Eira shifted her focus and her waterspout over the vessel. This, combined with the continued attacks, was too much. The mast was ripped from deck, and the hull torn in two.
Rather than descending on her own deck, Eira touched down onto theStormfrost. The crew actually paused what they were doing to stare at her, as though they were…impressed. The water splashed around her, retreating into the ocean or freezing against the permafrost of the vessel, thickening Adela’s fortifications.
“I’m not sure what you’re all gawking at.” Adela’s voice cut through the momentary silence. “You have treasure to collect for me.”
The crew launched into action—some throwing themselves overboard. Adela had raised up the ships anew, flotsam nowlittering the frothy waves. The Pillars who were still moving were the ones the pirates targeted first, ending them with ruthless precision.
“I see you became more showy while you were gone.” Adela sounded a mix of impressed and annoyed.
“Stretching my magic a bit.”
“A bit?” The pirate queen arched her brows. “I think you’ve much to tell me.”
Adela turned and Eira went to follow, but immediately wavered. She hadn’t realized just how much magic she’d used until it hit her all at once. She was going to fall. Eira tried to lean back for the railing, but she couldn’t reach it. Instead, her hand met a pillar of ice not unlike Adela’s cane. The frost hardened around her boots, keeping her feet from slipping out from underneath her.
At a glance, it’d look like she’d done nothing more than stumble, her bone-deep exhaustion hidden. But it hadn’t been Eira who’d stabilized herself.
“Come along now,” Adela said softly, pointedly. It almost sounded like a warning.
Eira collected herself and scraped up enough magic to free her boots from their place in the frost and the cane of ice. She leveraged it to get to Adela’s cabin, not trusting herself to be stable enough.What a sight the two of them must be, a mirror of each other…
“Sit.” Adela pointed to one of the usual chairs along the back wall the moment they entered.
As Eira crossed, she caught her reflection in a polished piece of silver.Mirror, indeed. Another streak of her hair had turned white and, like Cullen had pointed out in Carsovia, her eyes seemed to glow. But Adela said nothing of it, so Eira focused on getting herself to the chair and collapsing into it. The momentshe did, the cane she’d been using disappeared with a hiss of mist. She could let the cushions swallow her whole.
“I don’t know if I should be impressed that you were able to come up with such power on your own, insulted that you did not flourish so underneath my tutelage, or murderous that you’d hide it from me.”
“None,” Eira assured her. Adela poured amber liquid into a glass and delivered it to Eira, who took it readily. The familiar spice burned satisfyingly all the way down, warming her from the core.
Adela took her seat opposite. “Start from last I saw you.”
Eira obliged. She told Adela everything from when they had last been on theStormfrost. Of fighting against the navy of Carsovia, continuing to work on the magical theories they’d begun together, their arrival on Qwint, the prison break, and, ultimately, all the details of Allun.
“Show me,” Adela demanded as soon as Eira finished.
Once more, Eira didn’t question or hesitate. She unfastened the clasps holding the pistol in place and rested it on the table between them. Adela wasted no time taking it, turning the weapon over in her hands. But her eyes continued to flick to Eira expectantly. She knew what the pirate queen was asking for without words. Eira straightened and undid the buttons of her shirt, opening it and then working on the lacings of her bustier, loosening it just enough to expose the still-healing mark.
Adela shifted forward, inspecting it closely. She looked between it and the pistol. Eventually, she leaned back in her chair and settled the pistol on the table. Eira took it as a sign that it was fine to redo her clothes.
“I’ve only one critique.”
“Please,” Eira invited, even though Adela was certain to tell her anyway.
“You should have taken this Allun character for us. The work is truly that of a mastermind. She’ll be wasted in Qwint.”
“And risk my standing with the government?”
“Since when do I care about standing?” Adela had a note of disapproval to her tone.
Eira chuckled. “You might not, but that is the benefit of having me. I can broker these deals. If I took Allun, then Qwint would’ve been after us—and, moreover, weakened for the fight against the Pillars. By leaving her there,for now, I’ve enough goodwill to return quietly and get weapons like this whenever it pleases us, with one less mouth to feed in our crews.” Eira took a long swig of the burning liquor. She was still exhausted, and it offered her a sweet haze that hid the aches of her body—notably the shoulder of the arm that had been holding the pistol. The weapon might have been designed to be able to be used by a Commons, but it seemed when a sorcerer wielded it, their own power enhanced the shot. “And whenever it suits Your Frostiness, I can go and collect her for you, because Qwint’s doors are still open to me.”
Adela pursed her lips and steepled her fingers against them, looking at Eira through narrowed eyes. “You do know that pirates don’t usually negotiate this much, don’t you? We take what we want.”
“I’m merely prioritizing the taking,” Eira assured her. “Unlike nobles, royals, or politicians,I care little about going back on my word, at least when it comes to those beyond my crew. For now, it benefits us most to play their games and let them think we’re all on the same side.”
“Good. Ensure that never changes.” Adela stood. “Now, you look practically dead by exhaustion and it’s an insult to my presence to bring that weakness into my room.”
Eira laughed and stood. The world tilted again, but she was ready for it this time and kept herself stable. “If you’ll excuse me, then, I’ve a hammock to get to.”
