Kieran patted Seaweed’s head.“Well done, us.”
The spirit squeaked excitedly in response.
Kieran rushed out and grabbed Quinn’s shoulders, Seaweed jumping off him to help.Using their combined strength, Kieran and Seaweed hauled Quinn’s body into the woods.Kieran’s arms strained at the weight, but he managed to pull him backfive, ten, then fifteen feet so they were obscured by trees.Kieran bent down and pulled the cowl from his face to reveal a pale-skinned man in his early twenties with a peach-fuzz mustache and goatee that made Kieran wince.And I thought my facial hair was bad.
Kieran quickly checked Quinn’s pulse—he was out cold but not dead.Thank goodness.
“My apologies,” Kieran said as he began unbuttoning the man’s shirt.“Necessary evil and all that.”
Not long after, Kieran had stripped off his clothes in exchange for Quinn’s.He pulled the cowl over his face, along with a strip of fabric that covered his nose and mouth.It smelled a bit of old cheese, but he elected not to dwell on that too much.
“Seaweed, keep an eye on things out here,” Kieran whispered.When the spirit squeaked with annoyance, he added, “You’re a bit…conspicuous, bud.They’ll know I’m not Quinn if I show up with a teal otter.”
Seaweed seemed to consider this, ears drooping.
“I’ll give you a sardine after.”
Seaweed straightened with a squeak, eyes bright.
“Thought so.”Kieran tried to fight the terror—or, more likely, bile—climbing up from his stomach into his throat.He tucked the Stave into his waistband.“I’ll be back.”
Doing his best to keep his head down, he crossed the meadow and headed to the gangway.There were two men just inside who barely glanced at him as he passed, holding his breath.
A few steps in, one of them said, “Boss is looking for you upstairs, Quinn.”
Kieran made a vague sound of acknowledgment.He paused for a second, waiting to see if either of them noticed.
They both turned back to each other and continued their conversation.
Okay, step one is done,Kieran thought.He glanced around the inside of the ship.The gangway opened into the foyer, and through there was the dining area, the study, the control room, and the kitchen.Along the far wall were the stairs to the lower deck, where the observation deck and Ariel and Santiago’s room was.Three men were stationed atop that staircase, all armed with swords.
If these men think I’m Quinn, they’re not going to understand if I try to get down that way,Kieran thought.So Briar and the others will have to wait a bit.I just have to think of something to divert all the mercenaries away from the cabins.Then I can get Sebastian to help me.
Kieran headed up the stairs to the top deck.All the while, he kept a count of the men inside the ship.There had been five downstairs, and as he emerged onto the top deck, he found four more gathered around the door to the crew cabins.As he approached, the one he’d seen giving orders earlier turned around and glared at him.
“Quinn—there you are.Took you long enough—we need this lock picked.”
Kieran froze.On the one hand, it was great that they hadn’t immediately realized he wasn’t Quinn.On the other hand, Kieran had absolutely no idea how to pick a lock, nor did he have the tools to do so.
But he did have his own key to the door.
Doing his best to make his voice as nasal as possible, Kieran reached into his pocket and held it up.“One of the hostages had this.Said it goes to this door.”
Immediately, the boss’s eyebrows shot up.Even behind the fabric covering his nose and mouth, Kieran could see his suntanned skin turning red.Kieran’s stomach flipped, and the blood drained from his face.Shit, what did I say?Did I go too heavy on the nasally bit?This is why I don’t do community theater.
“Who said they could take the gags out of the hostages’ mouths?”he demanded.He turned to the others.“Sanchez, Remi—with me.If those witches can so much as utter a magic rhyme, we’re fucked.Quinn, you, Bernoff, and James get that door open and start searching.”His eyes narrowed.“And keep an eye out for Sebastian.Elias wants that traitor in chains.”
He waved to two of the men, and they ran after him as he marched back toward the main deck, cracking his knuckles as he went.Kieran eyed the two mercenaries who had been left by the door.
Okay—two on one.Not terrible, but not great either.Let’s see if I can get a little help.
“Well?”one of the mercenaries asked, snapping Kieran out of his thoughts.“What are you waiting for?Open it.”
Kieran grunted, not wanting to speak more than he had to in case these men were more familiar with Quinn’s voice than their boss had been.He jammed the key in the lock, turned it, and opened the door.
“Finally!”one of the mercenaries called.He gestured to theother.“Come on, let’s get this done.Boss might give us a raise if we find the Hilt fast.”
The two men sprinted inside, one going for the door to Briar and Delilah’s room while the other went to Sebastian’s.Kieran’s mind swam.How am I supposed to warn Sebastian?
