“How do you know that?” I asked.
“It’s my business to know everything that goes on in this town. Especially with my favorite phoenix.”
“Seamus.”
“And I have security cameras around the building including the alley where you and the wild one landed.” I could hear the disdain in his voice.
“Do you disapprove of Raphael?” I asked, wanting to know his opinion. Seamus had a unique perspective on things.
“As a partner in this fight, he is formidable. He carries himself well, but for your heart, well, maybe I have a point of contention there.”
“My heart belongs to Kyrie.”
His eyes darkened. “And what if Kyrie returns and he isn’t the man you remember. A mind spell can do awful things to someone. I’ve seen it several times. He will be altered. You must prepare yourself for him not to come back as the man you loved.”
I pursed my lips. “Remy called a couple of days ago. He said things weren’t going well, and that if he returned, he would be different.”
“I am sorry, Wynonna.” He squeezed my hand. I felt the warmth there and wondered if the spell I could block with my phoenix powers actually had heat to it.
“It isn’t your fault. It’s mine. They went after him because of his connections to me.”
“I hate to bust your bubble, but Kyrie had his own abilities that they feared. You’d only seen a small part of what he could do as Star Folk. They took a very powerful piece off the chess board. Don’t worry. There are plenty of us left here to back you up. As for your heart, I cannot advise you there. I loved once, and it nearly killed me.”
“Perhaps we can discuss that on our journey,” I said.
He chuckled but didn’t respond. Reaching into his pocket, he produced a golden disk. With a flick of a lever, the lid opened to reveal an ornate compass. Instinctively, I reached up and touched the compass rose that hung around my neck. It had been given to me by my best friend, Mark Maynard. I missed him but was thrilled to hear that he was hitting it off with Tinley from the Dog River Wolfpack.
“A reminder to find your own way.” I nodded at Seamus. “Mine is much more than a reminder.”
He wrapped his arm around my waist, shook the compass, and held it up for me to see. The arm spun around wildly coming to rest just east of north. The earth shifted under my feet, and while I was used to flying, I wasn’t accustomed to the floor disappearing. I gripped Seamus tighter as he grinned.
The night sky filled with stars swirled around us. Vertigo caused me to wobble, but Seamus held on tightly. Then the sky slowed to a stop. I closed my eyes to fight off the dizzy feeling.
“The first time is always rough,” he said. My feet touched a wooden floor, and I opened my eyes to see a large mast at Seamus’ back. Scanning around me, I saw that we stood on the deck of a legitimate pirate ship. Seamus took a deep breath, soaking in the salty air. “I miss this.”
“Is this the Jolly Roger?” I asked.
He scoffed. “No, the Roger belongs to my brother. This is The Blood Rose. She’s been mine for over 300 years.”
“She looks good for 300 years old. What’s with the compass? Did you steal it from Jack Sparrow?” I enjoyed poking fun at Seamus about his pirating days, because he didn’t speak of them much other than to say there were a great many things that he regretted. Hell, I hadn’t lived very long compared to him, and I already had regrets.
“Where do you think they got the idea for that?” he returned with a sly grin. There was something about the way his eyes twinkled when he bragged or showed a touch of arrogance. For someone 30 times my age, because if we were counting human years, I was barely over 11, I found Seamus to have moments where he made my woman parts quiver. No touch needed.
“Lies,” I picked back at him. He lifted his eyebrow, emphasizing that he was wearing his signature eyeliner.
“Come,” he said with an authoritative tone. I quivered again.
He directed me to the back deck where a stained-glass window decorated a wooden door. Glass panels had created a black rose dripping with burgundy blood. It was breathtakingly beautiful. I touched it as he watched me with pride. He loved this ship. I wondered why he ever gave up life at sea. It was probably a woman’s fault.
“This is gorgeous,” I said, giving it the compliment that it deserved.
“I took the Blood Rose from the Spanish. Before her, I had a Brigantine named The Devil’s Princess. She was fast and smaller than the Rose. But I’ve only ever felt at home on these decks. The Princess was just a second-rate girlfriend. The Blood Rose is my soulmate.”
He opened the door and stepped to the side allowing me to walk into the vast room which was no doubt his own quarters. Arched windows lined the stern of the ship allowing the glow of the moon to filter into the polished room. From the wooden plank floors to the dining table inlaid with golden filigree, the room gleamed with pride and wealth. It held me speechless. Seamus came up behind me, and his breath tickled my ear.
“I felt the same way the first time I saw her. Of course, she wasn’t polished, and the prior captain had been a slob, but this is what I saw when I looked at her.”
“It really is impressive,” I said. It gave me a thrill to want to sail the seas, to struggle through a storm, and to navigate by the stars.
To my right, another stained-glass door featured the tattoo I’d seen on Seamus’ chest. He caught me staring at it.
“The mark of the captain of the Blood Rose. Now, I admit, I made it up, but it suits me.”
“Especially the fangs,” I teased.
“Dear Wynonna, you know nothing about my fangs, and if you were ever to become acquainted with them, your mother would freeze my heart.” Quiver. “That is my bedroom which will be for you alone while we are on this journey. If you look through your sight, you will see that it is warded and protected. I know that you can hold your own in a fight, but trust me, we are going to be in contact with beings like you’ve never seen. That is your safe haven. No one will enter it,” he explained.
“Beings like pirates?” I asked.
“There are much darker things in the Never and Wonder than just pirates.” His voice lowered as he spoke sending a chill down my spine. Much different than a quiver. I opened my sight and saw the protection runes dancing around the door, down the wall and across the windows. It was heavily fortified. If I were trying to go through it without permission, well, I’d be dusted. As if he read my mind, he spoke, “No worries, Love. It has been altered not to harm you. I am allowed to pass through it, but no one else can.”
I swallowed and tried to think of something else. “Do you have a crew?” I asked.
“Have you ever sailed?” he asked.
“No,” I replied.
“Good. You are hired. Now I have a crew of one.”
“Seamus, don’t kid.”
“Seriously, I’ll have to go into town and round up some sailors who are familiar with the waters. I know just where to find them.” He winked at me, grabbed my hand, then dragged me out of the captain’s quarters.
The music in the main room of the Devil’s Haul, a pub style bar in what I thought was England, filled the room, causing the drunken patrons to dance and stumble.