Page 33 of Pearls of Salt and Sacrifice

Growling with irritation, Isla snatched the eye glass from him, punching out half-heartedly with one arm when Rency tried to wrest his spy glass back.

“Oy, Reva!” Isla shouted. “They’re attacking the black one! It’s a battle of krakens, I tell you! Take a look at this—”

“I would if you’d give me back the glass!” Rency wrenched the spy glass from her hands.

By now, however, the battle had moved close enough that everyone could see the bubbling sea and explosions of black, pink, and dark maroon tentacles.

Reva clutched little Calix to her chest and stared at the adult krakens who’d come to the aid of the Andromeda. A huge portion of the sea bubbled like boiling water, tentacles exploding and slamming back into the waves as the krakens shrieked and roared. She’d never seen or heard anything like it in all her days. Not in any of the books in the Royal Library that she’d been forced to endure during her lessons.

“Why are they helping us?” Rency asked.

“I sent for them,” Jareth answered. “Please don’t shoot them. They’re here to help.”

Rency shot him a sharp look. “How do I know they won’t turn on us the moment they’ve conquered the big one?”

“Have faith, Captain,” Reva tried to intervene.

“You’ll find I possess an astounding lack of faith in mankind,” the captain growled.

Pushing back from the railing, Rency knocked into Isla in his haste to reach the mast of the ship.

“Andromeda,” he said, “get us away from these krakens. Turn toward—”

But he was never able to say where the ship should turn. The Andromeda shuddered fiercely, like a dog shaking itself. Reva and those closest to her grabbed onto the railing to right themselves. Others, like Rency, were not as fortunate, and wound up being dropped mercilessly to the deck.

Reva stuffed Calix into her pocket and gripped the rail with both hands in case the ship lurched again.

“Don’t you argue with me, ship!” Rency shouted as he leaped to his feet. He kicked the mast. “You turn this rotten pile of planks—”

The ship turned, alright, but not away from the krakens. Instead, she surged closer to the beasts trying to battle the giant monster who’d risen from the depths. Another huge black tentacle surged from the water and plummeted down on several dark red krakens trying to coil around one of its limbs.

“No, no, no!” Rency kicked the mast again. “You’re going the wrong way. Andromeda, please…”

Isla snickered. “I’ve never heard a man quarrel with a ship like he would his wife,” she said.

Reva was more interested in how the ship knew what Rency was saying to her and how she was reacting as if she were a living creature and not a thing of plank and sail.

“I don’t think this is a normal ship.” Her knuckles whitened as they curled more tightly around the railing.

“You’re only now figuring that out?” Isla asked with a sideways glance. “Reva, you’re slacking.”

“I didn’t just figure it out.” Reva frowned at her, the tension in her body easing now that the krakens had drawn away the attacking monster. “I just didn’t say anything until now because—because—”

“Because you thought you were going crazy?” Jareth asked. “That might be the reason I haven’t said anything either. This ship likes my krakens. Apparently, it’s a better judge of character than Rency.”

The commotion beneath the waves subsided as the ship drew closer. The water, stained black from the blood of the mysterious beast, settled into a gentle roll.

“I think it’s over,” Reva said, searching for signs of the underwater battle renewing. She glimpsed shadows passing beneath the ship, but they were too small to be the beast. “Are those your krakens I see?”

“Yes.” Jareth leaned beside her and waved to one of the shadows. A dark maroon tentacle shot out of the water and slapped playfully at the waves.

Behind them, Rency gave an exasperated howl. “I yield! Do what you want. You always do!”

Reva turned to watch as Rency threw himself down beside the mast, legs sprawling like he’d expended every last speck of his strength arguing with his magical ship. The Andromeda skipped across the waves like a lamb happily frolicking in an open pasture.

“Be kind to your ship, Rency!” Reva called, unable to help herself. Both Isla and Jareth succumbed to fits of laughter. Even Calix wiggled and purred in her pocket.

“Foul, vile vessel,” Rency said. “One day I’ll chop her up, plank by plank, and feed her to the flames. See if I don’t.”

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