Though it felt mad to bargain with a pirate, I reached out to shake his hand. “I’ll even recalibrate the thrusters so she’s smoother than ever,” I said, finding I could smile for the first time since I’d been dragged out of the hold to face him. “Thank you, Captain. I’ll do my best work.”
“I’m expecting nothing less.” He turned his back to the heartstone, descending the steps quickly before striding across the glass floor without fear. He looked back at me from the doorway, saying with a deep and stoic voice. “Come. I’ll take you back to your room. Wouldn’t want you to get… lost.”
I hesitated, giving one last longing look to the shimmering red crystal before I turned for the door. Keeping my gaze resolutely on the pirate captain waiting for me so I wouldn’t be unnerved by the glass floor again. “I’m sure you’ll be too busy to bring me here every day. Wouldn’t it be better to show me the layout of the ship?” I looked up at him, hopeful for a little more freedom. I’d be no use to him if I went insane stuffed in that tiny room every spare hour.
“Oh, don’t worry,” Valkyrie’s smile was not reassuring in the least. “I’ll be sure to have someone… look after you.” He winked, guiding me back through the loud mess of metallic harmonies in the boiler room, shutting the large metal door behind him as we left behind the inner workings of the airship.
My ears popped slightly as I stifled a sigh, not wanting to tempt him into making things any worse; if I irritated him, I had no doubt he’d pick the least pleasant guards possible. “I understand. I don’t suppose you’ll be handing my tool back if I tell you I need it to repair your ship?”
He threw his head back, letting out a loud sharp laugh. “You might know your way around machines, but you’ll have to use a lot more than that pretty face of yours to persuade me into stupidity.” He grinned, reaching out for the railing as he walked up the steps to the main corridor.
I stumbled, not sure whether to focus on the slight chance of earning my property back… or the double-edged sword of his backhanded compliment. Frowning, I knew whatever I said was likely to spur him on. The beginnings of my sharp response were swallowed by a frustrated shout from the shadows, making me flinch.
My gaze turned to its source, a familiar man standing in the hall with his arms crossed over his chest. Tarren’s gaze was sour as it focused on me for a moment before he directed the glare to his Captain. “I was marked for the change of shift, but the little rat wasn’t in his hole. I didn’t expect to find him prancin’ around with you, Captain.” His frown deepened, disapproval thick in his words. “Seems his pretty face is plenty persuasive already.”
Valkyrie’s shoulders stiffened as he glanced at me before staring down Tarren. “Will here has agreed to make some upgrades to the ship. Is that a problem?” He rubbed at his neck, cracking it as if he were suddenly tense.
“A problem?” Tarren repeated, voice strained and eyes dark with anger. “Of course it is! You’re goin’ to trust him to tinker around with the engine? How could you be so trusting of a man we know nothin’ about?”
I winced, noticing the volume of his voice was rising as it echoed down the hall. If Cordelia had been reprimanded for talking to me, I couldn’t imagine what this insubordination could bring. “I’m not going to harm the ship. I promise–”
“Shut it!” Tarren snapped, without looking away from Valkyrie. “I’ll throw him overboard myself before I let him kill us all.”
I watched as Valkyrie stepped closer to him, grabbing Tarren’s wrist as he snarled, “You’ll do nothing without my permission. Don’t you dare think for one moment that you get to speak to me that way. This is my ship and you work for me.” His nose was millimeters away from Tarren’s as he snapped with venom in his voice, “Nothing changes that.”
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