Immortal War

He smiled. “Why don’t you call me Molucco?” he said.

“All right,” she agreed, though whether she could pull this off was another matter indeed.

“So, how are you settling in?” he asked her.

She nodded. “Very well, thank you, Molucco.” The word wasn’t quite so strange on her tongue as she had anticipated. “It’s a very relaxing kind of place, isn’t it?”

Her companion grinned and nodded. “Very relaxing,” he said, his eyes taking in the room. “And you’re never lost for good company down here. As I was just saying to Eddie Teach—”

Before he got started on what promised to be a lengthy anecdote, Cheng Li cut him off. “Can I get you a drink?” she asked.

He smiled agreeably. “Why thank you. I won’t say no to a Dark and Stormy.”

“Coming up!” she said as she reached the front of the queue.

“Yes, young lady. What’ll it be?”

Cheng Li opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her attention had been distracted by a face across the bar. There was someone she had been looking for ever since her arrival in Jack Tar’s Cavern. And now, at last, she saw him—right across the bar from her.

“Connor!” she called across the vast circular bar. “Connor, it’s me! Cheng Li!”

The young man turned toward her, prompted by nudges from those at his side. In a flash, she saw that though he was of a similar age and build, it was not Connor. Her heart fell. She saw that she had lost the bartender’s attention now, too.

Molucco pushed through to stand beside her. “You thought that lad was Connor Tempest, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” she admitted dolefully. “I’ve been searching for him ever since I arrived here, but I can’t seem to find him. I suppose Jack Tar’s is a bigger place than I realized, but, even so…”

Molucco reached out and put his hand on her wrist. It was the kind of gesture that previously might have enraged her, but now it merely silenced her as she lifted her eyes to his face. He was looking at her with genuine kindness and patience.

“Connor Tempest isn’t here,” he said.

AT SEA

Connor and Grace sat in the small boat making its way across the dark velvet waters.

“Just like old times, eh?” he said with a grin.

She nodded. “Just like old times.”

They had already left the coast behind them and were out in the ocean waters. But the vessel was steady and making good progress through the night. Grace watched as Connor busied himself expertly with the ropes.

“When did you first realize you could split in two?” Grace asked him.

Connor continued working on the ropes as his face turned toward her, illuminated by the full moon. “It first happened during the recapture of The Diablo.” He paused, trapping a bit of rope in his mouth, as he knotted another section. “Then, Jacoby and I had this fight,” he continued. “Over Jasmine, of course, and it happened again. So I knew, going into the last battle, that it was a possibility.” He came to join her at the center of the boat again. “After what you told me about the prophecy, I knew it was my destiny to fight Sidorio. But I was down at the other end of the ship. I couldn’t get to him—not by conventional means—before Cheng Li and the others beat me to it. When the split happened, one of me was able to speed to the center of the ship, while the other one jumped overboard to make my escape.”

Grace nodded. “Did you know that the one taking on Sidorio was destined to be killed?”

Connor’s eyes met his sister’s. “Yes, I think so. I’ve foreseen my death several times. The pieces of the jigsaw seemed to fit. That’s why it seemed a good idea for my other self to get the hell out of there and wait out the rest of the battle.” A dark look clouded his face. “My only regret is the hurt I’ve caused to Jasmine, Bo Yin, and the others.”

Grace smiled reassuringly. “Perhaps it’s better this way. After all, you are going to disappear from their lives for quite some time.”

He nodded. “Yes, according to your book, it’ll take seven years. Seven years of wandering the world, encountering no one I know, and I’ll rid myself of the dhampir gene.” His eyes were bright. “When I come back, I’ll be a mortal again.”

Grace felt a rise of emotion at his words. The thought of being apart from him for seven years was hard to bear. But she knew how much he yearned to become mortal once more. If this was what it took to bring her brother back a sense of peace, it was well worth it.

“It’s your book now,” she said. “I want you to keep it with you during this time away. It will comfort me greatly to know you’re not completely alone.”

“Thank you,” he said, sliding closer toward her. “I’ll come and find you, you know,” he said. “The moment my seven years are up.”

She nodded, determined not to cry. “You better!” she said. “And just think what adventures you’ll have to tell me about then.”

“Yes.” He nodded. She could see how filled with conviction he was for this fresh journey.

“I’d better go,” she said. “Someone’s knocking on my door.”

“I think I can guess who that might be!” Connor grinned. “I wish I could have been there for the wedding— nice dress, by the way—but it’s better like this.”

Grace nodded. All things considered, he was right.

“And I wish I could hug you good-bye properly!” Connor added.

“That’s the problem with these astral visits,” Grace said. She brought her hand to his cheek and, though it did not make conventional physical contact, still the gesture comforted them both. “Travel safe,” she said.

“You, too!”

Grace watched as his eyes turned back toward the ocean. It shimmered with reflections of the moon and stars. Comforted that her brother’s future was now assured, Grace exited the boat and returned to her cabin on board The Nocturne.

The knocking at her door had grown louder. She jumped down from the bed and opened it. Darcy Flotsam floated into the room, looking more beautiful than ever before.

“Oh, Darcy!” Grace said. “Jet Jetsam is a very lucky man!”

Darcy flushed with pleasure. “I’m the lucky one, Grace. I never thought this night would come. And now, of course, I’m a bundle of nerves!”

“Come here!” Grace said, grateful that she could hug Darcy for real. As she held her close, she thought once more of her brother, making his way on the beginnings of his seven-year odyssey.

“What are you thinking about?” Darcy asked her. “Or rather, who?”

“Connor,” Grace admitted.

“Of course,” Darcy said, her face suddenly grave. “I understand.”

“But look.” Grace wiped away her tear. “This is your night, Darcy. We’ve waited a long time for it, and there’s something I want to do for you.”

“What’s that?” Darcy inquired, intrigued.

Grace reached up her hands and unclasped the chain around her neck. Catching the locket she had been given by Connor many months earlier, she held it out toward her friend. “Something borrowed,” she said. As Darcy glanced at her in surprise and delight, Grace added, “It seems about time I lent you something of mine!”

As Grace was fastening the locket around Darcy’s neck, there was another knock at the door.

“Come in!” cried Grace.

“We’re all ready for you!” Lorcan said, hovering at the cabin door, looking off-the-scale handsome in his