Page 79 of A Flash of Golden Fire

“Follow me,” I said with a level of cheer that reflected my relief that there hadn’t been any violent altercations, I’d been treated as an officer for at least a little while, and the men appeared satisfied with our easy take.

The crew carted the goods through to the captain’s hold, where the entire take would be divided by share, with the extra ten per cent the captain had promised given to the crew. Hillier was in charge of this—the duty used to fall to Donatello.

I still felt a level of guilt about Donatello. Maybe if he’d been as dear to me as Captain Martin, I’d have been able to keep him safe. But then I recalled that Donatello’s murder had caused the flame to rise in me, so perhaps I should think of his death as Donatello’s final act—to be the sacrifice that helped me to save our captain and the rest of our crew.

I led Squid down to where the menagerie was kept.

“Mr White, are you actually the captain’s ‘right-hand man’?” Squid asked as we descended the narrow steps into the hull.

“Well,” I said, “if you consider what most men do with their right hands, that’s as good a title as any.”

Squid uttered a laugh as we descended.

“I suspected,” he said.

“That the captain likes to tumble me?” I grinned and winked, figuring I might as well find out now if Squid had any issues with oversharing, or the act of sodomy.

“It’s rather obvious, ain’t it?” he said, unaffected.

“Why? Do I walk strangely? Seeing as the captain’s got a rapier the size of a torpedo, it’s entirely possible.”

“No, it’s not the way you walk.”

I stopped and turned. “What gives it away, then?”

“The way he looks at you.”

“Like he wants to bend me over the rail and have his way?”

“Well, no. At least, that’s not the impression I got when you came aboard theLantern.”

“Oh?”

Squid shrugged. “I figure he was keeping an eye on you to keep you safe. Because he holds you in high esteem.”

I snorted. “I don’t know about that.”

Inwardly, I was beaming. Perhaps the captain really did care more for me than I’d imagined? I wasn’t sure that was quite possible, seeing as I was nothing but a good fuck and a man of questionable and uncontrollable powers. I was a freak of nature with a talent for cocksucking and that was about all. I hoped Squid would have more luck managing the goats than I had.

“Here they are then,” I said, when we had located the spot where the animals were kept. I’d seen the fellow who had been in charge of them on deck helping with the loot, and I imagined he’d already been told of his switch in duties. “You want me to tell you their names?”

Squid looked at the chickens, at the goats, and then at me.

“Names?”

“Why is everyone so surprised they have names?” I said, reaching into the pen and pulling Elizabeth into my arms. “This is Elizabeth.”

“Elizabeth. Really.” He didn’t sound impressed.

“Oh, fuck off. You’re in charge now. I suppose you can name them what you like.”

“No, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude. Do go on. I’d like to hear their names.”

I eyed Squid carefully to see if he was putting me on for his own amusement, but he appeared sincere.

“This one is Henrietta. And this is Gertrude,” I told him, pointing to the chickens, who evinced health and happiness, at least. And all present and accounted for as well.

He had put his hand over his mouth but looked to be paying attention.