Kraken and Cousin sat in the galley listening to Jak and Harper and Nickel talk about the attack. The typhoon of power swirling around them was kept from the injured.
“The storm was over, and the speeder had just ran out,” Harper said. “Gabb had tried to report. The cabin door was . . .” Harper looked between Kraken and Cousin and blushed scarlet. The brand on his check showed white.
“Go on,” Kraken said.
“Bry was in the crow. He never called down a warning,” Harper said.
Nickel shook his head. “Not his fault. I was on port, and I didn’t see anything until a grapple struck the bulwark right next to me. Then there was a ship twice our size, and boarders coming over the railing.” Nickel looked at Kraken. “I never saw them coming.”
“You wouldn’t have,” Cousin said. “There is no fault in the crew.”
Harper glared, opened his mouth, then clicked it shut. He closed his eyes. “The charm you made saved me. Some of those spells were . . . were awful.” Harper’s expression became hard. “And I used every ounce I got against them.”
“Good,” Kraken said.
“I came out of the galley,” Jak said, “and it was like ants swarming. I felt the charm on my neck, like it was singing, then I was pushed back. I hit my head. Must have knocked me out. When I came to, the ship was gone. A dot at the horizon. And only us here were left. I didn’t see Harper at first. He was hanging over the side, tangled in some out rigging on starboard. I tried to get into your cabin. The door wouldn’t budge. My guess is they tried too,” Jak shrugged. “I came back on deck, and screamed for anyone to answer. That’s when I heard Harper shouting and banging on the side of the ship.”
Harper nodded. “Jak hauled me up, and we searched the ship. Between us we got the rest into the galley.” Harper looked at Kraken and Cousin. “We thought they got you too.”
“I don’t remember much after I was hit with that last spell,” Nickel said. “Before that we gave better than we got. My enchanted weapons were more that effective, with the charm doing its work. I cut several down before getting cornered with Ollie.” Nickel shook his head. “Then this guy floated over us, and pushed the air knocking us around. I threw a blade and nicked his arm. That’s when he hit me with the slime.”
Cousin’s eyes boiled darkness. The air in the galley became thin. Kraken took her hand and squeezed. She blinked, and the air cleared.
“You know something,” Kraken said.
“It was Protector. He has the rest of the crew. I could feel them from Ollie’s connection to Frick.”
“Frick and Frack strike again,” Harper said. “I’ll never pick on them again.”
“I’ll hold you to it,” Ollie said. He coughed and struggled to sit up.
Cousin got up and rushed to him. She sat behind him and let him lean against her. Letting her power flow over him, she looked for further injury. She healed what she found, and motioned for water.
Ollie drank in sips. He sat the cup down, and leaned his head against Cousin. He closed his eyes. “I can feel Frick. Most of the others are around him. Kor, Bry, and Ghost aren’t there. Everyone is wounded in one way or another. None as bad as us.” Ollie opened his eyes. “I can’t tell where they are, only that Frick is getting farther away.”
Kraken paced the galley. He stopped to stare at Gabb, then paced again. No one spoke for a time. Jak got up and started cooking. Harper helped Ollie stand and move to a chair. Cousin checked on the those still healing.
Raymond’s cuts were all scars, and he slept.
Gabb’s bubble pulsed with ocean energy, and his human skin was beginning to grow back.
Jak put food out, and sat down. He stared at his hands.
“Speak up, Jak,” Kraken said.
“I didn’t help. I didn’t do anything. I was useless.”
Cousin walked behind him. She touched the knot on the back of his head. Jak flinched. “You tried,” she said. A soft pulse of warm energy flowed over Jak. “We were not here. We did not help. We did not know.”
“But . . .”
“No,” Kraken said. “No buts. This is our fault.”
“Where were you?” Harper asked. “Cousin said you weren’t here.”
Kraken looked at Cousin. She smiled and nodded. Kraken shook his head.
“Yes, Kraken. They need to understand.”
“I agree. I’ll wait for Gabb and Raymond to wake first. I’ll tell everyone at the same time.”
Cousin walked to him, and floated up to look him in the eye. She rubbed her check on his, then kissed his nose. “As you wish, my love.”
Harper coughed and looked at the others. Jak smiled like an idiot. Ollie bit his lip to keep from laughing. Nickel whistled low and smiled big.
“Works for us,” Harper said.
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