Edgewise

37

Calponia thought she was done being overwhelmed by the flying ships of Oceanus but apparently there was one last 'wow' in her. Ravelock's ship nestled beside the Aurai's Breath. It dwarfed Eleni's humble vessel, a sleek gleaming deck manned by the familiar crew who drank a least a barrel of ale a night in the tavern. The sight of them nudged aside the lingering shadows of the bête noire, though she could still feel it hooked on the underside of her skin. She didn't realize she was shivering until Eugene's hand settled on her shoulder.

"Calponia?" Sparks of red continued to flare across his brown eyes, worry creasing the fine pale skin between his brows. She reached up and smoothed it away. He froze, a living statue. Only his eyes tracked the movement. His fingers twitched. There was a held breath of building anticipation and possibility when a feathered plume suddenly rose up between them. Calponia was still trying to figure out what she was seeing when Ravelock wrapped an arm around each of them, lifting both off their feet in a rib crushing squeeze.

"Dove! So happy to see you! You keeping this rascal in line?" He grinned in her face, all teeth and joy and an all too knowing glint in his eye that caused a blush to burn the back of her neck. She opened her mouth but stopped, puzzled by the faint buzzing sensation that prickled along her skin where the pirate touched her, like a fine tracery of static electricity. She looked at him, trying to puzzle out the sensation and caught the naked relief in his expression. Her gaze flickered between the Captain and his ship.

For all its grandeur, Ravelock's vessel bore the marks of several battles, scorch marks and slashes and mystery marks that marred the hull. There was a deep gouge running up the deck, right past the steering column, pieces of the wheel snapped clean off. She wondered how many Krakens he'd fought off in the missing month. Too many; there were missing faces in the crew, and all bore the unrelenting exhaustion of a hard fought war without end. Calponia slipped her arm around the Captain's waist and leaned her head on his shoulder, ignoring the buzz.

"Happy to see you too, Ravelock," she said. He brushed his lips along her crown, the gesture purely friendly and affectionate, though she could have sworn she heard a growl. Ravelock drew back with a wink and clapped the vampire on the shoulder.

"Allow me to get the lot of you settled and up to speed on the Nephele," he said. Eugene watched him go, the muscles in his jaw far too tight. Ravelock started up a conversation with Mack and Eleni, the latter speaking in furious whispers and pointed gestures to her listing ship.

Calponia cleared her throat, glancing back at Eugene. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," he said through his teeth, stalking off. She watched him go with a frown, tapping her chin. What would cause the vampire to react like that to his old drinking companion?

"'Ey girlie," a voice grunted. Calponia looked but didn't see anyone. There was a throat clear, like someone garling gravel and salt. She looked up, smiling at the Munch perched in an altered crow's nest, nothing visible but his horned skull helm, dark beady eyes and beard. She swore the man was mostly beard, since he barely topped five feet in height, and half as wide.