Chapter 34: Kneading and Needing

Maeve

“If you wake up earlier, you’ll have a better shot of getting a real breakfast, miss.” Robbie was sitting on a crate, a thick canvas sail laid over his waist as he sewed a patch into it, the needle nearly as long as his hand.

I looked down at my bowl of cold sludge, which was the only way I could describe such a thing. It was oats, probably, with a hint of fly. I picked the fly out of the bowl with my finger, wiping it on the crate I was perched on and looked around, taking it all in as though for the first time

“Why does the Persephone use sails and not engines? I know this ship has power. I saw the electric lights.”

“No one can see us if the ship’s powered down.”

“What do you mean? A ship like this? It stands out, trust me.” I stirred my oatmeal, trying to find the confidence to take a bite.

“Captain Keaton is a traditionalist, you could say.” Robbie breathed, wincing as he pricked his finger with the needle.

“You mean a pirate”

“Aye, a pirate. He is. He can’t have other ships picking up on our location while were runnin’ goods, so we turn the engines off and power down when we don’t want to be picked up on radar, you see? That’s why he chose a Galleon ship when he went into this trade. Cruisers don t have sails.”

“How did he find this thing? Did he build it?”

“A story for another time, miss. Eat.”

I scowled down at my bowl. I was starving, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat it.

“How do you shift, on the boat?” I asked, saying whatever was coming to mind to cut through the boredom.

“That’s easy. We just turn into dolphins,” Robbie said, his face totally serious and focused on his work.

I opened my mouth, shocked, but then heard a snort from above our heads, where Troy was at the helm, his hands wrapped around the great wooden steering wheel with a crooked smile on his face.

“Whatever.” I said under my breath, stirring my cold oatmeal again.

“You should eat, Maeve.” Troy said, looking down at me. “I’m sorry.” i said to Robbie. “Do you hear someone talking?”

Robbie’s eyes went wide, and he puffed out his cheeks, shaking his head as he looked back down at his work. “What did you get yourself into, Troy?”

“Nothin’ I can’t handle,” Troy laughed, looking down at the compass in his hand before turning the wheel a fraction of an inch.

“Where is the real captain today? I’d like a private audience with him.”

“He’s likely in the infirmary, with Myla,” Troy said down to us, arching his eyebrow in my direction. He was trying to get a rise out of me.

“Stop talking to me,” i bit out, setting my untouched oatmeal down on the crate and turning my back on Troy, my eyes focused on Robbie.

Robbie scratched his beard, looking up at Troy for help. “Don’t leave me with this one-”

“Well, she won’t talk to me. She needs someone else to harass. Looks like that’s you, pal,” Troy said.

I knew he was smiling, I could feel it. Damn him.

“It’s kind of the captain to look in on my friend”I began, giving Robbie a fake smile.

“He likely has other motives,” Troy interrupted.

spun around, glaring up at him. “I said STOP talking to me,” I snapped, turning back around and fixing Robbie with a glare, sizing him up.

He swallowed, squaring his shoulders.

“She wants a fight, Robbie,” Troy said with mirth.

Chapter 34: Kneading and Needing

Robbie looked around, uncomfortable, his shoulders tensing as I narrowed my eyes at him. “When can I expect to see the captain?

“He’s right there, miss,”

“NOT Troy. I need to see Keaton.”

“Well, I can’t say for sure”

“I want to know where we’re going. I need to get word to my family somehow so they know I’m alright.”

“We’re heading into open waters, Maeve,” Troy said, completely ignoring the fact that I didn’t want him to speak to me for the rest of our lives.

I ignored him, staring Robbie down.copy right hot novel pub