Kraken brought in a platter of meat and biscuits. He stopped and looked at the woman staring out the windows. Her reflection was a phantom floating in the glass. It made her changed appearance all the more noticeable.
The crew had gathered to confront him about it. Kor accused him of pushing Cousin too hard. Jak said he wasn’t feeding her enough with the amount of work he made her do. Stephen said he was using her affections against her. Bry called him no better than a slaver. Kraken was met by fourteen men, all complaining and accusing and refusing to disburse until he said he was after food for Cousin. Looking at the changes in her form he wondered if the crew were right. Had he asked too much?
“No. You haven’t asked too much,” Cousin said. “Sorry about the mutiny.”
Kraken put the platter on the table. “Eat.”
Cousin turned to look at her Captain. She moved to sit on the desk next to him. She put her hand on his newly shaved check. The smooth skin was firm under her fingers. Pulling him in front of her with gentle pressure on his arm, she looked up into ocean eyes. Her lips brushed Kraken’s.
Kraken froze at the first touch of Cousin’s lips, lips that felt exactly the same as before. Then his arms were around her holding her to him. His tongue brushed her lips and she opened her mouth. Their tongues met and danced around each other. Kraken slanted his mouth over Cousin’s closing the last distance between them. Kraken cupped the back of Cousin’s neck.
Cousin wrapped her legs around Kraken’s legs. Her arms wrapped his torso. She ran her hands over his hard muscled back.
Then Kraken pulled back. He put his check against hers. He gave a low growl of frustration and resignation.
Cousin heard the knock. She refused to release Kraken. Rubbing her check on his, she leaned into him.
Kraken sighed. “Come.”
Gabb walked in with another platter of food. “Oh,” he said, shutting the door behind him quickly. Several voices cursed from the other side. “Reporting visual on ships pursuing.”
“Ships?”
Aye, Captain. The one I sensed is Jones Bone. The other -“
”Let me guess,” Kraken said. “Drake.”
Gabb nodded. “I can see it. Still can’t feel it. Whatever his men used, it’s working on the ship as well.”
Kraken closed his eyes and rubbed his check on Cousin’s. She was his. They couldn’t have her.
“Mine,” Cousin whispered in his ear. “My Kraken. My Gabb. My family. My home. They won’t harm what is mine.”
Kraken breathed deep the smell of Cousin’s hair, skin, clothes. “To the Bottom with them then.”
Kraken put her hands from him and stepped back out of her clasping legs. “Eat,” he said brushing a thumb over Cousin’s lips.
Cousin watched Kraken and Gabb go. She picked up the platter and went to stand at the windows. She watched the twin dark spots on the horizon. A flowing current drove those ships. It hummed up through her feet and settled in her legs. Al’Ri charms using obscure runes.
Cousin ate and let her memory drift back. The meat filled her belly and fueled her body while books so old only magic kept them from turning to dust filled her mind. Protector’s lessons of lost arts and ancient powers only few could tap came as if she had never forgot them. The years spent mastering those lessons were now.
Cousin felt into her Depth. Other lessons flooded back. Ways of directing power using form and technique. The signatures that power develops through limit, type and use. Forty years of lessons. All returned.
Cousin let her thoughts drift back to the reflection in the window. Eating connected her to the body she wore. Keeping it was a subtle drain on her endurance now that she wasn’t locked inside it. It had grown around her in many years of sorrow. It had also brought her home.
The twin dots were now twin ships. They would reach them within the hour. Two crews. Each more than twice the size of the Kraken Pirates. Cousin’s thoughts turned to the stash of enchanted weapons. A few of those could be used. She went to talk to Kraken about it.
Cousin blinked in the light of mid-day. The crew made ready to be boarded. Trips and traps were laid. Weapons were being sharpened. Archers were filling quivers and fastening them to the masts. Gabb strode to and fro triple checking the progress and giving orders. No one slacked.
The men stopped when they saw cousin. She smiled and held up the empty platter. “No worries,” she said. “I’m good to go.”
Kor walked up and looked her over. “Don’t you lie to me, missy. I won’t stand for it.”
Cousin laughed. “I’ll last longer than you.”
Kor grunted, and went back to his work.
Cousin caught Gabb’s eye and shrugged. He pointed up and shook his head. She threw the platter like a discus and bounded up the ropes before she saw Gabb catch it in front of his face.
“Permission to come up,” Cousin said at the crow’s hatch.
“Come,” Kraken said. He used his spyglass to view the ships. “Jones and Drake are using a speeder spell. You ready to fight?”
“Yes. But . . .”
“No buts.” Kraken looked at her.
“I think we can use some of the enchanted weapons. They could give us an unexpected edge.”
“The ward would be down. Their wielders may sense them.”
“No,” Cousin said. “I won’t allow that.”
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