Cousin stood on the deck. The Sor-von was light on her hands and forearms. Her mind took them through the forms she could remember. Heavy gauntlets, taloned fingers, spiked armor, razor spine forearms, elbow blades, and more flowed from one to the other. Finally, she ended with matching wide silver bracelets.
Memories of her training came back. The face of Protector clear as he berated mistakes, demanded perfection. He no longer looked like Gabb in her mind, though the resemblance was still there.
The wind was steady around her. She breathed in the salt ocean smell. Evening was fast approaching. Jak would be sounding the dinner bell soon. A plate of meat was exactly what she wanted.
“Well, aren’t they just pretty,” Raymond said. The evening sun glinted from the ornaments in his hair. “Little silver bracelets, for our little Cousin.”
“Maybe she needs a lesson in hand to hand,” Bry said.
Cousin smiled her best imitation of Gabb’s Death Smile, and motioned them on with one silver talon tipped index finger.
“What’s this,” Kor said stepping between them. “I get first sparring with the little miss, and her new toy.”
A hooting laugh came from the men nearby.
Kor drew his blades.
“Hold!” Kraken strode up. “I will test this edge.” He held a sword in one hand and a short black staff in the other. An aura of power ebbed and flowed over the satin black wood. The handle formed to Kraken’s hand. He stood relaxed, tapping it against his leg.
Kraken attacked.
Cousin met the sword swing with an armored hand and ducked the staff blow aimed at her head. She spun and countered with razor fingers missing Kraken’s arm by centimeters.
They spun and lunged and struck and parried. The fight moved over the decks of the ship from bow to quarterdeck and back.
Kraken allowed the power of his staff to flow. It shone with a shadowy light. With its power, he moved faster, holding nothing back. His sword swung, darted, slashed, and stabbed in a blur. The staff was a whirl of black.
Cousin’s Sor-von sang with the rapid changes. She met Kraken’s attacks and pressed her own advantage, until she tripped on a coil of rope. She fell flat on her back with Kraken’s blade aimed at her throat.
The crew cheered, and bets were paid. Kraken started to speak, but Cousin gave a quick, short shake of her head.
Kraken knew he had lost. His trust was blocked by one hand while Cousin’s other hand gripped his ankle. One slice and he was crippled, or she could slice an artery and he would bleed out. He nodded and lowered the black staff. Cousin grabbed the end, and he helped her up, the Sor-von once again silver bracelets on her wrists.
Men crowded around congratulating Kraken. Cousin slipped back through the crowd. Her breathing was slow and measured. Her heart rate steady.
“It’s a Mer technique,” Gabb whispered. “The breath control. Not using the lungs.”
“Breathing through the skin,” Cousin whispered back.
Gabb nodded.
Kor walked up, and stood arms crossed. He glared at Cousin until she shrugged. “Don’t shrug at me, missy. I saw what happened. I ain’t paying up.”
“You have to,” Gabb said. “Captain was about to speak up, when Cousin signaled him.”
“Take it from what you still owe me,” she said. “We can spar after dinner if you like.”
Kor snorted and walked off.
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