Page 33 of Rebel in the Deep

Nox opens their mouth to answer, but a call trails down from the crow’s nest. “Captain! Behind us!”

All three of us waste no time sprinting to the upper deck to look where directed. I had seen the trio of ships in the distance, mere specks, when I was up here earlier helping Siobhan lash things down. Before, they’d been so far away that only someone with her eyesight would be able to pick out the details. Now they’re significantly closer. Worse, another trio of ships has appeared in the distance. Still too far away to detect the color of their sails, but I don’t need shifter eyesight in order to understand that it’s Morrigan and the other two ships sailing with her.

They’re gaining as well.

“Better and better.” Nox tilts their head back, closes their eyes, and seems to go to somewhere deep within themselves. It only lasts for a handful of seconds, and then they snap to attention. “I don’t see a way out of this.” They shake their head, expression almost wondering. “This might be the end for us.”

Siobhan grips their shoulder and leans close. “Don’t you dare. There’s always a way out.” She gives them a little shake. “We could turn west and try to shake them as soon as we exit the edges of the storm.”

“Won’t work. The wind will try to drive us south again, right into their tender embrace.” Nox shakes their head even harder.“Okay, that was enough melancholy. You’re right. There’s a way. We just need to figure out what it is.”

Nox turns a slow circle, eyes narrowing. “One of the shifting islands should have shown up within the last week. It’s maybe half a day’s sail from here. Northwest, I think. It will only be there for another week, but if we make port there, we can ride out the worst of the storm.”

Siobhan frowns. “That would be a great idea if we didn’t have six ships wanting to blow us into a thousand pieces. Making port will just trap us.”

“Then it’s time for a bit of trickery.” Nox grins. “I’m sure we can pull something out.”

But Siobhan doesn’t look convinced. “We’re not the only ones who are aware of that island. Morrigan will be as well, and no doubt at least a couple people on the other crews. Even if we could somehow shake their line of sight, that’s exactly where they’ll assume we went. It might take them a little longer to get there, but they’ll still come. And there will still be the storm to reckon with.”

As they argue semantics, a reckless plan forms in my mind. No one’s going to be a fan of this, but it might be the solution to our problems. I clear my throat, but they ignore me, too intent on finding a solution. So I go to them and lean close so they can hear me. “What if they onlythinkwe go to that island?”

“What do you mean, Bastian? That’s the only place we can go.” Siobhan motions vaguely in the direction they’d been speaking of. “If we head anywhere else, all it will take is a sharp eye at lookout to find us.”

“Not if they’re already following us.”

The confusion on Siobhan’s face clears, replaced by worry. “You’ve never gone that far before, or created a glamour that large. There’s no telling if it will work. Even beyond that, you are still recovering. You’ll send yourself straight into magical burnout.”

Nox’s brows pull together. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but you seem to be suggesting that Bastian can create a glamour from absolutely nothing. But that’s impossible. You can only alter the perception of what already exists.”

“There’s a reason glamour was outlawed,” I manage past the knot twisting in my throat. When I knew Nox—when I loved Nox—I was still young enough to fear my heritage. I suppose I still am. But I’ve learned a lot since then. Away from Lyari, I’ve had the opportunity to test myself and develop my skills in a way I never would’ve been allowed to by my family. I don’t know if I can do what I’m promising, but I can damn well try. The alternative is too terrible to contemplate.

Nox is no fool, though. They watch me closely. “The concerns Siobhan raises are legitimate.”

“Yes.” There’s no point in arguing. What I’m suggesting is incredibly dangerous. For me. And for everyone else if I fail. “But we don’t have another choice, at least not a good one.”

Siobhan starts to argue, but Nox holds up their hand. “Even if you created a duplicate of theAudacityand sent it in a different direction, they would still see two ships. They’re not foolish enough to throw all of their power into following one and letting the other sail off unmolested. Unless…”

“You can’t seriously be considering letting him do this. It will kill him.”

Nox smiles bitterly. “If he doesn’t do this, we all die.” Theyturn to me and, for the first time in far too long, there’s actual respect lighting their gray eyes. “I need a little time to coordinate, but I think I can take care of the visibility issue. Go get something to eat and rest. I’ll come find you in about an hour.”

We watch them walk away. Siobhan turns to me and takes my shoulders. “Bastian, please.”

I don’t remind her that there was always a decent chance neither of us would survive our mission to bring a better world to Threshold. I don’t tell her that this is a sacrifice worth making. She knows. It’s a testament to her love for me, even with all the broken words between us, that she would rather save me and risk us all dying than allow me to risk myself. “I love you, too.” I pull her into a tight hug. “But I have to do this.”

Chapter16

Nox

Even as I go throughthe motions of putting together a reckless plan that will facilitate theAudacityhiding from view long enough for Bastian’s glamour to draw our pursuers away, I wonder if it’s even possible. Obviously I was aware he could cast glamour, but apparently I was a fool for assuming the only person he could cast it on was himself, or possibly use it to influence the perceptions of another person interacting with him. It never occurred to me that he could create something from nothing with enough detail to fool a large group of people.

I’m still not entirely certain he can do it, but we don’t have a better choice, so I have to assume he will be successful. Otherwise, we’re going to have a fight on our hands in a setting where we can least afford it. The farther north we sail, the more violent the seas become. Lightning is now a regular occurrence, the thunder coming so quickly that it’s almost impossible to gettwo words out between booms. Everyone who isn’t strictly vital has been sent belowdecks. The pocket dimension that holds the crew’s quarters will eliminate the worst of the potential seasickness, but if the ship goes down, the entire crew goes down with it.

The thought leaves me sick. In every other confrontation, I’ve been able to see half a dozen ways out. I’ve been aware that my power, or the power of my allies, is enough to ensure victory. Maybe not victory without losses, but victory nonetheless. I don’t have that assurance currently.

In the hour it’s taken me to gather the necessary crew members and go over the plan, theCrimson Hagand her two sister ships have closed the distance enough that I can pick out some of the individual members of their crew. Not close enough to see their expressions or faces, but I’m familiar enough with them that I can tell that that bastard Miles is at the helm, his green-scaled skin wet with rain.

I stop next to Bowen. If he were another person and I were a different captain, I might squeeze his shoulder and reassure him that his former crew will not take us. He doesn’t want to hear that, though. Not from me. Likely not from anyone, excepting potentially Evelyn.

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