“That’s what you’re all here for,” Vidar said. “In four days or so, depending on how kind the wind decides to be, we’ll be nearing the shores of Dornwich.”
“A resupply already?” someone else said.
“More like an acquisition of something or someone very particular. Someone who would benefit us and be better off away from those shores most likely.”
As expected, James stepped up. “You talking about my sister? What’s going on in Dornwich?”
“Got a bad feeling is all. And we might need Addison’s particular skills in the days ahead.”
“Weapons?” David said excitedly. “We all getting bronze ones finally?”
“Aye. And more, if we can pull it off. We need allies, as we all know. We’re a crew on the verge of being too small for the Rose. Sorry,” he cleared his throat, his lips forming a crooked smile. “The Storm Weaver.”
“Storm Weaver?” Mullins said. “That’s a good name.”
“You can credit Dahlia for that one.”
“About James’s sister,” Gus interjected.
“Right. Dornwich doesn’t sound like the ideal place to be right now. We won’t be staying. Just want to get your sister, James.”
James let out a slow laugh that caught me off guard. “I’m not worried about the bitch, cap’n. You of all people know she can take care of herself.”
“I don’t doubt it. Back to work! Let’s get this ship where she needs to go.”
The plans were set. The course was laid. The men all had their jobs and though Meridan and I had been learning the ways of sailing a ship bit by bit since we joined the crew, we still weren’t much use alongside men who had been doing it since they were children. Mostly, we were the eyes. The ears.
Meridan had taken to spending time in the crow’s nest and she could remain there for longer periods of time than any of the men. In the chilly wind. In the rain. In the night. She enjoyed it and hereyes could pierce the night’s darkness far better than even mine could.
I, on the other hand, spent most of my time on the bow, watching the sea in front of us like we were sailing across a giant trap. That’s what it was like those days. An abyss waiting to swallow us all whole. A noose waiting to tighten.
For days, our journey continued that way. Vidar sailing the ship. The men maintaining it. Boil cooking meals. The rest keeping watch.
During another early morning, nothing had approached the ship. It was almost more unnerving than if something had. I knew we were being watched. Something was always lurking and not knowing where it was made my skin crawl.
I felt Meridan’s presence before I heard it. She’d finally come down from the crow’s nest and was draped in one of Mullin’s oversized shirts and a pair of drawstring pants. Everything looked big on her, but for months she refused to get dedicated clothing that suited her. If she had her way, she’d never wear clothes at all and the chill of the wind certainly didn’t bother her seemingly delicate, white skin.
She perched her hands on the railing beside me, her silver-white hair blowing in the breeze so languidly it looked like smoke.
“It is strange there have been no sightings,” she mentioned.
“It’s stranger after hearing all the rumors men were spreading in Thorpes. They were afraid to sail.”
“Pirates, of all people. They think they own the water and everything on it.”
“Pirates are cowards. We both know that. They choose the path of least resistance and hunt the weakest of prey.”
“And hunters?”
I shrugged. “They’re in short supply these days. I would have rejoiced over that fact only a few months ago. Now…” I sighed.
Meridan leaned over the railing until it looked like she might just fall into the water.
“They’re down there,” she said calmly. “It would be foolish to think otherwise.”
“I know.”
“And when we get to Dornwich? It could be a dangerous place for all of us. Especially if there are sirens on those shores.”
