A slight smile crossed Adela’s lips. “Very well.”
On the sixth time, Adela pulled away and Eira didn’t have the strength to hold on to her. She almost doubled over, catching herself by her knees. Eira thanked the Mother for the chair beneath her, otherwise she might be a puddle on the floor.
Adela stood, crossing over to the small writing desk wedged between the bookcases. Eira could no longer see the piratequeen with the curtain of hair framing her face. Her vision was too blurry at the edges to even make it worth trying. She just focused on breathing. On allowing the warmth of the room to sink into her bones and try to expel the chill that now felt like it was a part of her marrow.
A crystal-cut glass appeared in front of her face, held by a frozen arm. Eira dragged her eyes up, meeting Adela’s. She took it skeptically.
“It’s not poisoned. If I am going to kill you at this point I would give you the respect of letting you know first.”
“Careful, or I’ll think you actually like me,” Eira murmured as she sank back into the chair, bringing the glass to her lips. The amber liquid was heavily spiced with cinnamon, clove, and cardamom. The drink burned all the way down, bringing warmth and instantly dulling some of her aches. Eira tipped the glass slightly, inspecting it. “A warming potion?”
“A very good liquor. The draconi aren’t just known for their silks.” Adela had a glass of her own and leaned forward to tip it against Eira’s. “Good work today.”
“Are you close to restoring my channel?”
“Today was merely the beginning of learning your magical inclinations and pathways. There is still work ahead…and much will depend on your ability to reconnect yourself as well. I can’t do it all. At a point, it will be up to you to restore your connection on your own. Fortunately, our magics are quite similar…similar enough that I might be able to use my power to call out to yours in place of a vessel. Think of it like a rope—I can swing it in your direction, but you’ll have to catch it.”
Our magics arethatsimilar… Eira took another sip of the liquor. It couldn’t be merely chance. Her heart wouldn’t believe it.
“Adela—”
“Your Banefulness,” Crow interrupted, opening the door to the cabin. Eira hadn’t heard Adela summon her.
“Take Eira to the crew cabin,” Adela commanded.
“Thecrewcabin?” Crow stole Eira’s question.
“Give her a hammock.” Adela looked back to the windows thoughtfully. “She’ll need it to recover so she won’t be utterly useless tomorrow.”
Eira stood, swaying slightly. Crow crossed the small cabin in a few steps, wrapping an arm around her waist. Eira glanced over her shoulder once, but Adela was focused on something else…something far beyond the here and now.
9
Imight be able to use my power to call out to yours. Eira continued to repeat the words over, and over,and overagain. She wanted to commit them to memory exactly as Adela had said them, and how she looked while speaking them. She didn’t want time, or hope, to change a single detail.
Crow led Eira to a different hatch at the front of the boat, past her usual spot. They climbed down a ladder, passing through a narrow squeeze where the hold Eira was usually kept in was walled off at their backs. The lower hull of the ship opened up enough underneath where the upper hold was for five hammocks. In the very back of the vessel was a small galley, squeezed into the point. Chests were piled on either side of the ladder.
Two of the hammocks were occupied with pirates Eira only vaguely recognized. Though she couldn’t recall if she’d seen them on this deck, or the other ship. One was an older elfin man with brown skin and rows of braids woven closely against his scalp. The other was a young human woman, fair-skinned, perhaps a year or two younger than Eira, wore a patch over oneeye and had her black hair tied in a messy bun at the top of her head.
“We have a guest?” The man sat up, his hammock swaying slightly.
“Adela has requested she get a hammock.”
“You one of us now?” the woman asked, twisting her head to look at Eira with her good eye.
“She is certainly not.” Crow bristled. “Adela merely needed her to recover, lest she be useless to our queen.”
“Is joining the crew an option?” Eira asked no one in particular. That notion of another possibility that wasn’t captive or Adela’s experimentation had crossed her mind. But she’d assumed—perhaps wrongfully—that Adela wouldn’t consider it.
“Let’s not get ahead of yourself.” Crow pointed to the hammock in the middle on the right-hand side. “You can use that one.”
“Am I taking it from someone else?” Eira was too tired to stop herself from dragging her feet over to it regardless of whose it might be. It was a wonder she had been able to grip the ladder on the way down here.
“No, it’s just the three of us on this boat,” the man said. “I’m Puck and this is Zaila. Crow you know already.”
“You just go making friends with absolutely anyone, even our captives.” Crow hopped into her hammock with a huff. “Somefearsome pirateyou are, Puck.”
“I’m fearsome when I need to be.” Puck had an air of confidence that assured Eira he had the ability to back up the claim. “But Adela clearly sees an opportunity in her if she’s trusting her to be down here with us while we sleep.”
