Page 20 of Queen of Whispers and Mist

Shadow swallowed when his lips moved, knowing her time was up. Rather than wait for the sailors to approach her, she strode toward them, calling out. “Captain No Beard, a word?”

Instead of meeting her polite greeting with one of his own, the captain tossed his head back and laughed. Deep, booming belly laughs that bounced around the expansive deck. And he wasn’t alone; the rest of them joined in... except for the grumpy one, though his bird chittered enough to make up for it.

Cheeks burning, she realized her error before the smooth-faced one turned to her. “Forgive us, Shadow. But that never gets old. Journey with us long enough, you’ll see what I mean.”

“You know who I am?”

“We make it a habit to know the names of those who voyage with us.”

“Then you have me at a disadvantage, for you know who I am, but I cannot say the same of you. I take it you aren’t the captain?”

Laughter danced in his warm brown gaze. “Not the captain, no.”

“Can you tell me whois? Or shall we start with something easier, like whoyouare?”

She was aware of all five men’s gazes boring into her, but she kept her eyes locked on the one whose identity she’d mistaken. At least she did until he began introducing the others.

“Shadow, allow me to introduce you to a few of the high-ranking members of our crew. This is Bowie.” He pointed to the man she hadn’t been able to make out. Compared to the others, he was fairly nondescript, but there wasn’t time to note more than that because he continued. “And this gloomy gus is Jagger the Unseeing—and before you ask, no, that band is not a bold fashion choice. His faithful companion Buttercup helps him get around.” The frowning man didn’t acknowledge her, but his bird gave a little flutter that Shadow would have mistaken as a curtsy were it human.

“This is, Cookie, our... well, cook. But he was named for his favorite treat, not his position.” The bald man nodded, his burly build at odds with the announcement. She had trouble picturing someone with hands the size of dinner plates rolling out any kind of sweet treat. But unless the striped apron around his waist was a mere accessory, it seemed to be the truth.

“And this dapper gentleman is Tiny.”

Shadow nearly choked on her tongue as she tried to keep her face schooled into a neutral expression. The man she’d clocked for his clothes was no man at all. She noted the curved horns and his bull-like nose with its ring and almost childishly small gold-framed spectacles that rested atop it. When her eyes finished their progress down his form, she realized her earlier assessment was both accurate and false at once. While they were polished and black, the split hooves could never be mistaken for boots.

Minotaur,her brain supplied.

A minotaur... on a boat... named Tiny.

“You’re too kind, Bronn,” Tiny murmured, executing a smooth bow that rivaled the very best she’d seen at court. His voice was deep and cultured and so unexpected coming from such a massive creature. “Welcome aboard theRevenge, lady Shadow.”

“T-tiny?” she asked, her voice coming out a touch shrill as she struggled to marry the living, breathing embodiment of a creature she’d heretofore only read about in children’s tales.

“My birth name is Mani, but I was the runt of the litter, which these rapscallions love to remind me of every chance they get.” He shrugged, his lips quirking in laughter.

“Mani the mini, I-I mean Tiny the Minotaur... ”

More laughter met her slipup, the men fairly dissolving into fits over it.

“Mani the mini minotaur, how did we miss that?” the blond—Bronn—asked.

“A gross oversight,” Cookie said, the deep bass of his voice warm and rich. He reminded her of a bard who’d once visited the palace boasting of having the lowest singing voice on the continent. Cookie would have the performer beat, no contest. Assuming he could sing, that was.

Blaming the persistent throb in her temples for her numerous gaffes, Shadow offered Bronn a tight smile. “The captain, if you please. I seem to be missing key details regarding my voyage. I’d like to remedy that as soon as possible.”

The laughter died down, she assumed in response to her obvious discomfort.

“Of course. You’ll find Cal and your companion on the bow.” He tipped his head toward the large white sail to indicate he meant the front of the ship.

My companion?

“Would you like one of us to escort you?”

“Thank you, but no,” she said, distracted by everything she didn’t know. “This isn’t my first ship.”

Bronn gave her a sunny smile. “I like that in a woman.”

She quirked a brow but didn’t say anything further. Instead, she simply walked away. More laughter followed what the others must have considered a hasty retreat. It occurred to her that it probably wasn’t the smartest idea to offend potential allies, but she was hardly in any condition to flirt. Stars, she barely tolerated flirting on her best day. In this state, she was liable to cut someone’s balls off for looking at her too long. Best for all involved if she just moved along.

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