The Wicked House of Caroline

She held her breath and fixed her eyes on her parents’ faces, watching their expressions anxiously. Her mother’s eyes shrunk as her lips pulled into a tight line. Beks couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

Her gaze flicked to her father. He was much more expressive, but as his face turned red and his eyes narrowed, Beks wasn’t sure he was reacting well to the possibility. Before she could open her mouth and try to smooth the situation over, even reassuring her father that she was willing and it would not be forced, he reacted and slammed his hands on the tabletop.

“What nonsense is this?” Robert nearly choked. Beks resisted the urge to shrink back. “It hasn’t been a year since you broke off your previous engagement and he’d dare send you another? I won’t agree this time!”

“Robert,” Sybil said in a low voice as she stood behind her daughter. “Beks is an adult. You don’t need to agree on her behalf.”

His sharp gray eyes immediately turned to his daughter. “Are you going to agree?”

Her heart quickened and she began to make plans to tell Laz and Lucian that they could no longer sleep together while her parents were present. She swallowed a small lump in her throat. “I don’t mind marrying the twins.”

Robert’s face drained of color. “No...but...what about the family trip?”

She blinked. Was that what her father was so concerned about?

“We can still take a family trip, Daddy,” Beks said with a slight laugh. “I’m likely not going to marry them any time soon. And this is still just a possibility. Brother Laurence has to make the final decision.”

Her father’s face didn’t brighten. Instead, his eyes narrowed more, and he seemed to come to a decision. “It seems I will have words to speak to him.”

“Robert.” Sybil gave him a small look. “If Beks is willing, though I am disappointed she won’t come home with us, I won’t object.” Beks gave her a grateful look. “In addition, after she broke her engagement with Luther, Beks would not agree to an engagement with another without having thought it through and being willing. There is also nothing wrong with the Second or Third Prince. I’d prefer them over the Fourth.”

“Beloved, we all prefer them over the Fourth, but that isn’t the main concern,” Robert replied. Disappointment was evident in his face as his voice weakened. “I was hoping that Beks could return to Sagittate.”

If Beks said that his words didn’t make her feel the slightest bit guilty, she’d be lying. She could understand her father’s desire to have their whole family together for once, and his disappointment, though the scenario that would cause it hadn’t happened yet, was heartbreaking. Her mother let out a tired sigh.

“His Majesty isn’t the late Queen. He will allow Beks to leave. And the Second and Third Princes would not protest if she returned home for visits, either,” Sybil told her husband with a thoughtful expression. Robert looked back at their daughter.

“Beks, how do you feel about the Second Prince?”

“Laz is very supportive and kind,” Beks replied.

“And the Third?”

“Lucian is also incredibly supportive and kind. Both of them treat me well and are supportive of my decisions. Laz was the one who trained the rokhs to take me back to the mainland and Lucian assisted me with translations on the island,” Beks said. “When I refused to return to the ruins to rest as I was caught up in translation works, they would bring me food and at times, carry me back to force me to rest. Gerard was my guard up until I reunited with Brothet Deo and it was Laz who assigned him to me.”

Robert nodded his head, somewhat approving. “That’s much better than the Fourth Prince, but that isn’t saying much. It was always you taking care of him, but what about your needs? Who was there to support you when you were neck deep in your studies or researching policies?”

Beks lowered her eyes. She always saw it as her duty to support the Fourth Prince, so she never thought twice about doing so, even if it was a burden. Despite doing what she could to ensure his success, what had the Fourth Prince done to support her? He was always busy with his own interests or being sent off somewhere by his father.

Helping Beks outside of private matters would also help Laurence, but the Fourth Prince was averse to royal work and wouldn’t do it unless he absolutely had to. That was why Beks had so many additional responsibilities as someone had to cover for his irresponsibility. The Fourth Prince hardly gave her any emotional or mental support. Gratitude, yes, but support?

He took her for granted.

Shame filled Beks at once. How could she let him do such a thing? Did she think it was natural?

The twins weren’t engaged to her, and they had been supportive since they were children, going as far as to seek an adult’s help for her sake. At seven years old, they were more sensible than twenty-two-year-old Luther.

“The bar set by the Fourth Prince is as low as it gets,” Deo said with a slight snort.

“Let’s not overthink it right now. As Beks said, the final decision to do such a thing lies with King Laurence,” Sybil said with some confidence. “It is not a finalized.”

“That’s right. I will need to communicate my thoughts clearly with him....” Robert sank back into his seat and was quiet.

Beks drew her lips inward. It seemed she’d need to do some more work to convince her father to accept the marriage.

“Mommy, how long will it take for us to get to Sagittate from here?” Beks asked. She should also probe Laurence’s thoughts on the subject. There was always a chance that he was reluctant to approve of an engagement after he was the one who helped her break her previous one.

“From our current coordinates, at least two weeks at our top speed and if we’re able to get through Stromwal efficiently,” her mother replied. “Though we’re in a rush to return His Majesty to the throne, he is still recuperating, so it isn’t necessary to insist on sailing as fast as possible. Three weeks will be suitable, though we will need to pass through Stromwal at a faster speed.”

Deo leaned forward and furrowed his brows. “We’ve never been through Stromwal before. How dangerous is it?”

“Anything can be dangerous if one was inexperienced enough,” Sybil told him. She circled the table and put her hand on her son’s head, as if he were still a child and not the fully grown adult man that he was. “You don’t have to worry. My crew and this ship are experienced.”

“The Leviathan’s Throne is the ship that took Brother Laurence to Sagittate, wasn’t it?” Beks asked. “The contact I had escorting him said it was this ship that brought them there, and him back to the mainland once Brother Laurence was situated.”

Her mother smirked. “It is indeed this ship. Despite its age, it’s an exceptional vessel that has been carefully maintained. When it was built, it was the most advanced ship of its time.”

Beks nodded, curious. “It must’ve been expensive.”

Sybil’s face froze for a moment. “It was...for the Paraxes navy....”

Beks squinted her eyes. “Did you say-”

“Why don’t you go check on Wrath and Thad?” her mother said at once. “They were very worried about you.”’

She raised a brow and studied her mother’s slightly guilty smile. Sybil was a pirate, so commandeering a ship that belonged to a foreign navy wasn’t unheard of. Her mother’s pirate background also aided them considerably, so where could Beks judge? After all, weren’t they technically planning a coup d’etat? She pushed her chair back and stretched her arms over her head.

“That’s a good idea, I’d like to see what they’re up to. Great Aunt said they were taking classes?”

“Your Great Aunt’s network is extensive. There are many biha users that respect her, and are indebted to her, so it was an easy matter for her to find instructors. My own water biha master was brought to me by my aunt,” Sybil told them. “The only difficult part is that we’re not yet exactly sure what Wrath’s spirit core entails. At the moment, she is practicing strengthening her internal biha.”

Beks pursed her lips. Perhaps her Great Aunt could find someone to help her figure out how to use her biha without transferring it on to someone else.

Deo remained inside the cabin with their parents as Beks stepped out. Aside from their visit to Kadmium, Beks hadn’t spent time with her younger siblings. Their communication was low, mainly due to an age difference and awkwardness, but that wasn’t to say that Beks didn’t feel a strong connection to Thad and Wrath.

Part of her yearned to become closer to them and now that she’d finally met them in person, she wanted to know them better, encourage them; be the elder sister they’d lacked their entire lives. Thad seemed receptive to the idea, but Wrath didn’t seem to take her seriously at all.

She didn’t seem to dislike Beks.

But she didn’t seem to really like her, either.

Beks walked out onto the deck of the Leviathan’s Throne and looked around. Her head almost jerked back as past the railings of the ship, beyond the Kraken’s Whip, which was still attached to her mother’s ship, dozens of ships of varying sizes seemed to dot the surrounding waters, almost to the horizon.

She narrowed her eyes and quietly climbed to the quarter deck, walking towards the railings. She’d only been in the captain’s chambers for an hour. Perhaps two at most. Where did all the ships come from?

“Excuse me.” She turned around and reached out to the nearest crew member. “Where did all these ships come from?”

A woman with peppered gray hair looked at her with amusement. “Everywhere,” she said with a slight chuckle in her accented Jasper. “The message has been sent out that the Duke and the two eldest children of Captain Blythehaus have been recovered, so the local fleet is reconvening.”

Beks squinted. “Local fleet?”

“Maritime Legacy has three major fleets in different oceans,” the woman replied. “What you see here is the main and mother fleet; the Western Seas fleet.” She paused and waved her hand out at the ocean. “If I am to be technical, this is the main fleet. There are smaller satellite groups in more remote regions.”

With such an extensive network, Beks wondered why she didn’t hear about them from seafaring merchants. “Is it all for piracy?”

“It is piracy when we feel like piracy.” The woman gave her a mysterious smile and turned back to a table where a large map was pinned down.

Since she was busy, Beks observed the surrounding ships herself. There didn’t seem to be a particular order, nor did all the ships match. Their unifying factor were the sails with the kraken symbol. She supposed when another ship saw the kraken, they’d be filled with dread knowing that it was pirates.

“Sister!” A shout came from her right and she turned her head in its direction. There was no one beside her, but the voice came again, and she caught the waving arms of her younger brother from their Great Aunt’s ship.

Beks smiled and walked to the corner of the Leviathan’s Throne closest to Thad. “Are you done with your lesson?”

“Not yet, but I managed to do it!” Thad’s face was filled with excitement.

“Something new?”

“Yes!” A glint reached his eye and he put his hands on the railing. “Want to see?”

“Sure-Thad!” Before she could agree, her brother climbed over the ship’s railing and jumped. She nearly tumbled over the side of the adjacent ship herself as she reached her arms out on instinct, even knowing that she couldn’t possibly reach him. She looked down at the water, expecting to see her brother’s body disappear beneath the dark waters, but instead, found the surface of the water rippling.

Circles pushing outward seemed to originate from a single point beneath Thad’s awkwardly floating body. From the way his clothes were flying all over the place away from his body, he was using wind biha to keep himself from plunging into the water. The effect wasn’t perfect, though.

His arms were held out, trying to keep his balance as he swayed back and forth with a look of concentration.

“Look!” Thad said through his focus. “I’m floating!”

Her rapid heartbeat hadn’t settled and Beks nodded her head. “That’s wonderful! I’m impressed! Now, please come back up!” It was clear that he wasn’t in full control, and he could falter and fall into the sea at any moment.

Thad’s concentrated expression didn’t leave him. The two were silent for a moment with Beks nervously waiting for her brother to use his wind biha to lift himself up and back on to the deck of the ship, and Thad unable to do so. Her eyes widened as her heart shot to her throat.

He forced a strained smile. “I seem to have overestimated my abilities.”

“Thad!” She knew it. She turned to call for someone to help, as her with her inability to swim, and enough gold plats on her body to sink her even if she could, Beks wouldn’t be able to save her brother and would likely drown them both.

She took a step away from the railing just as a fresh breeze swept past her. Her hair flew over her face, and she lifted her hand to sweep the long strands away. She caught her brother from the corner of her eye, starting to rise from the water, his face flushed with embarrassment.

The water below him was churning with ripples on the surface as wind biha was used to carry Thad back to the ship. Beks darted down the stairs and towards the gangplank connecting both ships. Her brother was standing with his head down, his face still red, and a man with deep olive skin and white hair seemed to be scolding him.

“...know you want to show your sister what you learned, but you have yet to properly control your wind biha. Your ability to concentrate wind in singular points is still too weak. It may keep you afloat for a short period of time, but it can’t carry you around,” the man’s low, disapproving voice said. “If your concentration breaks for just a second, you’re going to fall. What if you weren’t over water? What if you were high up?”

“I could try to slow my fall,” Thad said in a small, guilty voice.

The man’s brows shot up and he frowned. “Slow your fall? When one is panicked, rarely can they think straight. You’re still a novice, Young Lord. You don’t have enough experience yet.”

Thad seemed to almost wilt. He kept his head down and nodded it once. “Yes, Master Zilar. I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful next time.”

The man crossed his arms over his broad chest. “You are forbidden from taking flight until I give you approval, and under my strict guidance, understand?”

“Yes, Master.”

“Thaddeus!” Beks crossed the deck of the Kraken’s Whip to get to her youngest brother. A frown marred her face as she looked at him with almost the same amount of disapproval as his master, but tinged with worry. “What were you doing? What if you’d fallen into the water and were crushed between the two boats?”

The thought didn’t seem to cross his mind until now and Thad’s face paled. “Sister...I’m sorry.”

“Don’t do that again!” Beks said as she reached him and put her hands on his shoulders. “If you fell, I can’t do anything to save you. I can’t use any biha, nor can I swim.”

Still guilty, Thad nodded his head in silence.

“My apologies, my lady,” a man’s voice said behind her. “I let him practice unsupervised for a moment and this happened. I will watch him more carefully next time.”

Beks nodded and turned her head towards the man. It took all her discipline to keep from jerking her head back in surprise as she met cool, gray eyes against warm deep skin and snowy white hair. From the back, she thought he was an elder with his white hair, but when she saw his wrinkle-free, youthful face, he couldn’t have been much older than Deo.

“Sister, this is Master Zilar,” Thad said as he squeezed between them. “He is the wind biha master Great Aunt sent to me.”

The man stood up straight and bowed to Beks. “Good day, Lady Rebecca. I am the Second Mate of the South Sea Regional Fleet’s flagship Gorgon. My name is Zilar.”

Beks gave him a small nod of her head in return. “A pleasure to meet you, Master Zilar. Thank you for taking time to teach my brother.”

He stood up straight and gave her an impressed and eager look. “Your brother has an incredibly large biha well. Never have I seen such a young child with a large well.”

“It appears common in our family,” Beks said.

“Yes, Captain Blythehaus also has a legendary biha well,” Master Zilar replied. A look of frustration marred his good-looking face for a moment. “I regret that mine is not large enough, otherwise, I would be able to instruct Young Lord Thad for longer. My ability is limited, unfortunately, until my well is refilled.”

There was no harm until comparison. She could understand Master Zilar’s frustration. While his technical ability was far superior, he had glaring limitations with his smaller biha well. From what she’d learned while reading, there was a way to speed up biha well regeneration, but it was a time-consuming process to learn. Most people likely didn’t know of such a technique, and were at the mercy of a standard regeneration speed.

When one was in a rush or a precarious situation, it could mean survival or death.

“Master Zilar is still the most skilled wind biha user in the fleet.” Thad stepped forward to defend his master and Beks smiled, reaching forward to stroke her brother’s hair back.

Master Zilar chuckled. “It was my master who is the most skilled. After so many years, I don’t think I can compare. I am still a student myself.”

“Then, where is your master, Master?” Thad asked with a furrowed brow.

Master Zilar let out a heavy breath. “My master retired from the fleet two years ago. His mastery with wind biha was due to necessity.” He motioned to the sails behind them. “He felt that he reached his limitations in Maritime Legacy and went to another continent’s Valley of Song.”

Beks tilted her head to the side. “Valley of Song.” She remembered reading something like that in her memorized tablets.

Master Zilar nodded. “The southern continent has a valley famous for its wind biha users due to its windy terrain. The winds are so strong, it is said to cause whistling through the mountains, thus making noise or a ‘song’. Master believes he will ascend to a new level there.”

Beks nodded. She looked at Thad, who seemed to be considering it. “You’re too young to go by yourself.”

Thad choked and snapped his head back at his sister. “I didn’t say I was going!”

“I could see it on your face.”

Thad gave her a dull look. He then turned back to his master. “May we continue today’s lesson?”

Master Zilar gave him an apologetic smile. “Not today. I used the last of my biha to bring you back on board after your recklessness.”

Thad winced and threw his head back. “Sorry....”

“If your biha well was filled, can you continue?” Beks asked.

Master Zilar nodded. “Yes, of course. My priority at the moment is to train and guide the young lord.”

Beks nodded her head. “Then, may I put my hand on your shoulder?”

Master Zilar’s eyes widened and darted away, almost shy. His ruddy cheeks flushed. “I am flattered, my lady, but I am married.”

Beks squinted. “No. First of all, I am not interested. Second, I am going to transfer biha to you so your well can be filled and you can continue teaching my brother.”

Thad looked at his master and shook his head. “Master, my sister’s standards are remarkably high. Everyone in our family is good-looking; how can she settle for less?”

Beks inwardly cringed as Master Zilar flushed at his pupil essentially calling him ugly.

“Don’t be impolite to your master,” Beks said, ruffling his hair. “Master Zilar, if you don’t mind, it will just take a second.”

He didn’t seem convinced, but his eyes darted to Thad. For his sake, he nodded his head. “All right.”

Beks placed a hand on his left shoulder and almost immediately took it back. In that short period of time, Master Zilar’s eyes dilated and he took in a sharp breath. His gray eyes landed on hers with shock. She nodded. “Yes, I get that often.”

“Beks, refill my biha well, too!” Thad said. She placed her hand on his and he gasped. “So fast! When did you learn this? When we last saw you, you didn’t have a biha well!”

“If you are in battle, I can continuously feed you biha so you’ll never run out,” Beks told him. “I learned when I was looking for Brother Deo. The guard I brought with me, and I were attacked, and he was also a wind biha user. A particularly good one, but his well was limited. I saw clerics transfer energy and tried to do the same. It worked.”

Thad stared at her with awe. “As expected of my elder sister.”

Beks cracked a smile and touched his head affectionately. “Don’t be so impressed. I can’t do much with it other than transfer it.”

“It’s still very useful!”

“All right, Young Lord. Since Her Ladyship has refilled our wells, we should continue,” Master Zilar said before giving Beks a bow of his head. “Thank you, my lady.”

“Any time,” Beks said, waving her hand in front of her. “As long as you can teach my brother.”

“It is my honor.”

Beks stepped aside to give them room to continue. Wind biha was rarer than fire, water, and earth biha, so there weren’t as many masters. Most, like Gerard, had to learn on their own. Her brother was lucky enough to get proper guidance from an experienced user; she had to make sure he took advantage of it and learned as much as he could while he could.

To be able to use one’s biha has a defense would protect her brother.

“I’m improving, too.” A small voice came from behind her and she turned around. Her eyes swept in front of her and then lowered to see the short little girl wringing the front of her dress. She looked up at Beks and then quickly averted her eyes before glancing back, as if to check to see if Beks had noticed her.

“Wrath.” Beks turned around and closed the few steps between them before kneeling down in front of the girl. “Do you want to show me what you’ve learned, too?”

Wrath turned her head to the side. “Well...since you asked nicely.” She took a few steps from Beks and the stopped and turned around when she noticed that Beks hadn’t followed. She frowned and stomped one foot on the ground. “Aren’t you coming?” She sounded both annoyed and worried that Beks wouldn’t come.

“I’m coming,” she said as she stood up and followed. “I was told no one knows what your spirit core does yet.”

Wrath wrinkled her little nose. “They told me it could be anything. Great Aunt knows a few masters, but the one I have right now focused on aura readings.”

Aura reading was using one’s spirit core to read a person’s biha fluctuations to gauge their emotions and sincerity. Those who could do aura readings were considered living lie detectors. In Kadmus, they’d be employed during high level trials, though how well an aura could be read also relied on how the person being read could control their biha.

There was always the possibility that someone could have such great control that an aura reader could misread, but such cases were rare. Aura readers were also sought after by merchants in order to avoid being cheated, though aura readers could only read one’s biha at the moment. If a partner decided to cheat later, there was nothing they could do to predict that.

“What do you think you can do?” Beks asked as she walked alongside her little sister, making sure to slow her steps.

Wrath pursed her lips and seemed to think for a moment. “I think I’d like to see in the dark.”

‘Seeing’ in this case was a sensitivity to biha, that one could superimpose biha over their own vision, allowing them to see things that their eyes couldn’t.

Still, Beks was sure that Wrath would’ve chosen beast talking. Unless, of course, her sister didn’t know about it. She glanced over and tested the idea.

“What about beast talking.”

At once, Wrath gasped and seemed to tremble with excitement, but it was short lived. She lowered her eyes. “I don’t want to get my hopes up.”

Beks raised a brow. “What do you mean? You don’t want to be disappointed?” Wrath nodded. “But what if you aren’t?”

“If I’m not, I’ll be happy, but if I get too excited and I can’t talk to animals....” She sighed and Beks reached out to touch her head.

“If you become a beast talker, I have something to give you,” she told her little sister. Curious eyes looked towards her.

“Like what?”

“You’ll see if you become one,” Beks replied. “Also, I’ll take you to the Quartz Lake Shrine. It is dedicated to the Patron Saint of Legendary Beasts. I went there to prey for Snowflake.”

“Snowflake?” Wrath tilted her head to the side and looked at Beks with curiosity.

“My horned serpent. It’s a long story, but you will like him when you meet him. He is on the island where I washed up after the assassination attempt,” Beks replied.

Being reminded of the situation, Wrath’s little face squished with irritation. She pursed her lips before looking at Beks. “Are you...okay?”

The corners of Beks’ lips curled up a bit. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Just because you survived doesn’t mean you’re okay,” Wrath said in a soft voice as she kicked the deck. “If you want, I will avenge you.”

“Thank you, Wrath, but the gods have eyes and at least half of those men are dead,” Beks told her. “As for the remaining three, if I see them again, I will be sure that they’ll join their companions.”

Wrath nodded her head, satisfied with the answer.

“I can’t do much yet, but I can control where my biha goes,” Wrath said. She grabbed Bek’s hand and pulled her forward. “I will also introduce you to my master!” She dragged Beks forward and Beks followed with a smile on her face.

Her shoulders relaxed as her little sister held her hand and pulled her forward. With pride, Wrath introduced her to Master Ria, and insisted Beks follow them through one round of practice. Beks didn’t protest as she took a seat next to her sister to follow Master Ria’s instructors.

Biha released by a spirit core couldn’t be directed with the body, like with biha from a well, where often times, it was as if the user was conducting an element. Spirit core biha was an energy from the mind; like a consciousness that seeped out and assessed the biha surrounding the user, and then created sense for the user with what was found.

Like the old monk at the shrine, it was important to control where the consciousness went, as if it was too broad, it would be difficult to focus, and could confuse, sometimes overwhelm, the user. It was good that Wrath was learning that now, before she was faced with hundreds of voices from all directions.

It wasn’t difficult to do, either. Though Beks still had no idea what her spirit core could do, she could feel the consciousness being focused in a certain direction.

“How is it?” Beks stood to the side as her Great Aunt approached them. She waved down Master Ria, who’d led Beks through some biha circulation exercises. Master Ria was about her Great Aunt’s age and a dark-skinned woman with long, silver-white hair. She was also from the West Islands, though she’d traveled the three continents for the majority of her life, and her Thaier accent had not just faded, but took on an unidentifiable accent as the result of her mixture.

“I still don’t know what it does, but control shouldn’t be an issue.”

“I believe control is the most important skill of a biha user,” Great Aunt replied with a nod. “Strength is, of course, useful. It’s powerful, but without control, strength can become chaos quickly, which can lead to danger.”

Beks nodded in agreement. “I read that most spirit core users begin to understand their spirit core when they’re a bit older than Wrath, but I’m already an adult....”

“And you’re concerned because you haven’t yet discovered what it is,” Great Aunt said, earning her another nod from Beks.

The younger woman’s lips curled up in a wry smile. “I’m not going to deny that it’s frustrating.”

“From what your mother told me about your biha, everything is frustrating. All the strength we talked about, but none of the control necessary to wield it.” Her Great Aunt snorted. “I would’ve tossed a few ships in frustration myself.”

Bek let out a small scoff. “If only I had such a luxury.”

“Aside from transferring biha for another person to control, have you considered a tool?” the old woman asked, glancing over from beneath the brim of her hat.

Beks furrowed her brows and looked over. “A tool? I don’t know anyone who uses a tool...is such a thing possible?”

Her Great Aunt let out a laugh-snort and moved her arm over her stomach. “My dear girl, of course, it’s possible! You likely haven’t considered it because everyone around you has such a large biha well.” She waved her hand towards the bow of Leviathan’s Throne still connected to the Kraken’s Whip. Her parents were on the deck with her mother looking out towards the ocean while her father stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her and his head leaning against hers. A brief look of disgust filled the old woman’s face. “He’s clingy, as always.”

Beks chuckled. “Were people mad when Mommy followed my father to Sagittate?” Her Great Aunt let out a low, heavy, and regretful sigh. “Some, but most were disappointed. Sybil is my heir, you see, and the most talented sailor and water biha user in the entire fleet.” She looked at Beks and raised her brow. “Which counts all our branches all over the world.”

“What does my mother’s ship do when she’s not on it?”

“The Leviathan’s Throne remains closest to the shore where your mother is, ready for her at any time,” her Great Aunt replied. “When Sybil is in Sagittate, they circle Sagittate or take on the more difficult task of hauling goods through Stromwal when another ship doesn’t have the ability to make it through.”

Beks furrowed her brows. “Then, when Mommy was in Kadmium?”

“They were less than a half day’s travel from the Port of Black Sands.”

She held her breath. No wonder her mother was able to arrange for a ship so quickly. She knew they were nearby; it was just a matter of summoning them and giving the order.

“Now that my mother is a duchess, who is your heir?”

“Oh, are you interested?”

“I can’t even swim, Great Aunt,” Beks replied with a slight grin. The old woman laughed and then looked back towards the water.

“I had always hoped that your mother would return, but it seems unlikely. For a while, I thought that if your father died, she’d come back, but with her children, returning is also unlikely.” The old woman snorted once more. “Not that he’d die any time soon. Annoying people don’t die so easily.”

Beks scoffed and nodded, following her gaze. “They certainly don’t.”

“Maritime Legacy doesn’t need a singular leader, though it would be convenient,” the old woman said with a sigh. “Right now, a council arranges the fleet. I’m almost a figurehead.”

Beks furrowed her brows. “Great Aunt, why did you become a pirate?”

“My freedom.” Her Great Aunt narrowed her eyes and looked out at the horizon dotted with ships. “The Lyones are an ancient family in the West Islands. Wealthy, highly respected, and the children are sought after for marriage partners by some of the Islands’ elites, but there were only four of us left. My parents, my sister, and I. My sister was the responsible one; when our parents wanted her to marry an up-and-coming politician, she agreed.

“I refused. I didn’t want to get married, and I was angry at the way the West Islands were being run. At the time, there was a lot of corruption, favoritism, nepotism. If you knew the right people and had enough money, you could do almost anything. Merchants worked closely with local politicians, so they had far more power on the islands than they should’ve. They exploited the locals, especially the young women. I had a friend in school who caught the eye of a wealthy merchant. She disappeared one day and all I could find out was that a merchant bought her.

“Can you believe such a thing? The West Islands hadn’t had slavery for hundreds of years, yet someone, someone who wasn’t from the islands, purchased a young woman. Her family wasn’t very powerful and in the face of economic benefits, agreed. She was too young to be taken....” Her late aunt narrowed her eyes. “If a young woman from a good family with money could be treated as such, what about the impoverished? I couldn’t stand the thought and when I voiced my concerns to my father, he dismissed them.”

“So, you ran away to become a pirate?”

“My first goal was to seize a merchant vessel that had bought women and children,” the old woman replied. She looked towards Master Ria and Wrath several paces away. “I was able to find Ria. The merchant was...not good to her.”

Beks followed her line of vision and nodded. “Do you still continue with such work today?”

“Piracy is a criminal career, but since the navies of various countries don’t do anything to protect their exploited people, we step in.” She cracked a smirk. “Though, I can’t say that we don’t take money and goods that are conveniently on the merchant vessels at the same time.”

Beks chuckled. “What about non-merchant vessels?”

“We’ve occasionally attacked or at least sailed past them to remind them of who we are and what we’re capable of. If they don’t attack, we won’t, but we've made an exception for the Kadmus navy. It’s ridiculous that they thought they could come out to the open ocean and treat it as their own territory. Have they lost their minds?”

“Likely,” Beks replied. “But they’re looking for us. If they continue, we may run into them again while sailing to Sagittate. We’ve already had to go through one checkpoint and were picked up by a ship.”

Her Great Aunt narrowed her eyes. “The other countries are foolish to allow Kadmus to stretch their hands so far. I don’t know what it is about that new king that they’d do so much to please him.”

“His current fiancée is an oracle with the Temple.”

“The mistress?”

“Yes.”

Her Great Aunt sneered. “How can you trust a man who’d betray the one he was supposed to marry? The woman he’d known since childhood?”

“I don’t.”

“Smart girl.”

“Auntie.” A woman’s voice called behind them and Beks saw her mother approaching from the gangplank. “The seven fleet heads are here.”

Captain Lyone nodded her head and lifted it up to adjust her hat. “Beks, come. Sybil, lead the way.”

They were taken back to her mother’s captain’s chamber where around the round table where they’d sat earlier were seven new faces. Around the table were nine chairs, two of which were empty. Her father and Deo stood to the side and Beks went to join them.

“Oh, is this your daughter?” One of the women around the table perked up upon the sight of Beks. “I can see why that king would regret his decision.”

“Even if he did, it’s too late,” Sybil replied. “Beks, these are seven regional fleet heads that report to your Great Aunt.” That explained why there were so many ships on the horizon.

Great Aunt took her seat on the largest of the empty chairs and motioned for Beks to stand beside her. “I’ve summoned them here to assist in blocking Kadmus’ navy to ensure a swift sail back to Sagittate.”

Beks furrowed her brows a bit as her mother pinned down a large map on the round table.

“This is the proposed route to Sagittate, going through Stromwal,” she replied as she moved her finger along the line. “We need a blockade along the east side, at least up until we reach Stromwal.”

“You should have and escort through Stromwal,” one man said as he looked at the map with a frown. “Stromwal only deters ships coming south, but if they come from the east or west, they won’t face the brunt of the eternal storm.”

“Naval units may be waiting for you once you pass Stromwal,” another man replied.

Sybil raised her hands and rubbed her chin, her eyes still fixed on the map. “There is a smaller naval base along the northwestern coast of Kadmus, but they tend to avoid Stromwal. They may try to go around it from the north.”

“Would they know that you’d come through the storm?” the first man asked.

“No, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be lying in wait,” Sybil replied. “In that case, having some escort ships would be prudent.”

“Do we have volunteers for three ships to escort the Leviathan’s Throne?” Great Aunt asked with a slam of her cane against the floor.

“Gorgon will escort them,” an older man said.

“Golden Manta will also escort them.” The woman who asked if Beks was Sybil’s daughter spoke up.

“You’ll also need a smaller, faster ship to check ahead,” a man about her mother’s age replied. “Sea Stallion will also go.”

“All of you have experience sailing through Stromwal, but don’t rush it. There is no need to take risks once you’re in the storm,” Captain Lyone told them.

“Hassem, Merriam, Cyrus,” Sybil said, looking at each of those who volunteered. “You may need to escort us back through.”

“Not a problem,” the oldest of the group said, followed by two additional nods of confirmation from the other captains.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been to Sagittate. I can buy some furs from my daughter,” the captain of the Sea Stallion told them.

“Then, this part is settled.” Sybil looked back at the map. “Now, let’s discuss the placement of the blockade.”

╔═════════════════ ∘◦ ♔ ◦∘ ═════════════════╗

Beks was awoken by a sudden drop. Her stomach felt as if it were suspended in midair for a moment before falling, causing Beks to wake up with alarm. Her eyes adjusted to the dim light coming from the shut windows of the captain’s quarters.

The sofa her father slept on was vacant, with the sheets kicked to one corner. Beks looked towards the other side of the bed. Her mother slept on the bed with her and her two youngest siblings between them, but now, her mother’s side of the bed was also empty.

Only a sleeping Thad and Wrath still nestled under the blanket were remained.

A low creak filled the air and the ship seemed to move to one side, prompting Beks to reach out and try to grab hold of one of the bed’s posts. She didn’t roll off the bed, but as she was sitting up, her body swayed heavily to one side.

They’d been on the Leviathan’s Throne for over two weeks now and this was the first time she’d woken to such a violent movement. Another low creak sounded, and she looked back at her siblings.

“Beks?” Thad rubbed his eyes. “Is it breakfast?”

“No, no, the ship is just tossing,” Beks said. “Go to sleep. We may have to have breakfast later.”

Thad frowned and lowered his hands. He sat still as his body leaned to one side. “Is it storming outside?”

Beks had already slid her legs off the bed and stood up. “Stay in bed,” she said as she felt the ship sway beneath her. She frowned and took careful steps towards the window. The outside seemed to be completely gray, and waves pounded against the glass. Though shut, a little bit of salt water came through the gaps.

The ship creaked again, and she turned her head towards the door. “Beks?” Wrath woke up and seemed to pat the side of the bed next to where Beks slept. She opened her eyes when she realized her sister wasn’t there. “Beks?”

There was a bit of panic in her voice. “I’m right here,” Beks said as she carefully made her way to the stack of chairs that had been tied to the corner to keep from tumbling around when the ship made sudden, volatile movements. They hadn’t been the night before, meaning her parents must’ve secured anything that could move and cause a hazard before they left. Her cloak was hanging on a hook by the wardrobe next to the stack of chairs. “I’m going to see what’s going on.”

As if in protest, the ship lurched to one side and Beks stumbled left, landing against the pile of stacked chairs without warning. She winced, but steadied herself and wrapped her cloak around her. She took another step forward, but paused. She glanced back at the bed, where her two siblings had given in to sleep once more.

She then turned her back to them and shuffled beneath her cloak to remove her petti skirt. In the off chance she’d be tossed into the water, she’d have a better chance of being rescued if she didn’t sink like a rock because of gold first.

She kicked the petti skirt to the corner and then trudged towards the door, which seemed to be uphill with the way the ship was moving. Beks grasped the door handle and fiddled with it until it opened, sending a blast of cool air and sea water into her face. For a moment, she stood in place, spitting out the sea that welcomed her.

Beyond the doorway, the ship had water everywhere as it creaked and leaned from one side to the other, diving forward and then being pushed up with the waves. Much of the crew was on deck securing items and the air was filled with howling wind, crashing waves, and the yelling of crew mates as they prepared for another toss.

The wooden ship slammed into the water and Beks clamped her hands on the doorframe to keep from falling over.

“Beks!” Deo appeared from the mist, drenched with either sea or rainwater, or perhaps both. “What are you doing out here?” He yelled as he grabbed onto the side of the cabin. “Get back inside, it’s dangerous!”

Despite being only two paces away, she almost couldn’t hear him shouting. “What is going on?” she shouted in response. “Is there a storm?”

“This is Stromwal!” Deo yelled back. “Get inside!” “Beks! We need your help!” Their father’s voice made Deo whip his head back and look towards the deck, where their father was securing a rope. His dark red and graying hair was pasted to his scalp as his clothes seemed heavy with water. He trudged forward, almost like a drunkard with the swaying of the ship.

“Daddy, what can I do?” Beks shouted.

“Your mother needs biha!” he told her as he stumbled forward. One hand reached for her while the other slammed against the side of the door to keep him from ramming into it. “Even with two water biha masters, it’s difficult to fight the waves of the storm and steady four ships!”

“Four ships?” The Leviathan’s Throne and its escort ships. “Is that how we’re able to get through Stromwal?”

Her father nodded. “The crew counts for a lot, but it is a fight between nature and a water biha user. First Mate Farreh is trying to secure the Leviathan’s Throne and the Sea Stallion, which is close to us, but your mother is focusing on helping steady Gorgon and Golden Manta in the distance.”

“I thought they were experienced!”

“Yes, there are always some risks!” her father shouted. “That’s why your mother wants to secure them, but because of their distance from us and the volatile waters, she’s using more of her biha than normal.”

Beks nodded. “Then, take me to them!”

“Daddy, are you sure this is wise? Beks is new to a ship,” Deo said, stepping in between them. “You and I can barely walk straight in this weather! It’s too easy for Beks to simply be swept out!”

“She won’t be swept out. I’ll hold on to her.”

“And who’s holding on to you?” Deo shouted. Robert shot him a glare.

“Just tie some rope around me,” Beks yelled as another stream of sea spray hit her face. She could feel her hair caking to her head as she spoke.

Deo frowned. “Wait a moment!” He kept a firm grasp on the side of the wall as Beks turned around to close the door that had swung open.

“Beks!” Wrath was sitting up in bed, her eyes wide with worry.

“Stay there! I need to refill Mommy’s biha and then I’ll come back!” She gave them as reassuring a look as she could and pulled the door closed to keep the rain, wind, and water out of the room.

Deo returned with the edge of a rope in hand. He wrapped it twice around Bek’s waist and then tied it securely. “Don’t let go of Daddy and take slow steps!”

“I know!” Beks grasped her father’s hand, and he led her out into the deck. Rain water pelted her at once and the wind was like needles against her chilled, wet face. She wished she had tied up her hair, as it was flying everywhere, making it even more difficult to see.

“Watch your step. If you don’t feel steady, stop!” Her father instructed her carefully. She nodded and kept her arm in his. She grasped on to the railing as they walked up to stairs to the quarter deck, but found that it was difficult to get a good grip when it was so wet. Still, she clenched the wooden railing and took slow, steady steps up.

“Robert! Why did you bring her here?” Before they reached the top step, Sybil chastised her husband.

“You and the First Mate need biha for the other ships!” her father argued. “And Beks has near infinite biha she can transfer!”

Sybil’s wet hair was all over, sticking to her soaking clothes that were clinging to her skin. She frowned, but didn’t seem to have a choice. She turned her eyes away from them and looked back at the water, towards the distance. “Fill Farreh’s first!”

Her first mate was just across the deck, focusing on the water around them and around a smaller ship closest to them. Just a bit older than her mother, First Mate Farreh had a large biha well, but even it could be taxed when she had to manipulate the water for two ships. Her face was pale and a rope was tied around her waist to keep her secured to the railing.

Beks reached out with one hand and placed it on Farreh’s shoulder without asking. The woman opened her mouth and gasped before letting out a laugh.

“That’s exactly what I needed! Go and refill your mother’s well! I’ll be fine for a few hours!”

Beks nodded and tried to make her way across the deck, back to her mother. She reached out her hand and managed to grab Sybil’s forearm.

“It’s full!” Her mother shouted before Beks could exhale. “Go back downstairs!”

She had no sailing experience and would just be a burden, so Beks didn’t argue to stay with them. She turned around and reached for the railing to help her down the stairs.

The ship’s bow suddenly rose into the air, almost making the ship vertical before the wave subsided and sent it plummeting. Beks’ hand missed the railing.

She stumbled to the side, her hip hitting the railing of the quarter deck. The water on the deck and the volatile movement of the ship took the deck out from under her. Her shoes slipped forward.

Beks fell backwards, her arms still desperately trying to grasp anything.

“Beks!” Several voices screamed as her vision went from a brown wooden deck to gray cloudy sky. The rush of air went past her as her body fell overboard, sending her into the dark waters of Stromwal.