The Raven’s Return

This city has changed so much. Only four years, and yet the once-infallible council has faded into obscurity. The city, the whole island, now dances on a puppet’s strings.

Lynn Stoneheart. Ha!

All her power comes from the under-hand pay she takes from King Malguinem. This island might as well already belong to him. Ravensport, at least they kept the name, but for how long.

“Cap’in?”

There’s a hitch in Penn’s voice. Just enough to make me look over my shoulder.

“Yes, Penn?”

He swallows, eyes flicking toward the docks. “They’re not gonna let us dock. You know that, right? Ain’t a soul on the sea who doesn’t know this ship.”

I let the silence stretch before answering. Long enough for him to start worrying he’s said too much.

“That’s exactly why they will,” I say at last, keeping my voice calm. Steady. “Curiosity beats caution every time. Why would the infamous Black Talon make berth here of all places?”

The flags rise on the eastern dock. Semaphore.

Penn exhales, sharp and disbelieving. “Sol damn me…”

I grin. “Told you.”

I lean closer, lowering my voice. “Now listen to me. Remember the plan. Every step. No improvising this time.”

He nods, but his hand tightens on the rail.

“This,” I add, watching the dock grow closer, “this is the biggest score of the decade.”

….

“Damned it, Gus! Why did you have to leave the ship?”

“I, I just wanted to…” He stutters, eyes drifting back to the bottle in his shaking hand. “I wanted to see Mother’s grave, okay?”

My gaze fixes on the wine. The way it trembles. “Hmmm. Had nothing to do with that, I suppose.”

Of course, he has nothing to say to that.

“Shh,” I mutter, shoving him back against the alley wall as a platoon of soldiers rushes past the mouth of it, boots striking stone in perfect rhythm. “If they find you, they’ll know something’s wrong.”

I sneak a glance around the corner. I grew up in these alleys. Knew every crooked turn, every shadow deep enough to hide in. The best routes to slip away from Father. From the big house. The parties, the expectations.

Never thought I’d be sneaking back in like this.

“If they catch me here,” I whisper, more to myself than him, “there won’t be a cell. Not for any of us. With the imperial bounty on my head. You’ll all be dragged down with me.”

Gustav swallows.

“Penn and Resha should have the keys by now,” I say, forcing my focus back to the plan. To anything that isn’t him.

“Rea, this stuff, it only…” Gustav hiccups, loud and wet.

“I don’t want to hear it, Gus.” I clap a hand over his mouth, heart hammering as voices rise nearby. The tavern’s close. A drunk wouldn’t draw eyes at this hour, but he would. We would. “When Resha gets here, she’s taking you back to the ship.”

He tries to protest, but I cut him off.

“I’d rather have her with me,” I growl. “But you…” I lean closer, lowering my voice. “You just had to come ashore, didn’t you brother.”

His eyes finally meet mine. Guilty. Afraid. Too much like they always used to.

“In a perfect world, we could have seen her,” I add, quieter now. “This world is far from perfect.”

….

“Alright. Penn. Resha. This is the plan.”

The table between us is buried beneath old city maps, their edges curled and ink faded. The main roads are probably the only parts still accurate. Everything else? Guesswork. But if I wanted information without raising suspicion, this was the only way.

“Cap’in,” Penn says, scratching at his beard. “How can you be so sure Stoneheart’ll even invite you ashore?”

“She will,” I reply without looking up. “Curiosity will see to that. But more than anything, she’ll want to gloat.”

The word tastes sour. Necessary. But sour.

“Gloat?” Resha asks, eyes never leaving my rough charcoal lines as she studies the map. “About what?”

I hesitate, then exhale slowly. “It was always her way. Even back when my family,” I clear my throat. “When the Raven’s ran the council. The city.” As much as I have tried to escape my name, it always catches up with me. I tap a finger against the parchment, and take a breath. “She held a grudge. Never moved against them directly. Just waited form them to slip up.”

“And when Ella finally did?” Penn mutters, “she swooped in.”

“Exactly.”

Penn’s grip tightens on his cutlass. “So, what’s to stop her from just turnin’ you in the moment you step off the gangplank?”

“Our cannons,” Resha says flatly, finally looking up. “Aren’t I right, Captain?”

I give a tired smile. “Indeed. Stoneheart isn’t stupid. She’ll know the resupply request is a ruse. But she also believes her vault is untouchable. Impenetrable. She’ll be watching me for a trick, every step, every word. And while her eyes are on me,” I continue, meeting Resha’s gaze, “that’s when you move. You get the keys. You get us a way into the vault.”

The room goes quiet.

“This is the big cap’in,” Penn says at last. Far riskier than anythin’ we did before.”

I nod once. “That’s why there will be no mistakes. Even one could get us all hanged.”

….

“Damned it, Penn! What took so long?”

Penn doesn’t meet my eyes. His shoulders sag just enough to tell me everything.

“Cap’in… we ran into some problems.” He swallows. “A problem.”

I don’t press him. I don’t have to. The look Resha gives me. Tight, careful, apologetic, does the damage for him.

“How bad?” I whisper, turning slightly toward her.

“One,” she murmurs back. “He should live. If the healers get to him by morning.”

My jaw tightens. One wasn’t supposed to happen. Not tonight.

“Cap’in,” Penn starts again, voice strained. “He wasn’t meant to be there. You said…”

A sharp hiccup cuts him off.

Resha’s eyes snap past us. “What in the void is he doing here?”

She points.

Gustav sways where he stands, barely upright, eyes glazed, bottle still clutched like a lifeline.

“He snuck off the ship,” I mutter.

“I di’ not sneak,” Gustav protests, offended. He burps loudly. “I jus’… left.”

Resha stares at him, then at me. Slowly. Dangerously.

“Oh no, Captain,” she says flatly. “I am not taking that idiot back to the ship. Can’t we just leave him here?”

“No,” I snap. “Too risky. If they find him…”

A bell rings through the streets.

“Damned to the Void!” I hiss as we all flatten against the wall. “They’ve already found your man, Penn!”

“Cap’in, we need to go! Now!”

I glance down the alley. So close. Too close. The plan slipping through my fingers like sand.

“Damn it,” I growl. “We take him with us.”

Resha opens her mouth to argue. I cut her off.

“Penn. Hold him. Tight. Try and keep him quiet.”

Penn grabs Gustav, hauling his arm over his shoulder.

“We’ll cut through the gardens,” I continue. “Fewer patrols on that side, hopefully.” The word tastes like a lie.

“But if this goes wrong,” I add quietly, already moving, “we run. No heroics. No second chances.”

The bells keep ringing. And the night suddenly feels very, very small.

….

“Alright. I’ll get the location of the keys from Lynn,” I say, with a confidence I don’t see reflected in their faces.

“Uh… how exactly are you planning to do that, Cap’in?” Penn asks.

“I’ve got a few ideas,” I reply. “But Gustav’s coming with me.”

Penn grimaces. Resha blinks.

“You’d be surprised,” I add. “How effective a drunken idiot can be at distracting someone.”

“Hmmm. Your brother is, well…” Resha hesitates, her gaze drifting to an empty rum bottle abandoned in the corner. “…you know what. Never mind.”

I sigh. There’s nothing I can say to that.

“I’ll get the location of the keys.” I continue, “and pass it to you two by sending Gustav back early, while I stay behind. Then I’ll meet you here.” I tap the map. “This alley, behind the Drunken Trout.”

“And if the keys are unreachable?” Resha asks.

“Unreachable?” I chuckle. “For you two.”

She fixes me with a look.

“Alright,” I relent. “If they’re unreachable, I’ll say so in the message Gustav brings back. We call it off. Clean and quiet. Better?”

She nods.

“Good,” I say, straightening. “Time for a dull meal with a self-satisfied old woman.” I force a grin. “Let’s do this.”

….

“Take their weapons,” Lynn Stoneheart orders. “I don’t want any of them getting ideas.”

Guards surge forward. My cutlass is wrenched from my hand, the familiar weight gone. Steel clatters against stone as our weapons are piled away.

“Mrs. Stoneheart,” I say mildly as they manhandle me. “You’re up early. Funny, running into you again so soon.”

“Shut up, Darius!” she snaps. “I knew why you were here the moment your ship was sighted.”

“What do you mean?” I ask. “We paid to resupply. Fair and honest.”

“Enough of this damned ruse!” she shouts. “You’re here for your sister. Even a blind man could see it.”

I hesitate, just long enough. The silence gives her everything she needs. Though, it breaks when Gustav lurches forward and vomits spectacularly onto a guard’s boots.

“Get him cleaned up!” Lynn roars as the poor man gags.

I smile. “So, Lynn. Are you going to give me my sister, or shall we stop pretending?”

“Don’t be stupid,” she sneers, jabbing a finger into my chest. “I’m claiming the bounty on your head. Your ship. Your crew. This is the end of the Raven’s.” She straightens, satisfied. “The great pirate brought low. The city will remember me for this.”

I sigh. “It really would’ve been easier if you’d just surrendered.”

She laughs. “What are you going to do? You’re unarmed. Surrounded.”

I lean closer. “Oh, Lynn. I didn’t become the most feared pirate in the archipelago by needing weapons.”

“Cap’in! Don’t!” Penn breathes, backing away.

I grin. “Chomp!”

My right arm unravels. Flesh twists, splits, and peels back like a lie finally told. Teeth bloom where skin should be. Eyes open, too many of them, blinking eagerly.

It’s been years since I lost my arm. And still, no one knows. Chomp is very convincing.

“Yesh, Captin,” he purrs. A wet, eager sound.

“Dinner time!”

Lynn steps back, horror dawning far too late.

“Yesh, Captin!”