Xan could always spot a liar in the group. Call it a skill built from being surrounded by pirates and thieves. The kid told most of the truth, but there was more to the story than he was letting on.

Regardless Xan didn’t feel like pressuring the kid right now, and it didn’t change the fact Finn had still been kidnapped in the first place.

There was something about the kid that struck him oddly though, like it was lurking just under the surface. He couldn’t pinpoint it right now, but he figured eventually he’d find out, close quarters generally leaked secrets.

“So, what exactly are you? You a captain or something?”

Xan couldn’t help but laugh. The kid had already questioned his obvious rank compared to his age, and now he was assuming Xan held the highest position on the ship.

“Not exactly, I’m the quartermaster here on Calypso’s Compass. I rank just under the Captain, which is why I’m afforded my own quarters and ability to make some of the decisions around here. Now that we’ve got you aboard, it looks like I’ll have an assistant.”

“You think I’m actually going to stay here and work on a pirate ship?”

“Your other choices would include going overboard to drown or sitting in the brig where a reedy lad like you probably wouldn’t survive a week.”

“Or you could turn me loose while we still have dry motherland in eye sight.”

“Where you can either freeze to death in a hovel or get yourself kidnapped again.”

“Hey! The first time wasn’t my fault, they were playing dirty and I wasn’t prepared!”

“And you think they’d play nicer in the next round?”

“I’d at least be ready for them and bash their skulls in, that’s what I’d do.”

Xan couldn’t stop his eyebrow raising as if to say really? That’s what would happen huh?

“You’ll be staying here. I realize it’s trading one kidnapping for another, but nobody will hurt you here, you’ll have a place to sleep, food to eat, and earn a wage.”

“And you expect me to just go along with that do ya?” Finn had leapt to his feet, a flame of anger reigniting in his eyes, he looked primed for a fight.

Except that he was still too weak to be fighting, nor was he accustomed to the rolling pitch of the waves. As he stood on his own he went listing into the wall like a drunkard. Xan snorted a laugh at his expense until Finn slowly sunk down the wall. Anger quickly draining from his face and being replaced with something pale, sick and mildly green around the edges. Xan knew that look anywhere, and he jumped up and rushed for a chamber pot. If he was going to be sick it was at least not going on the floor. It would take forever to air out the smell.

He placed the pot near the kid and then went looking for the jug of fresh water kept somewhere in his room. Xan grabbed it and a little tin cup off a shelf, pouring about halfway before moving back to Finn. He still hadn’t been sick yet, but he looked on the edge.

Xan leaned down proffering the little cup to the lad who reached up with shaking hands to grasp it. He felt another jolt run through him at the brush of their hands, saw Finn twitch too this time, now that he wasn’t distracted by deadly glares or burly human traffickers. He wrote it off to the clammy quality Finn had taken on.

Finn slowly sipped on the water and remained sitting in his new position leaned up against the wall. Xan stooped down beside him, he put a hand on Finn’s back rubbing small circles until the kid looked less green around the gills.

Through the two small windows that let light into the cabin the sun was dipping low in the sky and an icy chill was setting in fast.

“Feeling a little better now?”

“I think so. I’ve heard about being seasick before, but I never thought it’d hit that hard and fast.”

“It depends. You’ve had a lot going on today, probably haven’t had much water and that was the first food you’ve had in days, right? That might make you a little more prone to feeling green.”

“Yeah, I don’t think I’ve had food since they kidnapped me. I was lucky when they gave me some water.”

“Then you’re still going to be a little weak for a while until we get you fed and watered more regularly. It’s getting late and it wouldn’t hurt you to get some sleep. Hopefully we’ll be underway tomorrow morning. And uh… I would set you up with a hammock, but I don’t think it would be a good idea for you tonight.”

“So, is there a bunk or a cot? A blanket I can make a little nest with?”

“Not exactly.”