“You didn’t give me a chance, psycho-douche.”
Acheron held his hand up. “Knock it off, children! With Adarian running loose in the Caribbean, we have enough problems without you two going at each other. Now play nicely, or I’m feeding you both toshewho won’t be named.”
Thorn rolled his eyes, then turned to curse at Kalder. “Of all the islands in all the worlds. You had to land on this one? Really?”
Kalder shrugged. “I’ve always had bad aim.”
Zumari laughed at that. Unlike Kalder, the Maasai warrior was renowned for his skills at throwing knives and spears. “No lie to that. You should see him at a spear toss.”
Growling low in the back of his throat, Thorn faced Mara and Devyl. “How long will it take for you to make a new ship?”
Mara bit her lip as she considered it. “From scratch? Months. But I could bond with one quickly.” Her amber eyes danced with amusement. “You wouldn’t happen to have a spare one just lying about, would you?”
They all turned toward Acheron. At first he appeared irritated by the fact that they deferred to him, but with a sigh, he resigned himself to it.
“Frigate or sloop?” he asked the captain.
Devyl grinned. “First-rate man-o’-war. I’ve always been partial. Besides, me aeromages need the room to maneuver in battle. And me lady doesn’t like to be cramped.”
Acheron nodded slowly. “All right. I’ll have one docked and ready by dusk.” He jerked his chin at Savitar. “Can you manage to be hospitable until then?”
“I’d rather be disemboweled. Or better yet, disembowelthem.”
“Sav…”
He sneered at Acheron. “Don’t give me no lip, twerp. How’d you come by thatwonderfulpirate coat you’re wearing, again?”
Acheron gave him a droll stare. “Moral of the story isn’t to draw first blood. It’s to draw last.”
Savitar rolled his eyes. “Fine. But remember, you owe me. And Thorn owes me twice.”
“Me?” Thorn groused. “Why do I owe you?”
“I didn’t eat your little Thornkateers when they showed up on my beach without an invitation.”
Thorn sputtered in indignation. “Need I remind you thatyoupersonally recommended about half of them for my crew? Doesn’t that make them Saviteers?”
“Or would that be saboteurs?” Belle asked with a wicked gleam in her eye.
In complete synchronicity with each other, Savitar and Thorn turned their heads to glare at her. And with the same exact grimace of disdain.
An impressive feat, indeed.
Bart laughed while William grimaced. “Do those two always argue like an old married couple?”
“They do,” Acheron said with a sigh. “Be grateful, you’ve only had to listen to them for a few minutes. I’ve had this shite ringing in my ears for thousands of years.”
Bart scratched at his beard. “And you’re still sane?”
Acheron shrugged. “That’s a matter of opinion. Besides, sanity’s overrated.”
“But silence isn’t. So let there be silence on my island. And peace, boys and girls. You can camp in the Omegrion chambers since I doubt the Were-Hunters will be visiting—and they better not be visiting ’cause I can’t take any more creatures here today. There’s a reason I live in seclusion. Means I tend to eat anything that intrudes on it.”
Savitar growled again. “Acheron, since he apparently has nothing better to do with his immortality than stick his skinny little nose in where it doesn’t belong, can show you where that is, then see about your ship so that you’ll be gone before I finish with my siesta. Thorn will watch ye motley bunch while you’re there, and make sure none of you piss on my rugs.”
Thorn sputtered. “Excuse me?”
“I tried to make an excuse for you once and this is what happened. I got stuck with you being a pain in my eternity. So be a good parent and mind your children while I nap. Keep them out of my underwear drawers and off my furniture for the duration of their stay.” And with that, Savitar vanished into thin air.
