Chapter 17

  Jonathon stood in the middle of his cabin, preparing to leave. He had important work to tend to today. He checked his outfit in the mirror, assuring he looked the part of a captain–today was an important day, after all.

  Satisfied with what he saw, he opened the door to the deck of his ship. She was spectacular! Her dark deck shone like new, her riggings perfectly maintained and ready for sail. The wind was blowing perfectly as the spray from the sea lightly misted Jonathon’s face. The Spectre was everything he had wanted and more. He turned to make his way to the helm. As he crossed the quarterdeck of his new galleon, he admired the intricate woodwork on the railings. Work such as this likely had to have cost Captain Lancaster a fortune. As he approached the helm, Beckett stood aside for him to take control. He admired the craftsmanship of its handles, tracing the intricate designs with his fingers before reaching out and grasping one of them.

  “Why are you here?” he heard a familiar voice say, concern heavy in her voice. He turned to see his mother’s usually gentle face staring back with what appeared to be sorrow. Her brow was upturned and her soft, pale eyes reflected the concern in her voice. Her down-turned lips parted and…

  Jonathon opened his eyes, the ache of dread fleeing from his heart. The vision of his mother’s face, however, lingered. Her sorrow a heavy weight on his chest. What was that?

  His dreams had been becoming increasingly vivid after their time in the jungle, but this was the first time he had dreamt of being on The Spectre. He smiled as he thought about how beautiful she had looked. He was amazed his mind could conjure such beautiful imagery. He was certain he had never seen anything like it before in his life.

  His thoughts then turned to the weight on his chest. Why had his mother been there? Why did she look so sad? He knew she had never truly wanted him to pursue The Spectre, but she had never made it seem like his pursuit of the vessel was something that caused her distress. Damned Matriarch, he thought, this was her doing. Her superstition about the vessel was clearly bleeding into his memories of his mother. He pushed the thoughts from his mind and focused more on the splendor of the vessel he had dreamt of. He felt so close. It wouldn’t be long now before she was his, he just knew it. Once they got the poison, they’d set sail for this remote island Naomi mentioned. They’d find a piece there and follow its trail all the way back to his prize. He had never felt so close to his dream in his life.

  Still, he thought, we’ve a few more days before the poison is even ready.

  Despite his initial concerns, the first few days in port passed uneventfully. Aside from those with daily duties to the ship, like Ryden and Dryden, the ship itself was mostly empty. During the day, Beckett would teach the twins about their respective duties and how to efficiently perform each one. In the evening, both boys would disappear into the town. At first, Jonathon was worried they would mess up shore leave for the rest of the crew, but he had yet to hear anything negative about them. Or any of the crew for that matter. Whatever it was his men were doing in town, they were apparently behaving themselves…or, at the very least, not getting caught, which was all that truly mattered.

  There had also been little from the shop during this time. Naomi seemed insistent on spending every minute of each day protecting Pavlov and his store. Jonathon thought, not for the first time, about how good of an idea it had really been to have accepted Naomi into his crew. She hadn’t even been part of it for a week before she had caused fairly significant trouble for not just herself, but the entire crew. He was also worried about how her good-nature would likely cause problems with his and the crew’s actions, particularly if they were to come across a merchant vessel during their journey. He made a mental note to speak with her about it when she returned.

  Aboard the ship, Beckett and Thayer seemed uninterested in journeying out into Brightstone during this time. They each gave their own excuses for this, stating they had too much to do aboard the ship to prepare for the upcoming journey, but Jonathon suspected they may have simply been enjoying the silence and mild privacy of the barren ship.

  Cassandra, however, had been strangely absent during these past few days. She attended their morning meetings and reported diligently, but the rest of the day was spent in her cabin, doors closed, her presence a quiet absence that Jonathon couldn’t help but notice. He had thought about going to talk to her as he had Beckett and Thayer, but decided against it in the end. If something was bothering her, she’d come talk to him when she was ready–she always did.

  Not that he was one to judge, he thought to himself. He had been aboard the ship this whole time too. Usually, he would have found himself a nice little local brothel to call home during this time, but each night, he found himself without the desire to seek out such an establishment. He figured he was just too excited about the upcoming journey to really care. Besides, he’d have plenty of time for such things after he claimed The Spectre.

  He got up and dressed himself in preparation for the morning meeting. He walked over to his desk and stared at the map. Beckett had traced a few route suggestions for once they left Brightstone. He traced one such route with a finger that wavered slightly. The call of The Spectre was relentless, gnawing at him in quiet moments and propelling him forward with a force he couldn’t quite name. He felt it was more than just treasure now–it was also vindication, a chance to prove that his faith in the legend wasn’t the fool’s errand that everyone believed it to be.

  ~~

  “Captain, there have been no reports of misbehavior in town from the crew, at least, none that are serious enough to cause us any trouble. And reports from the merchant’s shop remain uneventful,” Cassandra reported at their meeting. “I’ve also been looking over the ledgers and have set aside the necessary amount to pay for the remainder of the poison. With what we spent on supplies and for the maintenance, we’ll likely need to hit a vessel along the way to this island.”

  Beckett nodded in agreement to this statement.

  “Thank you, Cass,” Jonathon said. “Glad to hear we’re not causing too much of a raucous out in town; it’d be a shame to restrict the men to the ship, or worse, have to leave town early and find a way to sneak back to pick up the poison.

  “Regarding the finances, I agree. I was actually hoping we’d encounter a trader between here and Silvercove. It’s been too long since we had a score from that route. I believe it would do the ship and crew good to make that happen. Beckett, what are your thoughts?”

  “Aye, Cap’n,” Beckett responded. “I believe we should be able to make it happen. I still remember the routes well. I’ll ask around the docks today and see if I can’t find out when they expect the next shipment from Silvercove.”

  “Thank you. And your report?”

  “I’ve been studying our maps and believe I’ve found us a course that will get us there in a couple of weeks, barring poor weather or mishaps,” Beckett said confidently. “Assuming we don’t meet our end fighting this kraken, you may ‘ave yer piece by month’s end, Cap’n.”

  “Alleged kraken, Beckett,” Jonathon corrected as he smiled at his navigator. “Still, good work. Keep me updated about that shipment. Thayer?”

  “Aye sir,” the cook responded. “I’ve accounted for our stores and ‘ave packaged our supplies accordingly. Given yer plan, I’ve also spoken with our quartermaster and requisitioned some of the finances for a bit of ice to help keep our supplies fresh a little longer. Ways I see it, we should ‘ave enough supplies to last us for around ten more weeks. None of us’ll likely be too happy by the end of those weeks, and I expect latrine duty may end up requiring more hands around that time, but I should be able to make ‘er work.”

  “Good man.” Jonathon said. He turned to look at the twins. “Boys?”

  Ryden spoke first. “Cap, the powders have been appropriately sifted. I’ve also cleaned the cannonballs and inspected them for rust. All weapons are in good condition.”

  Jonathon glanced to Beckett who nodded approvingly. “Good job Ryden. Your report was much more succinct this morning. I do believe we’ll make a proper pirate out of you yet.”

  Ryden beamed. “As if there were ever a doubt, right Dry?”

  “Right Ry,” his second half responded.

  Jonathon rolled his eyes. Almost there, but still a little lacking. “Dryden?” he continued, ignoring their prattling.

  “Captain,” he began, his light-hearted demeanor quickly shifting towards anxiety, “I’ve, uh, talked to the guy on the deck…”

  “...The Harbourmaster?” Jonathon prompted.

  “Aye sir, the Harbourmaster,” Dryden responded, the nerves building in his voice. “He says the careening ought to be done today. I’ve also inspected the sails, and they all appear to be in good shape…” He trailed off and stared past his captain. After a moment, he nodded, apparently done.

  “And the rigging?” Jonathon prompted again.

  “Right,” he said, his face flushing further, “rigging too. It’s good too. No problems sir…sorry,” he finished weakly.

  Jonathon nodded encouragingly at the boy, “You're getting better Dryden, but it’s important to remember to report all of the duties you’ve fulfilled. Even if nothing has changed from the previous day, it’s good to get in the habit of checking them and reporting them, that way I know you can be trusted to do your job. More importantly, nothing ever falls by the wayside. Just remember your report when we were docked in Gravenfair and you’ll be fine. Maybe rehearse some with your brother before coming in since he seems to have gotten it down.”

  Dryden’s face was a mixture of embarrassment and anger as he muttered, “It’s only because he doesn’t have as much to do. Anyone can polish weapons and stir powder.”

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  Ryden opened his mouth to respond, but Jonathon held up his hand, cutting him off, “I understand, Dryden. But remember, each of you has a very specific role to fill. And while it may seem like more work at times, the significance of what you each do is equally important, that’s why you each receive a higher share of our booty than the rest of the crew. Also, don’t forget that Ryden’s duties aren’t just stirring powder and polishing weapons. He’s responsible for our ability to effectively fight other vessels. Not only does he have to be able to correctly determine how much powder is needed in the middle of battle, he must effectively communicate this with the men and the powder monkeys. Without his skills, our ability to fight is severely diminished. This isn’t to belittle what you do, but you must remember, his responsibilities are more than they appear on the surface. You’re doing well Dryden, don’t get discouraged.”

  Dryden nodded sullenly, “Aye aye, Cap.”

  Ryden perked up at this, “Right Dry. Besides, without you, we’d have no sails to sail. Our rigging would be in shambles. Our hull would be a mess. We wouldn’t even be able to be out on sea, and then we wouldn’t have anyone for me to fire at. No one to fire at means no money. No money means no ladies.”

  An all too familiar smile began to creep back onto Dryden’s face, “Maybe for you, Ry. I don’t need money to get ladies.”

  Ryden smiled in turn and chortled, “No way, Dry, you’re the one that needs the money. I’m the better looking one.”

  Jonathon smiled at them both, the boy was making good progress, he just needed time. He was reminded of the sinking feeling he had had in his chest when he had been told he didn’t do something right. In time, those moments grew fewer and fewer for him, as they would for Dryden.

  He returned to the present and rolled his eyes at the hormones that had taken up residence in the short time he had been away. He cleared his throat, “Anyway, good job Dryden. Keep up the good work, both of you. I believe Beckett has a few lessons regarding the different areas of the ship and navigation prepared for you today. Aside from that, you are all dismissed.”

  “Aye sir,” came the response.

  As they filed out of his cabin, Jonathon noticed Cassie was lingering. Once they were in the room alone, Jonathon asked, “Is everything okay, Cass?”

  She hesitated. Opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again, and closed it again. This went on for a few minutes while Jonathon waited patiently. Finally, she took a deep breath and said, “Captain, I need to discuss something…personal with you…about my past.”

  Something akin to surprise filled Jonathon. He figured she wanted to discuss something personal given her behavior in Brightstone, the exchange on the dock, and the way she had been acting since, but he was still surprised she had initiated it. In the three years since he’d met her in Gravenfair, he had learned almost nothing of her past save for the fact that she didn’t wish to discuss it. He certainly didn’t want to miss this opportunity. He walked to a nearby chair and sat down, “Of course, Cassie. Do you want to sit down?”

  She nodded and sat in the chair next to him. “The letter I received on the docks a few days ago…” She paused.

  “The one delivered by that boy?” Jonathon encouraged.

  “Yes…It’s…from…my parents. Here in Brightstone,” she said, her voice fighting her private nature.

  Jonathon’s eyes grew wide, “Your parents? Here? But I always thought you came from Gravenfair? Did they move?”

  She shook her head. “No, they didn’t. I did. I…grew up here…in Brightstone. I ran away four years ago…after my father announced that he had arranged a marriage for me to one of the families across the sea.”

  Jonathon felt another surge of surprise. “An arranged marriage? That certainly sounds unpleasant. Can’t imagine that went over well with you.”

  Cassie continued, her face stern but with an undercurrent of betrayal. “Aye, it was. And no, it didn’t. After years of encouraging me to be free and to be able to support and defend myself, my father pulled this marriage out of nowhere. I argued with him, pleaded with him. I told him I didn’t want to marry this random man I didn’t know. He told me it no longer mattered what I wanted and that I needed to be wed and begin continuing our bloodline.”

  Her voice trembled as she recounted her father’s sudden change of heart. For years, she had believed in the freedom he promised, only to see it snatched away when she was deemed a tool for her family’s legacy. The pain of the betrayal, though years old, was still raw for her.

  Jonathon’s mouth was agape. Arranged marriages weren’t exactly unheard of, but they weren’t something ordinary families typically participated in. Usually, you only saw it with local nobles and those with wealth. After a moment he said, “‘Bloodline,’ huh? That’s a strange thing to hear nowadays. Do you come from a very traditional family? I can’t imagine most ordinary families participating in arranged marriages, even considering Brightstone’s extravagant nature.”

  She shook her head again, “My family had never been very traditional, but we also weren’t an ordinary family.” She paused again, her determination wavering as her jaw clenched. Jonathon watched her eyes dart around the room, attempting to relocate her resolve. Finally, she took a deep breath and said, “My family is actually one of the founding families here in Brightstone.”

  If Jonathon had been surprised before, he wasn’t sure there was a word for what he was now. After he had a moment to collect his thoughts, he said, “You know, I’m not terribly familiar with the nobility of Brightstone, but I’m almost certain that ‘Reeves’ isn’t any name I’ve ever heard. But the courier from before still referred to you as such. Is there a Reeves household?”

  “No,” Cassie continued, “there is no Reeves household. And you’re right, he did refer to me as ‘Cassandra Reeves,’ but that's because that’s my first and middle name. My full name is Cassandra Reeves Brighton.”

  Now that was a name Jonathon had heard before. Even the least educated in Gravenfair knew the Brightons weren’t just one of the founding families of Brightstone, they were the founding family. There were other “founding families” of course, but there was a reason the city was named “Brightstone,” and not “Whitestone,” or some other similar name.

  “Brighton?” Jonathon asked, his shock blatant. “Brighton? As in the Brighton family? The wealthiest family this side of The Stern Sea? That Brighton?”

  Cassie nodded solemnly, “Aye, Captain, that Brighton.”

  The questions began to pour out of Jonathon like water from a faucet. His mind was racing. “Why did you never tell me about this? How is it that you came to join me in Gravenfair? Why did you join me in Gravenfair?”

  “I already told you, I ran away,” she repeated, slightly irritated.

  “I know, but…why? I know you said that your father arranged a marriage, but you had to have had everything you could possibly have wanted with as wealthy as your family is!” Jonathon said, flabbergasted.

  Through Jonathon’s disbelief he could sense a rising irritation in Cassie. “I wasn’t free to choose my own future. Money only buys so much, Captain. My father told me my whole life that I would be free to live as I saw fit. To marry whomever I saw fit to marry. My father made sure I was educated and trained to defend myself. He spent my whole life telling me and teaching me how to make my own decisions and live according to how I wanted. Then, when it became apparent that my mother was not going to be able to sire a son, everything changed. By then, I was already nineteen. He began to worry that if I waited too much longer, I’d be unable to wed anyone.”

  “What do you mean?” Jonathon asked. “You’re the Brighton family! The wealth alone would be enough to attract any suitor.” Cassandra’s glare back at Jonathon made him quickly shift his thinking. “Be-Besides, wouldn’t you take your husband’s name anyway? How would that help your family?”

  “As you said Captain, we are the Brightons. Many a man would be willing to take my name just to join our family…” she paused and stared at the floor. “...and not a one of them would care one bit about whether or not I was someone they even wanted to be with…” After another moment, she inhaled and sat back up. “But you’re right, my family’s reputation alone would be enough to guarantee a suitor, but my father was also concerned with me siring heirs to continue our family’s bloodline before I became too old. And given the difficulties he had with Mother, he wanted to make sure I had plenty of time to try…” She trailed off again as she said this.

  Jonathon’s disbelief settled down as he saw her brow furrowed with lines of worry. Her gaze was distant, as if searching for solace–a solace Jonathon was not providing.

  He recollected his thoughts and sighed, sitting next to her and placing a reassuring hand on her knee. “I’ve not been handling this well, have I? I’m sorry, Cass, I was just caught off guard. Not five minutes ago, you were a commoner I met in Gravenfair three years ago. Now, you’re the heiress to the wealthiest family I know of. If this were a fairy tale, you’d be a princess.” She scoffed, and Jonathon saw the hope of recovery for this conversation. He laughed lightly, “I know it’s silly, but it’s true. And obviously there’s more to you than just your family, but this was just a lot that was thrown at me at once. So, I’m sorry I was a little slow on the uptake, but I’m up to speed now…I think.

  “You spent your whole life being promised freedom and given the tools to be free. Then you were suddenly told you were to marry someone you didn’t even know, let alone love, all for the sake of your family’s name, with no consideration for what you had been told your whole life. So you ran.

  “You made your way to Gravenfair at some point and that’s where you ran into me. You joined my crew and have been sailing with me ever since.” He paused, looking to Cass to confirm that he had the right of it. She nodded and he continued, “But Cassie, why didn’t you ever tell me this? I’ve known you for years, and not once have you ever mentioned any of this.”

  “Because I…I didn’t want to be seen as the runaway heiress. I didn’t want to be defined by my family’s name or wealth anymore. I wanted to be my own person. To prove I could live on my own terms.” She looked up at him, her eyes fierce with the determination that had driven her all these years. “I thought if I stayed quiet about it, I could leave that part of me behind.”

  Despite the seriousness of the situation, Jonathon couldn’t help but admire the fire in his quartermaster’s eyes. He smiled gently at her and said, “I get it, Cassie. You’ve built your life on your own terms, and you’ve done a damn good job. But this letter…what do they want?”

  Her mind returned to the present and she pulled the letter out and handed it to Jonathon. “It may be easier for you to just read it instead.”

  Jonathon took the envelope from her hand and examined it, noting the thickness and quality of the paper that housed the letter. If they could afford this just to send a letter, their wealth truly was more than he could imagine. He took the letter out and began to read it aloud.

  “Cassandra, we hope this letter finds you well. It has been far too long since we have heard from or seen you. It is our wish for you to join us for dinner at the end of this week. The courier who delivered this to you has been instructed to report back to us once it has been delivered, so we will expect you by week’s end. Sincerely, your parents.”

  He stared at the letter for a moment. It was surprisingly short for a daughter they hadn’t seen for so long. He wondered how much money they had spent having a letter out to be delivered for gods only know how many years.

  “So there you have it,” she said. “I am to meet with them for dinner tomorrow night, and–”

  “Of course,” Jonathon interrupted, knowing her question, “you have my permission to leave the ship and spend as long as you need in town. Honestly, Cass, I’m surprised you even think you need to ask about this.”

  She gave a momentary pause, staring into the distance of his cabin, as if trying to work towards something. After a couple of minutes she said, “Thank you, Captain, while I appreciate your permission in this matter, that’s not why I’m here. I need you to attend the dinner with me.”