Lorica sent out a smaller ship destined for Lumena Village early the next day. Ash watched the horizon from the coast, only partially aware of the Nightwrath Pirates restocking the ship. They were bound to depart soon as well.

She tugged at the loose sleeve of her new linen shirt. The beige material fell loosely over her body, though a belt cinched around her waist and tightened strings along the arms kept it from hanging past her hands. They'd also provided her with trousers. She couldn't deny their comfort, and she understood why they were more practical for life aboard a ship, but she couldn't entirely rid her mother's chiding voice from her head.

She had dropped off her other new clothing and supplies in her assigned trunk shortly before the first boat left. Since Willow said they wouldn't need her help restocking the ship, she saw no need to leave the coast.

Her family wouldn't arrive there that day. It would take the retrieval party about a quarter-lune to get to Lumena Village and just as long to get back, and that was only if they didn't encounter any difficulties. The Modika may not have returned, but the group would have to convince her parents to come with them. How would they react?

It sickened Ash that she almost expected her mother to hand over Odella just to be rid of the pressure. Her father perhaps would agree to go along. Even if he was just as lost on what to do to help, his desperation and pain hadn't turned into bitterness.

The atmosphere had been precarious enough, and Ash had left with only a note to explain. There was also every chance her parents would be upset with her. Even so, she toyed with the thought of staying at the island, if for no other reason than to see her family again.

You won't be the first one to sail with us, thinking your conviction will carry you, only to learn all you wanted was safety.

Ash wrapped her arms tightly around her torso as if it could quell the flare of anger from Caspian's words. No, she couldn't stay back. As much as she longed to sink into her father's embrace and check on her sister, she had a mission to accomplish.

Huffing, she ripped her gaze away from the wide ocean and stomped back toward the ship.

It didn't take long of waiting on the top deck for people to start staying aboard, free of anything else to carry on. Willow boarded with Linden and Haylan. She held a small crate against her hip while the two young men carried two similar ones stacked atop each other. When Willow noticed Ash, she beamed. With a quick whispered conversation, the group redistributed their loads. The transaction was odd. Haylan placed one of his crates atop Linden's before taking Willow's.

Ash still wore her quizzical expression when Willow came to sit beside her on the steps. "Do you think you're ready for this?" she asked.

"I'm unsure I'll ever be, but that won't stop me," Ash admitted, letting go of the strangeness of the interaction. Maybe Haylan had to hand over his heavier crate so he could handle Willow's. He was scrawnier than Linden.

Willow laughed. "That's the spirit. Though I do hope you can find comfort here when you grow more adjusted." She reached over and squeezed Ash's knee. "I know things haven't been easy for you lately."

Ash only smiled. She didn't want to admit out loud that even though nothing about the Nightwrath Pirates had put her off so far—well, except for Caspian—she still couldn't bring herself to trust them completely. She could look back now and see how Roan had pulled her strings, she hadn't in the moment. Already Willow and Linden had been presenting false selves to her. Who was to say they weren't still?

"Ey, Cinders!"

A scowl took shape on Ash's face before she even spotted Caspian strolling over to them. Instead of deterring his approach, her expression only made him grin.

"Drop the sour face, eh? I'm only here because the captain sent me," he said. "You're probably free to tag along as well, Willow."

"What's Lorica need?" Willow leaned forward on her arm. It occurred to Ash that the two had likely been crewmates for a while. They were probably even friends, based on the easy way in which they spoke to each other.

"Sounds like a simple briefing. Cinders is lucky enough to be a crucial part of our latest mission, so she gets to be included."

"Ash," Ash muttered, bristling. A pointless fight, if Warren was to be believed, but the growing frustration forced the correction out.

"You say something, Cinders?" Caspian quirked a knowing brow her way. When she only simmered in her annoyance rather than reply, he grinned. "Alright then. We're meeting up in the navigation room. Follow me."

He didn't even wait to see if they'd comply before he turned to walk across the deck, his hands tucked into his pockets.

"What's his problem?" Ash asked, not even bothering to lower her voice. "He called you by your name just fine."

Willow shook her head. "He didn't always. When Linden and I first joined up, he called me Little Tree and him Big Tree." She rolled her eyes, but Ash didn't miss the slight affection in the gesture. "I don't know what goes on in his head, but from what I've noticed, he only refuses to use the name of the ones who decided not to have Lorica tell them everything."

As much as she wished not to remember it, Ash's mind flashed back to the night before. Caspian's intrigue after she said she would be on the ship, his immediate turn of attitude when she admitted to having refused Lorica's full truth offer.

Then his accusations. His dismissal of her resolve. Her brief flicker of curiosity gave way to aggravation.

"Does he not see us worth his time if he doesn't think we'll stay on the ship?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Willow said, shrugging. "Don't let him get under your skin. He might be my friend, but even I can admit he has some childish tendencies. Let's go see what Lorica wants, though. He wouldn't lie about a summons from her."

And just like that, Ash's curiosity rekindled. Caspian had called it a briefing. That had to have something to do with their task of finding Callum, right? Her heart both fluttered and squeezed at the thought of him. What must he have been going through right then? He hadn't been harmed while Ash had been there, but had that only been for her benefit?

Her hands clenched in the material of her trousers. Nodding, she pushed up to her feet. "Yes, let's go see."

Willow had shown Ash the captain's quarters the day before, but Ash still let her lead the way. They climbed to the quarterdeck. Caspian leaned against the wheel, balanced so that it didn't turn beneath him. At their arrival, he straightened.

"Well, I would have walked slower if I knew you guys would take so long." He directed this to Willow. The grin he gave her was much friendlier than any Ash had received.

He earned another affectionate eye roll. "You know you don't get to boss me around, Cas."

Caspian wagged a finger at her. "First mate privileges. I can boss you around as much as I want."

Willow jabbed a finger into his bicep as she passed. "Seeing as you split that title with Garman, I'm going to say you both have to give the same order for it to work."

He placed a hand over his heart and adopted what had to be an expression of hurt. "Here I thought I'd earned your respect."

Instead of replying, Willow opened the door and propped it against her foot. "After you then, oh first mate," she said, gesturing inside.

Caspian preened and strutted inside.

Willow shot Ash a knowing glance. "What did I tell you? A child." She nodded into the room.

Nervous pixies came to life in Ash's stomach, but she stepped into the navigation room. Willow followed close behind. The door clicked shut, sealing them inside.

Talking to Lorica in the infirmary had felt much more casual. This space was larger yet left Ash more claustrophobic. Multiple bookshelves with scrolls in their honeycomb-like containers lined the walls. A large map of Somniox spread out on the back wall, depicting the three continents—Eastern, where she came from, with Lusabrim hovering above it; Western; and Southern, with island nations dotting the space between it and the Western continent. Red pins marked spots of interest. Other instruments spread across the room, but Ash could only guess at their purposes.

Lorica leaned against a large wooden table. A map lay spread out in front of her. This one focused on a smaller part of Somniox, providing more details now that it could be concentrated on one spot. Garman stood beside her, his arms crossed and brows furrowed.

The weight of this room was nothing like the infirmary. It was serious, focused, more official than where she had met Lorica before. And now the two pirates who had shown some level of distaste for her were also in the room.

"Message delivered, Captain," Caspian announced as he dropped onto one of the nearby chairs. He tossed one arm over the top and hung a leg over the side, as if he was a prince lounging on his throne.

Lorica and Garman finally raised their eyes to take in their newcomers. Ash gulped and tucked her arms around herself, as if they could act as a barrier.

Willow dipped her head in a small bow. "Good morning, Captain Lorica. I hope you don't mind me tagging along. Ash is still getting used to everything."

"That's alright, Willow. Please, both of you, have a seat."

Caspian had taken one of two seats on the side closer to Garman. That was more than fine by Ash. She and Willow claimed the seats closer to Lorica. Garman watched their every movement, frowning.

Ash brushed at nothing on her trousers, and heat flooded her cheeks. "Uh, I'm sorry, by the way. For punching you the other night, that is."

Off to the side, Caspian snickered. Garman only grunted before focusing once more on the map.

She sank back into her seat. That had gone well.

Lorica shot both men a look but said nothing to them. "Thank you for joining us, Ash. As our plan going forward requires your willingness to work, I thought it right to explain to you what we are doing."

Right. Her connection with Roan and how it should lead them to Callum. She swallowed again, this time to an even dryer throat. "Of course. Thank you for keeping me informed."

Refocusing on the map, Lorica traced her finger around Mahina Island. "We are currently here, and our goal is to head..." She dragged her finger along, finding a spot near the middle of the three human continents. "Here."

No island should be in that spot, but when Ash looked at Lorica's map, dark lines formed one. It was crescent-shaped, with the two peaks nearly touching, with a larger middle where the mainland would be.

"Magic is the innate ability that all Scions have, with most specializing in a certain type. Spells, however, are broad focuses of those magics, allowing the Scions to perform magic they wouldn't otherwise be able to do. Because of our opened pathway to magic, we can use these spells if we channel enough magic into it. More often than not, though, it requires more than one of us. I know someone here on this island I can barter with to get the right components for the tracking spell."

So that was why the magic Roan used when giving Ash magic had been different from any of the other ones she'd seen. It was ridiculous, but she felt a sting from Roan withholding this information. She hadn't needed to know. It was easy to construct any of his small things as more betrayals, though.

She shoved away the bitter thoughts and focused on another issue. "I have never seen an island there on any map."

This somehow amused Lorica. "Of course you haven't. This island won't be on any official map you've seen because it's kept a secret from most of civilization. Those who do know of it try to keep it a secret so those desperate don't sail to it."

Ash fought not to squirm in her seat. A place so horrible it had to be hidden from the average civilian? Why would they ever need to go there? "And why is that?" she asked.

"Because," Lorica said, her eyes sparkling, "Varno Cove is the congregation point for the underbelly of society. Smugglers, pirates, mercenaries, killers for hire. And lucky for us, they think we're just that."

*****

Sometimes I notice how clunky and complicated the writing is for this book, but then I remember first draft and don't bother to edit too hard VwV Yay first drafts!  Anyway, the pirate journey is beginning, and it seems to get Ash accustomed to it, she's gonna be surrounded by many of them xD  Anyone think she's truly prepared for the choice she has made?

Let me know your thoughts on the chapter down below, and if you enjoyed it, don't forget to vote and comment! I also have a discord open to anyone who wants to join, and we have a section there to discuss the book :D Let me know if you want to join!