Cousin stood the crow. The setting sun was washing the ocean in scarlet and inky black. She had spent hours repairing Haven. Her power flowed over everything. From the crow she could feel all that was Haven, every life on Haven and much more.
She cast her mind wide. Saw the ocean life to the deepest reaches. Islands with their peoples and life came into view. She felt a multitude of ships on the water. Picked their natures out of the distance. Cousin found her crew.
The life below her moved. She could feel Gabb fighting to pull his human skin together. Raymond ate and recounted his experience during the attack to Kraken. Cousin listened at a distance. She heard as if she sat there.
As she listened, she looked to herself. There was no fatigue. She felt no drain on her power. Physically, she was as well as when she woke. Her power flowed and pulled and stretched with no restriction.
Cousin looked into the Ether, and saw again the welcome there. Saw the flow of Kraken’s power in the rich swirl of ethereal power. She had done that to him. Had brought him with her into that place were all and nothing existed together. Cousin sighed and came back to Haven.
Gabb had joined the conversation.
Cousin jumped to the deck and went to the galley.
“. . . that’s when I lost my charm,” Gabb said. “I’m not sure if he knew or what. I tried to pull in as much energy from it as I could before it was out of range. The spells flying around the ship were worse than a hurricane.” Gabb nodded at Cousin and gave a soft rueful smile. “I see what you mean about the way we look alike. He was older, but – damn. It took me back a half second too long. I dropped my guard.”
Raymond and Harper nodded. Raymond’s new scars were a web over his skin.
Nickel sneered. “Thought he was you at first. The floating should have gave it away.”
Gabb chuckled, a dry hoarse sound. “I don’t think he approved of me looking this way. He seemed to take great delight in torturing me into my true form. Then I couldn’t breath. I tried to breath through my skin. I guess it worked just enough to make the difference. At the end . . .” Gabb shuttered.
“He fettered your power,” Cousin said.
Gabb nodded. “It’s gone now. Thanks for that.
Cousin squeezed his hand.
Kraken stood. “Everyone watch yourselves.” He unleashed his new power. It crashed over the ship in a swirl of chaos, and swept through every particle of Haven. Kraken’s eyes glowed swirling nebulas of shifting color. He let himself go, and felt to the very core of the ship. And Haven answered.
Kraken returned to himself. He looked at the faces of his crew. Their expressions were mixed, their minds blank. “Hard to process? Are you injured?”
“Give them time,” Cousin said. “Maybe they will understand better after we explain.”
Kraken nodded and sat. “When everyone is ready.”
Gabb blinked. “On your word, Captain.”
The others nodded one by one.
“I owe an apology,” Kraken said. “I did not think to take precautions. I should have.”
“We should have,” Cousin said.
Kraken took her hand and kissed the palm. “Cousin came to report the abatement of the storm. She saw my worry – my distractedness. She sought to ease my mind. She . . .” Kraken looked at Cousin , she smiled at him. “She promised she wouldn’t leave us. Leave me.”
Kraken took a deep breath. “We kissed. We continued to . . .”
“Make love,” Cousin said.
“About time,” Gabb said.
“That don’t explain why the door was stuck, or why they didn’t know about the attack,” Harper said.
“During,” Kraken started, then looked at Cousin.
“We were gone from ourselves,” she said. “I told you before, I became.”
Gabb waved his hands over the table until everyone was looking at him. He looked Kraken in the eyes. “We?”
“Yes.”
“Is the power boost permanent? A link between you? Or is it something worse?”
“What do you mean worse?” Nickel asked.
“He means, will Kraken die because his body can’t contain the power?” Cousin said.
“What?” Harper jumped up and backed away.
“Still yourself,” Kraken said to Harper. “I am in no danger now. That has passed. This is not something we anticipated. Cousin did not mean me or anyone of us harm. And,” Kraken looked from face to face, “what she gave up to return to us is more than any mortal creature can understand. I saw and still do not understand.”
“What did you see?” Jak asked.
Kraken shook his head. “I don’t have the words for it. The best I could do is call it the Ether.” Kraken looked at Cousin. “A place of vastness. A place where Cousin is welcome and wanted.”
“Can’t be more than she is wanted here,” Harper said.
“So, what about the door?” Jak asked. “There is no way they didn’t try to get in.”
Kraken looked to Cousin.
She shrugged. “The only thing that makes sense to me is the joining of our powers sealed the room. Add the pressure of the Ether, and no one would have been able to open the door.”
“So, it was the Ether,” Raymond said.
“Yes,” Cousin said.
Jak got up and brought a bright green bottle and cups to the table. He uncorked it and pored a shot into each cup. He forced the cork back and set the bottle center table. They each took a cup, raised it and knocked back the shot.
Kraken slammed his cup on the table. “Now, we go get our people.”
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