Immortal War

have held things together since Jacoby’s disappearance has been truly inspiring. We all know how close you two were.”

Jasmine frowned. “I think we should stop calling it a ‘disappearance’ and start admitting that Jacoby is dead,” she said. “He’s never coming back, and, if we’re to have any hope of moving on with our own lives, we have to accept that.”

“That’s very brave of you,” Cheng Li said, noting that it was highly unusual for Jasmine to let her guard down in this way. “In that case, we ought to plan some kind of memorial service for Jacoby.”

“No!” Jasmine exclaimed loudly. Then she resumed in a more controlled voice, “Well, maybe. I don’t know.”

Jasmine’s volley of responses was further proof to Cheng Li of the conflict raging within her deputy’s mind and heart. She smiled reassuringly. “Why don’t you give it some thought? There’s no rush.”

“I will,” Jasmine said with a nod.

“I’ll leave you to your work, Deputy Peacock,” said Cheng Li.

Jasmine collected her things and headed for the door. Cheng Li strode forward to open it for her. “Remember,” she said, “it’s always easier to fight the demons out there than the ones in here.” She tapped the crown of her own head.

“I don’t have any demons,” Jasmine said.

“Yes, you do,” Cheng Li replied. “We all do. And the more we try to deny them, the bigger and more dangerous they grow.” Her voice became more businesslike. “Keep me posted on any changes to The Diablo’s position.”

Jasmine nodded. “I will, Captain.”

Looking over Jasmine’s shoulder, Cheng Li could see that Connor was already making his way along the corridor toward them—ready for his own meeting with the captain. Cheng Li turned around discreetly and stepped back inside her cabin. She hovered just inside the doorway, listening carefully to the exchange between her two deputies.

“Hi,” said Jasmine.

“Hey,” answered Connor. “How are you?”

“Okay,” she said, her voice seeming to suggest the very opposite. Then, “Connor, I really need to talk to you. We spend all day racing around this ship, but we never get the chance to talk to each other—not properly.”

There was a pause, then a sigh. “I know,” he said. “I feel the same. Let’s try to make some time tonight, okay?”

“Yes,” she said, more brightly. “I won’t keep you from your meeting. See you later!”

Their words were prosaic enough, but Cheng Li knew that the two of them were embroiled in a close and often challenging relationship. She suspected that had Jacoby Blunt still been around, Jasmine would have broken up with her long-term boyfriend and declared her true feelings for Connor. As it was, with Jacoby’s situation still a mystery, his presence lingered like a restless ghost.

Cheng Li walked soundlessly back across her cabin and sat down once more at her conference table, ready to greet Connor.

Between sips of mango juice, Connor confidently led Cheng Li through all his areas of responsibility. Since Jacoby’s disappearance, Cheng Li had made yet another daring decision in appointing Connor as her joint deputy. He lacked the formal training from which she, Jasmine, and Jacoby had benefited at the academy. Nonetheless, Connor possessed a rare instinctive gift for piracy, which was all the more startling given how new he was to this world. It was less than twelve months since Cheng Li herself had rescued him from certain death in the ocean. Now he was utterly changed; the transformation from shipwrecked orphan to full-fledged pirate was complete.

He was, she reflected as she listened to him now, something of a throwback to the old days of piracy. Another Molucco? The thought crossed her mind. No, she thought. No, we’ve caught him in time to prevent that.

One of Connor’s greatest gifts was the goodwill he inspired in almost all those around him. This had first struck Cheng Li through the strong bonds he had formed with his crewmates. Lately, she had found a new way to harness this gift of Connor’s. Since the beginning of war, Cheng Li was no longer merely captain of one ship but overseer of a further twelve. And it was Connor who acted as the chief point of liaison with the other twelve captains.

“Captain Gresham’s crew was particularly badly hit in the last battle,” Connor told her now. “Over thirty of them are still in recovery in the field hospital at Pirate Academy. I’ve talked direct to Nurse Carmichael and she says she won’t release them for at least another week.” He smiled. “Actually, I negotiated her down from ten days.”

Cheng Li returned his smile. “So we’re caught between the Scylla of Christabel Carmichael and the Charybdis that is Wilberforce Gresham. What do you suggest?”

“I thought we could lend Captain Gresham some crew members from the other ships until Nurse Carmichael gives his lot the all clear.” Cheng Li nodded approvingly as Connor continued. “I was going to suggest offering ten of our own pirates and five each from four other ships in the fleet, but, with our plans for The Diablo, I think we should keep our crew intact for now. I’ve prepared a transfer list for you to approve when the time comes.” He passed the document across to her.

Captain Gresham’s dilemma resolved, there were only a couple more items on Connor’s list. As he finished talking, Cheng Li leaned back in her chair. “Before you go, there’s one more thing to discuss,” she said.

“Sure,” he said, looking up from his sheaf of papers. “Shoot!”

“Molucco’s will,” Cheng Li began.

In response, Connor held up his hand. “I’m sorry you had to hear about my legacy from somebody else. But really, there’s nothing to talk about,” he said. “It doesn’t change anything.”

Cheng Li toyed with her fountain pen. “It will change everything, Connor. And the more you push it away and ignore it, the more of a tidal wave will hit.”

“All right,” Connor said, barely reining in his impatience. “Then I’ll just give the money back to the Wrathes. I’m sure they won’t say no.”

Cheng Li shook her head. “It doesn’t work like that. There’s Federation revenue and taxes to deal with, for one thing.”

Connor frowned, annoyed that there seemed to be no way out of this conversation. “Okay then,” he said. “I’ll donate it all to the Federation itself. For the war effort.”

Cheng Li smiled. “That’s a noble thought, Connor, but please don’t be rash. Molucco’s bequest has the power to change your life.”

“I still don’t know why he gave it to me,” Connor said. “We were enemies when he died. He said so himself.”

Cheng Li gritted her teeth. She’d done plenty of cleaning up on behalf of Molucco Wrathe when he was alive and she had been his deputy. It was galling, to say the least, to find herself in the very same position six months after his death. But Connor had become too important to her for her to let this go without a fight.

“Try not to let your thoughts of Molucco or of the rift between the two of you cloud your thinking about this incredible gift. You were an orphan with nothing but the rags on your back when we met. Now you have the chance to do whatever you want with your life.”

Cheng Li could tell that her words had hit home.

Connor sat staring at her, silently, for a time. Then he shook his head. “I appreciate what you’ve said. I mean it. But, Captain, you—alone of everyone on this ship—know the truth. You alone know who and what I really am. And no amount of money on this blue earth can change that.”

So, thought Cheng Li, at last we come to the heart of this. “I know that you are still coming to terms with being a dhampir,” she said. “But it isn’t in any way impeding you from being a valuable member of my crew or of playing a central role within this conflict.” She paused. “Indeed, given that we are now in strategic alliance with the Nocturnals, you might say that it’s a positive advantage that my joint second-in-command is immortal.”

Connor shook his head. “You and I both know that this alliance is only born out of pragmatism. Once the threat of Sidorio is eliminated, the old dividing lines will soon reemerge.”

Cheng Li frowned. “You underestimate what a revolution in thinking there has been at the heart of the pirate