Warlord and the Waif by Chloe Parker
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
ELLA
THE TEMPEST’S REST is loud and raucous, not unlike bars back on Earth. The biggest difference is that this place is populated with all kinds of aliens - at least thirty different species I can spot after making my way to the bar. It should make me uncomfortable, but I feel strangely at home here, especially when I see a few males of Portia’s species laughing and playing dice at another table.
I’m not afraid. I’m on my own in an alien universe, but I’m one of these people now. Abducted, but never afraid.
I settle into a seat at the bar, pulling off the invisibility cloak but keeping my head down. There aren’t any Hyperboreans in the crowd, but I can’t be sure I wasn’t followed from the castle. I raise my hand to catch the bartender’s attention, and the alien scuttles over to me, clicking its pincered jaws. My translator goes into action and pieces the words into something I can understand.
“What can I get you?” it asks, the series of clicks somehow making sense.
“I’m actually looking for someone,” I say, “Jack Kelly?”
The creature, which looks like something between a bird and a lobster, lets out an exasperated sigh. Even with the language barrier, I can tell it’s annoyed.
“He’s usually around here somewhere,” it says, “Just wait for the first drunken brawl of the night and that’s where he’ll be.”
“You can’t point him out to me?” I press.
“Buy yourself a drink and we’ll find out,” it scoffs.
“But I don’t have any money.”
It doesn’t respond, giving me a dirty look and scuttling down the bar to the next customer.
I groan and spin around in my seat, scanning the crowd. I don’t even know what this person looks like, let alone what to say when I find him. I wish Calder had given me more information on how they knew each other and how to find them.
There’s music coming from somewhere toward the back of the bar, the strum of fingers against a string instrument echoing through the bar. I slide off of my seat and make my way toward it, wondering if it’s recorded or live. I haven’t heard music since I arrived on Myste, and it stirs something in me I hadn’t realized I’d missed. When the crowd disperses, I see an Ardaxian like Lucien playing a human guitar, dressed in what looks exactly like a pirate costume.
Oddí, true to its name, gets weirder by the second.
A human man steps onto the table to loud cheers, dressed in the same 18th century garb. He’s roguishly handsome, his dark hair falling over a face locked in a permanently sly grin, a dusting of five o’clock shadow over his jaw. I watch as he takes a bow and then a large swig of his ale. An eyepatch covers one eye, the other a soft grey, while his cropped pants show off one natural leg and one with moving silver parts. Even the hand that clutches his ale is robotic.
I sit back and watch, waiting for what he’s about to do.
“So what’ll it be, ladies and gents?” he asks, “Another traditional sea shanty from the distant planet of Earth? An Ardaxian ballad? A Skoll war-song?”
“We want Calder’s verse!” someone calls from the gathered crowd.
That sparks my attention.
The pirate raises his glass with a grin.
“Ah, a classic,” he says, then turns to the Ardaxian. “Castor, if you will?”
The Ardaxian begins to play, and the pirate clears his throat. Then he starts to sing, in a surprisingly pretty voice that hits every pitch with perfect precision.
“An eon hence on the world of Myste, a warlord riled a righteous witch…”
I listen with rapt attention as I hear the details of the curse for the first time. I know about Calder’s pain and his confinement on the island, but I wasn’t clear on how this all happened, and why he’s remained for so long. When the pirate gets to the verse on how the curse can be lifted — “unless he learned how to be kind; to quell his wrath and let love bind” — it hits me with sudden clarity.
Calder’s lack of pain when I’m with him, his commitment to keeping me safe, the way that he’s softened toward me…I can help lift the curse.
We can escape.
The pirate finishes his song to loud shouts from the audience, and takes a sweeping bow before leaping off the table and sauntering to a seat in the corner. I follow, pressing through the crowd with renewed determination. He sees me coming and leans back in his seat, draping his arms over his chair and spreading his legs wide with a smug smile.
“Well aren’t you a fetching lass,” he says, “I assume you liked the tune?”
I glance around at the others at the table, then take a seat. The pirate’s eyes roam over me approvingly, his mouth twisting in a smirk.
He’s attractive, and it’s refreshing to see another human, even if he’s more machine than man. I might flirt if my heart wasn’t elsewhere.
“Where’d you learn it?” I ask, “I’m interested in the curse.”
He snorts.
“Well, darling, I was there,” he says, leaning forward, “You don’t know who I am?”
My eyes widen.
“Jack Kelly?”
He gives me an appraising stare, his eyes narrowing slightly.
“So you do know,” he says.
I nod. “Someone sent me to find you.”
The smirk drops from his face, and he leans forward. I’m surprised when he moves his eyepatch over to his other eye to reveal a glowing blue iris with a bright neon center, a light shining from it that makes me blink.
“Ella McKenna,” he says, “Born 1944, taken out of stasis just two weeks ago…your contract was purchased by Calder.” He slams his fist on the table and I flinch despite myself as he covers his eye again. “What in seven hells does that monster want from me?”
This was not the reception I expected, and my temper doesn’t tolerate it well.
“He’s in trouble,” I say with a glare, “He and Portia helped me escape tonight, and the Hyperboreans probably have them locked away now. Calder told me you might be able to help.”
“And why should I help him?” Jack says, “Sending me a pretty face doesn’t soften the ask. That devil is the reason I’m trapped here.”
“I think we can get to the Fury and escape,” I say. The idea is brewing as I pitch it, but my confidence grows with every word. “But we’ll have to get into the castle first.”
“You’re a fool if you think we can breach the castle walls and pilot the Fury out of here.” He shakes his head. “Not only is Kaer Idunn impenetrable, but the Fury can be piloted only by Calder himself. In order to get off of Myste, we would need to get past the gates, defeat the Hyperborean delegation, break the curse, and have Calder fly us into orbit. It can’t be done. Trust me, I’ve tried.”
“You’ve tried?”
“So he sent you here without telling you…” He chuckles. “Last I saw Calder, I was trying to break through the castle gates and steal his ship. I made it all the way to the Fury’s bridge before I realized that Calder’s curse has us all trapped here.”
“I can break the curse,” I insist.
Others at the table are listening now, quiet descending around me. I don’t flinch, keeping contact with Jack’s single hazel eye while he stares me down.
“You think he loves you?” Jack scoffs, “Calder loves nothing and no one but himself.”
“I know he loves me,” I say, “And we’re going to get off of this planet. All of us. Tonight.”
“I think we should do it, boss,” a big, grey-skinned alien says from the seat next to him.
Jack eyes him warily, and I wonder for a second if all is lost. Then he shakes his shoulders and sighs deeply.
“And how do you propose we get through the gate?” Jack says.
“I can help with that.”
I turn at the sound of the familiar voice to see Lucien standing behind me, the little Ardaxian out of place in his proper butler’s garb. He walks closer to us, holding up a glimmering silver disc.
“There are only three keys to Kaer Idunn’s gate,” Lucien says, “And I have one of them.”
When I face Jack again, he’s wearing a mischievous smile. He stands slowly, nodding.
“Alright,” he says, “I think it’s high time we left this planet.” He turns toward his companions, and a murmur runs across the crowd. “What do you think?”
Loud cheers erupt across the bar as more people join us, and I realize this is Calder’s old crew. Lucien comes to stand beside me, flashing me a small smile.
“Tonight, we finally take to the stars once again!” Jack says, and extends his hand to me. “Miss McKenna — I think you’re going to need a weapon.”
I grin, unable to contain my excitement.
We’re going back to Kaer Idunn. And then, we’re going to fly.