Haven rolled with an easy sea. The morning sky sparkled clear and brilliant blue. The wind was steady and filled the sails. The boxes and crates of enchanted weapons were piled together on deck. The crew kept one eye on their duties, the other on the happenings with the weapons.
Kraken stood with feet braced wide, and his arms folded on his chest. Kor and Gabb waited near by.
Cousin glided between unopened containers. One by one Cousin pointed to the boxes. As each was opened she examined the contents. Some items she separated and held back. Others she identified and sorted by type and purpose. By mid-day Cousin had separated the terrible weapons from the ones the crew could use.
“Just one to go,” Kraken said rubbing her back.
Cousin nodded. “Whatever is in that crate is the worst of the lot.”
Jak brought out sandwiches and passed them out. Cousin sat on an empty crate munching her sandwich and staring at the last crate. A jug of water was passed around, and she took a long drink before passing it on. She thumped her heals against the crate side and chewed her lip.
“Spit it out, missy, and quit making faces,” Kor said
Ghost came up. “You want me to look inside?”
“No. I think I want to open it in my study.”
“Study,” Bry said drawing out the word. “Now that you bunk with -”
Kraken gripped Bry’s shoulder.
Bry cringed under the pressure. “What?”
“Be respectful,” Gabb said.
Bry laughed even as the pain showed on his face. “I can tease my Cousin if I want. She’s tough. She can take it.”
“Can you?” Cousin asked and winked.
“Carry the damned box,” Kraken said to Bry, shoving him forward. “This crew is out of hand. Any more foolishness, and I’ll leave the offenders on the next scrape of sand I find!”
“Aye, Captain!” the crew answered.
Lancer helped Bry with the crate. They left it in the middle of the floor in Cousin’s old cabin. She watched them go, each eager to see what weapons they might get.
Cousin shut the door, and placed wards to protect the ship and crew, wards to keep Kraken out. She used her power to unseal the crate without removing the lid. She felt for wards, traps, hostile spells and all manner of danger she could think of. Then she pushed the lid to the floor.
A scream tore through the small room. Cosmic power ripped at Cousin, and clashed against her wards.
Silence. Cousin felt no external intelligent presence. She waited, and listened. Nothing more happened.
Cousin looked into the crate. Packed in silken cloth was a short silver staff and a book. The lettering on the book was not a system she knew. The staff was smooth, a tapered rod like an elongated tear drop. Both items pulsed with ethereal power.
“I have no desire to enslave you,” Cousin said. “I know what it is to be seen as property. I know you are no mere things.”
A shifting in the energy rippled over Cousin’s skin.
Images shifted over the reflective silver. Scenes of Cousin’s childhood: the Al’Ri island where she grew, the journey with Protector to flee the Masters, Y’Ahno where he failed to bind her and left her behind, her time there, and the Kraken Pirates and Haven all played out. Cousin smiled without humor. Her mind raced. She was uneasy in her spirit though she didn’t see a trap. On instinct she reached for the Ancient Gods. They were there. The book and staff responded to their presence with a soft glow.
“Ah. That’s it,” Cousin said. “I will not give up this life. I am Cousin first, before all else. If you wish to be used, respect that. Otherwise, I’ll seal you in and dump you in the deepest ocean trench.”
Power slapped Cousin. She laughed. “I am a pirate.”
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