The entire crew had a short meeting on the deck soon after. James outlined what they had already determined and mentioned that they were currently going to see Farrah. Tam looked confused at first, but the general excitement rubbed off on him and he started smiling, too.
After the meeting, Wendy followed James to the quarterdeck. She slid her arm through his and held on. “Who’s Farrah, and why are we so delighted?”
Kalaakaar laughed from his position at the helm.
“Farrah Wright is the ironsmith who helped us install the cell in the first place. You may have noticed that our brig is unusually located,” James said.
“Sure.” Wendy made a face and shook her head at the helmsman. The wrinkles around his mouth deepened as he held in a second laugh.
“Farrah had concerns about transporting a magically persuasive person through the entire ship to reach the very bottom.”
“Plus the damage he might do down there,” Kalaakaar contributed.
James nodded. “She suggested we move it up.”
“Was she the one that improved the cell you’re going to stay in?”
He smiled at her. “You’re quick. Yes, she had her hand in most of the details. Her husband is a carpenter by trade—”
“Took on Raghu as an apprentice,” the helmsman interrupted. Wendy thought she might be a corrupting influence if he felt comfortable cutting off his captain like that.
James pursed his lips and sent her a comical look of longsuffering. “Yes, he worked with her to create what we needed.” Wendy gave him her best puppy-eyed look of sympathy and readily agreed when he suggested a walk around the deck.
She waited a whole quarter of the deck before broaching a subject that had been picking at the back of her mind. “So.”
James peeked at her from the corner of his eye. “Yes . . .?”
“I know you’re not a full-blown, child-killing, ruthless, smelly pirate anymore—”
“Thanks, I think.”
“You’re welcome—”
“Wait—” he said at the same time. “You know I’m not that wretched human beinganymore? Or nowyou knowI’m not like that?”
“The second, of course.” She waved the hand that he wasn’t holding. “Back to what I was saying: If you aren’t a pirate, whatdoyou do? I can’t imagine plotting against Peter pays the bills.”
Ahead of them, Tam, Davi, and Phillip were sitting in a tight circle on the deck.
“It . . . doesn’t.” James slowed his words down as they came upon the boys. “What are you three up to?” he inquired frankly.
Tam and Phillip jumped. They pulled back, and Wendy could see her sheeries at the center of the circle surrounded by small, shiny objects.
Davi grinned and held up a sail-mending needle. “We’re playing treasure hunt!”
Wendy leveled a scowl at her faeries, who had the grace to almost look abashed. She softened her expression and addressed the boys, “When you’re done, you’ll make extra certain that each and every item goes back where it belongs, yes?”
Phillip and Tam responded to her sing-songy not-a-threat the way her brothers did. “Yes, ma’am!” they chorused.
“Excellent. Carry on, gentlemen.” She swept past them, carting James along.
“Well done,” he murmured as they moved out of earshot.
“Thank you. You were saying?”
“Right.” He scratched his cheek. “Justice that looks like revenge can’t support us. Technically, we’re merchants.” He brandished his prosthetic. “The hook helps sell the pirate thing, which cuts down on interception from actual pirates.”
“Hmm.”
