“Took you long enough,” I said, voice gruff with emotion I didn’t want to show. I was glad to see them alive, but also slightly bitter, though I didn’t know why.
“You’re alive,” Thatcher said, then added, “And reading fairy tales.” A grin spread across his face as he looked from me to the witch, as if seeing ustogethermade him happier than just seeing me. “Thought we’d lost you for good.”
I didn’t even bother with a comeback. Just nodded as they both clapped my hands. Destin hugged me but quickly pulled back as I grimaced.
Malia brushed coconut fronds from her dark skirt, her head turned as she eyed them. Destin gave her a slight bow. “Miss.”
She nodded back.
“Where are the twins?” I asked, my voice tightening. “How many did we lose? Why did the Corallure crown attack us? Is the Crimson Wake gone?”
Destin shook his head and held up his palm. “Everything’s alright, captain. We lost four men.”
I grimaced. Four men. Still too many men.
“The rest are recovering at the inn right now. And, from what we’ve been told by the guards at the port… it wasn’t Corallure that attacked us.”
“They had the coat of arms,” I snapped but Destin shook his head.
“It wasn’t them, Captain. We received word that the king’s ships are going to keep an eye out for this mystery ship that attacked. The messenger got a bit touchy when we blamed them, and said we’re lucky to be alive. The king has asked for shipbuilders to the port to help fix the Crimson Wake—they want us out of here. If we’re lucky, we should sail out of here soon. Nearly all three thousand barrels of oil intact.”
At the mention of the barrels, Ginger visibly tensed.
This conversation seemed so out of place, maybe even inappropriate and callous around someone as soft as Ginger.
“And the twins?” I asked again.
“They’re gone.” Destin pursed his lips. That hit like a blow to the ribs. It was my one promise to Sereth…
Thatcher folded his arms and shrugged. “Soon as we got to shore, they took off into the woods.”
Ginger’s eyes widened and she watched as Destin handed me the sealed note from Sereth. “Figured you should hold onto that.”
“You need to find them,” I said.
“Already sent some men out to investigate,” my first mate quickly responded.
Thatcher, always the one to joke when it wasn’t the time for it, said, “They were probably just scared of you… or Sereth, like everyone else.”
I clenched my jaw and slipped the note into my shirt pocket without a word.
Ginger was quiet beside me. She played with a strand of hair at the mention of Sereth.
Destin and Thatcher exchanged a glance, but said nothing.
“We’ll keep searching for the twins,” Thatcher said, standing. “But we wanted to make sure you weren’t, you know, dead.”
“Thanks,” I muttered.
Destin glanced at Ginger, then Thatcher, then me. “Is there anything else you need, captain?”
“Keep investigating what ship attacked us,” I said. “I want to hold them responsible for the deaths of my men.”
They nodded.
Destin asked, “Are you planning to rejoin the crew? We can help you walk back.”
And then it hit me.Whencould I? I wasn’t in a position to ride a horse, or to walk to the port. From what Ginger said, it was a good mile or two…
