Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 93948 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93948 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
Morrigan’s crew is the exception. She doesn’t allow anyone on board who hasn’t volunteered, and even then, she has more volunteers than slots to fill. It’s why her crew is the best of the best—and it’s why I have no problem eliminating any of them.
With that in mind, I turn to the vampire. “This won’t be like last time. Most of them will have shields.”
Lizzie shrugs. “So bring the big man and have him toss those with shields into the sea.”
I open my mouth to tell her that Bowen needs to remain in reserve, but she’s right. When you have telekinetic power on the level he does, he wouldn’t even need to get past a single shield. He could just rip the ship apart and scatter the crew. “We’ll save that for after Bastian is safe. If he drowns in our rescue attempt, we’ll never hear the end of it from Siobhan.”
“Siobhan. Right. You’re definitely not still stumbling over his name every time you say it.” Lizzie rolls her eyes. “I’m not a fool, Nox. You obviously have history. Is it going to get in the way?”
I clamp my mouth shut to keep from snapping at her. Lizzie is a predator right down to her bones. Giving her even a hint of weakness won’t end well. “You have nothing to worry about.” I motion for her to head to the agreed-upon spot on the deck where we’ll approach the Bone Heart, and I cut around the stairs to where Bowen lingers with Evelyn. He’s never far from her side these days, but he rarely gives me reason to complain. The man is a machine.
“Bowen, new job.” I wink at Evelyn, which makes him growl under his breath. He’s so easy to rile. “Our priority is getting Bastian off the ship. If we fail, I want you to rip it to shreds.” Lizzie has a point, and I’m not one to cling to a faulty plan when there’s a better—and less dangerous—option.
He flinches. “People will die.”
“Not people, darling—Morrigan’s crew, murderers and monsters to a person. But if you’re so worried about unnecessary death, be careful when you’re dismantling their ship.” I pat his shoulder, but I can’t quite make myself continue the facade of carelessness. It’s getting harder and harder to wear this particular mask. “I wouldn’t ask this of you if there was another option. We need all the advantages we can manage in order to have even the slightest chance of escaping. Otherwise, it’s likely that we’ll face heavy losses.”
Am I being emotionally manipulative? Absolutely. Bowen is a paladin in a pirate hat, and his code of honor is honestly exhausting. Add to that a healthy dose of guilt for being part of the problem for so long and he’s ripe to question every single order I make in an effort to negate harm.
I can’t afford another argument with another strong personality on my crew. We’re out of time.
Help comes in the form of the witch pressing her hand to his arm. “Bowen, you’ve told me yourself the stories of the horrors Morrigan has perpetuated.”
He hesitates but finally nods. “I’ll do it. If you fail, I’ll dismantle the ship.”
“Thank you.” I turn to Evelyn. “Wait until my signal to put the shield up.”
Her green eyes are alight with anticipation. How these two ended up together, I’ll never understand, but she’s good for him. I suppose he’s good for her, too, what with reining in her more chaotic impulses. Evelyn grins. “Can’t wait to see what you decide to make your signal.”
“You’ll know it when you see it.”
“Oh, I have no doubt of that.”
Chapter 7
Nox
Déjà vu is one of those concepts that humans came up with to explain the unexplainable. At one point, we had a human on our crew who liked to go on and on about the theories behind the phenomenon. I never put much thought into it, but now, crouched on the railing in a fitted black suit that covers me from neck to wrist to ankles, Lizzie beside me looking green?
It feels just like the night we rescued Maeve.
It doesn’t matter that we’re not doing the exact same rescue plan. It’s the vampire and I, intent on mass murder and rescue. I wink at her. “Ready, darling?”
“I will not hesitate to slit your throat and bathe in your blood.” There’s no bite to her words. She reluctantly takes my hand and steps up onto the railing as the Audacity closes the gap between us and the Bone Heart. We’re close enough to see their crew gathered to watch, but too far for a normal person to jump.
Luckily, I am not a normal person. “Keep flirting with me, and Maeve is going to yell at you.”
“Shut up,” she hisses. She glances down to the inky waves lapping at the hull. “I really hate this.”