Cirrus pushed his hair out of his face. "Most of what we know comes from previous voyages, but we’ve never gotten past here." He tapped the third island in the chain at the center of the map. "This time around, we’re hoping to change that."
Vivienne’s stomach churned, afraid of the answer to her question. "How far did my parents get?"
The room went silent as a tomb.
Vivienne’s fingers curled into fists. "How far?"
Lewis shifted beside her, his eyes darting between the captain, commander, and navigator.
Cirrus exhaled, resting his elbows on the desk. "Last time I sailed with them?" He tapped the outer edge of the third island. "Here."
Vivienne jerked back. "You’ve sailed with my parents?"
Cirrus leaned closer, that damn smirk returning. "I told you we should talk."
Heat flared behind her ribs.How many other secrets have they kept from me? Not mentioning you traveled with your daughter’s ex-fiance is a weird detail to leave out.
Captain Garrett stood, redirecting the conversation. "One island at a time, Miss Banner. No sense worrying about people and places we haven’t reached yet.” The captain dropped his voice to a low hum. “The officers are the only ones aboard who know the full scope of our voyage. As far as the rest of the crew is concerned, this is a research mission. Understood?"
She and Lewis gave simultaneous nods.
The captain placed his palms on the desk, looking between them. "Seeing as neither of you have sailed before, your education now falls under my purview."
Vivienne braced herself, unsure of what such an education would include.
The captain’s grin widened. "Commander Thorne, you’ll oversee their training."
Thorne blinked slow, deliberate, almost pained.
Vivienne bit her lip to keep from smiling.For how much emotion the commander doesn’t express, that blink wasn’t an objection, it was a full scale mutiny.
"Aye, Captain," he replied at last, voice flat as the plateaus in the northern mountains.
Captain Garrett clapped his hands together, his smile easy and open once more. "Welcome to the crew."
14
Commander Thorne paced across the sun-warmed deck, hands clasped behind his back in what Vivienne learned was his default posture. "As the captain made clear, you’re to learn everything required to keep the Zephyrus in top condition," he said, his tone curt. His dark gaze landed on Gus. "Mr. Conway."
The massive, tattooed boatswain straightened, chestnut-brown mustache twitching with curiosity. "Sir?"
"Let’s start Miss Banner and Mr. Blume’s education with deck maintenance." Thorne's lips curled into something dangerously close to a smirk.
A slow, knowing grin spread beneath Gus’ mustache, his twirled ends exaggerating the mischief in his expression. "Aye, Commander."
Without warning, Thorne tossed Vivienne and Lewis each a thick-handled mop.
Gus’ deep voice rumbled like a stampede. "Swabbin' the deck might seem menial, but it keeps the wood from rottin' and the ship from stinking worse than it already does."
Lewis sighed, shoulders slumping as he glanced at the vast expanse of wooden planks stretching from bow to stern. "Which parts do you want us to do?"
"All of it, Blume." Thorne’s forced smile flattened into something more condescending. "It’s swabthedeck, not swab some of the deck." He scanned the other sailors, most already armed with mops and buckets. Then, his expression shifted to something worse, a touch of satisfaction.
"Come to think of it," Thorne mused, "you two might benefit from extra experience." He turned to Gus. "Tell the men they’re free to take the afternoon off. Our newest recruits will be handling their duties."
A chorus of relieved grumbles rippled through the crew as they dispersed, some clapping Lewis on the back in mock encouragement.
Vivienne grimaced, gripping her mop as the thick rope strands dangled like a noose in her hands.
