And there was no way I’d be able to escape now.
What in hellfire was I going to do?
2
Maximus
The wind whipped through my hair as I leaned against the starboard railing, watching the clouds part beneath us. Dawn painted the sky in shades of amber and rose, the kind of sunrise that made my soul ache with the pure freedom of flight. These quiet moments before most of the crew stirred were precious—no phantom pains from my leg, no responsibilities, just the embrace of the open air.
“Sir! Reaper, sir!”
The sharp voice cut through my reverie. Sparrow’s boots clicked against the deck as she hurried toward me, her spiky black hair disheveled beneath a faded red bandana, the tarnished silver beads at its edges clinking with each hurried step. Her sail master’s coat—cut down from an admiral’s uniform she’d won in a card game—flapped open in the wind.
Suppressing a groan, I asked, “What’s the captain done now?” because there would only be one thing that would get Sparrow in such a state so early in the morning.
“It’s Moonie, sir. Viper’s threatening to throw them overboard. Something about a loose forestay?” Sparrow’s hands twisted together. “He’s in one of his moods.”
I frowned. Moonie was one of our best riggers. As sail master, Sparrow was in charge of Moonie. As XO—or,first mate, because we were on a pirate ship, not an Imperial Fleet vessel—I was in charge of making sure the captain didn’t kill anyone.
It was a role I was successful at. Usually.
“Whenisn’tViper in one of his moods?” I pushed away from the railing, my mechanical leg creaking in protest. The damned thing was ancient—I direly needed an upgrade. “Where are they?”
“Main deck, sir. By the forward mast. Captain’s got his hat on sideways—you know what that means.”
“One day the wind will finally take that ridiculous tricorn of his.” I started toward the ladder. “How long has he been ranting?”
“Going on ten minutes now. Started when he found the loose rigging during his morning inspection.”
“I’ll handle it. You go spread the word that everyone needs to be on their best behavior today.”
The captain’s voice carried up from below, a string of creative curses that would make even the most hardened aeronaut blush. I quickened my pace. Van Jagger in a rage was like a storm front—best to navigate it carefully before it turned into a full-blown tempest.
My leg protested as I descended the steps two at a time. The scene before me froze my blood—Moonie dangled over the edge of the ship, their dark hair whipping in the wind as Viper’s meaty fingers wrapped around their throat. The captain’s prized tricorn sat askew, and his face tattoo—a morbid skull—seemed to smile maliciously in my direction.
“Captain.” I kept my voice steady, though my pulse hammered. One wrong word and Moonie would plummet through the clouds. “A word?”
“This piece of bilge rat nearly killed us all.” Viper’s gold tooth caught the light as he spoke, his breath visible in the crisp morning air. “Loose rigging could’ve taken down the whole forward section.”
Moonie’s fingers clawed at Viper’s grip, their face turning an alarming shade of purple. I needed to defuse this—fast.
“The forestay?” I moved closer. “I ordered Moonie to leave it. Found a crack in the mounting bracket last night. Better to have it loose than snap mid-flight.”
A lie, but one that might save a life.
Viper’s dark eyes narrowed. His grip on Moonie loosened slightly. I could see the calculations running behind those eyes—weighing his rage against the possibility he might be wrong.
“If that bracket’s not cracked…” The threat hung in the air.
I met his gaze. “Then you can throw us both over.”
A tense moment passed before Viper hauled Moonie back onto the deck. They collapsed, gasping for air, as the captain stomped away, pausing only to straighten his beloved hat.
I helped Moonie to their feet. “You okay?”
They nodded, rubbing their throat. “Thanks, Reaper.”
“Go get Puffy to replace that bracket. Now.” I kept my voice low. “And Moonie? Next time, double-check your work. I won’t always be here to save your neck.”
