Part 10 (1/2)
Chapter 6.
At Sea Bennett ran through the small waves that lapped the rocky beach, London Harcourt in his arms. She had her own arms loosely, impersonally around his neck, and kept her gaze fixed firmly ahead. The caique bobbed at anchor. Bennett could not actually see see the boat, thanks to Athena, but he knew where it was supposed to be. Shouts and the sounds of pursuit neared. the boat, thanks to Athena, but he knew where it was supposed to be. Shouts and the sounds of pursuit neared.
The water splashed around his boots, then up to his thighs, and the back of London's skirt grew soaked despite his efforts to keep her dry.
”You can't carry me and swim,” London said with a surprisingly level voice. ”But I don't think I can get very far on my own.”
”Not swimming,” he said.
”Then where the h.e.l.l are you going? There's nothing out there but water.”
He smiled grimly to himself at her coa.r.s.e language. It didn't take much to strip away the ladylike polish to find the wicked woman beneath. But what such a woman might be capable of, he didn't know. He expected at any moment that she would turn on him like a cornered cat, raking him with her claws.
”Don't trust appearances,” he advised. He ran a little farther into the water, then, with a small oof oof, they knocked into the hull of the caique, or where Bennett a.s.sumed the caique was supposed to be. It certainly felt like it.
”Brought some friends, I see,” Athena's voice said from somewhere above them. ”Always so popular. Come, I will help.”
London started when Athena's hand appeared from the air. Her surprise did not last long, and she took the offered a.s.sistance to clamber over the rail of the cloaked boat. Bennett watched her disappear into the s.h.i.+elding magic, her trim ankles vanis.h.i.+ng last into the middle of the air. He did so love his work.
The calloused hand of Nikos Kallas emerged to help pull Bennett aboard. Bennett grasped the captain's hand, using it for leverage as he climbed on board, and he felt a buzzing in his head and bones as he crossed the border of Athena's magic. Once on the boat, the caique became visible to him, with London, Athena, and Kallas standing on deck. Athena looked pale from holding the spell for so long.
”You know how to sail?” demanded Kallas.
”Only a bit,” answered Bennett. He glanced around. ”We lost our crew?”
Athena said, ”They fled to the Frenchmen on the island while you were gone.”
Kallas spit over the rail of the boat. ”Cowards. Couldn't handle a few crumbs of cannon fire. When I see them again, I'll flay them, use their hides for sails. Now, you and the women must serve as crew.” He turned to Athena with a scowl. ”Or are your n.o.ble hands too soft to tighten a line?”
Loftily, Athena said, ”I am not afraid of hard work.”
”Good-then make ready to come about,” ordered Kallas. ”Day, hoist the mainsail. Sheet it flat. Then I'll raise the foresail.”
”Tell me how to help,” London said, stepping forward.
”When I say, you'll hoist the jib, but keep them slack,” Kallas answered, pointing to the foremost triangular sail. She immediately went to stand ready. Bennett, hoisting the sail, shook his head slightly in amazement. Here she was, on a boat with the man who'd killed her husband, fleeing her family and the only life she had ever known. All done for a good cause. She was poised to work, watching Kallas for his signal.
She did turn when her father's voice boomed from the beach. ”What the b.l.o.o.d.y blazes happened to them?” he bellowed to the men with him. ”They were just here! Day took my d.a.m.ned daughter, you sods! I want her back!”
A film of pain glazed her eyes as she stared at him. Bennett started to go to her, but stopped when she steeled herself and turned back to her task. Edgeworth didn't know of his daughter's willing defection, but he'd learn of it soon enough, as soon as Fraser came to. Edgeworth and his minions couldn't see the caique just fifty feet in front of them. Or, at least, they couldn't as long as Athena's magic held.
Chernock stood beside Edgeworth, panting with exertion. The sorcerer peered into the darkness, then smiled coldly. He picked up a rock, muttered something over it, then threw it hard toward the boat. The rock hit the caique's hull with a thud. Athena cried out as if she'd been punched, and Kallas leapt to her side, supporting her as she sank down to the deck. The air hummed, and the caique s.h.i.+mmered.
”There,” Chernock crowed. ”Simple schoolgirl magic.”
He'd broken Athena's spell, and now they were visible. Gunfire split the air, and chips of wood flew from the masts and rail. Bennett dove from his position to grab London, s.h.i.+elding her from the flying bullets.
”Just get us out of here,” Athena gasped to Kallas beside her.
He tore himself away to hoist the anchor. As soon as it was raised, he ran to the wheel. ”Man the jib!” he shouted to Bennett.
Bennett unfolded himself from around London to grab the sail's line, and she quickly rolled away from him as if to escape his touch. The wind caught in the unfurled sails, pus.h.i.+ng the caique out to sea. A bullet tore through the foresail as they came about.
”Careful, you swine!” Edgeworth shouted. ”My daughter is somewhere on that boat.”
The gunfire slowed, then stopped. Bennett, pulling hard to secure the sails, could only watch as London stood and revealed herself to her father. She solemnly gazed at him from her position at the rail, her hands gripping the wood.
”London!” Edgeworth strode into the surf, but he'd never catch them. They were already making for open water. ”Jump, London!”
She stared at Edgeworth, as if memorizing him. She raised a hand. ”Good-bye, Father.”
Silence. Edgeworth gaped. Confusion creased his face before anguish took its place. Bennett actually pitied the man. Betrayed by his child. The moment stretched out, tight and piercing, as father and daughter held each other's gaze over the surf. Bennett wondered if London might actually jump from the boat and go back to her father, back to the familiar and safe.
London turned away from her father. Tears glistened on her cheeks, yet she did not falter as she helped Bennett with the sails. In the s.h.i.+mmer of night, hair wild, face sparkling with tears, she looked like a heartbroken angel, and Bennett's heart broke with hers. She slipped away from his comforting hand on hers.
Kallas guided the caique deftly through the shoals and rocks surrounding Delos. Despite the darkness, the captain knew these waters, and soon the deep navy velvet of the sky met the inky black sea uninterrupted, the only sounds from the snap of the sails and the waves slapping against the bow. A strong, fresh breeze gusted, taking them away.
Dawn over the Aegean. It began pearl gray, then the sun broke the eastern horizon, gilding the sky and sea into a white-gold l.u.s.ter. Wisps of coral clouds surfed the bowl of heaven before the air s.h.i.+fted blue and clear. Far-off crests of islands broke the mirrored water like tawny dolphins surfacing, playful and serious. All around was the scent of brine and wind.
And coffee. As Bennett manned the wheel, Kallas brewed strong, bitter coffee over a bronze brazier, using a long-handled briki briki pot to boil the water. He stirred in spoon fuls of ground coffee with the austere ceremony of a high priest. Athena, sitting nearby, couldn't quite hide her approval of his methods or the dark, rich foam that formed in the pot as the coffee brewed. As soon as the foam rose to the top of the pot to boil the water. He stirred in spoon fuls of ground coffee with the austere ceremony of a high priest. Athena, sitting nearby, couldn't quite hide her approval of his methods or the dark, rich foam that formed in the pot as the coffee brewed. As soon as the foam rose to the top of the briki briki, Kallas divided it into four waiting cups, then poured the coffee itself. He disappeared into the quarterdeck house, then emerged with a painted tin, which he opened and handed around.
”My mother's koulourakia koulourakia,” Kallas said as Bennett helped himself to a few b.u.t.tery pastries. ”Good with coffee.”
After yielding the helm to Kallas, Bennett moved to take a cup of coffee to London, but Athena intercepted him. She plucked the cup from his hand and gave it to London, casting him a warning look. The witch cautioned him with her eyes. Stay back Stay back.
An animal is never so dangerous than when wounded.
With a small nod, Bennett paced away, taking his own cup of coffee. He leaned his back against the rail while munching on the pastry and sipping the wonderfully punitive coffee. The morning came to life all around him. A breakfast at sea. Life was full of many small pleasures.
But it was a hard pleasure, darker and more bitter than the coffee. He glanced over at London, seated on the deck with her back against the railing. She stared down at the cup in her hands, swirling the coffee, before taking a sip. She choked, coughed.
”You like it?” Kallas asked.
”It's very...a.s.sertive,” she gasped.
Athena's soft laugh joined Kallas's chuckle before they realized they were laughing together. Each busied themselves with the suddenly complex task of drinking coffee.
Bennett watched London as she nursed her coffee. He wished he hadn't kissed her. He knew now what he was missing, and, having tasted her once, burned to do it again. He had a sudden wish to go back to that moment, when she didn't know who he was and all that had been between them was desire. Now, her anger and uncertainty were palpable things that crouched on the deck, snarling and snapping at any who dared approach.
Yet he couldn't stop himself. He crossed the deck to stand near her. In the dawn light, her hair became caramel and her skin pink-hued ivory. When she turned her eyes up to him, he saw that they were not merely dark brown, but a s.h.i.+fting mosaic of hues, chocolate and amber and even flecks of gold and green.
”Come to pay your respects to the bereaved?” she asked.
He resisted the urge to strike back with his own cutting words, but it was hard. He was used to defending himself against a.s.saults-the physical kind, anyway.