Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

Evelyn

I CAN’T HIDE FOREVER. WHEN MILES FIRST ASSIGNED ME TO the kitchen, I resented it, but it’s honestly been a nice reprieve from … everything. I have some experience with brownies, so I don’t step on their toes the way some of the rest of the crew does. In return, I don’t have to do the hard labor that comes from working on deck or worry about dealing with the quartermaster, who obviously hates me. I tell myself that it’s worth the exchange.

But I can’t help missing Bowen.

It’s ridiculous to miss the man who’s my captor, who’s aggravating in the extreme because of his unwillingness to bend. But after three days, I find myself back on deck, pulled there by the excitement of the crew as we near our destination. I stay out of the way as best I can, and make a careful path to the railing.

Overhead, the skies are clear of clouds and painted a blue that’s almost unreal. It reminds me of summer days back home, and longing hits me so hard, I actually flinch. It’s so strange that I can be in this magical place and yet the sky looks so familiar. Brilliant and blue and absolutely endless. I try to appreciate the fact that I’m in Threshold, but it’s hard to be positive these days when I feel so conflicted.

Our destination lies in front of us, an island that is significantly larger than the last one. It curves out to the east—or at least I think it’s the east—and then back around out of sight. There doesn’t seem to be any place to access from this direction; the whole coast is high cliffs that remind me of the pictures I’ve seen of Ireland. Except these ones aren’t white. They are a magnificent green shot through with blue and gold and silver, so bright they take my breath away. The metallics catch the light as we sail northwest.

“You want to be belowdecks for what comes next.”

I jolt and turn to find my roommate, Lucky, standing next to me. I didn’t even hear them approach. For the first time in our acquaintance, a small smile curves the edges of their lipless mouth. It’s hardly any expression at all, but on them it’s practically a shout of joy.

“What do you mean?”

“Here there be monsters.” They let out a harsh laugh. “It’s no place for people like you.” They press one hand to the railing and hoist themselves over.

It happens so fast, I’m left standing there with my mouth open as they plummet to the water and sink beneath the surface. I spin, ready to shout that there’s a person overboard, but Kit hurries up, nir face in hard lines. “You shouldn’t be out here, Evelyn.”

“So everyone keeps saying.” I lean over the railing, but Lucky is nowhere to be seen. “They just—”

“I know.” Kit takes my arm and turns me away from the railing. “They’re our scout. Lucky’s half mermaid, which means they don’t ping magical systems the same way a probe would—or run the risk of drowning. They’re fine. But you won’t be. We don’t know quite what we’re up against, and the captain would have my head if something happens to you.”

There’s no time to digest that, not with nem hustling me back toward the staircase that leads belowdecks. “But—”

“Next time.” Ne picks up nir pace. “You need to—”

I never find out what ne was about to say. There’s a giant roar that raises the hair at the back of my neck, and the entire ship lists violently to the side. Kit catches me in nir burly arms, but we still both slam against the opposite railing. It’s only nir strength that keeps us aboard.

I look around frantically, but the rest of the crew seems to be doing okay. Some of them are even laughing, the fools. At least until Lucky flings themself onto the deck, dripping seawater everywhere. Their black eyes are wide and panicked. “Dragon!”

Just like that, the entire vibe changes.

“Gunners, to your stations!” Bowen’s roar snaps everyone into motion.

Kit curses under nir breath and thrusts me away from the stairway. “There’s no time to get belowdecks now. Hurry. There’s space at the helm behind the captain. He’ll keep you safe.”

For once, I’m not interested in arguing. I’ve been in plenty of fights over the years, and I know how to take care of myself, but this is a different animal entirely. Fighting by yourself is one thing. This crew is a well-oiled machine, and even as fear is a live creature inside me, they move as if directed by a single mind. I know that’s not magic at play, which means it’s Bowen’s leadership.

Apparently I’m not moving fast enough, because his magic wraps around me and hauls me to a small space at his back. I don’t know what it says about me that I find its gentle grip comforting instead of aggravating, but now isn’t the time or place to examine the sensation.

It also isn’t the time to notice how magnificent he looks, his strong hands guiding the helm and the wind blowing his dark hair back from his strong face. He’s wearing another crimson coat, and as much as I hate what that color represents, I can’t deny that it looks stunning on him.

“Stay behind me. I’ll keep you safe.” He doesn’t look at me.

There’s no time to reply. The ship veers in the other direction, tipping so violently that I slam against Bowen’s back. Again, his magic grip surrounds me, carefully keeping me in place.

But I only have eyes for the creature rising out of the waves next to the boat. It’s the most magnificent, terrifying thing I’ve ever seen. Massive and serpentine, but with a face that is both reptilian and strangely catlike. It’s a deep blue color, with a lighter underbelly, similar to a great white shark. The better to blend in while it hunts.

Its roar has me covering my ears with my hands and fighting not to crouch as if that would make a difference in this fight. Movement at the other side of the ship makes me pivot, and a great white noise fills my thoughts as my brain tries to comprehend the sheer size of the thing. Because that’s its tail, whipping violently about, hundreds of yards from its head.

It strikes at the mast, but it doesn’t make contact before hitting an invisible wall. I know that wall. I walked into it the other night. It’s a shield Bowen has constructed with his magic. Sure enough, I feel the tremor that works through him in response to the contact. That took its toll. He’s stronger than I can comprehend, but not even he can keep this ship safe indefinitely against that kind of strength.

“Get the spears!”

In response to Bowen’s command, Miles and Kit appear, along with several crew members I know by sight, if not by name. Each holds a long spear in their hands and has a determined look on their face. No fear there. I barely understand it.

I recognize the spears, though. They’re the same type of spear that Miles tried to impale me with on my first day. I might hate the fucker, but I can’t deny he wields the weapon like he was born to it. He uses his entire body behind the strike, sending the spear hurtling through the air with more strength than I could have anticipated.

It impales the dragon, lodging between its scales. We might as well have stuck a toothpick into a giant. Or at least that’s what I think until it explodes.

The dragon howls in fury and pain, and strikes at the ship a second time. Again, Bowen deflects it.

“I can …” But what can I do? I have several long range spells, like the fire that I used against the cat-sìth. But they require prep, which would be impossible to do with the shipping moving sickeningly beneath my feet. If I try, I’ll end up in the water.

That’s the last place I want to be.

“Stay where you are.”

In another situation, I would disobey just to do it, but I don’t really want to die, so I do what Bowen says. Crew members launch a second, third, and fourth spear—javelin?—at the dragon, earning another round of explosions and a third attack.

This time, Bowen grunts a little when he deflects it.

The next one might get through.

Oh fuck. I don’t know what to do. Bunny had a lot of rules, but only one when it came to dragons. Do not, under any circumstances, fuck with a dragon’s hoard. Most of them are old bastards who can’t stir themselves to eat a pesky witch, but they’ll burn the entire world to the ground to protect and reclaim what’s theirs. But surely that doesn’t apply here? From what Bowen’s said, his orders came only a few days before they found me, which means it’s likely this dragon hasn’t been in Threshold the entire time.

Think, Evelyn. You have a brain for a reason. If most dragons don’t attack unprovoked, then …

Another swipe of its tail shakes the shield around the ship so hard that the deck shifts beneath my feet, derailing my thoughts. “How many more hits can you take?”

I don’t expect Bowen to answer, but he turns his head slightly and mutters, “A couple. I’d have a better chance if I went on the offensive, but I can’t afford to leave the ship defenseless.”

I can’t help there, either. I know a handful of shielding spells, but a good shield doesn’t let anything in—or out. I might be able to keep us safe, but then we wouldn’t be able to attack. Beyond that, my strength is no more bottomless than Bowen’s is. If the dragon keeps attacking, it will get through. End of story.

I hate this.

I don’t want this fight, but I also don’t want to die.

Even as I debate with myself, Kit and a trio of crew members rush to the side of the ship to replace Miles and the other three who just attacked. I can’t see that they’re actually doing any damage, and every time they land a strike, the dragon attacks in kind.

In fact, it didn’t strike our ship until we threw fucking spears at it. Which doesn’t mean it wasn’t going to attack, but we definitely went on the offensive first. Of course we did—the dragon has been eating people, and even if I don’t love the C?n Annwn, I can admit that that’s probably not a good thing. Probably.

No, damn it. I’m doing it again. Looking for an angle where there is none. We’re fighting for our lives here. There is no angle.

There’s always an angle, little bird. If you haven’t found it, it’s because you’re not looking hard enough.

Dragons protect. That’s what I was thinking before the last strike threw me off. So what is this dragon protecting?

I don’t mean to move away from Bowen’s back, but I find myself drifting closer to the railing nearest the dragon. It hasn’t attacked again. It’s twisting and roaring and causing a huge fuss, but it hasn’t struck the ship again.

It feels almost … defensive. Protecting.

Instinct guides me, and I spin toward the center of the ship where Lucky stands. They have a sword in their hand and a grin on their face, showcasing their sharply pointed teeth.

I grab their arm. “What else did you see down there?”

They shake me off, their black gaze pinned to the dragon. “Get off me.”

“It’s protecting something, isn’t it?” I grab their arm again and shake them. “Tell me!”

Lucky snaps their teeth at me, which startles me enough to release them. “We’ll deal with the baby after we deal with the mother. Don’t get impulsive.”

A baby.

A mother.

Even in my realm, we know better than to antagonize a wild creature defending its young. I don’t know if this dragon has really killed people, but wouldn’t it make more sense to send it home? Or to do literally anything than to murder it for the sin of existing in its natural state?

This is wrong.

No one pays any attention to me as I charge up the railing to the upper deck. With the dragon curled around the center of the ship, that’s where everyone has congregated. I pause just long enough to note that there are plenty of crew members who don’t seem overly eager about this whole process. That hasn’t stopped them from grabbing weapons. Something to worry about later.

Bunny taught me never to go anywhere without chalk on my person, and so I have a stick tucked into my pocket. No one bothers me as I sketch out a messy circle and write the glyphs from memory. This won’t hold forever, but hopefully it will hold long enough.

I pull my stolen dagger out and cut shallow lines on my forearms. I’ll need my hands if it comes to a fight. A quick drag of my fingertips through the blood and I press them to the wooden deck and speak the words to trigger the spell.

Not a moment too soon, either.

Miles launches a spear that will take the dragon in its throat. My shield locks into place a breath before it can leave the perimeter of my spell. The spear explodes in midair.

Every eye on the ship snaps to me.