Immortal War

world. And, in so many ways, you and your sister are responsible for it. Before you and Grace came onto the scene, all we knew of the Vampirates was that old shanty and a slew of bogeyman stories. We were guilty of lazy thinking. But as the cracks began to emerge in the Vampirate world, with your father’s… with Sidorio’s rebellion and his allegiance to Lola Lockwood, well, we’ve seen a truer picture not only of the evil that stalks the oceans but of the goodness, too. Over the past six months, I have come to know Obsidian Darke as a trusted ally. I won’t lie to you —he can be frustrating as all hell to work with—but I have no doubt whatsoever that he is a good man.”

Connor shook his head once more, pushing back his chair. “He isn’t a man,” he said. “Nor is his deputy, my sister’s great love, Lorcan Furey. And nor am I. We’re none of us men. We’re monsters, demons!” Tears welled in his emerald green eyes.

Cheng Li rose calmly from her own chair. “You are all men,” she said. “Whatever else you may or may not be, you are all good men.”

At these words, to her surprise, Connor leaned toward her. Then, to her even greater surprise, she found herself opening up her arms and drawing her deputy into a hug. As her arms gripped his shuddering body, she realized that a terrible tension had been building within him. “Let it out,” she found herself saying. “Connor, let it all out.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, drawing back from her arms.

“Here,” she said, passing him a handkerchief. “Dry your eyes.”

“Thanks.”

Cheng Li watched him, then caught his attention once more. “Connor,” she said softly, “you are taking that berry tea that Grace sends over, aren’t you?”

He nodded.

“Good. Because Obsidian assured me that it was—”

“I’m taking it,” he said. “Every night. Just like Obsidian and Grace said to.”

Cheng Li nodded. She had no desire to come across as any more maternal than she had already. “Keep taking the tea,” she said. “And keep up the excellent work!” Her eyes brightened. “Not one of us knows quite what this voyage has in store for us, but I happen to think that life would be pretty boring if we did.”

Connor finally cracked a grin. “Right now, I could handle a big bowl of boring,” he said, offering her back the now-sodden handkerchief.

Cheng Li wrinkled her nose. “You can keep it.” She glanced once more at her clock. “Well, I think we’re both up to date. Do you want to go and ask Cate to join me? We’ve got an attack to plan.”

Bo Yin was just about to finish her shift in the crow’s nest. As she glanced below once more, she saw a lanky figure jump up onto the deck of The Tiger. She scanned the deck to call for reinforcements but saw, to her horror, that it was empty. She wanted to cry out—There’s a war going on, people!—but she kept her cool. She was just going to have to deal with this situation herself. Stealthily, she climbed to the edge of the crow’s nest. Then, letting out a piercing war cry, she somersaulted down to the deck, landing perfectly on her toes, with her sword outstretched toward the intruder.

The trespasser—a tall teenage boy—laughed. “So it’s true what they say about you lot. Slash first and ask questions later.”

Bo Yin’s eyes narrowed. “You!” she said.

“That’s right, pookachoo,” he said. “Me! I’m a bit of a legend in pirating circles. The Next Big Thing! I’m not surprised you’ve heard all about me.”

Bo Yin nodded. “Nothing good, though,” she said, unable to suppress a smile.

“Cheeky!” Moonshine grinned back at her. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Bo Yin,” she said. “You may have heard of my father. He is a genuine legend in pirating circles.”

“Indeed he is.” Moonshine nodded, clearly impressed. “For my fifth birthday, my dad took me to Lantao to watch your dad make me my first sword. It was the best birthday gift ever.”

“You’ve been to my father’s workshop?” Bo said, somewhat disconcerted.

Moonshine nodded. “Yes, I have.” He smirked. “Hey, I remember this crazy little kid racing about all over the place, wanting to play-fight with me. That wasn’t you, was it?”

“Maybe.” Bo blushed. “I don’t remember.”

Moonshine’s eyes bore into hers. “Well, Bo Yin, it’s nice to catch up with you after all these years. Now, will you spare me the cutlass so I can beg an audience with your esteemed leader? Or should we have a duel right here and now?”

“So!” exclaimed Moonshine, prowling around Cheng Li’s cabin. “This is the nerve center of the Alliance war effort.”

Cheng Li folded her arms and nodded. “Pretty much,” she said.

Moonshine seemed utterly transfixed by the many charts, crew lists, and diagrams pinned to the wall. Cheng Li studied him, thinking that despite his latest growth spurt, he seemed like an excitable kid feverishly exploring a playroom of new and amazing toys.

“Isn’t it risky to keep information like this on display?” Moonshine asked. “What if one of those scumbag Vamps managed to force its way in here?”

Cheng Li arched an eyebrow. “I hardly think that crew lists and navigation charts, though vital to us, are sensitive documents. Rest assured, the really important stuff is kept in my safe.”

Moonshine’s eyes bulged with interest. “And where’s that?” he asked.

“Need-to-know basis,” said Cheng Li with a smile.

Moonshine scanned the room. “My guess is behind the family portrait,” he said, gazing at the portrait of Chang Ko Li, Cheng Li’s father, which hung above the captain’s desk. It was clear that his interest lay less in the picture itself and more in the possibilities that lay behind it. Cheng Li remained insouciant though he had guessed correctly. Shrugging, Moonshine turned away, his attention soon alighting elsewhere. “And what’s this?”

Moonshine had walked over to a round diorama. The central display was made of turquoise glass and bordered by a silver rail. The turquoise glass was rippled, evidently to represent the ocean. Leaning against the silver rail to scrutinize the display more closely, Moonshine saw that through the glass ran red lines of latitude and longitude. The undulating glass ocean was covered with small models of ships—roughly half of them red; the other half blue.

Cheng Li came over to join him. “This,” she said, “shows to our best knowledge the latest recorded positions of all the key Alliance and Vampirate vessels. Ours are the blue ones; theirs, for reasons I’m sure you can fathom, are red.”

Moonshine let out a breath and gazed at the display as if it were the best toy ever. “You mean you can pinpoint exactly where The Diablo is right now?”

Cheng Li nodded. “Look for a red ship numbered five.” She passed him a miniature telescope. “This might be useful,” she said.

As Moonshine stared through the eyepiece, he felt his spine begin to tingle as each of the blue and red ships came to life, charting their urgent paths across the swelling ocean. He felt his heart begin to race. This moving multitude of vessels was both terrifying and thrilling; an epic conflict and here he was, right at the epicenter of it.

“Any joy?” Cheng Li asked.

“What? Oh, er, no.” Moonshine brought his excitement under control. The ships ceased their motion, becoming painted models once more. He scanned their tiny sails for the all-important number. At last, he saw it.

“There she is!” he cried. He removed the telescope from his eye and used the small instrument to point out the model to Cheng Li.