To Ocean's End (37 page)

“How so?”

“They were all eager to help me, but none of them tried as hard as you do. I owe you so much, even if my curse is never lifted.”

“You’re letting me keep Mido. You owe me nothing, so long as you never give up trying to lift your curse.”

“Fair enough.” I began speeding along the water on my aching back, swiftly passing through the strait. I dodged ships and boats, and didn’t try to hide myself from them. I was in too much pain to care.

“Shouldn’t you give swimming a break? You’re bleeding all over.”

“I want to get back to my ship. I can recover there. Plus I don’t want to run the risk of letting everything we just escaped from catch back up. Where was the shipping route headed before you left?”

“The Falkland Islands. We were gonna gonna work our way up the east side of both Americas to spend some family time back at everyone’s homes, unless you returned sooner.”

“I think we all need that after everything that’s happened.” I flung my mind southwest along the oceans’ rolling surface. Within minutes, I felt the familiar shape of the
Pertinacious’s
hull plowing through the water. She was halfway along the coast of Brazil. “Found em. We’ll be back on the ship in less than twenty four hours. Do you have any money on you?”

“Plenty. Why?”

I veered towards Morocco’s shore. “Go buy some food to last you until we get back. I’m not stopping for anything except bathroom breaks.” I swam right up onto the beach and set Jessie down. She hopped off my hands and marched right over to an open air market as dozens of people ran screaming from demon me. I took a moment to assess my numerous injuries while she bought food. I was missing half my dorsal sail and my entire right fin, and it looked like I was covered in more cuts and bite marks than a fish had scales. I was striped with blood trails, which reddened the surf, but I didn’t care. I was in too much pain to care about anything but getting back to my ship and crew.

Minutes later, Jessie marched back over with a bag of food and climbed into my hands. She gave me a concerned look, but I ignored it and the building pandemonium. I clutched her to my chest and dived just below the surface, then swam off at full speed and full force.

Chapter 30

Brewing Storm

Jessie spent most of the ride dozing and thinking. She watched the ocean zoom by now and then, but it was just one cerulean blur between giant fingers. She thought about all she’d been through ever since escaping onto the
Pertinacious,
her gift of a relationship with Mido, the truth behind her given name and all the perks that went with it, what she’d done to help Dyne escape--she couldn’t believe it, now that she’d stop to think about it--and what else she could do to help lift his curse. She couldn’t help but wonder if she needed to play mediator and get the two to be nice to each other or something. It sounded ridiculous, but she’d already done crazier things.

Dyne swapped out air whenever she telepathically told him she was starting to feel lightheaded, and after a few trial periods, they figured out regular intervals to avoid such discomfort. Whenever she got hungry, Jessie ate the chicken burritos she’d bought. She couldn’t bring herself to ask for bathroom breaks though. Dyne figured out when she needed a couple when sensed her distress. He formed a seat out of water and put his giant, bloodied back to her. It was still awkward but her bladder felt so much better after. An empty bladder was a happy bladder.

When Jessie woke inside her air bubble the next morning, she could sense Dyne’s stress and fatigue, along with his desperation to reach the ship. She gently told him he didn’t have to push himself so hard. She wasn’t worried about her lack of food.

I’m already using just my command over water. I stopped swimming a while ago to slow the bleeding. I can’t risk going any slower or I might pass out before we get there.
When he sensed her own fearful response, he added,
Don’t worry. We’ll make it. Just another hour or two.

Just another hour or two? Right. Jessie fell silent after that, not wanting to chip away at his concentration with talk. She wished she could add her will to his to help share the workload. She tried, like when she’d sent her mind looking for the naiads, and when Dyne said nothing and they moved no faster, she concluded that command over water wasn’t one of her avatar powers. It was only a slight disappointment. She could already do enough. She tried listening to his racing heart, then tuned it out. All it did was make her worry that he had to be killing himself with all the exertion. Sure, he couldn’t die permanently, but the stress and strain he was putting himself through unsettled her. She grew even more uncomfortable when she realized they were plowing through the water slower than before she’d slept. The whoosh of the water had dropped at least an octave.

An hour later, Jessie realized the whooshing had dropped even more. They were still speeding along the surface fast enough to make the ocean streak below them, but she could also feel the tension in his chest muscles. He was swimming again.
Please make it.

We will. Just a few minutes left.

Said few minutes later, Dyne put on a burst of speed, then dived completely under before surging up and out of the water. Jessie caught a glimpse of the
Pertinacious’s
bow as they soared over the railing. Dyne hit the wood deck in a three-point landing, then sank to his knees and held himself up with a webbed hand as he gasped for air. He sounded like a oversized bear huffing away. He clutched Jessie tight as he collapsed on his side. The boat rocked and swayed.

Jessie rose and fell with each of Dyne’s lungfuls of air, until he gathered himself enough to lower his hand to the deck. She stood on his open palm and took in his punctured and gashed torso. His massive frame shuddered.

“Made it,” he said in barely more than a whisper. “How bad do I look?”

“All hands to arms!” came Rammus’s shocked voice over the sound system.

Jessie stepped off Dyne’s hand, coat in hand, and took in his entire demon form. His largest injuries dribbled blood, but overall his greyish-blue hide looked speckled with flesh-colored semi-circles and wedges. The smaller injuries had clotted and the ocean had cleaned them up. He was missing a chunk in his tail, had gaping bite marks in both legs and the shoulder he wasn’t lying on. She stood before his snout. His eyes, the same pale color as his human self, looked glazed over with pain and fatigue. “You look like you’re about to pass out.”

“I’m trying not to.” He shuddered again. “Mind getting me a towel? I can’t hold onto this form much longer.”

Rammus came running towards them, sword in hand, then skidded to a halt when he saw Jessie. “Jessie! You’re alive! What is that thing?”

“It’s me, you idiot,” Dyne said in a low, tired voice.

“Rammus, please grab Captain a towel or some clothes.”

He looked at Dyne again, eyes wide. His shock melted into concern and he nodded. “I’m on it.” He did a one-eighty and ran below deck.

Jessie moved to the side of Dyne’s head and his eyes followed her. She thought of prodding his shoulder to see how deep the bite went, but decided not to risk causing him more pain. Instead she rubbed his scaled brow and cheek, hoping to help him relax. “Stay with me.”

“I’m not a pet, you know.”

“It’s hard seeing you like this.” His draconic head was warm to the touch and getting warmer as the intense sun started baking them both. Dyne heaved a sigh that sounded like wind blowing.

Sauna and Mido stopping just outside the hatch at the sight of a water demon curled up on the bow. Ed and Ted bumped into them then froze as well. Scully yelled at them to stop blocking the hatch. The four of them moved to the railing, then the rest of the crew filed onto the deck and joined in on the concerted gaping. O’Toole took one look, whimpered, then ran to Dyne and latched his arms around the tip of his snout.

Dyne sucked in air through his fangs and winced. “Glad to see you, too, O’Toole,” he said kindly, relaxing his head.

Jessie stopped caressing Dyne’s snout and straightened up, and patiently waited for the crew to recover from their shock. Rammus pushed past them, a blue shower towel tucked under an arm.

Dyne tried to lift an arm. He reached a few feet out and his arm flopped back onto the deck with a heavy thud, making it vibrate. His whole body shuddered again. “Cancer, hook me up with some blood, IV, and a bunch of sutures.”

“As you are right now?” Cancer said.

Dyne dragged his head so he was facing his crew with both narrowed eyes. “Of course not, you moron,” he snapped faintly. “Rammus, how long until my next lockdown?”

“You need to go in tonight. You returned just in time.” He snapped open the towel with a flick.

Dyne’s eyes widened and he lay stock still.

“What is it?” Jessie asked.

“Our timing. This can’t be a coincidence.”

“Rhode timed it so we’d get back before lockdown?”

“That, too.” He groaned and balled up. “Amphitrite knew you’d get me out sooner or later. She also knew her daughter would help us make that happen.” Steam began to rise off his body in dancing tendrils. “Something worse is going to happen.” He tried to sit up but his arms gave out. He thrashed his tail and began to shrink. “Rammus,” he said between gasps for air, “you need to drop me off at the nearest coast. You all need to get away from me. I’m a danger to you. I’ve played right into her hands.” His dorsal sail, tail, and forearm fins retracted into his body. “Even when I didn’t cooperate in the cave. You all need to get far away.”

“Dyne, what are you talking about?” Jessie said.

Cancer ran off, hopefully to get the supplies Dyne had requested. The rest of the crew drew closer, their faces full of worry. Rammus held up the towel, ready to drape it over him. Dyne held out a shrinking hand. The webbing seeped back into his fingers and the claws turned into human nails. Rammus tossed him the towel, which fell short as Dyne continued to shrink. Jessie picked it up and brought it over as his body steamed and left behind a pool of sweat and blood. Dyne’s face and legs molded back into human features, and his skin lost its scales and turned back into lightly tanned skin.

Once he was back down to normal size, he held out a bleeding arm and sat up, one hand covering his groin. “Help me up.” Jessie took his hand and heaved him to his feet, then helped him wrap the towel around his waist. He looked full of color; however, his shrunken injuries started bleeding profusely. “Oh, god.” He slumped onto Jessie.

She struggled to hold him and his towel up. Rammus scrambled under one of Dyne’s arms and draped it over his shoulder. Jessie secured the towel as Scully got under the Captain’s other. Ed and Ted ran over scooped up his legs. Their clothes started soaking up his blood.

“Oh, god. Cancer, knock me out. Don’t wanna go back. This...” His gaze grew distant as he stared at the deck. “Just dump me off.”

Rammus and crew carried him to the container as the rest of the crew watched on in silence. Jessie looked at Mido, whose attention bounced between her and Captain. Mido looked like he wanted to take her in his arms but Captain’s plight took precedence over the situation.

“Amphitrite... she’s planning... get away... that smile.”

“Stop talking, Captain,” Rammus said gently. “You’re delirious from blood loss and such.”

Captain’s head drooped forward and his voice grew faint. “No I’m not. My curse. Oh, god, I hurt all over.”

Sam opened the container door and held it wide. They carried the captain inside and lay him on the cot Jacobi had been chained to. Scully switched on a hanging solar lantern, casting a silvery light inside the container. Sam stood inside the doorway and the rest of the crew watched on from over his shoulders.

“Where’s Cancer?” Dyne whispered hoarsely.

Jessie went to Mido’s side since there was nothing else she could do for Captain, for now at least. She slipped a hand in Mido’s and he pulled her into a hug. Cancer squeezed past Rammus with a large sack slung over a shoulder. He hefted it onto the ground with a grunt and it landed with a thud. Everyone else started filing inside.

Cancer turned around. “All of you out. Let me work in peace.”

Dyne stirred. “Put me out, Cancer. Please. So muhh...”

The good doctor shushed him. “You’re a mess, Captain. Don’t waste energy talking, unless I need information from you.”

“Juss gotta get through one nigh’. Thassit.”

Cancer said to Rammus, “You can go back to the wheelhouse. I’ll be fine with a bit of help from Scully.”

Rammus headed for the door and shooed the rest of the crew. “Now all of you get. You heard the doc. We’ll all see Captain after lockdown, when he’s feeling better.” He filled up the doorway with his modest frame and motioned for Sam to close the door. Sam threw the locks inside and swung the door shut. The last thing Jessie saw inside was Cancer hanging up two plastic bags near the lantern, one a clear bag of IV, and the other a bag of blood.

Mido guided Jessie to the railing and held her in his arms, relief all over his handsome face. Jessie leaned into him, equally happy to be reunited.

“I told you so,” Jacobi said loud enough for everyone outside the container to hear. The rest of the crew paused in their trek to the nearest hatch.

“What are you talking about?” Sam snapped and the rest of the crew verbally exploded on Jacobi.
He fixed Jessie with a smug grin. “What did you do to come back unharmed with Captain looking like that? You selfish b--”

Jessie tore away from Mido. “I just freed him from the fate I protected you from! Don’t you dare give me shit!” Scully, Sam, and Ted lunged for him, but Rammus, Sauna, and Ed held them back.

“You take that back, Jacobi!” Ted yelled. The others shouted at Jacobi in Jessie’s defense.

He ignored the rest of the crew. “I will give you as much as you deserve. You’ve clearly got him under some sort of spell to allow him to get so beat up for your sake.”

Jessie lunged for him, studded gloves leading the way. Mido grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back as Scully, Sam, and Ted tried to get at Jacobi again.

Rammus yelled, “Everyone stop fighting
right now!
”

Jacobi held up his hands and took a step closer, still grinning. “Let her go, Mido. I’d even let her take the first swing. I’d love to see how garbage fights.”

“Let me go!” Jessie yelled, as she struggled to break free. Mido grabbed her by the wrists.

Rammus said, “Call her that again and you’ll be fighting me, Jacobi. I’m warning you. Shut up. Put up. And open your damn eyes to the truth. She’s not the enemy. I’m this close to firing you.” He held up a thumb and forefinger millimeters apart, then lowered his hand and turned to Jessie. “And you: don’t sink to his level.” He glared at the rest of the crew. “And that goes for all of you.”

Jessie stopped struggling but didn’t stop leaning towards Jacobi. He stood just outside of kicking range. She silently willed him to take one more step, even though she’d been warned, and even though she knew he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.

“Fine, fine,” Jacobi said, completely at ease. “I’ll let Captain take care of her. I’m just sayin’ I told all of you so.” He plowed a path through the crew and headed below deck.

Ed said, “I am liking that man less and less.”

Ted said, “Me, too, sadly. He’s usually so cool.”

“Everyone clear the deck,” Rammus said. The techies started leading the way down, and Rammus started heading for the wheelhouse, but not before kissing Jessie on the forehead. “Thanks for bringing him back, kiddo. We owe you big time.”