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“Wee chance of that!” Scot huffed. “They are still working on repairs of the hull. It’s gonna take at least a day.”

I whipped my head back, my hand on the knob, my tone low and threatening. “Then I suggest you get in there and help speed it along.”

“Captain, that’s impossible,” Zid countered.

I reacted without thought, my hand going to my sword, slamming Zidane into the wall, the blade against his neck. “I gave you an order,” I uttered between my teeth, already feeling the trickle of shock at my actions. “I don’t want tohear‘it’s impossible,’ I want to hear ‘yes, Captain, right away, Captain.’”

“Cap?” Scot spoke behind me, a slight reprimand in his tone, but I kept my gaze locked on Zid.

“Did I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Captain.” Zid’s jaw clenched, his chin lifted, but he dipped his head. My easygoing nature sometimes gave them the impression they could walk over me. Now and then, I had to remind them who I was. My crew was family, and I preferred to keep it more or less democratic, but I was still the one in charge.

Releasing my crewmates, I marched out of my chamber and headed for the helm, where Tsai waited, as if she already knew my plans.

Behind me, Scot shouted for the hired men to pick up the pace, getting Vane, Zid, and Corb to help with the progress.

“I swear, old woman, if you already know where we are going, I will toss you over the side to see if you float.”

“Declare if I’m a witch?” She smirked, getting my reference. “No, my boy. You’re simply not all that hard to figure out. What your next action would be. You’d like to think yourself cavalier and venal, but I know you, your past. What you do for those you love, especially when they are in danger.”

“Love?” I scoffed. “Let’s bring it down a hundred notches. It’s barely tolerance.”

“Did you not purposely turn yourself over to that lab to be tested on, not once, but twice, for love?”

“I need to stop telling you shit when I’m drunk,” I muttered. “And with Zoey, it was because of the oath. I had to follow her.” When Ryker’s powers shifted to Zoey, the vow I had made to him transferred to her. She became who I needed to protect. To track down into the depths of that vile hell.

“You would have done it anyway.” Tsai shook her head, both of us knowing she was right. “And Lexie wasn’t an oath. You went willingly.”

I flinched at Lexie’s name being said out loud. In my head, I had grown accustomed to it, but audibly it was like a knife to my chest. “She was a young girl. I wasn’t going to let her go by herself.” My defensive anger crawled up my throat.

“All I’m saying is you have a good heart. And that makes you the best pirate… and the worst.”

“Think it’s time someone went for a swim.” My annoyance level shot up my shoulders. “See how nice I am when I leave your ass behind?”

“Worst doesn’t mean bad.”

“Yes, it does. That is the very definition.”

“It just means sometimes you make decisions with your heart, not your head.”

“You got five seconds before you are going off the plank.”

“My, my, someone needs to get laid.”

“Tsai…” I rubbed my forehead, the blistering sun only adding to my pounding head. Fae didn’t get hangovers—our bodies’ metabolism burned through alcohol too fast—but I drank enough last night that I might be the first. “Do you have a point?”

“I know you want to help her, but I have a bad feeling about heading to China.”

“How do you know about China? Are you a fucking clairvoyant?”

“No, it’s called eavesdropping.”

“Eavesdropping? You’re half-deaf.”

“I used a glass.”

“That’s called spying.”