Page 146 of Pirate Witch
“I must admit, I don’t feel conflicted about that one,” I mutter. “They have it coming.”
After the way they treated the witches, and the mess they made of the Lunar temple… I’m tempted to kill a whole lot more than just the heads of the big families.
Danika nods and gives me a tiny shove towards the door. “Go then, with the Goddess’s blessing. And try not to get too caught up fucking your men that you forget about your targets. Lady’s shadows hide you.”
I smirk. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Lady’s light protect you, Mother Lunar.”
Opal catches up with me at the entrance to the temple and resumes her customary spot on my shoulders as I walk back through Coveton. Both of us marvel at the difference a year has made. Already, the salt wall has been carved up and taken down entirely in places. The town is expanding and roads are being built between here and Port Evert.
It’s the same everywhere else. Land links are being slowly reforged between cities after an immortal lifetime of being unable to use them. Adventurers have set out to map the ancient places and make discoveries about how people used to live in a time before the wraiths took over the land. There is even talk of establishing new cities further inland. Away from the safety of the sea.
The new world without crystals and the wraiths has been difficult to adjust to, but people are making the most of it. The mages who made their money from mining crystals made fools of themselves demanding the mines be reopened, only to be shut down immediately by the new queen.
I’m willing to bet money those are the same mages I’ve just been assigned.
It’s my first assignment in a year, and it’s such a relief to get back to work.
My men and I took some time after defeating the Eagle to make improvements to the ship and just enjoy each other. It was the best decision we could’ve made.
Our first stop was in Marisang, where the Sun’s mark on my back was removed by a siren inksinger. I would never have used the sigils again, but my men insisted the temptation had to go, and I wasn’t going to argue with them. Klaus’s mother was no warmer than the last time I met her, but Lexi and his other sisters made up for her.
I had the worst hangover of my life after they announced it was girls’ night. I woke up in Kier’s space in the crow’s nest, with no idea how I got there and one disgruntled fae staring at me.
I still don’t regret it.
After that, we stopped and helped Cirio rebuild his cove. The pirate king delighted in making my leviathans lift up the new ceiling and hold it in place, while mages worked to fix what they broke. Cas and Nos sheepishly complied, helping until they were no longer needed. Cirio and Val argued the entire time about who was paying for it, but the pirate king was forced to back down when Pierce let slip he’d accepted three boat-loads of royal treasure from Amelia for exactly that reason.
Then we sailed west, beyond the known edges of the world, to visit the twins’ family and meet their sister. Shura badgered me with questions the whole time, and Nos was treated with respect once Nona told the story of how he bested her in a sparring match. It was sweet to watch the twins mend bridges and build new ones, and—despite Val’s complaints about the lack of plunderable vessels so far out—we promised to return next year to spend a few weeks with them again.
On our way back to Coveton, we stopped in Mirna, and my swimming lessons resumed in the crystal clear water, only to devolve into an orgy when the rest of my men discovered Klaus and I had fucked in the ocean. I wanted to visit Isablis while we were there, but my pirates vetoed it. None of them are keen to go back to the place where they almost killed me, and I can see their logic.
We did make one stop before we left to lay flowers on Ry’s mother’s grave, but we didn’t have much time to linger because the new moon was approaching fast by that point.
My reminiscing comes to an end as I turn off of the main street and arrive back at the docks. I flew ahead, needing to get here before the night was over, but still, I was hoping my men would’ve caught up by now. Yet theDeadwoodis nowhere to be seen, and I frown in confusion.
Only to roll my eyes as it surfaces from the dark grey depths of the bay in a shower of water.
“Show off,” I mutter as the few people around gape in awe.
Val has been doing this at every opportunity since the battle, using the excuse that it’s desensitising me to my fear of what’s beneath me in the water. Really, he just enjoys flaunting what he can do.
I snap out my broom and soar over to the dripping ship, landing on deck shaking my head.
“You just couldn’t sail the normal way, could you?” I tease.
Val shrugs, leaning over the wheel with a grin. “You’d get bored if I did.”
A familiar pair of arms slide around my waist, and I lean back into my vampire mate with a sigh.
It’s only been a few hours, but I missed them.
“I smell crab… and… is thatlobster?”Opal meows in excitement, jumping from my shoulders and heading towards the open hatch.“Your siren better be saving some for me.”
“We need to find a better way for you to propel the ship underwater,” Cas grouches, pulling himself over the rail and then leaning down to offer his brother a hand up.
“He’ll figure it out in a few years,” Nos mumbles.
“But the two of you make such great sled-dogs,” Val protests. “And you need the exercise now that you’re not jumping overboard at every little thing.”
