Page 66 of Voice of the Ocean

“Of course not,” Raiden said. “Vermin are terribly hard to get rid of, after all.”

Valencia’s smile disappeared. “Don’t push me, boy.” She glowered. “Or I might become better acquainted with your little clothing thief here.” Her kohl-lined eyes raked over Celeste’s body, as if looking for a weak point to sink her teeth into. “I bet she’dloveto hear all I know aboutyou.”

“I’d stop talking if you’d like to keep your tongue,” he replied.

Valencia laughed. “I would love to see you try, but I’m afraid I don’t have the time. Why don’t you give me my ship back, and I’ll promise to not send you to your father in pieces.”

A movement in the square snagged Celeste’s attention, and she looked up to see two humans staring at them. One was a tall and muscular woman with golden hair and skin, the other was slender and pale, with curling dark hair that fell around their angular shoulders. A glint of silver flashed in the slender human’s hand. Celeste glanced back to Raiden and saw that he, too, had noticed them.

“I’d say it was fun catching up, but I’d be lying,” Raiden said. “See you in hell, Valencia.”

And he bolted, dragging Celeste in his wake.

At first Celeste could not keep up as they tore out of the square. She’d never run before and did not know how it worked. She began by walking quickly, Raiden practically pulling her along. But soon her legs began to move differently. Knees bending more. Her steps lengthening. Shouts rang out as Raiden shouldered through the crowd. Only as they left the square did Celeste risk a look behind.

Valencia had not moved. The pirate stared after them, smiling, the two humans now joining her. She spoke to them, but her eyes didn’t leave Celeste’s until Raiden pulled her down a side street and out of sight. They continued running, putting more distance between them and the woman, until Raiden pulled Celeste into a secluded doorway, out of sight from the main street.

“I’m afraid we haven’t seen the last of her.”

Celeste pulled her hand free from his grip and fixed him with a glare. In the small doorway, there was less than a foot of space between them.

“I suppose I do owe you an explanation, seeing as she threatened you.” He let out a long sigh. “That was Valencia, my father’s rival.” His hand swept through his hair, and he leaned out of the doorway, scanning the street before retreating into the safety of the doorway. “All pirates who sail the ocean bend the knee to my father. It’s why they call him the king. All... except forher.” Celeste heard a bit of venom behind this last word.

“My father and she were close. She was once his quartermaster. He trusted her with his life. Until one day, without warning, she led a mutiny. It failed, and to punish her, my father marooned her on an island. He wanted to humiliate her, leave her to die. But she somehow escaped. She formed her own crew and has been gathering followers and working to dethrone him for the past five years. Thus far, she has remained unsuccessful. No one wishes to anger the Pirate King, and those who do—they don’t live long. But Valencia is just as cruel and just as dangerous. She—” He looked as if he wanted to say more, but stopped.

And so he stole her ship. No wonder the woman hated him so much. Perhaps Celeste should have been working with Valencia this whole time.

“The fact she hasn’t followed can’t be good. Come, we must find the crew.”

* * *

“Valencia is here?” Bastian practically yelled. “And youran from her?”

“I wouldn’t put it likethat,” Raiden grunted, patting the Admiral on the head. The dog’s body could not hold the joy it felt at seeing Raiden’s return, and it wiggled all over the place.

Torben burst into a fit of laughter. “You saw Valencia—and youran away—like achild!” he spoke in between thundering cackles. Then he doubled over, tears springing to his eyes. Celeste wasn’t sure if his laughter was even genuine. He guffawed so loudly that people along the docks turned to stare. Even Nasir looked as though he were doing his best to keep a straight face while watching his partner howl. Raiden glared at Torben with a murderous glint in his eyes, and Bastian patted the captain’s shoulder.

“What did she want?” Kiyami asked over Torben’s roars.

“She wants theRed Revengeback,” Raiden answered, his voice like ice.

“And what did you tell her?” Bastian said.

“I told her I’d see her in hell,” he replied.

Bastian sighed.

“So we don’t know where she is or what she’s planning,” Bastian said.

“Well... yes,” Raiden admitted. “But we did see two of her crew with her.”

“We should leave, then, right?” Kiyami looked between Bastian and Raiden. “We’ve gotten our most necessary supplies. If we leave now, we can put plenty of space between them and us.”

Raiden laughed, but there was no humor in it. “That’s what she wants. For us to set sail right now while her crew is ready to attack us as soon as we’re away from port. And I’m not about to let Valencia scare me off. We’ll justhidetheRed Revengefor a couple of hours, enjoy the festival, and slip away in a different direction under cover of night.”

Torben, who had almost calmed down at this point, burst into a new peal of laughter.

A muscle in Raiden’s neck twitched, which made Celeste giggle.

---