Page 117 of A Flash of Golden Fire

Give me the lightning and the storm,

From the heavens, let it be borne.

Smite those who threaten what’s mine.

They’ll not have anyone this time.

Let the sea and the flame rejoice.

Let the ocean and sky make the choice.”

Maybe thiswasa mistake, but I was too far gone to stop, and the sense of power flowing through me was heady and new.

I opened my eyes and lifted my head from where I’d had my forehead pressed against the bedpost. Through a blue haze, I saw Dinesh gazing at me with abject terror or possibly awe that looked like terror. Anyway, whatever emotion was displayed across his features didn’t matter because I couldn’t stop now.

I closed my eyes, put my forehead against the wood again, and repeated the chant, whilst the sounds of chaos echoed around us, and somewhere at the edge of my hearing, Esmaralda shouted, “Pummel the blackguard! Pass him around!”

A whirlwind surrounded me. I couldn’t hear Domingo’s bird anymore, nor anything but the shrieking of the wind and the creaking of the ship as I waited for the saltwater to suck us down to the depths because, surely, that was going to happen. I’d only hastened our imminent end with my ridiculous attempt at a rescue.

If only the captain hadn’t pushed me to call upon my magic. I’d blame him because that was easier than blaming myself.

A strange buzzing filled my ears. I lifted my head and gazed at my hands where they clutched the bedpost.

Translucent blue fire engulfed my hands and the bedpost. My first thought was to let go, but I couldn’t, and the flame didn’t hurt me. The blaze coursed through me, around the post and up through the ceiling, melding with the ship and with time itself. None of this experience felt real, and the spell went on forever.

There was a terrible ringing in my ears, worse than after the explosion at Cayonne. I opened my mouth to scream, but I couldn’t tell if anything came out of me but blue fire.

Time meant nothing, but at some point, the ringing in my ears lessened, and a sense of peace descended as if a cool cloth had been placed over me. My breathing, which had been heavy and laboured, calmed and fell into a gentler rhythm. The world around me quieted, and I wondered if I was on the bottom of the ocean. Or in heaven.

I gasped out a laugh. As if I’d end up inthatplace, after all I’d done.

Then Domingo’s voice whispered in my ear, and soft arms wrapped around me.

“You did it, Rooster. You did it.Dios mio, we’re saved!”

“What a cunt!” Esmaralda exclaimed.

I opened my eyes.

Captain Martin gazed at me from the pillow, his loose hair a halo, his face a picture of reverence and awe—a strange and somewhat awful expression, but much better than fear.

The peaceful feeling expanded, and I realized that the room was filled with moonlight. I heard cheering from above and the cawing of gulls.

“Well done, Rooster,” the captain said. “You were magnificent.”

Chapter Eighteen

Taking Good Care

Somehow, I had saved us all.

On purpose this time. I didn’t know quite how or why I had these powers. But I’d been able to channel them in a way that had eluded me up to this point.

I was a hero. I didn’t know how to deal with the unfamiliar role.

Faraday had ushered me out of the captain’s rooms so he could deal with Dinesh’s injury, and then go and attend to some other minor wounds that had been suffered by the crew. The captain’s had been the most serious. By some miracle, no one had gone overboard or been struck down.

Domingo had kissed me on the cheek and gone to the galley to return Esmaralda to her bigger cage, then help Guthrie put everything to rights. Everywhere below decks was a shambles and would take some time to clean up.