildfire's sleek design to catch her.
With the ship dragging behind them, Tovey redoubled his efforts to fill their sail, and Hugo helped him hold the oars steady. Lights from the shore glistened off his naked body.
"We have a welcoming party," Stan said.
The water seemed to part before them, making the way easier, thanks to a water weaver on shore.
"Please don't call the sharks,"Stan pleaded.
