And Barnet, too, as his ship wasn’t far behind.
“I take it they’re on our side?”
He nodded at Agrios’s question. “While my lady isn’t the most circumspect, she doesn’t normally rush off to greet her enemies with open arms.”
Using his crook to test the shifting surf around his feet, Nibo followed Valynda as she waded out toward her friends. Luckily, the demons were distracted by the ship and began attacking the crews. Thunderous cannon fire rolled out and was punctuated by the screams and curses of the demons as they were struck and fell from the skies.
Which made him wonder where his brother had gotten off to.
Nibo paused to search the sky around them. Agrios rushed past him to climb into the boat. “Where are you, you worthless nithing?” The bastard couldn’t be far. It wasn’t like him to sit out any fight.
Not for long.
“Nibo?”
He took a deep breath at the sound of Valynda’s call. Something about this didn’t feel right, and it wasn’t just the demon attack on the ships. There was a sinister feel to the air. Something that crawled over his skin like a dead hand.
“Is he all right?”
Valynda paused at Rosie’s question as she saw Nibo standing in the water. Her breath caught at the unbelievably sexy image of him there in his tricorne with his curls and feathers, poised so regally while the water lapped against his hips. He was commanding and fierce. His face was painted, and at the same time it didn’t detract at all from its unbelievable beauty.
She settled her skirts down and nodded. “He’s listening.”
“To what?” Hinder asked.
“What we can’t hear.” She’d seen him do it countless times. Those voices of the dead and damned who told him things. The mysterious language of the ether that floated in the air around the living, unheard, and carried secrets.
After a few seconds more, Nibo blinked and closed the distance between them.
Rosie held his arm out to him to help him into the boat. With a graceful leap, Nibo came aboard and settled himself by her side as more cannons fired.
“Thank you,” Nibo said to her crewmates. “Impeccable timing, gentlemen.”
“You have the captain to thank there.” Rosie sat down to retake his oars.
Valynda watched the fighting. Not even the dragons could drive them off. “How long have the demons been circling?”
Hinder sighed. “Too long. They seem to have taken a liking to us. Wish they’d find another pet to maul.”
“I don’t like your friends.” Agrios eyed them warily.
“Neither do we.” Rosie wrinkled his nose. “But they go well with the whole doom-and-gloom atmosphere, don’t you think?”
Nibo snorted.
More cannons thundered.
“What’s that?”
Nibo glanced off to where Agrios pointed at another ship that was joining the fray. “Not quite sure. Rosie?”
He shrugged.
Valynda couldn’t tell either.
It wasn’t until they were back on board theSea Witch IIthat she could finally tell the new ship was Circe’s.
With the help of her crew, the three ships and dragons were able to drive the Malachai’s demons away.
