“I’m over here.” Ducot could barely be heard, coming from what Eira assumed to be the back of the ship, judging from its sway.
“You…little…” Noelle snarled through clenched teeth. She put both of her hands on the deck and jumped up.
“Oh, Mother above,” Alyss groaned.
“The fieriness of Firebearers really isn’t an exaggeration,” Varren appraised with awe. “Thank goodness she’s on my side.”
Lavette and Cullen were still stuck in their staring contest. Neither moving.Well, this is off to an exceptional start. As the only one not stunned, or trapped in surprise or frustration, Eira went to the opening next.
“Wait a minute, I didn’t say you could leave the hold,” Pine blubbered as Eira pushed him out of the way with a hand on his shoulder, scrambling up in the same motion.
“—lied to me!” Noelle had pinned Ducot against the back railing. The other pirates seemed too amused to step in, allowing her to verbally berate the man.
“Noelle, I?—”
“Did you think I wouldn’t find out the truth? Did you think me that ignorant?” Noelle and Lavette couldn’t be more different in how they were handling difficult news. So many types of rage, and all of them on display. Though, a key difference being Noelle, unlike Lavette, might actually be in love.
“I would never think you were ignorant.” The glowing dots on Ducot’s brow scrunched in the middle. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to tell you, or wasn’t going to, it’s just that?—”
A wave crashed into the side of the boat, rocking it and no doubt drenching their friends still in the hold below as the crest washed across the deck. Adela arrived with fanfare, gliding atop the water. In the sunlight she looked unnervingly ghostly. Her hair so light it was nearly the color of bleached bone. The water collected at her missing arm and leg, solidifying to ice. Adela swept her hand across the railing, collecting the moisture and condensing it into her usual cane.
“I believe that I cannot abide by you accosting my crew.” Yet, even as Adela spoke, she wore her usual smirk. Amusement glinted in her eyes.
Noelle looked over her shoulder and her glare briefly transformed into shock—but only briefly. “This is a lovers’ quarrel; it doesn’t concern you.”
Eira blinked. Even Adela seemed taken aback for a second. The pirate queen laughed, tapping her cane on the deck.
“Anything involving my crew concerns me.”
Yet Noelle didn’t step away from Ducot. “Listen, Pirate Queen, I’m sure you’re going to threaten me within an inch of my life—or worse—no matter what I say or do. So you’re just going to have to wait a minute while I get this out.”
Adela arched her brows as Noelle turned back to Ducot. Her eyes bounced over to Eira, who could only shrug. The whole situation was strange and surreal. But the one thing it emphasized was that Noelle was a force of nature. The woman could stop a hurricane with a stern look if she wanted.
“Now, you listen to me, Ducot, and listen well,” Noelle said firmly. “If you have anything else you need to tell me, you do it in the next few days. If I’m still alive, of course. But when I told you I wanted to know you—all of you—this is what I meant. No secrets. No lies. No shame.”
“I wasn’t sure if you would accept this part of me,” he said softly, sounding almost scared.
Eira glanced around, wondering if anyone else was as uncomfortable as she was. This felt like a moment that should be only for Ducot and Noelle. But none of the other pirates were bothering to hide the entertainment they were getting from the couple.
“You know, I thought even a blind man could see this…I care aboutyou. All of you.” Noelle reached forward and took his hand in hers.
“What if you find out something you don’t love?”
“Then we’ll broach that when it comes.” She shrugged. “But I’ve yet to see something.”
“Even that I’m a pirate?”
“Women are usually pretty into dangerous men.” Noelle smirked.
“Even my scars?” The whisper was so faint that it was almost lost to Alyss and Varren scrambling from the hold. Lavette and Cullen not far behind.
Noelle cupped his cheek with her other hand and leaned forward. She planted a kiss right on the white, gnarled flesh of his face. “I think they make you look dashing. And really fit with the whole pirate look.”
“Well, I do hate to interrupt this touching display…but there is the matter of killing you all I need to get on with,” Adela said dryly.
“You really do have a heart of ice, boss.” One of the pirates sniffled. He seemed…genuinely moved by Noelle and Ducot’s display of affection? What kind of deadly pirate crew was this?
“And you have one of rose petals and feathers, Krut.”
