Tourinian pirates had been plaguing the Eberoni coastline for over a hundred years, and Leo wanted rid of them. While General Harden and the main army were patrolling the northern and eastern borders with Norveshka and Woodwyn, his son, Nevis, had several troops guarding the western coastline, hoping to capture and destroy pirates. Most of the Eberoni naval ships were also hunting for them.
Brody examined the pirate flagship as he swam beside it. There was no way he could gather information or check on the ladies unless he managed to get on board. But he couldn’t do it as a human. The other men aboard would wonder why there was suddenly a stranger in their midst. Especially one who had no clothes.
Besides, thanks to a witch’s curse, Brody wasn’t able to stay human for long. The damned witch had screwed up his shifting ability, forcing him to become human each day before midnight, but never allowing him to remain that way for more than two hours at a time.
In other words, he could never lead a normal life. He was a human who couldn’t be human. Doomed to spend most of his life observing and listening. An imperfect existence. But a perfect spy.
He couldn’t do much spying here in the ocean, though, so he dove down till the pressure built against his ears, then shot toward the surface as fast as he could. The second he broke through and became airborne, he shifted into a pelican.
Up, up he flew till he was far above the flagship. There he rested, stretching his wings to glide on the steady wind that was filling the ship’s sails and pushing it south. He veered to the right so he could glance back. The entire fleet was moving south in a V formation like a flock of geese.
Tipping back to the left, he flew directly over the flagship and scanned the deck below. Brigitta and the nun were nowhere to be seen. They must have been sent below. The captain and helmsman were standing by the wheel on the quarterdeck, although Brody assumed the ship needed little steering as long as Rupert was in control.
Brody had heard the captain introduce himself with the name Landers. So where was the infamous Rupert? The masked man in the crow’s nest was the only pirate on board attempting to conceal his identity. He was facing the bow of the ship with his arms stretched out, his palms turned up to the sky. Slowly, he lifted his arms, as if he was gathering the air around him, then rotated his palms and pressed them forward. South, the same direction as the wind.
He had to be Rupert.
Brody dipped down closer. The pirate appeared tall, and his black hair was long and braided. It was hard to tell any more than that because of the hat and mask he was wearing. Why was he taking Brigitta south? If he was intending to ransom her, he should have headed north toward Tourin.
A young boy scampered up onto the quarterdeck to speak to the captain. Brody spiraled downward to make a landing on a nearby railing.
“I have a box with needles and thread somewhere in my cabin,” Captain Landers was saying. “I’ll go look for it and take it to the ladies.”
The boy gasped. “Oh, no, Captain! I’ll take it! Y-you’re busy right now.”
“Not that busy. Besides, I should make sure our guests are comfortable.” The captain headed for the stairs.
“Wait!” The boy jumped in front of him, his arms stretched out. “You shouldn’t disturb them. Th-they’re asleep!”
“How did they ask for needle and thread in their sleep?”
The boy winced. “Just tell me where the stuff is, and I’ll take it to them. You should stay here.”
Landers leaned over, lowering his voice. “Jeffrey, you don’t tell a captain what to do. Move aside.”
“But if you go, the nun will gullet you!”
“What?” The captain straightened with a jerk.
“She said if any man came into the cabin, she would gullet him. With the butter knife.”
The nearby helmsman chuckled. “She sounds a bit feisty for a nun.”
Captain Landers shot him an annoyed look. “It’s not amusing that the women don’t feel safe.”
With a shrug, Jeffrey stuffed his hands into his pockets. “The nun said they were going to be ravished.”
“What?” The captain spun back to the boy.
Jeffrey’s eyes widened. “What does it mean?”
Landers gritted his teeth. “Never mind about that for now.”
The boy’s shoulders slumped as he muttered, “That’s what they told me, too.”
Meanwhile, the helmsman lost his struggle not to laugh and a snort escaped.
Captain Landers cuffed him on the head. “Their fear is not unfounded. If any other pirates had taken them—”
“Tucker.” A deep voice carried toward them on the wind.
Who the hell was that? Brody noted the helmsman looking up, so he glanced up, too.
The masked man in the crow’s nest was staring down at them. Apparently, he’d been listening to the entire conversation. His mouth moved as words sifted toward them on a breeze. “Take a break, Tucker. And not a word to anyone. I can hear everything said on deck, so if I hear gossip about the women, I will know it came from you.”
Tucker nodded. “I understand, Admiral. I won’t say a word.” He bowed his head, then scrambled down the steps to the main deck.
As far as Brody could tell, the women were going to be safe. He hopped down, his webbed feet landing on top of a wooden trunk. Tucking his spindly legs beneath him, he sat down and took a much-needed rest.
Captain Landers removed his hat and ran a hand through his dark, curly hair. “Jeffrey, look in the trunk at the end of my bed. There should be a small lacquer box in there with some sewing supplies.”
“Aye, Captain.” The boy saluted and headed down the stairs.
“And tell them again that they’re safe,” Landers called after the boy, then muttered, “If it will do any good.” He plopped his hat back on his head and grabbed hold of the wheel.
Rupert turned to face south and repeated the gesture with his hands to keep the wind moving.
After a few minutes, the captain grumbled, “I won’t have it. I won’t have women on my ship cowering in fear. I’ll tell them myself—”
“Let them think the worst.” Rupert’s voice filtered down on a breeze as he turned toward the quarterdeck.
Landers lifted his gaze to the crow’s nest. “Why?” His voice was barely above a whisper, but apparently Rupert could hear it.
“They’re not guests,” Rupert replied softly. “They’re captives.”
The captain’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the wheel hard. “I thought I raised you to have a sense of honor.”
Rupert turned his back and lifted his arms in the air as if he was unaffected. Brody wasn’t entirely convinced, though, not when Rupert’s arms moved a bit jerkily and a sudden gust of wind caused the ship to lurch forward.
“They came from a damned convent,” Landers growled. “This has to be terrifying for them. Have you forgotten you once took a vow—”
“I have forgotten nothing, Stefan.” Rupert whirled to face the captain. “She is the spawn of the bastard who stole everyone and everything from me. She is the enemy.”
Brody narrowed his eyes at the level of rage that filled Rupert’s voice and radiated from his tense posture. Who the hell was this pirate? And what did he intend to do with Brigitta?
Landers was silent for a moment, his head bowed. “I remember it, too. I was there. I have always been there.”
Rupert’s shoulders slumped a bit as he turned away. He removed his hat, and Brody was surprised to see that the long black hair was attached. But it remained difficult to tell what the pirate looked like, since he still wore the mask and a red scarf around his head.
As he dropped the hat into the crow’s nest, the sails beneath him rippled, no longer full of air. “I am grateful, Stefan. I won’t blame you if you wish to leave—”
“No,” Landers interrupted. “The choice was mine, and I made it gladly. There’s no need for you to feel guilt—” He stiffened. “That’s why you’re behaving like an arse. You
feel guilty for using the girl to—”
“Enough.” Rupert lifted his arms, gathering up more air to make another push. The wind picked up and filled the sails once again.
“Captain!” Jeffrey skipped up the steps to the quarterdeck. “I found the box and gave it to the ladies.”
“That’s a good lad.” Landers patted him on the back. “And did you remind them that they’re truly safe?”
Jeffrey nodded. “The nun said she feels safer now.”
“Excellent.”
“’Cause now she can use the needles to poke a man’s eyes out.”
The captain groaned.
“Did the younger one say anything?” Rupert asked softly, and Brody noticed that the masked man was facing them once again.
“She thanked me for the box.” Jeffrey scratched his head. “She looked like she’s been crying.”
The captain muttered a curse. Rupert turned away, seemingly unconcerned. Even so, Brody suspected his concentration was off. The sails began to sag as the wind died down.
“Jeffrey.” Rupert glanced back at the boy. “In the storeroom, you’ll find a blue gown and a bag of women’s clothing. Take all of it to the ladies. It might cheer them up.”
“Yes, Admiral.” The boy saluted.
“Excellent idea.” Landers smiled up at Rupert, but the masked man ignored them and increased the wind to the sails.
Brody snorted to himself. It looked like the captain was right and Rupert was feeling some guilt over kidnapping the women. But why did he consider Brigitta an enemy?
Jeffrey headed for the stairs, then halted with a jerk. “Oh, I almost forgot. They want some water now. The nun said the wine is too strong.”
“We gave them our best wine,” Landers muttered.
“Aye,” Jeffrey agreed. “But the nun said they have to keep their wits about them so they won’t get ravished.”
The captain’s hands clenched into fists, and his breath hissed as he took in a long breath. “Take them a pitcher of water.”
“Aye, Captain.” The boy scurried off.
“Dammit.” The captain whisked off his hat as he swiveled in a circle. He caught a glimpse of Brody sitting on the trunk, then did a double take. “What are you looking at? Shoo!”
Brody didn’t budge.
“What are you doing so far from shore?”
Brody attempted a small squawk, but it came out more like a belch.
“Trying to get away from a female, aren’t you?” With a sigh, the captain plopped his hat back on, then rested his hands on the wheel. “The Light help me. Now I’m talking to birds.”
After a few minutes, Jeffrey returned.
“What is it now?” Landers asked softly.
“They need a chamber pot. Should I—”
“Take them to the officers’ privy,” Rupert called from above.
Jeffrey blinked. “I thought only you and the captain were allowed in there.”
“We don’t mind,” Landers assured the boy.
“Did you take the clothing that Lady Ellen left behind?” Rupert asked.
Jeffrey nodded. “Lady Brigitta thought the gown was beautiful, but the nun told her it must have been stolen from a woman you ravished.”
With a growl, Captain Landers threw his hat on the deck. “I’m going to wring her neck.”
Jeffrey’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“No!” the captain yelled. “They’re safe, dammit. From now on, do whatever they ask. I don’t want to hear it!”
As the boy scampered off, Brody smirked as well as he could with a pelican beak. The ladies were safe. It was the men who were in danger of losing their sanity.
* * *
Up in the crow’s nest, Rupert kept calm by surveying his domain. Up here, he was the master. He could sail wherever he pleased, do whatever he wanted, and no one could stop him. Not even a pair of stubborn women belowdecks.
But she was crying. He ejected that thought the second it crept into his head. There was no need to feel guilty. No need to feel anything at all but the satisfaction of knowing he was one step further along on the Official Plan. He would not allow the so-called princess to distract him. Even if she was beautiful. And crying.
Out of sight, out of mind. She could stay belowdecks, and he would remain here. Up here, he was free.
The Great Western Ocean went on as far as the eye could see. Overhead, the endless sky stretched far into the horizon. Most nights, he slept on a pallet on the quarterdeck, so he could feel close to the moons and countless stars.
Others, like Stefan, claimed the enormity of the night sky made them feel small. Insignificant. For Rupert, it made him feel better. The haunting memories, the crushing grief of losing everyone he loved, the years of living in fear—all these things seemed smaller and more bearable when he gazed up at the stars. And the fact that there were so damned many of them made it seem like anything could be possible. Even avenging his family and taking back what was rightfully his. Why shouldn’t his chances for success be as limitless as the stars in the sky?
Hope. The vastness of the night sky gave him hope.
During the day, the sky became an enormous workshop, providing him with an endless supply of air that he could shape and turn as he wished. Over the years, he had fine-tuned his gift, so now he could produce anything from the faintest whisper of a breeze to a hurricane-force gale. And he could narrow the wind. Aim it like an arrow. If ten seagulls lined up on a yardarm, he could blow one off its perch while leaving the others untouched.
Control. The vastness of the sky gave him control.
There had been too many years when he’d had no control at all. After losing everything before turning seven, he had spent the next seven years of his life hiding in caves and basements, constantly fearing for his safety. A hopeless, helpless existence, fraught with fear, hunger, and grief.
Even now, the memory of that time shot a spark of rage sizzling through his body. Never again. He would never be that weak and hopeless again. He’d learned how to harness the wind, and up here, surrounded by air, he had the power of a sorcerer. He had the control he craved. And the satisfaction of being the master of his own destiny.
Shutting his eyes, he inhaled the fresh, salty air and relished the wind brushing against him. Unfortunately, with his eyes shut, a pretty face came to mind. Blond hair and beautiful turquoise—dammit. He opened his eyes and shoved her from his thoughts.
He glanced back to check on the other ships, for they always gave him a great sense of accomplishment. In the seven years since he’d become a pirate, he’d increased his fleet from one to nine.
By the time Rupert had turned fourteen, he had become increasingly rebellious about having to remain hidden. So Stefan had contacted his cousin, Ansel, who was the captain of a merchant vessel. Ansel had agreed to take them on, even though they knew nothing about sailing. Over the next five years, hard work and fresh air had transformed Rupert from a gangly youth into a muscular young man.
During that time, Ansel taught them everything he knew about sailing, while Stefan continued to teach him fencing and archery. Rupert read every book he could find, and with the endless sky around him, he was finally able to practice and master his special gift.
When Rupert was nineteen, the merchant who had owned the trading ship managed to squander away his fortune at the gaming tables. With the ship up for sale, Ansel, Stefan, and Rupert had pooled all their resources and bought it. And that was when the three of them had set the Official Plan into motion.
With their one ship, they attacked a small convoy of Tourinian naval ships carrying gold. Not only did they abscond with some gold, but they took one of the ships. The Golden Star. Many of the seamen onboard, frustrated by the measly pay from the royal navy, decided to join Rupert. The officers were put ashore, Stefan became captain, and each sailor on the two ships was rewarded with a gold coin.
Rupert’s career as an infamous pirate had begun.
Now he was returning to Danpor
t, where they’d bought supplies two days earlier. They’d traveled south for over an hour. It was time to turn eastward and head for shore.
As he adjusted the wind, Jeffrey’s voice filtered up from the quarterdeck. What did the women want now? Was Brigitta crying again? Had she been impressed by the privy he had invented for himself and Stefan?
What do you care what she thinks? Each time Rupert had heard one of the women’s complaints he’d gotten distracted and lost his concentration. That had to stop. He needed to get his fleet to Danport as quickly as possible before other pirates attacked the town.
Down below, Stefan was telling Jeffrey to give the ladies some books from his room. They were bored, and Jeffrey hadn’t known what to do.
Stay out of it. It’s not your problem. With muttered curse, Rupert turned toward them. “The captain’s books are all about warfare and navigation. Not what I would call entertaining.”
Stefan sighed. “You have a better idea?”
“There’s a book in my room about a mermaid and a sorcerer. Take that one to them, Jeffrey.”
“Yes, Admiral!” The boy started for the stairs.
“Is she still crying?” Rupert asked, then slapped himself mentally.
“Lady Brigitta?” Jeffrey hesitated. “No. She asked me what you were planning to do with her, but I didn’t know. She doesn’t want to go to Tourin or see her brother.”
Rupert’s grip on the railing tightened.
Stefan cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should have a talk with her—”
“Later,” Rupert interrupted. He turned back to the bow of the ship and reinforced the wind. She didn’t want to go to Tourin? She could be a princess there. Didn’t that appeal to her? She’s the enemy. Why should you care what she wants? With a muttered curse, he yanked the spyglass from his belt. But what if she’s innocent? He shoved that thought aside while he took a look through the spyglass.
Holy crap! In the distance, there were seven ships. Sails with red and black stripes. The Eberoni Royal Navy.