“Just doing my job, Captain,” I replied evenly, keeping my face carefully neutral.
“Indeed.” His dark eyes bored into mine a moment too long, the skull tattoo on his face glaring at me with malice. Then he stomped off, his hat bobbing with each angry step.
I turned to the crew still surrounding us, barking orders to assess damage, take stock of injuries, and begin repairs. My voice carried the authority they expected, but my mind was elsewhere. As soon as I’d delegated the essential tasks, I made for the ladder to the lower deck, ignoring the ache in my hip and the dried blood on my temple.
I wanted—no, Ineededto find Kaspar, to check if he was okay with my own eyes.
The lower deck was chaos. Several cannon shots had pierced the hull, leaving gaping holes that let in freezing air. Puffy was already at work, measuring and cutting wood to size, his thick fingers deft with the saw. Two-Toed Roch stumbled past me toward Stitches’ cupboard, dripping blood from a nasty gash in her arm all over the floor. Close behind her, Hawk-Eyes was dragging an unconscious Tony along. Stitches was going to beverybusy today.
But where was Kaspar?
I searched each space I passed, growing more frustrated by the second. My imagination conjured images of him injured, trapped under something, or worse.
I grabbed Moonie as they hurried past. “Moonie! Where’s Ghost? Have you seen him?” I snapped.
They flinched at my tone. “Umm… Well, he was h-h-helping Willy take stock of the cannons, sir! But then I think I saw him go down to the hold?”
I released the poor aeronaut, pivoting to charge over to the hold ladder. My boots pounded against the wooden steps as I descended. The hold was dimly lit—shadows stretched across crates and barrels, creating a maze of darkness.
“Ghost?” I called out, my voice echoing in the cavernous space. “Are you down here?”
No answer.
I moved deeper into the hold, checking behind stacks of supplies and in the narrow spaces between cargo. Nothing. My heart sank as more scenarios flashed through my mind—him thrown against a wall during our dive, knocked unconscious, bleeding out somewhere I couldn’t see. Or even…fallen overboard?!
Damn it, Kaspar, where are you?
A flicker of movement caught my eye. There he was, hovering outside the engine room, staring through the glass panel at the massive fluxstones that powered our ship. Relief washed over me like a physical force. I pressed my palm to my heart, willing my racing pulse to calm.
“What the fuck are you doing down here?”
He jumped, spinning around with wide eyes. “Oh… um… sorry.” He appeared sheepish, guilty even. “I’ll go find something to do.”
“I’m not concerned that you’re slacking,” I said, softening my tone. “I was worried when I couldn’t find you! I thought…” I shook my head, unable to finish.
Kaspar stepped closer, touching my arm gently. “Hey. I’m okay. Nobody died, even. That’s what Patty said. Everyone’s okay, Reaper.”
The warmth of his fingers on my skin sent a welcome jolt through me. I cleared my throat. “But whatareyou doing down here?”
“I… wanted to see the fluxstones, after we used all that energy on the shield. I wondered how much they each had left.”
I frowned at him. “That’s not for you to worry about, Kaspar. Let Mad Murray and I worry about that.”
His green eyes widened suddenly. “Holy phoenix tails! You’re hurt!” He reached toward my temple where dried blood had crusted.
“It’s just a scratch,” I said, flinching away.
“That isnotjust a scratch.” Deep crevices split his forehead. “You need Stitches. For stitches.”
“It’s fine!” I protested, but when I dabbed with my sleeve, it came away bright red. “Alright, it’s not exactly fine, but Stitches is busy with more pressing issues.”
“I can do it!” Kas smiled brightly at me. “Stay here while I get everything. Wait for me in my crate!” Without waiting for my response, he scampered off toward the ladder.
His… crate?
Understanding dawned—the crate I’d found him hiding in.
Five minutes later, I found myself sitting inside the crate, legs awkwardly folded to fit my large frame in the confined space. The pounding of footsteps hurrying toward me made me smile. Then the side of the crate shifted, and Kaspar slipped inside with ease. He grinned at me, his green eyes bright in the dim light filtering through the crate’s slats.
