Immortal War

Moonshine’s eager eyes skimmed the portrait. “Chang Ko Li,” he said in reverential tones. “He’s a complete legend. The best of the best.”

“If only I had a ruby for every time I’ve heard that,” said Cheng Li. “Yes, my father is a legend. Chang Ko Li, John Kuo, your uncles Porfirio and Molucco—each one of them may justifiably be called a pirate legend.” She turned to face her companion once more. “But their time is over now. You and I can be spurred on by what they have taught us, and, to a greater or lesser degree, by their example. But when we enter the fray, it will be our wits and reflexes that determine the fight and prove decisive in this war. Legends they may be, but now they are no more than dust—their swords either rusting or impotent in their display cases at the academy.” Her almond eyes bore into Moonshine’s. “Be your own man,” she said. “That’s what matters now.”

He nodded ruminatively, still gazing at the portrait.

Cheng Li leaned closer and lowered her voice confidentially. “I’ll let you in on a little secret, one captain to another. Chang Ko Li was, without question, one of the greatest pirates to have ever traversed the oceans. But a good father?” She shook her head. “Not so much.”

“You took your time,” said the mean-faced courier. “That’ll cost you. I don’t like to be kept waiting.”

Connor frowned. “Keep your voice down,” he said, glancing nervously up at the deck. He leaned out from the ladder toward the courier’s small lightboat. “Hand over the goods, mate, and we’ll decide your price.”

“That’s not how it works, mate.” The courier shook his head, retreating farther into the shadows of his small craft. “Money first. Then we’ll see about your blood.”

Fire burned in Connor’s eyes. “Just give it to me,” he said, the deep hungry need consuming his insides. He reached out to grab the man’s arm.

The courier cried out in pain. “All right! Get your filthy Vampirate hands off me and we’ll proceed with the transaction.”

Connor composed himself once more. “I’m sorry,” he said, seeing the already livid bruise forming on the man’s arm.

“Here!” The courier thrust a flask toward him.

At the sight of it, Connor felt a wave of calm course through him. He reached into his pocket for the roll of money. “Here you are. Take all of it. With my apologies for making you wait.” He glanced at the bruise once more. “And for the way I acted before.”

The courier’s hand closed tight around the notes. “You lot are all the same. Full of fire and brimstone until you get what you want. Then sweet as treacle and overflowing with fancy words. You make me sick.” Stuffing the money into his purse, he lost no time in steering away from The Tiger.

“Thank you,” Connor said, cradling the flask as carefully as if it were a baby. “I really needed this.”

There was a look of pure revulsion in the courier’s eyes. Then the night thrust a cloak of darkness between the two men and they set off on their separate ways.

13

THE LOST BOYS

Connor strode briskly across to the door leading toward his cabin. Hearing voices up ahead, he dropped back to wait for the others to pass. He was taken by surprise to see Jasmine and Bo Yin step out onto the deck. There was no avoiding this encounter.

“Connor Tempest,” Bo Yin said, smiling with pleasure. She never seemed to tire of running into him; nor he of her. There was something puppyish about Bo Yin, which brought out Connor’s warmth and also his protective nature. He returned Bo’s smile.

Jasmine’s eyes immediately fell to the flask Connor gripped tightly in his hand. “I see your delivery has arrived.”

“This?” Connor said, cracking a careful smile. “Oh, no, this isn’t my delivery. Just a flask of tea I took with me while I was waiting. The guy never showed up. We won’t be using that courier company again.” Shaking his head, he brushed past them and forged on inside.

Jasmine waited until he was safely out of earshot before turning to Bo Yin. “He spends so much time lying these days, you’d have thought he’d be more accomplished at it.”

Bo Yin frowned, pained at this further evidence of the animosity between two people whom she cared for deeply. “What makes you think Connor Tempest is lying?” she asked Jasmine.

“I don’t think it,” Jasmine said, “I know it. Plus, we made a plan to meet up tonight and talk, but he’s totally forgotten. I don’t believe anything he says anymore.” She sighed. “Come on, Bo Yin. Let’s get this inspection done and dusted. We could all use some sleep.”

Jasmine and Bo Yin had almost completed their tour of the deck when they came to the foredeck. There, sitting atop one of the cannons, looking out into the star-filled night, was Cate. She was as still as a statue and didn’t notice them at first.

“Cate,” Jasmine said softly, reaching a hand up gently to Cate’s shoulder.

As if drawn out of a deep trance, Cate shuddered, then turned to acknowledge her comrades.

“I thought you were going back to your cabin to read,” Jasmine said.

Cate nodded. “I did and then I tried to take the captain’s advice, but I can never sleep before an attack. These days, I’m not sleeping too well in general.”

“Because of Bart,” Bo Yin said. She spoke with such tenderness and innocence that her words didn’t seem the invasion of privacy they might have been from other mouths.

Cate nodded, her eyes turning to the distant horizon. “I keep thinking that he’s coming home. How stupid is that? Of course, I know it’s impossible, but my mind keeps playing tricks on me.” As she spoke, she gently twisted the slim engagement ring, which she had taken to wearing on the fourth finger of her left hand.

Jasmine nodded, sitting down beside her. “I understand. I feel the same way about Jacoby. Every logical instinct tells me that he’s gone and yet, every morning, I wake up thinking that today might be the day he comes back to us.”

“You should hold on to that hope!” Bo Yin said, leaning against the deck rail, facing her two older comrades. “One day, you could be proved right.”

Jasmine smiled and shook her head. “I hope experience doesn’t change you, Bo. You’re so full of hope and optimism.”

“Yes, I am!” Bo Yin nodded vehemently. “For all of us.”

Cate’s eyes moved from Bo Yin to Jasmine. “Perhaps she’s right. I know that Bart is dead and gone. Connor told me he buried him at sea.” She shuddered, as if holding back tears before continuing. “But Jacoby’s body has never been found. There’s every chance he could still be out there, only wounded, waiting for the right time to return.”

Jasmine felt the now familiar heat of budding tears pricking the backs of her own eyes. “Every night, scores of pirates’ bodies are washed out to sea,” she said. “If he was only wounded, he’d have been picked up by one of our ambulance boats and taken to the field hospitals at the academy or Sanctuary.” She