Chapter 10

  There was an odd air about on the deck. About half the crew was up too, unusual for this time of day, and it was crowded. Someone had painted a red square on the ground that went from the cabin wall and twenty feet outward. Most were on the upper deck, looking down. Nereida pushed the children behind her. Basiano stepped to her right, a dark expression on his face. This felt wrong and awful. Evander was near the edge of the circle. His eyes were downcast, and his hand rested on the wound that was still hidden by his sleeve.

  The ocean sang to her, she could feel it everywhere, even in the air around her. Nereida breathed in, finding calm. She could weather this storm. Epelda came toward them, weaving between people bigger and stronger looking to come to a stop outside the circle.

  She smiled a bright smile at the boys but her eyes were full of worry.

  “Admiral wants to know how you fight,” she signed. “All four of you. I’m to take the boys up here for now. Trust me?”

  “Don’t let them see us get hurt,” was Nereida’s signed reply. She kissed each of her boys on their heads. Out loud she said “go py with Epelda.”

  The crowd parted enough for the boys to go up to the second deck. While there was some hostility toward her and Basiano at the moment, none of them were the kind to harm children. Nereida let that thought comfort her. Even if the Admiral killed her now, the boys would be safe. Epelda would see to it.

  The Admiral’s cabin door swung open abruptly. The fierce woman was decorated in bck and red armour that clinked as she walked. Her rge hat bore a bright red feather as well. She had two thin batons that had leather wrapped hilts. Her expression was murderous. Her eyes swept the crowds, steadfastly ignoring Nereida and her brother for the moment.

  “We are going into waters where demons roam. We have no choice. The mast requires repairs that we cannot do on the sea. So I just know who can fight. Should the demons manage to catch us, to board us, I must know that every man,” she turned sharply to look at Basiano, “woman” her eyes met Nereida’s. They were full of hurt and mistrust. “Or child will pick up a sword and fight.” Nereida controlled her angry hiss, but only just. How dare she demand her children fight!

  “The children will be taught how. Their training begins this afternoon.” The Admiral turned a haughty expression toward Nereida. “But I will test you both myself.”

  Nereida was completely done with the Admiral’s absolute theatrics. She had a suspicion, given how Evander seemed to be attempting to melt into the boards of the ship, about why the Admiral was overreacting. It could not be helped. She removed her overdress, revealing her pin shift beneath. Where the light blue overdress had long sleeves, the shift was sleeveless. But both her arms were free of scars or scratches. She had healed the cut from the oath already, unwilling to risk it becoming infected. She wondered if she had healed Evander if they’d be doing this now.

  “Which one of you is first?” The Admiral asked, her face slipping into a neutral look. Basiano went to step forward, but she blocked her older brother by pushing on his chest with her open palm. She subtly shook her head, and he took a half-step back, his eyes full of questions he dared not ask. No weakness before this crew. Give them nothing. Nereida straightened her posture, put on the airs of a noble. She gave the Admiral a slow, feral feeling smile, enjoying the way the woman shifted at her expression.

  “I am.”

  Nereida stepped toward the Admiral as her brother stepped out of the red square. The Admiral’s eyes nded on her bare wrist and there was a fsh of something in the grey eyes. Nereida could not be certain, but the Admiral seemed confused. Good. She drew close to the other woman, holding her hand out for one of the swords. The Admiral handed it to her.

  “Rules of engagement?” Nereida asked softly as she tested the weight of the weapon. The wooden baton was light and surprisingly well banced.

  “Do not step from the square; it’s the ship’s deck. Do not aim for the head; if you strike my head you’ll be in the brig until we make nd. You lose if you step out of the square, surrender or are otherwise unable to fight.”

  The Admiral seemed unlikely to say anything else, so Nereida held out her hand.

  “May the best swordswoman win.” The Admiral eyed her suspiciously but took her hand. Her eyes widened in shock, her mouth parting slightly, before eyes narrowed.

  “Oh I will, witch.” Nereida stepped back at the Admiral’s comment, her mouth dry and her stomach twisting. What did she know?

  They stepped away from each other. Nereida’s head was reeling. The Admiral’s mouth was set in a thin line and her eyes were hard. The sword was already feeling heavy in her hands. She did not want to fight. But someone in the crowd blew a whistle and Nereida lost her chance to end it. The Admiral’s feet shifted into a more offensive stance. Nereida brought the sword up to a defensive posture, not sure what to expect.

  Years at sea had made the Admiral quick. Even in her armour she moved faster than Nereida. The noblewoman was able to hold her own for the first few engagements. Her father had put a sword in her hand at ten so that she might learn to defend herself. She had never been the best student, having no passion for the bde. But she and her brothers had all sparred from time to time, and she had once used a sword to take a life. Unfortunately, this was not a friendly match, nor was this life or death. Not truly. Still, there was no warmth in the Admiral’s eyes. The wooden swords made satisfying ccking sounds as they collided into one another. Nereida was constantly on the defensive, unable to see an opening. The wooden sword seemed to come at her from every angle. She had to change her strategy or the Admiral would force her from the ring!

  Both women were even in height, so most of her tricks would not work. The Admiral, lithe, strong and quick, had every advantage. And while Nereida had no desire to lose, she wasn’t ready to use her magic and unleash whatever fear and panic the crew would have. So, when the Admiral brought in another flurry of attacks, Nereida let the Admiral hit her left arm. The power from the blow vibrates through her body. She cried out but kept focus, getting inside the Admiral’ guard. Once there, she stomped on the Admiral’s foot, and when the other woman stumbled back to try and regain her footing, Nereida stabbed the wooden baton into the Admiral’s stomach. She stumbled back, partially in shock and partially from the power behind the blow. She coughed and wiped at her face. Someone yelled, another whistled and Nereida suddenly remembered about the crowd. She had been so focused that she had forgotten. Now, as the crowd roared to life, shouting encouragement to one or the other of them, her mind was filled with a dull roar. She saw money changing hands out of the corner of her eye.

  Her reprieve did not st long and the Admiral came at her again. Nereida did not simply defend any longer. The crowd was calling for blood, though whose bloods she couldn’t be sure. The din drowned out the sounds of the ocean. Nereida focused on the foot she had stomped, as she could see her opponent was now favouring it. But her left arm ached tremendously, and she could not two hand her weapon to gain extra strength. Sportsmanship would get her hurt. It was time to fight dirty, as if her life depended on it. Perhaps it did. After the Admiral began unleashing another flurry of blows that she struggled to parry, Nereida surged forward and smmed her shoulder into the Admiral, bringing her sword down onto the same foot.

  The Admiral shoved her back, toward the wall behind them. She renewed her attack with her sword, only to feint and sm into Nereida. The air left Nereida’s lungs in a rush as she was smmed into the wall. The Admiral used her body to pin Nereida to the wall, catching the noblewoman’s sword hand in her own. Ael’s eyes were dark, her breathing hard as she leaned in and whispered “surrender.” Nereida felt her heart speed up and heat in her cheeks. She wasn’t feeling afraid as she stared into Ael’s eyes anymore. She let out a whimper, her mouth parting just a little. Nereida swallowed, trying to quench the urge to lean in and kiss Ael’s tempting mouth as the woman pinned her to the wall.

  “I surrender,” she managed after a long moment spent lost in Ael’s eyes. Her voice sounded husky and she felt heat spread to other parts of her body. She tried to deny, in her own mind, how much she wanted the Admiral to sm her into the wall in private, or perhaps into her bed. They could not be; she had to get home, and besides, the Admiral had her first mate. She could not come between them. This was nothing more than attraction; not real, not real, not real.

  The Admiral stepped back and Nereida found she could breathe again. She crumpled to the deck, her heart still racing, her mind abuzz with desire so strong she felt like she was drowning. The crowd roared, some in delight, some in frustration.

  “Evander!” The Grand Admiral’s voice carried above the din. Nereida looked up, trying to read the Admiral’s face, but her hat cast a yer of shadow that she could not see through. “Take her to my quarters, and then test the Count.” She turned and stormed inside. Nereida began to tremble, her breath uneven as the adrenaline faded, the attraction reduced from a raging torrent to a slow stream.

  Evander was at her side suddenly, gently helping her up. The crowd was chatting away merrily, gold changing hands and excitement repcing the heavy judgement from earlier. Nereida followed Evander silently, her head down. She wasn’t sure if she was terrified of being left alone with the Admiral…. Or if it was what she wanted most in the world.