Author's Note

Please be aware that some of the content in this book is adult material and may be sensitive to some readers. Enjoy, comment, vote!

A pan whizzed by Kelpie's blunt blue nose, and smashed into the wash basin, spilling over dishwater caked with the day's gruel. He cursed and pounded a fat fist into the dough he had been kneading. Evie was the thrower, her father's shift stiff from the sea finally and stained a plethora of colors under the torchlight of the kitchen. She didn't care how indecent she looked; she had flashed many of The Hollow Rovers carelessly as she stormed onto the ship, kicking over crates full of pickled fairy wings and barrels that were stood upright with Oren chess. A few almost had a mind to scold her, until they saw her stern eyes and clenched jaw.

Evie grabbed a handful of knives that were scattered about the countertop and she began throwing them one by one towards the space above the stove where the kitchen crew had carved their names; the names of the dead ones had been scratched out over the years. Kelpie liked to keep record of all who serviced him in that kitchen, so that everyone could be wary of who was preparing their food. A knife twirled through the air and jabbed itself deep into the carving that read Myles.

"What in blazes are ye doing in my kitchen?" Kelpie ordered. He ducked as another knife flew past him and wedges into the same name. Enigma and Nebula were standing in the open frame of the swinging doors with blank expressions. Evie tossed a knife up in her own hand and caught it by the blade, drawing it back to her ear, and then launching it across the room. It sprung into the wood and wiggled mockingly there. Evie stomped across the kitchen with the final blade and stabbed the wall, digging out flecks of splinters where the 's' once was. The wood crunched underneath the cool steel as she twisted, sending chips to the floor.

"Lady Knox," Nebula called, her arms crossing. Her velvety voice echoed in Evie's ears but she refused to turn around. I'm not a lady. I hate her when she calls me that. She swiveled on her heel toward the group and gave them each a scowl. She pulled her father's shift over her head and tossed it into the fire. The action distracted her from being angry, but she remembered she was angry with her father as well.

Nebula gasped and Durward blushed but did not look away from her face as she stood naked as he name day. Kelpie's eyes widened at Evie's lack of modesty and he swiftly averted them. "Girly!" he gargled, covering his face in a panic. "Put yer clothes back on! He shouldn't be waltzing around like that!"

"Lady Knox, put something on," Nebula pleaded. Evie tensed at the title once more and looked around in a fret. She pulled another pan off the hanging cookware chandelier and threw that one as well.

It breezes by a turned about Kelpie and he jumped. "Oy! Stop it! I got those from Larbleck at the port some twenty years ago!"

"Evie," Captain Enigma chimed in carefully.

"He never gets to step food on this ship again! Never!" she shouted, knocking over a tall vase of slimy caramelized Wendigo fingers. It crashed to the floor and the fingers glided across the wood by their feet. "If I ever see him again, I'll... I'll..."

Enigma shrugged out of his coat, and heeded the girl with caution. "Calm down," he ordered.

She took a step back from him at first, ready to flee the lecture she knew was about to come from his lips. But instead, he held out the coat and wrapped her in it, tying the arms solidly around her waist to hold it in place. She had never realized how large he was until now with his admiral's jacket hanging loosely from her. If he had been a full man, women would be throwing themselves at him even more than they were now.

Her nails dug deep into the palms of her clenched fists and she searched for something else to throw or hit, but the captain stood too close to allow her to get ahold of anything else. She pointed a finger at Durward, something she wouldn't have dared doing on any other day. "If I ever see Myles again, I will kill him. I swear it," she whispered, her cheeks flushing bright red.

Enigma cleared his throat and swatted her threatening finger from the air between them. "You will do nothing," he said, his voice booming in the room. Kelpie found this the safe time to turn back around.

"Wh'does she mean?" he grumbled, fists on his hips. "Where's tha boy?"

Durward sighed. "He—"

"He abandoned The Rovers," the pirate girl cut in. "He joined Captain Chaos' crew and betrayed us all."

"Wh-what? The boy left?"

Evie began her rant once again but Enigma held up a hand to silence her. "He had no choice. It was Chesney's verdict and sentencing that put him there," he explained.

Kelpie scratched his prickly chin. "But why wouldn't she just hang the bastard? She likes a good hangin, I knows it."

"That is precisely why she didn't hang him. He's a bastard. Her bastard. Myles is Captain Chaos' son born out of wedlock with some smith from the Rock Isles. Windrock, more specifically."

The ogre laughed wholeheartedly and held his shaking fat tummy. "Myles? The rat boy orphan? Chesney's son? Oh dear Captain, sir, ye really know how to make a man giggle like a first deflowered maid." He leaned over on the counter to support himself, wiping tears from his eyes.

Evie pushes past the satyr and slapped Kelpie across his billowing cheek. "It's the truth, you imbecile. There's nothing funny about this kind of treason and disloyalty."

The ogre's nostrils flared and his ears wriggled at her disregard for respect. Evie had never felt compelled to lay a hand in any of her guardians ever before. But now, she wanted to hurt someone. Her nerves were singed when she saw the understanding on the cook's face. Myles and Kelpie were never the best of friends, but they had worked together everyday since they found the boy. Evie even recalled him being the first one to offer to look after young Myles, even if it was to have him scrub dirty dishes or taste test their meals.

Her eyes traveled around the room and her destruction became a heavy burden on her heart. The Wendigo fingers from their last hunt were no good now, and she had destroyed one of the Larbleck's finest pan handles that Kelpie adored so much. The mess hurt her eyes and she had a headache creeping up her neck and into the crown of her head. Everyone stood in silence facing each other. Nebula looked more than displeased, more than disappointed. I should not have yelled at her, Evie thought. Nebula has done nothing but raise the orphan girl the best way she could. Evie studied over Nebula's shoulder when she practiced alchemy, and she even bugged her so badly once that the elf agreed to showing the girl how to properly disembowel a man in exchange for some peace and quiet.

And Captain Enigma, he had done what he could for her the past thirteen years of her life. The six years before that, when her father and mother were around, Enigma seemed like the carefree and loving uncle Evie had always wished to have. He had showered her with gifts and plunder and gave her compliments and told her stories. When her father left, though, he simply hovered and grew overprotective and even a bit cool towards her. But he did put her first sword in her hand, and he taught her how to pickpocket, and was there when she had her very first drink of ale at fourteen. He was every bit of a father as the one she had known. Oh, no. Father!

The blonde twirled around and stared into the flames where she had suddenly remembered she tossed his shirt; it was the last remaining thing she had of his. "No, oh god. What have I done?" she whispered, searching the fireplace for any bit of cloth that may have survived. It even crossed her mind to reach in and feel around. How could I have been so stupid. I've lost him completely. 

A warm hand brushed her shoulder and turned her gently. Enigma took off his hat and placed it on her head, staring deeply into her eyes. She could see the little stumps where his horns had once been peeking through his black hair. "You look like him with this on," he muttered, stroking the apple of her cheek with his knuckle. "I know you are angry with him, and with Myles."

She scoffed when she heard the traitor's name.

"There is something we need to discuss," he continued. He opened his stance up to the entire room. "There's something we all need to discuss."

Nebula nodded and checked behind the swinging doors for eavesdroppers and stood guard in front of them. Kelpie was rubbing his face where he'd been slapped absentmindedly but nodded quickly, signaling his attention. Evie was not taken aback so much as they would've thought, as she had been paying close attention to her surroundings. Enigma didn't just meet up with Captain Thatcher here and there, nor did he like the drunk man that much, and Evie knew it. She took note of that, as well as she took note of Nebula and the captain's anxious demeanors when they returned from the council meeting nights ago.

Durward stroked his shirt where the buttons came together and he painfully tugged at his collar. "I am entrusting you each with this information, and I need your solemn vow that this news will not travel to the ears of the other crew members. Not just yet, at least." He tipped his head in each of their directions and waited for their replies before continuing. Evie pressed her lips together and nodded to him, her hand sliding over her heart. Nebula and Kelpie did the same. "During the council meeting, we discussed matters of King Goldrock's death."

"The king is dying?" Evie asked. She didn't keep up much with the politics in Oren, but she had known the Goldrock monarchy to be one of the longest their world had seen. And if the king truly was expiring, the crown could move to his eldest, which was Princess Dimia. Evie shuddered; she'd heard things about Dimia that she wouldn't even compare to some of Madame Bouchard's whores.

"Dying, yes, and quickly," the satyr continued. "Captain Chaos took that time to express to us her great fear of Princess Dimia's rule. It is rumored that she has been promised to Sir Wyliamme Carac, whom we all know has slain many of our brothers."

Kelpie sniffled by the counter, dabbing at his eyes with his apron. The poor ogre has lost an uncle to Carac's raids and tumultuous 'pirate hunting'. This Sir Wyliamme was a tricky fellow and downright cruel, which didn't seem much different than the pirate's he hunted. The difference was just that: he used his cunning and his maliciousness to slay entire pirate crews so he could have complete control over the seas. Nebula once let slip that Carac had hunted her mother and father once or twice, but they were too intelligent to let him capture them.

"Captain Chaos' plan is to combine the pirate league and sail under her authority and attack Ofund and Gruuthar. From there, I don't know what she's planning. But who could predict what comes after war?"

"She means to start a war? Against whom? What premises this?" Evie asked, folding her arms over her chest.

"It will be us against whoever she decides is her enemy. That could be the new wave Dratsaci, or the highborn human households in the city. Or the elves," Durward answered, glancing at his first mate.

Being an elemental elf, Nebula was connected to all of Oren's life and elements. There were dark elves, who practiced black magic and necromancy, light elves, who were masters of healing and medicine, and elemental elves, who each had unique features and control over various parts of nature. Nebula has abandoned the elven tradition of becoming a servant to the highborn households in Ofund and Gruuthar, and had no intention to teach at Gruuthar's College, which taught mortals how to hone magical skills and acted as a shelter and school for those in poverty. Instead, she had told Evie that she left home with a few potions in a sack and pocket full of coin and sought after a free life. When she found Captain Enigma and The Hollow Rovers, she knew she had found her place.

"So what does this have to do with the boy?" Kelpie bellowed.

Evie cringed at the mention of Myles again. If I ever see him again, I'll string him up and cut the guts from his spineless body.

"I meant to keep him out of all of this. And you all, as well," Durward sighed. "I knew Chesney would have an eye on both Evie and Myles once she saw their skill. And I'd hoped... well, that with the help of you two—" he gestured to the ogre and elf "—that they might escape and seek refuge until this war was done, and continue on the legacy of The Rovers."

It had never occurred to the Knox girl to be a part from The Rovers. They were a nasty band of vermin, but they were her family. And she had never expected to hear that Captain Enigma was planning on sending them away. They had all taken an oath to pirate together and die together; only cowards ran from that responsibility. Cowards like my parents and Myles... It was grim, but true. Why else would her father had left? Her mother had gone, abandoning ship and crew. And her. They abandoned her. Just like Myles had.

"Now they have him," the Captain continued. "I didn't know things would take this turn. And with Myles being a meta-human—"

"The bugger's a what now?" the ogre asked, his face dropping but his voice hitching up a few octaves. He coughed and beat the hollow where his neck overlapped his chest.

"He's a meta-human. It was confirmed at the trial. I had my suspicions in the past, with his impeccable skill, but I thought maybe he was just born with a raw and natural talent for swordplay and such."

Kelpie shook his head. "I'll be damned. I knew he had somethin in him."

Evie snarled and stomped her foot like a child. "He has nothing! He is nothing." Her guardians all have her a look of pity, one she did not care to see. She needed no one to lift her spirits or to feel bad for her. She needed no saving, despite Myles' brief rescue, which she was sure he did in vain. Her stomach churned with the thought of ever having a decent word to say about the boy. "What do we do now?" she asked, quick to change the subject.

"As I planned, minus the boy," Durward said, smiling weakly. "You three will leave tomorrow, at night, and hide away. I know the perfect isle..."

"With all due respect," Nebula interrupted. "I think we'd all rather stay by your side, Captain. We will not abandon our posts in the league's final hours."

"Aye," Kelpie spoke up.

"Aye," added Evie. "We'll fight this war however he want us to, sir."

It was all Durward could do not to laugh. "You are so much like your father, girl," he told her, reaching out to touch her cheek again. It reddened under his touch and she leaned into the callused hands. This is all I have now, she thought.

"Do we have a heading?" Evie asked, pulling his hand down from her face.

The captain nodded. "You go clean up. Nebula, spring the crew from their berth and make way for the Ciscoz Prairie Wilds."

Kelpie followed Nebula from the kitchen to help rouse the crew. It was almost first light and the skeleton boy's would be falling into bed any hour now. Evie looked at her captain suspiciously. There were only a couple of reasons to visit the Wilds in this time of year, when the sirens were at their peak of soul sucking and the Wendigos tried to find mates: it was to hunt said creatures or to visit the blind witch who lived deep in those woods. She was a nasty one, always spewing profanities and eating the foulest things she found in the Wilds, or so Prickly Pete had once told her. Evie and Myles were never allowed to visit the witch, though they once trailed Enigma and Nebula to her cottage, which was strewn in vines and moss and foliage of all kinds.

"Captain, we're not going to see... her, are we?" Evie asked, tingles punching at her spine.

Durward flashed her a smile and pointed to Evie's dressings. "I'll need my jacket back once you've cleaned up, though you may keep my lucky tricorn." It was navy with gold trim and complimented her golden locks beneath it.

"Sir, we're going to see the witch, then?" she pressed on.

The satyr sighed. "Hmm, her name is Mistress Jemma. But yes, we are. I have a feeling she could have some answers to questions I have about Chesney's plans and the King's imminent death."

Evie's blood began to boil at the mention of the 'great' Captain Chaos. She had been told stories of her heroic piracy since she was a wee lass. But in the trial room, where she named Myles her son and successor, and looked at Evie as if she were insignificant, she saw a whole new side to her childhood hero. And now, this? Raging war in a mostly-peaceful realm? A defecated photo of Kristo Knox hanging proudly on her walls? She would go anything now to get a leg up on Chaos, even if it meant seeing a scary woodland witch.

She saluted her captain with a tip of her hat and made way for the door. Before she left, she looked back over her shoulder at the tall, commanding man who stood there. "I'll wash the coat and bring it to your quarters, sir. I smell awful and I have rapist blood on my skin. And I'll leave your hat with it as well."

"Don't bother with the hat," he replied. "It really does make you look like Kristo."

Evie's heart wrenched in her chest and she absentmindedly reached up to stroke the brim. And with that, she went to her cabin, stripped and sponged herself clean from her wash basin, wiping away the filth from the night. And as she laid awake in her cot that night, she thought only of war.