Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Rejoice,” Vex says grimly, barging her way into her brother’s room. “We’re getting away from Syldor.”

Vax doesn’t so much as look up at her from the book he’s idly reading. “Didn’t we already try that? He fucking came and got us.”

“He’s going to have a lot more trouble with that this time,” Vex says, grabbing the book out from under her brother’s nose and throwing it across the room. She plops herself down on the bed in front of him, crossing her legs.

“I was reading that,” Vax says mildly.

“You don’t even really like reading,” she says, “and this is important.”

“Right, because we’re finally getting away from Syldor for good,” Vax says, rolling over onto his back and staring at the ceiling. “And I’ll say again: didn’t we already try that?”

“We’re going to have help this time,” Vex says.

He eyes her warily, turning his head enough so that he can look at her straight on. “Help? Vex’ahlia, what did you do?”

She shrugs, trying to look brazen instead of nervous. “I hired some pirates to kidnap us.”

Vax chokes, shooting up into a sitting position. “You did what?”

“You heard me,” she says. “Look, I’ve already done it, okay, so you can’t talk me out of it or stop it from happening. I knew you wouldn’t like it, so—”

“Wouldn’t like it?” he says. “Are you insane? That’s such a terrible idea!”

“Oh, right, because you’re always so cautious,” she snaps. “You’ve never done anything really, really stupid because it might work out anyway—”

“That’s different.”

“It’s not!” she yells. “I’m so tired of living here, brother! I can’t do it anymore. I can’t be here anymore, with the way everyone looks at us, this whole house, all of them, like we’re garbage. Well, I’m not going to be garbage anymore, do you understand? And he’s going to have a hard fucking time coming after us if we’ve been kidnapped by pirates, so this is what we’re doing, because I can’t live here.”

“Okay,” Vax says, holding his hand out to her like he might if she were a spooked horse. “Okay, sister, okay. I understand. It’s all right.”

She realizes belatedly that she’s trembling, her breath coming too fast, and she lets him pull her forward into his arms, buries her face into his shoulder as he murmurs gentle things into her hair.

“We have to leave,” she says quietly, once she’s mostly gotten herself under control again. “We have to, Vax. And you’re right, running away didn’t work last time, so we’re going to try this.”

“Okay,” he says, rubbing her back. “Let’s try this.” He pauses. “Out of curiosity, where are the pirates kidnapping us to?”

“Um…”

“Vex’ahlia.”

“Vasselheim?” she says.

“Where the hell is Vasselheim?” Vax says, sounding bemused.

“Don’t you ever pay attention in our lessons?” she says. “Honestly, brother, people will think you’re stupid.”

“They’re welcome to think that,” he mutters mulishly.

“Vasselheim is across the Ozmit Sea,” she says. “It sounded nice, and if Syldor can catch up with us on the water—without any boats of his own, I might add—or find us in a city that big once we’re there, I’ll be very impressed.”

“What’s it like?” Vax says. “If it sounds so nice.”

“Big,” she says. “And very well protected. Very peaceful. Also very cold and very religious, but I figure we can deal with that. Maybe we’ll become religious. If a god will help us get out of here, I’ll happily spend the rest of my life thanking them.”

“Careful,” Vax says dryly, “they’ll hear you.”

“Shut up.” She shifts until she’s a little more comfortable, her head on his shoulder and one of his arms wrapped firmly around her shoulders.

He pets her hair absently, playing with the ends and straightening it a little. “When are they getting here? The pirates?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“I didn’t want to give you too much time to object!” she says. “Or to freak me out, honestly.”

He sighs heavily. “Fine. You’re just lucky we’re in Emon now. Pirates never could’ve gotten all the way inland to Syngorn. What would you have done then?”

“Bandits,” she says promptly. “Or burglars, maybe, if they needed to get us out of the house.”

“Glad to see you’ve thought this through.”

“My plans are amazing,” she says, and he grins.

“Well, we’ll see how it goes.”

—

“I may not have thought this completely through,” she says the next night, as they try not to idle too obviously in one of the gardens by the wall surrounding the Syngorn Embassy.

Vax glares at her. “Oh, now you say that.” He adjusts one of his packs where it’s awkwardly hidden under his cloak. The weather’s a little warm for how they’re dressed, but Syldor’s half-breed twins have something of a reputation for eccentricity, so no one’s questioned it yet.

“Shut up!” she hisses at him. “I’m nervous! We’re about to get kidnapped by pirates.”

“Who’s fault is that?” he says.

“I don’t know why I bother to spend time with you.”

“Neither do I. If you didn’t, pirates might not be about to kidnap me,” he says.

“It’s going to be fine,” she says. “Absolutely fine.”

“Out of curiosity,” he says evenly, “what did you pay them with?”

She grimaces, looking down. “I stole some of Syldor’s money.”

“Oh, good,” he says, and it almost doesn’t sound sarcastic. She frowns at him, and he smiles weakly. “I was a little worried you were going to say you hadn’t paid them at all.”

“I’m not completely stupid, brother,” she says. “We’d really be in trouble then.”

“Yes, as opposed to the trouble we’re in right now,” he says.

She kicks him in the shin. “Did you have any other ideas about how we were going to get away from all this?”

“Keep sneaking away until he finally stops sending people after us?”

“Oh, yes, that sounds functional,” she says. “I foresee absolutely no problems with that plan, well done, brother.”

“Well, since your plan was—” he starts to say, and then something across town explodes, and they both stare at each other.

“Do you think—?” Vex says.

“You’ve destroyed the city,” Vax says.

“I have not,” she hisses back. “It’s probably a coincidence!”

Which, naturally, is when a guard runs into the garden and says, “Pirate raiders are attacking the outskirts of Emon!”

“How much did you pay them?” Vax whispers.

“Quickly, you must come inside!” the guard says, and they look at each other.

“Of course,” Vex says, steps forward, and in the most astounding feat of acrobatics she has ever pulled off, trips over her brother’s outstretched foot, tumbles head over heels to the ground, breaking a few sticks very loudly in the process, and comes up clutching her ankle. “Oh!” she says, very loudly. “Oh! It hurts so much!”

“Sister!” Vax says, very loudly and a hell of a lot less convincingly, as he drops to his knees next to her. “Are you hurt?”

“My ankle!” she says, moaning. “Oh! I think I need to just—just sit here. It hurts so much.”

“Of course,” Vax says soothingly. “You should just catch your breath.”

“But—” the guard starts, and Vax glares at him, drawing himself up.

“We understand the danger,” he says, his voice cold. “We are not imbeciles. But you said that pirate raiders were attacking the outskirts of the city, did you not? We live in the Cloudtop District. If pirates can get all the way here, I will be very impressed. Go, warn other people. We will make our way inside when my sister can walk again.”

“Uh,” the guard says, and then he visibly decides against arguing. “Yes. Fine.” He runs off, and they watch him go.

“Brother,” Vex says quietly. “Wow. You almost sounded like a privileged noble when you said that.”

“I know,” Vax says, sitting on the ground and making a face. “Remind me to never do it again. I’ve got a bad taste in my mouth.”

Vex looks toward the low stone wall around the Embassy. “Well, you’ve bought us a couple minutes, at least. Here’s hoping they get here soon.”

“If they aren’t too busy getting distracted looting and pillaging the city,” Vax says. “This is a nice place, Vex. The people are nice. It’s not like Syngorn.”

“Yes, well, breaking eggs to make an omelet and all that,” Vex says, rearranging her limbs into a position less likely to make her actually twist her ankle.

“I don’t know if that’s the right attitude to have,” Vax says, frowning at her.

“Well, we’ve done this now, so—” She stops abruptly, lifting her head. “Shh. I think I hear something.”

Vax goes completely still, every muscle in his body locking in a way that used to frighten her when they were very little, because he seemed more like a statue than her brother. She places a hand on his shoulder, and neither of them moves.

It’s almost a letdown when the gnome and the goliath vault into the garden, yelling really stupid war cries.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Vax says, relaxing.

The goliath swings a truly gigantic axe up and directly under their throats, and they both go rigid again, staring at it intently. She can feel the minute shifts of her brother’s body as he reaches, very slowly, for a knife.

“Are these the people?” the goliath says, frowning carefully at them.

“Uh,” the gnome says. “They look right. Dark hair, kind of elf-like, but not all the way—how many of those can there be?”

“Oh, wonderful,” Vax says. “They’re idiots.”

“How dare you speak to Burt Reynolds like that?” the gnome says.

“I don’t care which one of you is Burt Reynolds, my sister and I could kick both of your asses,” Vax says, straightening from his crouch, his hand tightly wrapped around a dagger underneath his cloak.

“Okay, everyone, calm down,” Vex says. “That includes you, brother.” She looks at the newcomers. “We’re Vex’ahlia and Vax’ildan.”

“Oh, good,” the gnome says. “We’re kidnapping you.”

“Oh, all right, then,” Vax says, with bad grace.

Vex glances nervously back over her shoulder at the door to the garden. “We should get going.”

The gnome stares at both of them. “What? Shouldn’t you be more concerned about this?”

“Uh,” Vex says. “Oh, no! Don’t do that! Seriously, though, we shouldn’t stick around here long, the guards will be back out to find out what’s taking us so long to get inside.”

The goliath frowns down at everyone. “Are people supposed to help you kidnap them?”

“Not generally,” the gnome says. “But yeah, okay, why not.”

“That’s a healthy attitude,” Vax says, standing and offering a hand down to Vex, who takes it and lets him pull her up. He glances at her. “You didn’t actually bang up your ankle, did you?”

She scoffs. “Of course not. What am I, an amateur?”

“Great,” he says. He looks at their new kidnappers. “Let’s go, then.”

“Hang on a second,” the gnome says. His hands glittering with arcane magic, he creates a truly massive purple hand and then slowly, painstakingly, writes in the dirt, WE HAVE KIDNAPPED—he looks over at them. “Uh.”

Vex rolls her eyes. “Vex and Vax.”

“Great, thanks,” he says. The hand writes, WE HAVE KIDNAPPED VEX AND VAX. After some apparent thought, he adds, very carefully, MUAHAHAHAHA.

“Well, that’s professional,” Vex says dryly, though she’s barely audible over her brother’s uncontrollable laughter.

“As long as it’s not a ransom note,” Vax says, still sniggering. “Come on, sister, let’s go.” He cups his hands together and holds them out to her, the way he would if he wanted to help her up onto a horse, nodding at the wall.

“Try not to drop me,” she says, making sure her things are securely fastened to her. “You’re not exactly strong.”

“That’s gratitude for you,” he says, but he manages to give her enough of a boost that she can get to the top of the wall, though she has to scramble a bit at the end.

“That’s really not necessary,” the gnome says, frowning at them as Vex steadies herself, balancing awkwardly. “That’s what Bigby’s for.”

Vax looks at the goliath. “You?”

“No, that’s, uh, Philip,” the gnome says.

“I’m not Philip anymore,” possibly-Philip says.

“This is Bigby,” probably-Burt says, and then the giant purple hand scoops Vax up and throws him over the wall.

He lands hard, on all fours in the alley on the other side of the garden. “Warn a guy next time!” he yells.

“Shh!” Vex says. “Someone will hear you.”

“I feel like that’s not what the kidnappees are supposed to say,” the gnome says, frowning up at her. “Do you need help getting down?”

“Definitely not,” she says quickly. “I’m good, thank you.” She slides carefully down the other side of the wall, landing with a thump next to her brother, who’s straightening up and dusting himself off.

“Still think this is a good idea?” Vax mutters to her out of the corner of his mouth.

“At least we can probably dupe them if it gets really bad,” she whispers.

A second later, apparently-Bigby drops possibly-Philip next to them and goes back over the wall and comes back carrying probably-Burt, who’s grinning broadly.

Vex really wishes she felt more confident about some of these names.

“You’re an asshole,” Vax says to the gnome.

“Of course I am,” he says. “I’m kidnapping you. Is it possible you guys have missed out on that key piece of information?”

“No, we got that,” Vex says. “Where are you kidnapping us to, and can we start heading in that direction? Sooner or later, we’ll be missed.”

“We’re going, uh, this way,” says the goliath who may or may not be known as Philip. “Uh, your money or your life!”

The gnome sighs. “No, that’s highwaymen,” he says patiently. “We don’t say that.”

“Oh,” the goliath says. “Uh. Come with us if you want to live?”

“No, that’s—” The gnome pauses. “You know what? It’ll do.”

“Yes, we’re coming,” Vex says patiently. “We’re very scared. We’ll come quietly.”

“Ha,” the goliath says. “I scared them.”

“That’s right, big guy,” Vax says. “We’re terrified.”

The gnome, clearly the brains of the operation, eyes them both, then shrugs. “Yeah, okay, that sounds right. If you make any trouble, we’ll kill you.”

“Very scary,” Vex assures him, as they begin to walk down the alley. “We’ll be sure to not do that.”

She and her brother follow the dynamic duo down back alleys and side streets through the Cloudtop District, though it rapidly becomes clear that the pirates have no real gift for stealth. They make up for it apparently, by having their friends on the other side of the city create a truly unholy distraction. Vax winces as yet another explosion resounds, and Vex grins.

“All of this for us?” she says. “I’m flattered.”

“I wanted to be part of the distraction team,” the gnome says sadly. “But the captain thought we would be too distracting, in a recognizable, bounty on their heads kind of way.” He preens. “I guess we are pretty handsome.”

“Hell yeah we are,” the goliath says, and they high five.

Vax and Vex exchange amused glances.

“Your plan is growing on me, actually,” he murmurs in her ear. “I’m guessing they don’t know you were the one who paid them?”

“Definitely not,” she whispers. “That would just look weird.”

“Wouldn’t it just,” he says. “Here’s hoping the rest of the pirates are this stupid.”

—

When they draw closer to the shore, they’re brought up short by a human man with a long dark braid and mismatching eyes leaning against the side of the alley and watching the destruction across the city with a distinctly pleased air. He turns his head in their direction when they approach, both the gnome and the goliath seemingly unconcerned about it, and frowns.

“Took you long enough,” he says, sounding grumpy. His eyes sweep across Vex and her brother, and the frown deepens. “Why aren’t they tied up? You’re not even threatening them.”

“We threatened them,” the goliath says, sounding offended. “We threatened them a lot. I told them to come with us if they want to live,” he adds proudly.

“That’s not what you use that phrase for,” the human says, rubbing the palm of his hand over his face and looking fed up. “You’re sure they’re the right ones?”

“How many half-elves in the Syngorn Embassy can there be?” the gnome says, sounding unconcerned.

“Depends how they feel about bastards,” the human says. “Potentially a lot.”

“They’re not that keen on bastards,” Vex says, trying not to sound too bitter. “We’re Vex’ahlia and Vax’ildan.”

The human looks at her. She’s starting to wonder if he has facial expressions that aren’t frowns, if his face even moves at all. “Why are they being so helpful?”

“They’ve been like that the whole way,” the gnome says. “They seem okay with being kidnapped.”

“That seems wrong, somehow,” the human says. He fingers the long shaft of his spear, eyes narrowed as he looks at them. “Tie their hands,” he says abruptly. “And gag them. Just in case.” 

Vax shifts into a clear fighting stance, his weight balanced on his feet and a glare on his face as he reaches for a weapon.

The man raises his eyebrows, shifting his grip on the spear he’s carrying and straightening his spine. “Either you’re cooperative or you aren’t,” he says. “But there’s three of us, two of you, and I can call for help.”

“Vax,” Vex says, laying her hand lightly on his arm. “Relax.” She summons up her most charming smile and directs it at the human. “Is that really necessary? We’ve come quietly all this way, and we really will behave ourselves.”

“Great,” he says. “Prove it by letting my friends tie you up. We won’t hurt you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Oh, come on, this is ridiculous,” she says. “We’ll be very good.” She winks.

“My girlfriend’s prettier than you,” he says, unmoved, and she makes a face. After a moment, though, he sighs. “Fine. Leave the gags. But still tie their hands, and at the first sign of trouble, start hitting them.”

“Yeah,” the goliath says, sounding pleased with that instruction.

“Fine,” Vex says immediately, before her brother can protest, holding her arms out.

The man snorts. “No. Behind you. Do you think we’re stupid?”

“Well, kind of, yeah,” Vax says helpfully, and Vex groans.

The man glances at her brother, and she braces herself for the retribution, but to her surprise, he actually grins after a moment, just slightly. “Yeah, that’s fair,” he says. “Let me put it this way: do you think we’re all stupid?”

“Hey,” the gnome says.

“Take offense later,” the man says. “Tie them up now. We need to get out of here. We surprised Emon, but it won’t be long before they rally.”

“No one appreciates me,” the gnome mutters, but he and the goliath get to tying.

It takes a little longer for them to stumble to the shore this way, and they’re certainly more conspicuous, but Vex supposes that at this point, they really don’t care who sees them. The five of them make it to a small rowboat hidden on the sand, and the man nods at it.

“Get in,” he says, looking all around them. Vex and her brother scramble in quickly, and he shakes his head. “I swear people you kidnap aren’t supposed to be this helpful,” he says dryly, ushering the gnome and goliath in as well, before climbing in himself. He and possibly-Philip each take an oar, rowing them away from shore quickly.

“We’re very agreeable,” Vex says.

“Sure,” he says, huffing out steady breaths in time with his strokes. “That seems likely. You know, I’ve met agreeable people before. Somehow, it never seems to go that well.”

“Neither of them seem that agreeable,” Vax says, nodding to the goliath and gnome.

“They aren’t,” the man says. “I feel like that just proves my point, though.”

“Oh,” Vax says. “They’re what you think things going well looks like. That puts a lot in perspective.”

The man shakes his head, glancing up at Vex. “Your brother’s kind of an asshole, you know that?”

“Oh, believe me, I’ve noticed,” she says, with feeling. “Try not to hold it against him, if you can.”

“Oh, no, I am,” he says. “Definitely.”

She sighs, elbowing Vax in the side. “Nice going, brother.”

“I’m very charming,” Vax says.

“Really wishing we’d gagged you two,” the man says. “That’s sounding like a better and better idea.”

Behind them, something in Emon explodes again, and Vex glances over her shoulder to see the column of smoke. “How do you lot keep doing that?” she says.

“We have a very inventive gunner,” the man says, sounding unconcerned. “He must be having the time of his life.”

To the other side, she can see Emon’s navy trying desperately to reach the pirate ship they’re rapidly coming up on, but they appear to be fighting something like a gale force wind, pushing them in the other direction. “And that?” she says, nodding in their direction. “You can’t do that with a cannon.”

“No, that would be magic,” the man says shortly. “I assume you’ve heard of it.”

Vex rolls her eyes. “Yes, I think I might’ve.”

They reach the pirate ship at last, coming up along the side, and almost immediately, thick ropes which huge hooks on the ends drop into the water on either side of them. There’s a scramble to get them attached to either end of their small boat, and then the man hits the side of the ship and yells, “All good, go ahead!”

There’s a yelled affirmation from above, and then the boat begins to rise into the air in short, sharp jerks. “Hold on tight,” the gnome says, grinning.

“With what free hands?” Vex snaps at him as she’s jostled to the side, catching herself against her brother.

“Oh, right,” the gnome says. “Whoops.”

The goliath shrugs and grabs their shoulders, holding them down firmly. Vex stares at him, thoroughly surprised. “Thanks,” she says.

He just shrugs his large shoulders, apparently unconcerned, and she smiles at him.

The boat is quickly hauled over the side of the ship, and the human man pushes them both out and onto the deck. “I’ve got them, Captain!” he yells.

“Good!” a new voice yells back, and Vex twists around to see a red-skinned tiefling woman standing at the helm of the ship, with long white hair and a large three-cornered hat balanced awkwardly on her horns. “We’re turning around, people!”

The goliath grabs Vex’s shoulder again, holding her securely as the ship fairly wheels around, showing a maneuverability she wouldn’t have expected, honestly.

As soon as they’re facing out of the harbor again, the tiefling looks to the side, and Vex looks with her, seeing a woman with long red hair and a look of intense concentration standing at the railing about five feet away. She’s facing the ships Emon is trying to send at them, and Vex realizes that she must be the druid controlling the wind.

“Get us out of here!” the tiefling says, and the woman—another half-elf, Vex realizes with some wonder—nods decisively.

“Everyone hold on to something!” she yells. The man who’d helped bring Vex and Vax here lunges forward to grab the woman around the waist with one arm and tangles his other hand in the securely tied ropes next to them. The red-haired woman smiles at him quickly, and then she whirls her hands around.

The wind that had been keeping Emon’s ships back lets up abruptly, and Vex has a single moment to be profoundly grateful that the massive goliath is using his bulk to keep her and her brother solidly against the deck before the wind is turning instead to push them forward, away from Emon. The ship practically skips across the water, leaping forward so quickly she’s a little surprised they don’t spontaneously fall apart.

“Isn’t this dangerous?” she yells, barely audible over the screaming wind, though she already knows she doesn’t care. She’d always thought Vax was the adrenaline junkie in the family, but maybe that’s just because she hadn’t realized this was an option—that she could go this fast, be this reckless, feel this alive.

“Extremely!” the gnome yells back. He’s wrapped a length of rope around his entire body, knotting it tight around his waist. “Isn’t it great?”

“Yes!” she cries out, laughing in delight as her breath is ripped from her lungs and her hair tangles and blows into her mouth. “It’s amazing!”

—

When the wind finally eases up into something more manageable, a brisk breeze that keeps the ship going quickly, but doesn’t actually mean they all have to lie flat on the deck, the goliath rolls away and Vex pushes herself up gingerly.

“Wow,” Vax says. “That happened.”

“It really did,” she says. “It felt like we were flying.”

“I think we might’ve been, at times,” her brother says, looking a little green. “I don’t think ships are meant to do that.”

“They are if you’re as cool as we are,” the gnome says, untying himself and leaping up. “We do that all the time.”

“I really hope not,” Vax mutters, and Vex nudges him in the side, nodding at him to pay attention.

The tiefling woman, apparently the captain, walks down the short flight of stairs to where they are and looks them both up and down. “These are our prisoners?”

“Two half-elf twins, Vex’ahlia and Vax’ildan, as ordered,” the man who’d brought them says, untangling himself from both the druid and the ropes.

“Which is which?” the captain says.

“I’m Vex,” Vex says. “He’s Vax.”

“Thank you,” the woman says. “Very helpful of you.”

“Yeah, they’ve been like that,” the man says, going to stand at her shoulder. “The whole way, they keep being like, ‘how can I make kidnapping me easier for you?’ There’s something weird about them.”

The woman frowns, taking this in. “Well, that’s something to worry about,” she says. She looks to the side, at the druid. “How long can we keep up this pace?”

“Hours,” she says, pushing her hair back out of her face. “We might’ve gotten a little off course, though. I was a little more concerned with speed than accuracy. We can go faster again, if you’d like—”

“No, it’s better to try and correct our course and take stock,” the captain says. “You’ve done marvelously, darling, thank you.”

“Yeah,” the man says, actually grinning for once, wide and easy. “That was badass.”

“Aww,” the druid says, smiling back. “Thanks.” They kiss, quick and casual, and then she adds, “Someone who’s a better navigator than me should probably help me get back on course, though. Is Pike around?”

“I’ll get her!” the gnome says eagerly, and he instantly runs off without waiting for the captain to nod.

The man rolls his eyes. “What about them?” he says, pointing a thumb at Vex and her brother.

“Yes,” the captain says. “What about them.” After a long moment, she looks up at the goliath, still standing at their side and says, “Lock them in the brig.”

“Look, we really aren’t going to make any trouble,” Vex starts to say, but the captain just shakes her head.

“I’m afraid that doesn’t really matter at the moment,” she says. “We kidnapped you. You’re prisoners, and quite beyond that, my first mate doesn’t trust you. You’ll go in the brig, at least for the moment. We’ll discuss the rest later. Take them,” she says to the goliath, who promptly grabs each of them by an arm and drags them below.

Bitch, Vex thinks, scowling as she gets pulled along in the goliath’s wake.

—

“So there might’ve been a few flaws in this plan of yours,” Vax says dryly, as they lean against each other, settled in the back of a prison cell. At least the goliath untied them—more like ripped the ropes off—seemingly unconcerned with their being incredibly dangerous victims of kidnapping, or whatever it is the captain thinks.

“Oh, shut up,” she says. “We’re away from Syldor, aren’t we?”

“Yes,” he says. “I’ll take great comfort in that when the pirates leave us to starve down here because we’re prisoners.”

“It’s only until we get to Vasselheim,” Vex says. “And they can’t let us die. That’s not really the point of kidnapping someone.”

“So they don’t have all the money yet?” Vax says. “They get some on, on arrival, or whatever?”

“Of course,” she says. “How stupid do you think I am?”

“Right,” he says. “But that means you have the money on you, right? Because it’s not like we know anyone in Vasselheim.”

“They won’t find it,” she says instantly. “Even if they search us. Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m worrying about it,” he mutters, but he subsides. After a moment, he lifts his hands and puts them over hers, tangled in her lap. “It’ll be fine.”

“You know, brother, that’s less convincing when you’ve just spent a solid minute me telling me why it won’t,” she says, and when she exhales, she realizes her breath is a little shaky, and of course, he’s only saying it to try and make her feel better. Her hands are trembling, too, beneath his. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”

“Of course you are,” he says. “Of course it is. And if we spend the entire trip in the brig, what’s the big deal? It’s not that bad down here. At least they put us in the same cell.”

“That’s true,” she says, resting her head on his shoulder. He squeezes her hands.

“I love you,” he says quietly. “Everything’s going to be fine. Better off here than back in the Embassy.”

“Yeah?” she says, hating how desperate for reassurance she feels. “I know you didn’t hate it as much as I did.”

“Sure I did,” he says. “It was awful. And even if maybe it didn’t get to me as much, I hate anything you hate, Vex’ahlia. That’s how it goes.”

She smiles despite herself and presses it into his shoulder. He kisses the top of her head.

“I love you too,” she says. “You and me against the world. That’s how it goes.”

“Yes, it is,” he says, and they lapse into silence again. She can feel their chests expand and contract at the same time, and it’s comforting.

They sit there together for some amount of time, silent and curled against each other, when they hear the footsteps. It’s probably only been an hour or so, but to Vex, it feels like ages as she stretches and draws herself, feeling her brother do the same as she fixes her eyes on the approaching party.

The tiefling captain is in front, her arms crossed as she comes to a stop in front of the bars of their cell. She’s flanked by the human who’d brought them to the ship, apparently the first mate, and a different small gnome, this one female and blonde.

“Hello,” the captain says, in her deep musical voice. Vex kind of hates her, but she plasters a diplomatic smile to her face anyway.

“Hello,” she says.

“There’s been some question among my crew about why it is that you two were so open to being kidnapped,” the captain says. The way she holds herself, the stupid hat, the long coat all scream arrogance, and that’s without the sardonic smile she has on her face. “Would you like to clear up the matter?”

Vex can feel her own smile go saccharine despite her best intentions. “I wanted to see the world,” she simpers.

Her brother elbows her, hard. “Aren’t you supposed to be better at talking to people?” he says. “Captain, my sister and I were unhappy at home. We just jumped at the chance to leave, that’s all.”

The first mate snorts. “Yeah?” he says. “What’s this, then?” He sticks his spear through the bars directly toward them, and they both tense and shrink against the wall, but all he does is knock their cloaks to the side, revealing their bags. “You packed. You think we’re stupid, fine, but I’m not blind.”

“Why are you really here?” the captain says. “What are you, spies?”

Vex gapes at her. “That’s what you think?” she says. “Don’t be ridiculous!”

“It’s not ridiculous,” the captain says, a polite smile painted on her face while her tail twitches in irritation. “This small ship of pirates might not be much of a prize, but we have contacts you might be looking for.”

“Look,” Vex says, matching her smile for smile. “Just because you think you’re so important—”

“Wait,” the gnome says, cutting her off. She smiles at Vex too, but it looks much more genuine than anyone else’s. “They were really surprised when you said that. I don’t think that’s why they’re here.”

The captain glances at her first mate, who shrugs, but nods. “Fine,” she says. “You’re not here to spy. But let’s not pretend you didn’t know you were getting kidnapped. How? Why are you here?”

Vex bites her lip and looks over at her brother, who grimaces, but nods.

“I wasn’t lying,” he says, “when I said we were unhappy at home. My sister—we decided that paying pirates to kidnap us would be a good way of getting away.”

“Bullshit,” the man says.

“I don’t know,” the captain says, surprisingly. “Is it so unlikely?”

“Oh, come on, Z, you can’t possibly buy that crap,” the man says. “Who the hell pays pirates to kidnap them? What the fuck?”

“I would’ve done it,” the captain—Z, apparently—says, and Vex’s surprise grows. “Back when I lived with my father, I would’ve done it happily.” She looks at the man. “Are you really saying you’ve never been in a situation that you would’ve paid pirates to kidnap you out of? Really, darling?”

He scowls, but doesn’t say anything.

“I think they’re telling the truth,” the gnome says, solidifying her place as Vex’s favorite. “They seem like they’re telling the truth.”

“We are telling the truth,” Vex says, breaking in. She looks at Z. “Our father’s an asshole. It seems like you might know something about that, and yes, we paid you to kidnap us, but that just means we’re happy to be here. You don’t really have to keep us locked up.”

“We’re definitely keeping you locked up,” the man says immediately. “Definitely.”

“Why?” the gnome says, frowning slightly. “It doesn’t seem fair, if they aren’t going to make any trouble for us while we kidnap them. I bet they’ll even help.”

“We will,” Vex says. “We absolutely will. Isn’t that right, brother?”

“Yeah, sure,” he says. “We like being kidnapped.”

“All right,” Z says.

“Z!”

“Relax, dear,” she says, without looking. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done on a ship, and we’re a small crew. If I let you out, I’m going to put you to work.”

“That’s fine,” Vex says, not looking forward to the prospect of weeks below decks without seeing the sun. “We can work.”

“Z, this is nuts,” the first mate says. “We don’t know anything about them. Fine, they paid us to kidnap them, but that doesn’t mean we just trust them.”

“Kash!” the gnome says reproachfully. “They seem nice.”‘

Kash glares at her. “I thought we weren’t doing names,” he says.

The gnome shrugs, unbothered. “They seem nice,” she repeats.

“Oh, well, if they seem nice,” Kash mutters, and he continues grumbling under his breath while Z rolls her eyes.

“All right, compromise,” she says. “They can come out and play—”

“What are we, children?” Vex says, affronted.

“—but they sleep here, locked in,” Z continues, talking over her smoothly. She looks back at Vex and Vax and smiles. “My name—relax, Kashaw—is Captain Zahra Hydris. This is my first mate, Kashaw, and this is our cleric, Pike Trickfoot.”

“Hi!” Pike says, while Kash scowls at his feet. “It’s really nice to meet both of you. I’m sorry about your father. Did you get hurt at all while we were kidnapping you? Do you need any healing?”

Vex exchanges an incredulous glance with her brother. “Uh, no, thank you,” she says warily. “We’re fine.”

“Sometimes Grog can be a little rough,” Pike says. She looks more cheerful about that than Vex kind of feels like she should, her bright grin a little at odds with her concern over their possible injuries. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

“We’re fine,” Vex says. “I think someone said something about letting us out of here?” She smiles as winningly as she can at the captain—Z, or Zahra, properly, she supposes.

“Someone did,” Zahra says, smiling wryly. “Here, let me.” She pulls a ring of keys from a pocket and brings it forward, carefully unlocking the cell door. “Feel free to leave your things here, since you’ll be coming back.”

“Apparently we will,” Vex says dryly.

“I think we’re okay to carry it,” Vax says, frowning, as they both stand.

Kash rolls his eyes. “Nobody’s going to steal your shit. We don’t do that.”

“You’re pirates,” Vax says. “I think that’s all you do, actually.”

“Do we really have to let him out?” Kash says, but he doesn’t wait for an answer. “Look, asshole, we steal from other people. We don’t steal from each other. That way lies infighting and disasters and not a functional ship.”

“Honor among thieves?” Vax says.

“Non-dumbassness among thieves,” Kash says. “If you can’t trust the people on your ship, you don’t get anywhere.” He snorts. “And you were calling us stupid, fuck.”

“Hey,” Vex says, stepping forward. “Shut up about my brother.”

“I don’t know if I can,” Kash says. “He’s such an asshole.”

“Vex’ahlia, Kashaw,” Zahra says, sounding very patient. “Stop it, both of you.” She raises an eyebrow at Kash. “Weren’t you just talking about the dangers of infighting?”

Kash makes a face. “Yeah, okay, whatever. Captain,” he adds, as an afterthought.

Zahra just shakes her head at him, looking amused, before she turns to the twins. “If you want to leave your things, I can promise no one will take anything. Kash is right—that’s not how you run a ship. If you don’t want to, though, you’re also free to carry them, though I’ll warn you that labor here tends to be physical, so it might not be very convenient.”

After a moment, Vax shrugs and dumps his stuff on the floor of the brig’s cell, in the back corner. When everyone looks at him, he just says, “What can I say? That was convincing.”

Kash looks at him. “I fundamentally don’t understand you as a person.”

“That’s nice,” Vax says, leaving the cell and looking back at her. “You coming, stubby?”

“Just a moment,” Vex says, her hands on her packs, trying to understand how much she trusts these people. On the one hand, Kash and Zahra have a point—theft on an isolated, insular ship is a recipe for disaster. On the other hand, she and her brother are hardly members of the crew, even if they’re being let out of the brig, which might make them fair game. Eventually, she sighs and drops everything except the very, very valuable things, which she secures to herself very tightly, underneath her clothes.

“So suspicious,” Zahra says lightly as Vex comes out to join them.

“Prudent,” Vex says. “Captain Hydris.”

“If you’re prudent, what’s your brother?” Kash says.

“What’s your obsession with my brother?” Vex says, at the same time that Vax says, “Still smarter than you, asshole.”

“He’s an asshole, and he’s fun to fuck with,” Kash says, shrugging. “Want me to put them to work, Z?”

“That would be lovely, dear, thank you,” Zahra says. “Pike, come with me? I want to check and make sure Keyleth has got us back on course.”

“Sure,” Pike says. She smiles at Vex and Vax. “I’m sure I’ll see both of you around. It’s great to have you here!” She follows Zahra back up the stairs, and Vex looks at Kash.

“Is she always that…?”

“Cheerful?” Kash supplies. “Sweet? Nice? Yeah, pretty much. It’s either great or infuriating, I can never decide which. Don’t worry, pretty much everyone else on board is a dick.”

“Well, I know we haven’t had much of a sample size so far,” Vax says, “but all signs do point to you being right.”

“Hey, you hired pirates to kidnap you,” Kash says. “I don’t know what you expected.” He starts up the stairs and gestures at them to follow. “Come on, let’s get on deck.”

Vax squeezes her shoulder quickly. “Hey, you were right,” he murmurs, as they follow. “What do you know? Everything’s going to fine.”

“And you doubted me,” she says, grinning at him. “How could you?”

“Yes, I was very wrong,” he says. “Please forgive me, sister dearest.”

“I’ll give it some thought,” she says primly. “I don’t want to rush into anything.”

“You’re such a brat,” he says fondly, as they emerge onto the deck, blinking in the bright afternoon sun.

The ship is moving along quickly, the druid leaning on one of the railings and clearly still controlling the wind. Zahra and Pike are standing next to her, talking, and around them, people are doing things with the sails and ropes and who knows what else.

“So what are you good at?” Kash says, cutting into her wide-eyed staring. “I mean, I’m guessing you’re not sailors.”

“We’re not,” she says. “And neither of us is especially strong, but we’re both quite nimble.”

“My sister’s really observant,” Vax offers.

“My brother’s really sneaky and can pick locks,” she says. “But I suppose that’s less useful on a ship.”

“Yeah, unless he can hide the whole ship,” Kash says. He frowns, looking at her. “You’re observant? How do you feel about heights?”

“I love them,” she says immediately. “Why?”

“How do you feel about playing lookout?” he says. “We have Keyleth doing it sometimes, but she’s a little busy playing with the winds right now.”

“Keyleth? Oh, the druid.” She shrugs. “Sounds like fun, yeah.”

“Great,” he says. “Oh, wait. Do you get seasick?”

She shrugs. “I haven’t so far.”

“Good enough for me.” He points up the mast of the ship. “See the crow’s nest? Think you can get up there?”

She looks at the mess of ropes and rigging leading up to the top. “I don’t see why not,” she says.

“Okay,” he says. “Yell if you see something, especially a ship. Oh, here.” He pulls up a telescope and hands it to her. “That’ll help. Fair warning, though, the crow’s nest moves around more than any other part of the boat. If you need to throw up, just do it up there, okay? If you do it over the edge, it’s like the world’s worst seagull shit, and someone’s going to kill you.”

“I’ll keep it in mind,” she says dryly. “I’ll do my best not to get seasick.”

“If it looks like you’re dying, I’ll send Pike up,” he says. “Restoration spells work wonders on that shit, so feel free to yell for a cleric if you’re puking your guts out.”

“Thanks,” she says. “That’s sweet of you.”

“I’m a sweet guy,” he says.

Just then, the male gnome they’d met before, probably-Burt, runs up from somewhere below decks and says, “Captain! We have a problem! And by a problem, I mean, uh. An opportunity. For growth.”

“Oh, great,” Kash says. “This is going to be good.”

“What’s the problem, Scanlan?” Zahra calls out.

Apparently-Scanlan-and-not-Burt makes an uncertain sound. “Well, Captain, it seems that someone may have potentially forgotten to completely secure the water barrels below, and when Keyleth sped us up like that, some of them may have, uh. Smashed?”

Everyone on deck stops abruptly and stares. There are several horrified sounds. Kash’s mouth actually drops open.

“Ah,” Zahra says. “Well.”

“Who the fuck was supposed to check that?” Kash says.

“Let’s not lay blame,” Zahra says. “That’s hardly useful at this point. Scanlan, how much do we have? How long it will it last?”

“Not long enough to get to Vasselheim, that’s for sure, no matter how many spells Keyleth casts,” he says.

“Oh, that’s nice,” Kash says, walking towards Zahra. Vex glances at her brother and then follows, too curious to stay back. “Welcome, death. Can’t wait.”

“Kash,” Keyleth says, as he approaches. “Really?”

“What?” he says. “I’m being cheerful. That’s good, right? I can’t wait for our oncoming demise. It’ll be so much fun.”

She shakes her head at him, but she’s smiling. “Yeah, that’s right, it’ll be hilarious.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“I hate to disappoint you, darling, but our death may not be quite so imminent,” Zahra says.

“Yeah?” Kash says. “Damn. I was getting excited.”

“Yes, I can see that,” Zahra says. “Scanlan, could we get to Daggerbay?”

“Sure, probably,” he says. “You might want to take a look for yourself, though, if you’re worried about it. Percy’s there now, seeing what we can salvage.”

“I’ll go talk to him,” Zahra says.

“Daggerbay’s pretty far out of our way,” Kash says, frowning. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, not dying of thirst in the middle of the sea, solid plan, but that’s south of here. And Vasselheim’s, you know. Not.”

“Yes,” Zahra says. “Vex, Vax—you seem to be the ones bankrolling our current plans. Are you in a rush?”

“Not so much of a rush that we’d like to die of thirst,” Vex says. “What’s Daggerbay?”

“Someplace we can restock,” Zahra says, unhelpfully. Vex glares at her. “We’ll be taking a small detour, then, I suppose. Keyleth, I’m sorry, but—”

“No, that’s fine,” Keyleth says. “We’re going to have to turn the ship around again, though. I was steering us north.”

“I’ll man the helm while you’re talking to Percy,” Kash says to Zahra. “Me and Keyleth will get us pointed to Daggerbay. Pike, you mind helping with some navigation?”

“Sure,” she says. “I’ve got you.”

“Thank you, everyone,” Zahra says. “Scanlan, show me the disaster?”

Scanlan shakes his head sadly. “That’s not really what I want to hear beautiful women asking me to show them.”

“Your life is difficult,” Zahra says comfortingly. “Nevertheless.”

“Yeah, sure, I’ll show you where it’s wet,” Scanlan says, grinning.

Keyleth snorts and then looks embarrassed about it, and Kash groans. “Dude,” he says, “really? I thought we banned wet sex jokes. We live in the middle of the ocean.”

“It wasn’t about the ocean,” Scanlan says. “We banned sex jokes about the ocean being wet.”

“Or hard to sail,” Keyleth says thoughtfully. “Or hard at all. Or long.”

“We banned overdone ocean sex jokes,” Pike says. “The easy ones.”

“Right, but this wasn’t about the ocean,” Scanlan says. “So it was fine!”

“What’s your ruling, Captain?” Keyleth says.

Zahra smiles and tilts her head to the side slightly. “I’ll let it stand,” she says. “Scanlan’s right, it wasn’t about the ocean.”

“Yes!” Scanlan says. “Ha. Got one over you, Kash.”

“You wish you could get one over me,” Kash says. “Hey, Z, I’m sticking Vex in the crow’s nest, okay?”

“She’ll throw up,” Zahra says, frowning.

“I won’t,” Vex says, abruptly annoyed. “I’ll be fine. I don’t feel seasick at all.”

“It’s worse up there,” Zahra says, raising a cool eyebrow. “But have it your way, by all means.”

“Fine,” Vex says. “Excuse me.” She stalks towards the mast and stares up it, trying to get a feel for the rigging and ropes that lead to the top and biting her lip. Climbing has never exactly been her strong suit, but after a moment, she rubs her hands together and starts hauling herself up, bit by bit.

It takes her an embarrassingly long time—not least because Kash and Zahra, annoyingly, had a point, which she should have realized. The mast sways with the ship’s movement a lot more than any other part, like the handle of a top. She feels nauseated by the time she gets up to the nest, and it doesn’t get any better then. She pours herself into the nest and hangs on tight, pressing her forehead against the hard wood of the mast. It’s amazing how fine she’d felt down on deck compared to how she feels now, after half killing herself climbing up and now getting thrown around with the faintest rocking of the ship.

She forces herself to sit up and try to keep watch anyway, because she told annoying, aggravating, arrogant Zahra that she was going to do this, so she damn well is. The moment she opens her eyes and starts paying attention, she gasps in shock, staring at the way the sea sparkles in the sun, undulating gently as they move through it. She can see what must be miles in every direction, and everywhere she looks, there’s nothing but empty air and the open water.

It might be the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen. She almost forgets how sick she feels, staring at how the horizon stretches into the distance.

She hears herself laugh, and it sounds shocked, split open, her soul splintering out into the distance with the sunbeams slashing through the gaps in the clouds. The clouds, which somehow look closer than they ever have before, though she knows she’s not nearly high enough for it to make a difference.

Seasickness or not, Captain Zahra Hydris can pry being in the crow’s nest out of her cold, dead hands.

Her nausea reasserts itself eventually, making a bid for attention, but it’s not quite enough to drag her away from the sheer ecstatic beauty of her surroundings.

She’s so intent on looking around that she almost doesn’t notice when Pike tumbles into the nest with her, and she jumps and whirls around, which makes her groan and have to put her head between her knees again.

“Oh, Vex, I’m so sorry!” Pike says. “I didn’t mean to startle you!”

“It’s fine,” Vex mumbles. “I just—being still is better for me, right now.”

“Right,” Pike says. “I can take care of that, don’t worry.”

Vex feels a hand on her back, and the next thing she knows, the nausea is fading away completely, a cool, fresh feeling seeping into her bones. “Wow,” she says, looking up. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” Pike says, smiling at her. “You’d been up here long enough that I thought you had to be feeling it. It’s hard for everyone to keep their stomachs when they’re this high up, and you aren’t exactly a veteran sailor.”

“Thanks,” Vex says again, smiling back, before a creeping suspicion steals over her. “Captain Hydris didn’t send you up here, did she?”

Pike blinks, looking surprised. “She mentioned that I should probably come up and check on you before long, yes. Why?”

“I knew she thought I couldn’t do it!” Vex says, incensed. “She thinks I’m so helpless.”

“I…don’t think that’s it,” Pike says carefully. “Like I said, no one’s very good at being up here.”

“Sure,” Vex says, seething. “I was fine.”

“Of course you were,” Pike says soothingly, though after a moment, once Vex’s rage has died down enough, she manages to regain enough sense to remember that she’d very nearly spontaneously thrown up just because someone she’d been a bit startled.

“Sorry,” she says ruefully. “I didn’t mean to bite your head off.”

“Oh, that’s okay!” Pike says. “You’re fine. But—are you mad at the captain about something?”

“She just rubs me the wrong way,” Vex says flatly, though it occurs to her belatedly that although Pike seems really nice, insulting a pirate captain to her crew is probably a good way to get stabbed. “Oh, but I’m sure she’s…lovely.”

“She is!” Pike says. “I really think you should get to know her. You might like her more than you think.”

“Sure,” Vex says. “Of course.”

“Well,” Pike says. “Okay. Are you going to be okay up here now? The seasickness might come back, but your body should be getting a bit used to the way the mast moves now.”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Vex says. “Thanks, Pike.”

“Oh, any time,” Pike says. “Just yell if you need another, and someone will come to get me.”

“Thanks,” Vex says again. “You’re really sweet, you know?”

“Aww,” Pike says. “Thanks! I’m glad you’re around, Vex.” She slips out of the crow’s nest again and climbs back down the rigging. Vex leans over briefly to watch her swinging down the rigging, much more easily than Vex had when she’d climbed up.

She waves at Pike, and then she leans back against the nest, looking up at the sky. Without the nausea, it’s even more glorious.

She watches the sea for what must be hours, as the ship cuts through the waves, heading south, to whatever Daggerbay is. Her surroundings are completely empty—she can’t even see the shore of Tal’Dorei, though it seems impossible that they’ve gone so far in so little time.

The sun sets, and the seasickness returns a little, but not nearly enough for her to contemplate calling Pike back.

She feels better enough that she actually notices this time when someone climbs up and joins her in the crow’s nest, though that doesn’t stop her from gaping in incredibly undignified shock when it turns out to be Zahra, bizarre hat still totally in place despite her exertions.

“Hello,” Zahra says, once it presumably becomes clear that Vex is incapable of speech.

“Captain Hydris,” Vex manages stiffly, once she gets her head on straight again. “I didn’t expect to see you up here.”

“I don’t come up often,” Zahra says, looking past Vex, out at the sea. “But I do love the view. I thought I might relieve you for a time, so that you could get some dinner.”

“Dinner?” Vex says.

“We do feed people here,” Zahra says, looking amused. “And besides, people we kidnap aren’t worth much to us dead.”

“Ah, yes,” Vex says. “That kind of dinner.” She nods. “I’ll be back after I’ve eaten. Thank you,” she adds, grudgingly.

As she goes to start climbing down again, though, Zahra stops her with a light hand on her arm. “You know, Vex’ahlia,” she says. “I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot.”

Vex straightens up from where she’d been halfway over the edge of the nest, standing and turning around. “Throwing someone in a cell can do that.”

Zahra’s lips twitch up into a tiny smile. “You did pay me to kidnap you, darling. I don’t know what you expected.”

After a moment, Vex smiles too, albeit wryly. “I’m not sure either.” She pauses and then says carefully, “I wasn’t expecting to have to tell you that I was the one paying you. I don’t particularly like telling people things. And yes,” she says, holding up a hand, “I know my brother and I walked into that, what with being so agreeable about our kidnap. All the same.”

“All the same,” Zahra says. She leans back against the mast, crossing her arms. “Out of curiosity, why not just tell us upfront? Pay us to stage a kidnap and then sail you to Vasselheim. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Vex says carefully.

“If it comes to that, why not just buy passage on a merchant ship?” Zahra says.

“Our father is powerful. He has ties to the merchant ships,” Vex says. “We never would’ve gotten away without him knowing, and he would’ve stopped us.”

“Ah,” Zahra says.

“As for the other…” Vex looks out across the water again. It’s shining red and pink and gold under the setting sun, like a cape for some rich lord. “I wasn’t certain how someone would react to being told I wanted to be kidnapped away from my own father.”

There’s a long silence, while she keeps her eyes determinedly fixed on the undulating orange waves.

“You may have come to the right place for that,” Zahra says, at last.

Vex looks at her. There’s something very still, very careful about the way Zahra is holding herself, despite the rocking motion of the ship. Vex thinks, abruptly and bizarrely, that Captain Zahra Hydris might be the only still thing for miles.

“So you said,” she says, belatedly. “He wasn’t evil, you know. Just—”

“Uninterested?” Zahra offers.

“No,” Vex says. “Not that. Not quite disgusted either, though that’s more—” She stops. “Have you ever seen a very fastidious man get mud on the hem of his trousers?”

“Well, that’s a visual,” Zahra says. She doesn’t say she’s sorry. “My father was evil.”

Vex nods, and the silence weighs down on them. “Never tell me we’re bonding,” she says at last, tossing her hair.

Zahra smiles. “A truly horrifying thought. Go eat, dear, and we’ll never speak of this again.”

“Yeah,” Vex says. “Okay.”

She climbs down thoughtfully, a little off balance, and not from the movement of the sea, only realizing when her feet hit the deck again that she has no idea where she’s going. She looks around blindly and starts hopefully for the nearest opening to below decks, when a voice calls out to her.

“Lost?” a man says.

She turns around a sees a new person walking towards her, a man—young, but with shockingly white hair. His voice is cultured in a way that makes her want to bristle, associating it with Syldor and his friends, but she tamps down the urge. “Not exactly,” she says.

“You must be one of our victims,” he says, stopping in front of her and shoving his hands in his pockets, looking her up and down. “I’m Percival Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III.” When she stares at him, he smiles faintly. “But you can call me Percy.”

“Right,” she says. “Percy. I’m Vex’ahlia, but you can call me Vex.”

“Nice to meet you,” he says. “Were you looking for the food?”

“I suppose,” she says. “Captain Hydris said there was dinner, and even the prisoners were getting fed.” She smiles to show she’s kidding, and he smiles back.

“Yes, we feed everyone here, it’s all very socialist,” he says. “I’ll show you where to go.”

“Thanks,” she says, falling into step with him. “So, what does everyone do on this ship? Zahra’s the captain, Kash is the first mate, Keyleth keeps the winds on our side, Pike’s the navigator—”

“Pike’s the healer,” Percy says, correcting her. “She’s a cleric of Sarenrae.”

“Oh, of course,” Vex says, feeling stupid. “She fixed my seasickness.”

“She does navigation too,” Percy says. “She spent some time on another ship before she and Grog wound up here, and she picked up some stuff.”

“Grog?”

“The goliath?”

“Oh,” Vex says. “I thought his name was Philip.”

Percy laughs. “No, that’s—it’s a long story. He’s the muscle.”

“That I guessed,” she says. “And the other gnome? Scanlan?”

“He does magic, he talks to people, he does a little of everything else,” Percy says. “And I’m the gunner. And I fix things.”

“You’re the very inventive gunner who was blowing up Emon,” Vex says, impressed.

“Yes,” Percy says, smiling a little bitterly. “I have a talent for destruction.”

“Good for you,” she says. “Vax—my brother—and I heard it in the Cloudtop district.”

“Zahra wanted a distraction,” he says. “Something loud, showy, and dramatic. Of course, now we’ve painted a target on our backs that every ship in Tal’dorei will want to hit, but these things happen.” He eyes her. “You must be paying us something very impressive.”

“I must be,” she agrees, relieved when they reach what’s clearly the mess hall. “Thanks for showing me the way.”

“Any time,” he says.

She nods and takes a moment to look around. It doesn’t seem like an excessively small ship, which means that they must all be ridiculously good at their jobs, since there seem to be so few people here. Even given that Zahra is up, away from here, it’s a very small crew.

“Vex,” her brother says, appearing at her side and taking her arm. She doesn’t see him, but at this point in their lives, it doesn’t even make her jump. She’s used to it. “There you are.”

“Here I am,” she agrees. “Have a good day, brother?”

“Fine,” he says. “You’ve made a friend.”

“Oh,” she says. “Vax, this is—you can call him Percy. Percy, this is my brother, Vax’ildan.”

“Hi,” Vax says, wrapping an arm around her waist, easy and possessive. She leans her head on his shoulder. “I think I’ve seen you around.”

“Probably,” Percy says. “I’ve mostly been running around making sure the rest of the ship didn’t get banged up too badly when Keyleth flew us out of there.”

“That’s good,” Vex says. “How does the food situation work? Are there rules?”

“Hmm?” Percy says. “Oh, not really. We’re pirates, after all. Civilization is something that happens to other people, as I understand it. Come on.”

He leads them over to a wood table, apparently bolted onto the floor, where Kash and Keyleth are already sitting and talking quietly. They both look up, and Keyleth smiles at all of them. “Oh, hey,” she says.

“Hello,” Percy says, sliding onto the bench next to her. “High five for being Emon’s most wanted.”

Keyleth snorts, but she slaps his hand. “It’s not like they know it was you and me specifically. Just, you know, generally this ship.”

“We’re so fucked,” Kash says. Keyleth giggles, and he grins wryly. “Yeah, it’s hilarious.”

“Sorry to have caused you so much trouble,” Vex says, exchanging a glance with her brother as they slide onto the bench on the other side of the table.

“Oh, no, we’ll figure it out,” Keyleth says quickly. “It’s really great having you here! Really!”

“Yeah, I personally love having every legal ship in the seas out for our blood,” Kash mutters, taking a long gulp of his drink. Keyleth elbows him rather obviously in the side, and he grimaces. “No, it’s fine, actually. Z always kind of wanted to be notorious.”

“You don’t?” Vex says.

“If she wants it, I’m all for it,” Kash says firmly. “Besides, the bragging rights when we get to Daggerbay will make Grog and Scanlan’s year.”

“Right, about Daggerbay,” Vax says, leaning forward to grab a couple of plates off the table, dumping one in front of Vex. Together, they start to spear bits of food on the platters, copying Percy. Vex pours ale into two tankards and passes one to her brother.

“What about it?” Kash says.

“What is it?” Vex says. “Other than where we’re going next, to refuel.”

“It’s sort of a pirate city,” Keyleth says, picking at a bit of chicken. “Scanlan likes to call it a hive of disreputable bastards.”

“Keyleth,” Kash says. “You shouldn’t just tell them that.”

“Why not?” she says. “I mean, if they wanted to get us arrested, paying us to kidnap them would definitely be enough. And it’s not as if the governing bodies in Tal’Dorei don’t know it’s there.”

“They do?” Vex says, interested. “How can it stay safe?”

“It’s not worth it for anyone to attack,” Percy says. “It’s well-guarded—with men and magic—and we’d take too many of them with us. Nobody would hesitate to blow the place sky high if it looked like it might actually get taken over.”

“Hell, maybe that’s what happened,” Kash says. When Vex glances at him, confused, he says, “The place is built in the ruins of O’Noa, but fuck if anyone knows what happened to it. Either way, the bay itself is incredibly dangerous, if you don’t know how to get through—”

“Sharp rocks,” Keyleth supplies.

“Ah,” Vex says. “Daggerbay.”

“—right, yeah,” Kash says. “And we guard it well on the landward side, even if the Emerald Outpost is sitting right there.”

Vex stiffens, and next to her, she feels her brother do the same. “The Emerald Outpost?” she says. “Is that where we’re going?”

“Well, no,” Kash says patiently. “We’re going to the bay. What’s your issue with the outpost?”

“It’s very near Syngorn,” Vax says slowly.

“Oh,” Percy says. “Of course. We did kidnap you from the embassy, didn’t we? Not to worry, we won’t go past the ruins, and the elves don’t bother us.”

“I think they think we’re beneath their notice,” Kash says dryly.

Vex smiles despite herself. “Probably.”

“I visited Syngorn once, when we were stuck on shore for a while,” Keyleth says. “They’re…not very nice, huh?”

Vex looks at Keyleth’s distinctly half-elven features and pats her hand comfortingly. Keyleth glances at her and smiles in a surprised kind of way.

“Not so much,” Vax says dryly. “Sorry you had to deal with that.”

“Sucks,” Kash says succinctly, taking another sip of ale, his elbows firmly braced on the table.

Keyleth turns her head towards him, grinning. “You say the sweetest things.”

“I’m a sweet guy,” Kash says, completely deadpan.

Keyleth kisses him on the cheek, and Kash half-smiles into his mug.

Percy smiles at them fondly, and Vex glances down at her plate. Underneath the table, her brother’s hand worms its way into hers, squeezing tight, and she feels her tension recede, just like that. The pirates seem friendly enough, and she has her brother.

She leans over and whispers into his ear, “Best plan or best plan?”

“Oh, shut up, stubby,” he mutters, kicking her ankle, and she sniggers.

—

After she finishes eating, she slips back up the stairs, knocking her fist against her brother’s shoulder in a quick and silent goodbye on her way out the door.

The sun’s set, and the sky is dark and starry and seemingly endless. She stops by the railing to look over the side of the ship for a moment, westwards, away from Tal’Dorei. This late at night, the horizon disappears completely, the sky and the water fading into one another. She smiles out into the distance and goes back to the mast, climbing up more easily this time.

“You’re back,” Zahra says, when she tumbles over the side of the crow’s nest.

“You sound surprised,” Vex says, brushing herself off. “Did you think I was going to make a run for it in the middle of the Ozmit Sea?”

“I’d be very impressed if you did,” Zahra says. “No, I just thought you’d want to go to bed. It’s been a long day for you, I imagine.”

“What with the being kidnapped?” Vex says lightly. “Actually, that was positively restful.”

Zahra smiles. “You know, I said you had to work, but you don’t have to do it up here. I know the nausea can be much worse, this high up.”

“I like it,” Vex says, surprised into total honesty. When Zahra raises her eyebrows, she says, “No, really, I do.”

“No need to try and impress me,” Zahra says, and Vex rolls her eyes.

“No need to be quite so egotistical, darling,” she says. “I do like it. Not the seasickness, obviously, that’s a nightmare, but it’s worth it.” She leans on the edge, next to Zahra, looking out. “It’s so—I feel as though I could go anywhere. Like the whole world has been laid out in front of me. I’ve never felt so—I don’t know.”

“Free?” Zahra says, and Vex looks away from the horizon at her. Zahra smiles. “That’s how I felt. I didn’t become a pirate for the money, you know.”

“Do you mean the money isn’t good, after all?” Vex says. “You’re ruining my dreams.”

“How could I,” Zahra says. “Not to worry, the money is very good, and of course, I do appreciate that. But it can’t compare to feeling quite as completely unfettered as you do in the middle of the open water.”

“There aren’t a lot of things money can’t compare to,” Vex says, but she smiles. She brushes a stray bit of hair out of her face and says, “Is there a night shift for keeping watch up here?”

“I suppose there is,” Zahra says. “You can have first watch, I suppose. I’ll be at the helm—when someone comes to relieve you, I’ll take you back down to your…”

“Room?” Vex says dryly. “But if you’re doing that, whoever’s going to lock Vax in?”

“I think Kash would do that with glee,” Zahra says.

“In that case, I’ll see you in a few hours,” Vex says, turning back to look out at the water. “I’ll just be up here, watching for evildoers.”

“No, dear, that’s us,” Zahra says. “You watch for the gooddoers.”

“Oh, of course, my mistake,” Vex says seriously. “If I see any people out to make the world a better place, I’ll be sure let you know.”

“Do that,” Zahra says, smiling at her, and then she vaults over the side of the nest and swings back down to the deck.

Vex watches her go, and then she straightens and keeps her eyes on the distant, faint horizon.

—

The door to the brig swings open remarkably silently, considering how much of a rust problem they must have out here, but Vex still sees her brother’s eyes blink open, though he doesn’t lift his head up from where he’s curled up on the floor. She steps inside and hears Zahra shut and lock the cell behind her, sitting down next to him.

“Hey,” she says, once she’s heard Zahra’s footsteps recede.

“Hey,” he says, lifting his head enough to prop it up on his arm. “You’re back late.”

“I took the first watch,” she says, yawning. “Up in the crow’s nest. It’s amazing up there, brother. Like nothing I’ve ever seen.”

“Glad you’re having a good time,” he says.

“I’ve certainly had worse,” she says, leaning back against the wall and stretching her legs out. “What do you think of my plan now, hmm?”

“You’ve certainly had worse,” he says, teasing, and she flicks him lightly on the shoulder. “We seem to be doing all right,” he adds. “Even the cell isn’t that uncomfortable.”

“What did Kash have you doing all day?”

He shrugs, flopping back onto his back and looking up at her. “Basic things. There was a lot of knot tying and cleaning and carrying things. I think you had the more exciting job, honestly.”

“It’s a good job,” she says. “I’m not really sorry I paid pirates to kidnap us.”

“It’s been going all right,” he admits.

“So you admit that I’m the brains of this operation?”

He laughs. “As if, stubby.”

“You’re such a jerk,” she says. “It’s really amazing what an asshole you are.”

“I figure it’s in our genetics,” he says. “You know, a predisposition towards being a little bitch.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says primly. “I’m lovely.”

“Yeah,” he says. “The loveliest jerk I’ve ever met.”

She punches him in the arm, and then she stretches out onto the floor next to him. Still wincing theatrically, he reaches out an arm and puts it around her in an almost automatic way.

“Get some sleep,” he says. “We have to keep pretending we know anything at all about being on a ship tomorrow.”

“Speak for yourself,” she says. “All I have to do is look at things.”

“Why did you get the cushy job?” he says.

“Because you practically volunteered me for it, dumbo,” she says. “You told Kashaw I was good at watching things, and next thing I knew, I was halfway up into the sky trying not to puke my guts up.”

“I thought you liked it.”

“I do,” she says, grinning. “I’m just giving you a hard time.”

“Of course you are,” he mutters. “You’re the worst, Vex’ahlia.”

“Mm-hmm,” she says. “Go to sleep, brother.”

“You first,” he says, like a fucking dare, and she drifts off smiling.

—

The next week or so is like that—almost routine, even though it’s completely outside of anything Vex has ever done or anywhere she’s ever been. But however exciting she expected piracy to be, mostly she just wakes up in the morning, climbs the rigging, watches the ocean, and goes back to sleep at night. It’s not boring, exactly, but it’s also not really the way she’d expected a pirate’s life to go.

Keyleth keeps the winds blowing them in the right direction, and the rest of the crew races around, doing things she doesn’t really understand at all. Occasionally there’s shouting, which she can only assume her brother is getting to recognize and learn how to respond to, but she stays in the air and relatively removed from all that. The actual mechanics of sailing a ship are still completely beyond her. Sometimes she has shouted conversations with people, sometimes they’ll climb up to keep her company, but, as Pike confides in her, mostly people find their nausea to be so bad that high up on the mast that they can’t take it for long.

As far as Vex is concerned, and as she tells Zahra when asked again, it’s still worth it.

“Really?” Zahra says mildly. “Oh, I’m not doubting you, darling,” she adds, apparently correctly interpreting the face Vex makes at that. “I just find it a little hard to understand. The view’s lovely, of course, but…”

“You’re up here,” Vex says, looking over at her. Zahra is standing against the railing, her arms braced firmly on either side of her as she turns her face into the wind. Her hair is being blown back wildly, like a streak of moonlight against the night sky or embroidery thread made of real silver, her stupid hat is somehow staying on her head, and she certainly doesn’t look like she’s unhappy up here. “If it’s so horrifying, why come up at all?”

“Why, for the company, of course,” Zahra says, and Vex frowns at her. After a moment, Zahra smiles. “Besides, I didn’t say it was horrifying. I just meant that most people don’t seem to find that the view makes up for everything else. At least not after an hour or two. Besides, most people—normal people, you understand, people who aren’t you—”

“I can’t tell whether to be complimented or insulted,” Vex says musingly, resting her chin on her hand in a mock thoughtful pose.

“—Do get bored of the view,” Zahra says. “And of course you should feel complimented, darling, I mean only the nicest things about your oddness.”

Vex takes a leaf out of her brother’s book and flips her off, grinning. “I just don’t how anyone could get bored of this,” she says, looking out at the sea. This late at night, the only light is from the moon and stars, but they reflect across the water like someone spilled jewels on a piece of rippling silk. “It’s so beautiful.”

“It is beautiful,” Zahra says. “But it will still be beautiful, and in the same way, in about an hour.”

Vex shakes her head. “I like heights,” she says, though it feels wholly inadequate. Liking heights can’t encompass the wild, ecstatic pleasure of being so far above the world and seeing it all laid out before her. It doesn’t say anything about the spark of danger in her stomach when she leans too far over the edge, or how she tilts with the basket when the ship crests over a wave and feels, just for a second, how she could tip right out and fall into the endless ocean.

“I see that,” Zahra says, and Vex wonders if she does.

She looks out at the ocean again and smiles. “Clear skies again,” she says. “You know, I think I was led to believe that being a sailor meant a lot more fighting against ship-killing storms.”

“Led to believe by whom?” Zahra says, laughing.

“Oh, I don’t know. Bards’ stories,” Vex leans against the railing, tipping forward a little and pressing her face into the breeze.

“Well, those ships must not have had a druid,” Zahra says, behind her. “It’s very useful, if you’d rather be alive than a story.”

“Mm, yes,” Vex says, a silence descends between them, but it’s light and friendly, and she relaxes into the sound of the waves lapping against the ship’s hull.

“I have to ask,” Zahra says at last, and then she trails off.

“Oh, you have to?” Vex says, teasing, turning around again and smiling at her. “Funny how you don’t seem to be doing it.”

Zahra mock-scowls at her, and then she tilts her head to the side thoughtfully. “I don’t want you to think that I’m asking out of anything but curiosity, so while I’m feeling the need to ask, you certainly needn’t feel the need to answer. I’m not asking as the captain of this ship, but as a—a—a friend.”

“A friend,” Vex repeats, her breath catching in her throat. She tries to remember if anyone, in the long years since Syldor took them away from Byroden, has ever described themselves as her friend before. She forces a smile. “Well, then, what does my friend want to know?”

“Why not just run away?” Zahra says. “From your father. Kidnapped by pirates seems a rather dramatic decision.”

“It does, doesn’t it,” Vex says. She laughs, but without much humor. “We did run away. We tried that first. We got all the way back to the village where our mother lived, found out it had been destroyed by a dragon and everyone was dead, and then our father came and found us and brought us back.”

“Ah,” Zahra says. “That’s…unfortunate.”

“Which part?” Vex snaps. She shakes her head, holding a hand up. “No, I know you mean well. It’s just not a very good memory.” She takes a deep, steadying breath and turns her back on Zahra again. “Anyway, that’s why we didn’t just run away.”

“I see,” Zahra says quietly. Vex feels her come up behind her, and she tenses, waiting for the I’m sorry, for the unhelpful, That must have been awful. Instead, she feels one brief touch of Zahra’s hand against her back, and then Zahra leans on the railing next to her and says, “Do you know anything about astronomy?”

Vex blinks, thrown. “Astronomy?”

“The stars and such,” Zahra says. “You’re always up here looking at the sky; I thought you might enjoy knowing something about what you’re looking at.”

“Other than it’s something incredibly beautiful?” Vex says. After a moment, she angles her body towards Zahra’s, who mirrors her. The wind is strong tonight, but there’s a narrow triangle of warm, still air between their bodies. “I don’t, actually,” she says. “Why don’t you tell me?”

—

When she slips back into the brig that night, and Zahra locks the door behind her, she feels her brother blink muzzily awake as she lies down beside him.

“S’late,” he mutters.

“So go back to sleep,” she whispers, stretching out and closing her eyes.

“Mm,” he says. There’s a moment of silence, and she thinks he’s dropped off again, and then he says, sounding more awake, “Up late talking to Zahra again?”

“Huh?” she says, yawning. “Oh, yeah, I guess.”

“Oh,” he says. There’s an odd note in his voice, but she’s too tired to try and parse it out, so she just hums in approval when she feels him undo her braid and start untangling her hair, and then she falls asleep.

—

Vex is sitting up in the crow’s nest again, watching the shore of Tal’Dorei on their port side warily, when Kash shouts loudly, “We’re coming up on Daggerbay!”

“Fucking finally!” Scanlan yells.

“What’s your rush?” Kash says.

“It’s been a very long time since I’ve been able to shower my favors on the ladies of the night,” Scanlan says cheerfully.

“I did not need to know that,” Kash snaps.

“Then why did you ask?” Grog says.

“Yeah, I’m just trying to be an honest individual who shares his thoughts and feelings when requested,” Scanlan says.

“Yeah, here’s an order from the goddamn first mate on this ship: stop,” Kash says.

“Zahra! Captain!” Scanlan yells. “Kashaw is abusing his power again!”

“I’ll abuse something of yours next,” Kash says darkly, and up in the air, Vex presses her face into her arm as she laughs and laughs.

“Don’t make me come over there!” Zahra says, but she sounds more amused than anything else, and when Vex glances down, far away as she is, she can see her smile.

“See what you get for crying to mom?” Kash tells Scanlan.

“She totally likes me better than you,” Scanlan says.

Zahra shakes her head and looks up, meeting Vex’s eyes. “You’d better come down from there,” she calls out. “Our sailing is about to get very choppy, and we’re in safe waters now. No need for a look-out this close to home.”

Vex swings down, letting herself half-fall down the ropes, comfortable with this climb now. “Daggerbay is home?” she says, going to Zahra’s side and leaning against the side of the ship, watching Zahra steer.

“Well, the ship is home,” Zahra says. “But Daggerbay is as close as we get on land.”

“How long will we be there?” Vex says.

Zahra glances over at her. “Well, we could be out very quickly, after we restock. I understand if you’re eager to get to Vasselheim.”

Vex shrugs. “Honestly, I’ve never even been to Vasselheim. Vax and I are in no rush.”

Zahra smiles. “In that case, we might stay a few days. It’s good to be able to spend time with people we don’t live with, and I think everyone could use a break.”

“That sounds like fun,” Vex says. “What’s it like? Daggerbay.”

“Well, it’s where pirates hide out when they need to land on shore,” Zahra says. “So the people who actually live there are, as a rule, of about the same moral fiber.”

“So I should keep an eye on my purse,” Vex says.

“Something like that,” Zahra says, her eyes on the approaching shoreline. “Keyleth! Keep the winds easy for us, we don’t want this to be any harder than it has to be!”

“On it!” Keyleth yells.

“Is there something I should be doing?” Vex says. “Since you’ve removed me from my usual job.”

“No,” Zahra says, frowning as she steers carefully. “This particular part is less of a group project, to be completely honest.”

“Excellent,” Vex says, making herself comfortable. “In that case, I’ll just be here, watching in awe and being extremely fascinated.” Zahra turns the wheel a little, and she gasps in demonstration. “Oh, Captain Hydris,” she says, making her voice flutter. “How impressive you are!”

“Tell me,” Zahra says with a smile, apparently willing to be teased, “have I done something to annoy you lately?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Vex says, grinning. “I’m just overcome with how amazing and wonderful and talented you are.”

“I think I’d prefer it if you’d make disparaging comments,” Zahra says.

“I know,” Vex says smugly, and Zahra shakes her head.

“You’re a terrible person,” she says.

“Oh, Captain Hydris! However could you say something like that about someone who is only trying to show her appreciation and affection?”

“Darling, I’ll lock you back in your room,” Zahra says, and Vex just laughs.

—

The ruins of O’Noa, Vex realizes, don’t just form the base for the city’s architecture, they’re practically all the architecture there is. Daggerbay hasn’t so much been built on top of it as grafted on, awkwardly, by people who didn’t really know what they were doing. Slats of wood and huge pieces of tarpaulin make roofs. Additions to other buildings have been tacked on by nothing very much, and some of it looks like it might fall apart at any moment at all.

“I love what you’ve done with the place,” she says, grinning at Zahra as they step onto the dock.

“Oh, thank you, dear, how kind,” Zahra says dryly. “I did it myself.”

“We’re pirates, not architects,” Kash says, an arm around Keyleth’s waist.

“That’s pretty obvious, I’m not going to lie,” Vax says.

“You’re going to say the wrong thing to someone and get beat up, and I’m going to watch and laugh,” Kash tells him.

“Funny, I didn’t know you had a sense of humor,” Vax says.

“Do they ever stop?” Vex says. “I’m starting to wish I’d paid a different set of pirates to kidnap us; these are starting to get on my nerves.”

“Oh, you’d miss us,” Keyleth says cheerfully.

“By the way,” Zahra says, beckoning the rest of the crew over. “If everyone could keep as quiet as possible about the fact that we’ve kidnapped Vex and Vax, that would be helpful.”

Grog frowns. “We can’t talk about how cool that was?”

“We can talk about how we attacked the heavily fortified city of Emon,” Zahra says. “We just can’t talk about why. Feel free to make something up.”

“Great,” Kash says. “We attacked the heavily fortified city of Emon and its massive navy for shits and giggles. We’re going to look like morons.”

“Is that new for you?” Vex and her brother both say at exactly the same time, and they high-five without looking.

“It’s really, really not,” Percy says, sounding both amused and resigned. “How about ‘we attacked the heavily fortified city of Emon to steal something very valuable, and we emerged victorious’? That’s at least vaguely feasible.”

“What did we steal?” Pike says. “Other than you two, that is,” she says, with a quick smile at Vex and Vax.

“You stole my heart,” Scanlan says to her, grinning.

“Oh, thanks, that’s sweet,” she says. “But I meant from Emon.”

“Just be mysterious,” Percy says. “With any luck, there’ll be a dozen rumors by the time we leave, and no one will know for sure.”

“That sounds reasonable,” Zahra says. “Can everyone remember that? Grog?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Grog says. “We attacked the heavy fucked city of Emon, and we stole a shiny thing, but you can’t know what. I got it.”

“Yes, precisely,” Percy says.

“You nailed it, big guy,” Vax says, slapping Grog on the back. “Nice job.”

“Excellent,” Zahra says. “Gilmore’s first, and then you’re all free to go wherever you like.”

“Gilmore’s is the best, anyway,” Keyleth says happily. “Gilmore’s great, and sometimes he gives us free drinks.”

They all walk together down the dock, and Vex falls into step with Zahra. “Why can’t people know you kidnapped us?” she says quietly.

“Well, first of all, it would invite questions about why you’re here, walking around with us, and not in chains on the ship,” Zahra says. “And more worryingly, someone might decide that means you’re worth something and try to steal you for themselves. I don’t think either of us wants that.”

“You wouldn’t get the rest of your money, for one,” Vex says.

“Dear, that would not be my primary concern,” Zahra says.

“Well, it should be,” Vex says flippantly. “It’s a lot of money.”

“It is, and I look forward to receiving it,” Zahra says. “Nevertheless, my primary concern would be your welfare.”

“You’re going soft,” Vex says, being sure to keep her tone light and her eyes turned forward, ignoring the way her heartbeat has ratcheted up. “Big bad pirate captain, all worried about her kidnapping victims.”

Zahra sighs, so softly Vex almost doesn’t hear it, and then she says, “My reputation may never recover, it’s true. Do you promise to cower in fear whenever strangers are around?”

Vex laughs, relieved. “I don’t know. I don’t do ‘fear’ well, honestly. But for you, darling, I promise to make an effort.”

“That’s very sweet of you,” Zahra says. “I promise to remember it when I decide the money would be better if I sold you to the highest bidder.”

“As long as it isn’t our father,” Vex says. “Anyone else, and I could forgive you.”

“Darling,” Zahra says, her voice oddly heavy for the conversation, “I would never.”

—

Gilmore’s is apparently a bar, deep into the ruins, built onto the side of a huge, crumbling building—possibly an old mansion or temple. Unlike most of the other structures in this place, it looks as if the owner has actually attempted to make it attractive. The newer pieces of architecture grafted onto the ruins follow the aesthetic and lines of the older building underneath, and while it’s still clearly a later addition, the effect isn’t actually bad, just a little eclectic.

They step inside as a group, hailed by some of the people sitting around the tables, drinking and talking loudly. The half-elf—another half-elf—tending bar glances up at them and snorts loudly. It isn’t actually audible over the noise, but from the look on her face and the way her head jerks in a derisive motion, it’s clear what she’s doing.

Zahra leads them over to her and leans against the bar. “Sherri.”

“Captain Hydris,” the half-elf says primly, cleaning a glass. “Here for a drink?”

“Not quite,” Zahra says. “Is Gilmore around?”

“He’s busy,” the woman says. “Is that all?”

“Oh, come on, Sherri, baby, don’t be like that,” Scanlan says, climbing up onto a chair in order to be seen better. “Aren’t you at least a little happy to see us?” He winks.

To Vex’s utter surprise, Sherri actually blushes a little, ducking her head. “Oh, hello, Scanlan,” she says.

“Hello, beautiful,” Scanlan says, grinning and tossing his hair. “I don’t suppose you have a drink for a, uh, tired sailor?”

“Well, I suppose,” Sherri says, smiling and pouring some ale into the glass and passing it to him.

“And if you could at least take a message to Gilmore?” Percy says diplomatically. “We understand, of course, if he’s too busy to see us—”

“Yes, yes,” Sherri says, looking less pleased. “I’ll let him know you’re here.” She walks away, through a low doorway with a beaded curtain, radiating disapproval.

“Damn,” Vex says. “What did you do piss her off?”

“Would you believe me if I said I have no idea?” Zahra says, sounding tired.

“It might be that Gilmore’s always giving us discounts and buying us drinks and shit,” Kash says, sitting on a stool. “I don’t think she approves.”

“Or you all might just not be charming enough,” Scanlan says cheerfully, sipping his ale and smirking. “Just because I know how to treat a lady—oh, but Pike, rest assure that my heart remains yours and yours alone—”

“Mmhmm,” Pike says, looking amused. Her eyes dance as she adds, “You know, Scanlan, I really feel like this is a sign that you aren’t ready for real relationship.”

“Pike! Say it isn’t so!” Scanlan says, clapping a hand to his chest. “Just say the word, and I will lay my heart at your feet!”

“Oh, hey, that sounds cool,” Grog says. “Pike, you should tell him to do that.”

“He doesn’t mean his real heart, Grog,” Pike says, patting him on the arm. She has to reach up a bit to do it. “Sorry.”

“Oh,” Grog says. “That’s lame.”

“It’s romantic,” Scanlan says.

“It would be more romantic if there was more blood and violence,” Grog says. “That’s how that works.”

“I could do blood and violence,” Scanlan says, perking up. “Pike, would you like some romantic blood and violence?”

“Um,” Pike says, but she’s saved from having to actually come up with an answer to that by a man breezing past the beaded curtain, beaming from ear to ear and trailed by a resigned looking Sherri.

“Well, if it isn’t my very favorite customers!” he says, coming to their side of the bar and clapping Zahra on the shoulder. He looks around at the group, and his eyebrows rise as he eyes Vex and her brother. She can’t help but notice that his gaze lingers on Vax a lot longer, looking him up and down very slowly. “And you have some new faces, I see. Whoever are these lovely people?”

“That’s Vex, that’s Vax,” Keyleth says helpfully, pointing. “Hi, Gilmore!”

“If you can’t keep their names straight, it’s okay, half of us can’t either,” Kash says wryly. “I’d say they’re practically interchangeable, but honestly, he’s way more of a dick.”

“You don’t say,” Gilmore says, smiling at Vax slowly. “Thank you for the warning.”

“Um,” Vax says, smiling back in an almost bemused way. Vex glances at him and frowns at the odd, pleased look on his face. “Hi. It’s, uh, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Hello to you too,” Gilmore says. “And I assure you, the pleasure is all mine.”

“I hate to interrupt,” Zahra says, “but Gilmore, could we talk business?”

“Of course, of course,” Gilmore says, looking away from Vax at last. “Come, we’ll go in the back and discuss whatever it is you need.”

“Thanks,” Zahra says, pressing her hand lightly against the small of Vex’s back, guiding her as they follow in Gilmore’s wake. Vex is pretty sure she sees Keyleth stick her tongue out at Sherri and ducks her head to hide a grin, angling her body in towards Zahra’s so nobody else will see.

Gilmore leads them to a rather small room, though they all fit into it comfortably, sitting down around a table, close to each other without actually having to squeeze in at all.

Gilmore, Vex can’t help but notice, sits next to Vax. Vax smiles at him, and Vex presses her lips together and knocks one of her knees against his lightly, relaxing when he turns back to her and nudges her with his shoulder. What? he mouths at her, and she just shakes her head.

Nothing, she mouths back, and she looks across the table again.

“Now,” Gilmore says, looking at Zahra. “What can I do for you?”

“We find ourselves in need of some new supplies,” Zahra says. “Fresh drinking water especially, but we’re running a little low on most things.”

“Easily done,” Gilmore says. “Your standard rate, or would you like to do this in trade?”

“We do have some things to sell or exchange,” Zahra says.

“I thought you might,” Gilmore says, leaning back in his chair. “News travels fast, you know.”

“You can’t mean—” Zahra looks thrown. “We got here fast, what with how Keyleth was helping us.”

“And very impressive help she provides,” Gilmore says, nodding at Keyleth, who grins and gives him an awkward thumbs up. “But I have some…other methods of collecting information than by simply asking travelers.”

After a moment, Zahra smiles wryly. “That shouldn’t be surprising.”

“It shouldn’t be,” Gilmore agrees. “Now, come, tell me—whatever was so interesting in Emon? You have half the world looking for you right now, and I’d watch yourselves carefully once news starts spreading in the bay. There may be honor among thieves, but most will conveniently forget that if they think there’s money involved of the sort that you must’ve been after, to attack a city like that.”

“I’ll keep it in mind, thank you,” Zahra says.

“We can take care of ourselves, though,” Kash says, crossing his arms.

“Of course,” Gilmore says, spreading his hands. “A friendly warning, nothing more.”

“Sure,” Kash says. “Just so long as you aren’t spreading any rumors about what we may or may not have done in Emon.”

“Kashaw, I’m hurt,” Gilmore says. “Besides, I hardly think I’d need to. You all have never exactly been known for being modest or discreet.”

Kash snorts, and Keyleth pats his arm. “You know he’s right,” she says.

“I’m always right,” Gilmore says, smiling broadly. He turns his head slightly to the side and winks at Vax, and Vex stiffens when she sees her brother smile back.

“And you say we’re bad at being modest and discreet,” Vax says.

“Of course,” Gilmore says. “Why do you think we get along so well? I didn’t say it was a bad thing, did I?”

Vax laughs. “Of course. I can’t believe I didn’t see that.”

“Neither can I. It’s really a very good thing that I’m here to help you.”

“It does seem to be working out for me,” Vax says, grinning at him. Vex grits her teeth and restrains the urge to step on his foot and remind him that they are going to be living very far away soon.

“Not that this isn’t sickeningly sweet,” Kash says, his voice dripping with sarcasm, “but weren’t we here to do business?”

“Kash!” Scanlan says. “You’re ruining the moment!”

Vex sees Percy put his head in his hands, and she thinks she sees Pike duck her head to hide a grin as Kash rolls his eyes and Keyleth snickers. “You would not believe how much I don’t care,” he says. “Vax, Gilmore—flirt later.”

“I’ll do my best to take your advice,” Gilmore says cheerfully, and Vax laughs again, sounding cheerful and pleased.

Vax has always described himself as a “serious relationship guy,” like some kind of dork, when she’s teased him for hanging back while she flirts outrageously with anyone who even bothers to give her a second glance. It’s completely at odds with the flattered, interested look he’s giving Gilmore through his eyelashes, and she digs her fingernails into the thick flesh at the base of her palm viciously and reminds herself to get a goddamn grip.

Zahra shakes her head, smiling. “Not that I’m not pleased everyone’s getting along—”

“Of course, Captain Hydris,” Gilmore says. “I believe you said you had some things you wanted me to look at? Perhaps from Emon?”

“Some of them,” Zahra says carefully. “But I hope you’ll understand if I say that we already have a contract in place for the, ah, most valuable things we took from Emon.” She doesn’t look at either Vex or Vax, and Vex tries desperately to not show how hard her heart is beating.

“I’d expect no less,” Gilmore says. “Though I will confess to some disappointment. I am rather desperately curious.”

“Sorry I can’t be more open,” Zahra says. “Grog, can you bring out the Bag of Holding?”

Grog hauls a large bag up, dropping it on the table, and Zahra pulls it to her, reaching in and beginning to draw out various things, none of which Vex has ever seen before, all of which look rather valuable. Gilmore focuses on them completely, becoming more serious as he picks different things up and inspects them.

Vex watches the rest of the proceedings with interest, even breaking in to interject into the haggling a few times when she feels like Zahra might be able to get more. Most of the rest of the crew leans back in their chairs, practically inspecting their nails, for all the interest they show in the actual deal making, and Vex wonders vaguely why Zahra bothers to bring them.

Eventually, though, Gilmore and Zahra agree on a deal, and Gilmore claps his hands. “Excellent,” he says. “Well, now that the boring things are out of the way—”

“Darling, that’s so hurtful,” Zahra says blandly.

“—we can have a little fun.” He grins at Zahra. “Apologies for the insult, Captain. Allow me to make it up to you. Drinks are on me.”

“All of them?” Grog says hopefully.

Gilmore laughs. “Oh, dear. Yes, why not? It’s been ages since the last time my favorite pirates were on shore. Don’t stay away so long next time!”

“Like we could,” Keyleth says, hugging him around the shoulders. “Thanks for the drinks, Gilmore! You’re the best.”

“Flatterer,” Gilmore says. “You’ll give me a big head.”

“Nah,” Keyleth says. “You’re awesome, Gilmore.”

“I’m starting to get kind of jealous over here,” Kash says, sitting in his seat and watching, though he sounds pretty relaxed about it.

“Aren’t you married?” Scanlan says. “How do you get to be jealous?”

“Scanlan!” Pike says. “We don’t talk about Kash’s wife.”

“Uh,” Vax says, accurately summarizing Vex’s feelings as well. “What?”

“We don’t talk about it,” Keyleth repeats, frowning. “It’s not really a big deal.”

“Well, that’s not true at all,” Percy says, standing up. “But yes, we don’t talk about it. Gilmore, drinks? We hope you’ll join us.”

“Of course!” Gilmore says. “Come, let’s go back to the bar. Drinks for all.”

“This is why you’re our favorite,” Scanlan says, grinning and winking and over the top flirtatious. He’s apparently past the “Kash’s wife” thing, which is nice, because Vex still kind of isn’t.

“Thank you, Scanlan, but I’m afraid I respect Pike too much for that,” Gilmore says, chuckling.

Pike laughs out loud. “That’s okay, I totally give my permission.”

“See?” Scanlan says. “There’s nothing standing in the way of our love anymore!”

“Oh, well, in that case,” Gilmore says, and they’re all laughing as Zahra ushers them to a table in the main room of the bar, collapsing into chairs around it.

Gilmore waves at them to stay seated as he makes his way to the bar and Sherri, clearly to get them all drinks, and Vax throws his arm around Vex’s shoulders. “This is fun, huh?” he says quietly into her ear, sounding pleased. “I’m sort of glad we had to take a detour.”

“Yeah,” Vex says. “Sure.”

Vax frowns at her, some of his happiness dimming. “Is everything okay?”

“It’s fine,” she says, picking at a broken nail. “Everyone’s so nice.”

“Do you not like Gilmore?” Vax says. “He seems great. And I think he likes me.”

“You don’t say,” she says, hearing how vicious her voice goes on the words and hating it.

“You cannot possibly be pissed because I’m flirting with someone,” Vax says incredulously. “Vex, you flirt with people all the time.”

“That’s different,” she snaps, though she’s careful to keep her voice down.

“Why, because it’s you?” he says, sounding annoyed. “Oh, that’s mature.”

“Yes, because it’s me!” she says, and his face kind of shuts down.

“Great,” he says. “That’s nice, Vex’ahlia. I’m going to get a drink.” He stands up, the legs of his chair screeching against the stone floor, and walks pointedly off towards the bar, where Gilmore’s grabbing what looks like half the back shelf and putting it on a tray.

“Fuck,” Vex says, letting her head fall forward and hit the table’s edge.

She feels a hand come to rest lightly against her back, and she knows without looking that it must be Zahra.

“Darling, is everything all right?”

“Fucking amazing,” Vex says to the wood grain. “Absolutely wonderful.”

The hand rubs gently, and Zahra says, “All right.” She doesn’t say anything else, but she doesn’t move her hand either.

—

Vex gets fantastically, horrifyingly drunk, because it seems like the thing to do. Vax spends the night talking to Gilmore instead of her, which is exactly what she expected, but sucks anyway, and she ends up slumped against Zahra’s shoulder, unable to focus her eyes.

“Dear,” Zahra says gently, during a lull in the conversation, “I think you maybe should go to bed.”

“I’m not tired,” Vex mutters, burying her face in Zahra’s neck.

“Yes, I can see that,” she says. “Even so, you seem a little…”

“A little what,” Vex says, lifting her head up. “Huh? What?”

Zahra frowns at her and grabs her hand, pulling her up off the bench. “Come on,” she says. “Let’s go for a walk.”

“Okay,” Vex says, her shoulder slumping as she lets herself be dragged outside.

The cold night air is a relief after the close air of the bar, even if it isn’t much quieter outside, what with the people yelling and partying and shouting for ale and prostitutes and their friends, loud and boisterous. “How do people sleep?” Vex says, taking deep breaths and, with concentration, managing to stay upright.

“In Daggerbay?” Zahra says. “Mostly they don’t. This is where people come to unwind, after all.”

“But there are people who live here,” Vex says, swaying. “Like Gilmore.”

“Yes, Gilmore lives here,” Zahra says, something odd in her voice that Vex is too drunk to identify. “I’ve never asked him how he sleeps, honestly. Magic might be involved, or he could simply be used to it. And it does get quieter during the day.”

“Right,” Vex says. “Makes sense.” She yawns widely. “Well, Captain Hydris? Show me the town.”

“There’s not much of it,” Zahra says. “And most of it is bars. But I suppose, if that’s what you want—”

“That’s what I want,” Vex says firmly. “Come on. Show me the pirate city that no one can take down. It sounds very impressive.”

“It mostly just sounds impressive when you say it like that,” Zahra says, but after a moment, she wraps a solid arm around Vex’s waist. “This way, then. I’ll show you what there is.”

“That’s nice,” Vex says, stumbling along in her wake. “You’re nice. I’m not. You don’t have to be nice to me, you know. I’ll pay you either way.”

“You really can be very stupid, Vex’ahlia,” Zahra says, almost angrily, and Vex feels confusion drift across her fuzzy, slow-moving brain.

“Huh?” she says.

Zahra sighs and shifts her grip on Vex’s waist, making her a little more upright and steady on her feet. “Never mind,” she says. “There’s a very interesting ruined temple this way, and the bar that’s on it is good as well.”

—

Vex wakes up the next morning feeling as though someone has used her skull as an anvil and then injected cotton into all her muscles. She’s lying on her side in her cell, but when she cracks her eyes open tentatively, she sees a bucket sitting about five inches from her head, which is thoughtful, probably. Sort of. She doesn’t feel like she really needs it, though, which is a frankly a miracle, between the hangover and the steady movement of the ship beneath her body.

She groans, loudly, and tries to push herself up into a sitting position, which is apparently a mistake. She clutches the bucket and moans again, because it seems like the only thing that’s accurately summarizing her feelings right now.

“Oh, good,” Vax says from behind her. “You’re awake. I was starting to think you might die in your sleep.”

“No, you weren’t,” Vex mutters. “If you were, I’d already be halfway to a cleric.”

“Shut up,” he says. “Maybe I felt like leaving you to drown in your own vomit.”

“Are you the one who got the bucket?” she says, leaning her head on the edge of it and not looking at him.

“No, that was already here when I got back,” he says. “So were you. Passed out and snoring.”

“I don’t snore.”

“Last night, you did.” She hears him sigh. “What’s going on, Vex’ahlia?”

“Nothing,” she says, closing her eyes and trying to focus on settling her stomach. “Everyone got drunk last night.”

“That wasn’t what I meant.”

“I know it wasn’t,” she says. “Can we just—not, brother? I’d really like it if we just didn’t do this. I’m awful, and you hate me, and—”

“I don’t hate you, stupid,” he says, putting a hand on the back of her head. “Honestly. Come here, your hair’s a disaster, I’ll fix it for you.”

She leans back, rubbing her forehead and letting him start undoing the remnants of her braid, tugging the tangles out of it gently. “I’m kind of mad at you,” he says, but quietly, which is kind, considering the way her head is pounding.

“I figured,” she says, pulling her knees up and leaning her aching head against them. “I’m sort of surprised you’re talking to me.”

He sighs, loudly and deliberately. “Stop being stupid. When have I ever not talked to you?” He tugs on her hair a little harder, and she groans. “It’s you and me, remember, Vex’ahlia? It’s never not going to be you and me. What’s going on with you?”

“Nothing,” she says. “Nothing, it’s nothing. Did you—”

He waits for her to finish, starting to carefully bring her hair into an orderly braid again. “Did I what?” he says finally, prompting her.

“Never mind,” she says. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Vex—”

“It doesn’t,” she says. “How long do you think we’re going to be in Daggerbay?”

He doesn’t say anything for a while, and for a horrible moment, she thinks he might just not respond, might just stop and leave. “I don’t know,” he says, and she breathes out. “Kash and Keyleth said maybe a couple of days while we all take a break and get drunk a lot. I think maybe you’ve done all the getting drunk you can take, though.”

“I could get drunk again if I wanted to,” she mutters.

“You’re a disaster, stubby,” he says, but fondly. “You need to take better care of yourself.”

“Oh, you’re one to talk,” she says. “When did I become the problem twin?”

“I’m sorry, have you seen yourself this morning?” he says. “You look dead.”

“Fuck you.”

He finishes the braid and ties it off, letting it fall against her back and patting the end. “If it hadn’t been for the snoring, I would have thought you were dead last night.”

“Fuck you,” she says again.

“Zahra left you a note, by the way.”

She frowns. “She what?”

“Left you a note,” Vax says. She feels him move away from her back, and she lifts her head to watch him walk the four steps to the front of their cell, where he grabs a piece of paper from where it’s awkwardly stuck in the lock. “Here,” he says, bringing it back to her.

She takes it from his hands gingerly and tries to make her eyes focus properly, despite the swimming headache.

Hello, darling. I hope your head doesn’t hurt too much, but if it does, go see Pike or Kash and ask them to help you with that. Hopefully they’ll be sympathetic—it won’t exactly be the first time they’ve had to save someone from the consequences of their folly. Drink some water, and feel free to come find me later.

Zahra

She passes it to Vax when she’s done reading, and he scans it quickly. “That’s nice,” he says.

“It is, yeah,” she admits. “Is the door to our room already unlocked, or do we need to start banging on the bars and shouting?”

“It never got locked,” Vax says, handing her the note back.

She tucks it into her belt pouch and looks up, frowning at him. “What?”

“When Kash dumped me in here last night, I could barely walk straight,” Vax admits. “You were passed out in some kind of booze-coma, and he took one look at both of us and said that if we could make trouble like that, we all deserved what we got, and that he didn’t want to have to haul his ass back over here in the morning just to unlock the door.”

“Back over here?” Vex says, leaning her head against the wooden hull of the ship.

“He and Keyleth got a room in the city,” Vax says. “I don’t think they get a lot of privacy on the ship.”

“And he came all the way back here to dump your drunk ass in the brig while his incredibly hot girlfriend waited for him to come back and have sex with her?” Vex says. “Damn. That’s friendship.”

“I am not friends with Kash,” Vax says, sounding offended. “He’s the worst.”

Vex rolls her eyes. “Yeah, okay. Do you know where your frienemy is? Zahra says he can help with the hangover. Or Pike. Pike’ll probably be nicer about it.”

“I don’t know about Pike,” Vax says. “Everyone sort of split up, basically, and the last I saw, she was going to some fight ring with Grog. Kash I could probably find, though.”

Vex sighs. “I can live with that. Help me up?”

Vax grabs her arm and hauls her up, and she stumbles into him, feeling the room spinning and pressing her head against his shoulder. His arms come around her instantly, holding her against him. “All right?” he says.

“Hangover,” she says, groaning. “Seriously, Pike or Kash, now.”

“Can you make it?” Vax says. “Kash got a room at Gilmore’s, and that’s not that close. Can you even walk without puking?”

“I hate you,” she says. “Yes, I’ll be fine. Let’s go.”

—

The bar is mostly empty and completely unstaffed, though the door isn’t locked and there are several people sitting or sleeping at the tables. Vex looks blearily around, and she grins despite herself when she sees the sign hanging prominently behind the bar, saying clearly:

Thieves will have their lungs removed and turned into extremely fashionable hats.
Thanking you,
—The Management

“Does that work?” she says to Vax, nudging him with her elbow.

He glances over and grins. “I guess it must,” he says. “Gilmore’s a wizard, you know.”

“You don’t say,” she says.

“Yeah,” Vax says. “I guess either people are too hungover to mess around most mornings, or they figure he really would fuck them up.”

“So much for honor among thieves,” she says.

“I get the feeling that only really applies on board the ship,” he says. “Gilmore did keep telling me to keep an eye on my pockets last night, and Grog totally decked someone trying to rob him. Then again, Scanlan bought the thief a drink literally right after, so who knows.”

“On the one hand, I’m kind of into the whole pirate thing,” Vex says musingly. “On the other hand, it’s really confusing.”

“You’re not wrong,” Vax says, dragging her up a flight of stairs. “I have no idea what’s up with half these weirdos.”

“What do you think Vasselheim’ll be like?” she says.

“Big, cold, religious,” he says. “Isn’t that what you told me? It’s not like I’ve come into any new information since then. We could ask the others, I guess. I wasn’t, because I didn’t want them to think we didn’t know the city or anyone there, but I feel like we trust them now, yeah?”

“Maybe,” she says warily. “It hasn’t been that long.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” he says, coming to a stop in front of a door.

She blinks. “How’d you know which was his? Are you having secret threesomes?”

Vax chokes. “No, fuck, what the hell, Vex’ahlia. I heard them getting the room from Sherri, and the damn things are numbered. What even goes on in your head?”

He knocks without waiting for an answer, hammering on the wood door until a voice shouts from inside, “Yes, who is it?”

“Vax and Vex,” he says. “My sister’s so hungover I think she actually might die.”

“I am not.”

There’s murmured voices from the other side of the door, and then Keyleth calls out again, saying, “Just a second!”

After a moment, Keyleth pokes her head out the door, her hair messy and sheepish smile on her face. “Sorry, what’s up? Oh, Vex, you look terrible.”

“Thanks, Keyleth, you really know how to flatter a girl,” Vex says dryly.

“Oh, I didn’t mean—that is, I just thought—fuck, I’m really bad at this,” Keyleth says, making a face. “You’re very pretty, Vex, you just look—anyway.”

“That’s pretty much why we’re here, actually,” Vax says. “My sister drank too much, and Zahra said Kash might be able to help.”

“Oh!” Keyleth says. “Oh, yeah, he probably could. Um, come in.”

“Thanks,” Vax says, pulling them both inside.

“Fuck, Keyleth, really?” Kash says, from where he’s lying on the bed, underneath the covers and probably wearing absolutely nothing. Keyleth, Vex notes, looking her up and down appreciatively, is wearing a shirt of Kash’s and not much else.

“Um,” Vax says, and he looks at the ceiling.

“Don’t be a prude, moron,” Kash says impatiently. “We fucking live together on a very small ship, eventually, everyone sees everything. On the other hand, Vex, stop ogling my girlfriend.”

“What?” Vex says. “She’s hot.”

“I fucking know that,” Kash says. “Stop anyway.”

“Please stop talking about how attractive I am,” Keyleth says, beet red, as she goes to sit on the bed next to Kash.

“Sorry, babe,” Kash says, patting her leg absently. They’re great legs. “What the fuck did you do to yourself last night, Vex?”

“I drank,” Vex says, massaging her pounding temples. “I don’t think I was the only one.”

“I didn’t drink like you drank,” Kash says. “That, or you can’t hold your liquor.”

“Fuck you, I can hold anything I want.”

Kash scowls at her. “Did you mean that to come out sexual?”

She hadn’t, but she winks at him anyway, mostly on automatic. “You tell me.”

“I am literally in bed with my girlfriend.”

“I thought we already established that she’s hot too,” Vex says, ignoring her brother’s groan and the palm hitting his face. “I don’t see any problems.”

“Get the fuck out of my room,” Kash says, but it sounds more amused than upset.

“Fix my hangover, and I will,” Vex says.

“I dunno,” Kash says thoughtfully, like the total asshole he is. “If you don’t have to deal with the consequences of your actions, you won’t learn.”

“Kash,” Keyleth says. “Come on.”

“Yeah, asshole, come on,” Vax says, which definitely isn’t helpful.

“Look, I had to walk here from the ship,” Vex says. “Do you know how bright the sun is today? There were consequences. I dealt.”

Keyleth flicks her fingers, and a little breeze crosses the room to blow the curtains back, away from the window. Sunlight floods the room, and Vex winces, bring her hand up to cover her eyes as she ducks her head.

“Seriously?” she says.

“Sorry,” Keyleth says, actually sounding apologetic. “Just proving your point to Kash.”

“Yeah, okay, you’ve suffered,” Kash says. “Don’t do it again, or find another cleric. C’mere.”

Vex does, dropping down onto the side of the bed next time. “Did I know you were a cleric?”

“I don’t know what you know,” Kash says.

“I feel like I never see you do holy magic.”

“I don’t, much,” Kash says. “Keyleth, can you grab my—thing?”

“Hey, none of that with us in the room unless I can join in,” Vex says.

“I hate you,” Kash says mildly, as Keyleth gets off the bed and goes to where most of their clothes seem to be thrown, fumbling around until she grabs something on a chain.

“Here,” she says, passing it to him so that at least one of their hands covers it the entire time.

“Thanks,” Kash says, holding it tightly and putting his other hand on Vex’s arm. He closes his eyes, and Vex feels a pulse of energy inside her, and her headache and nausea and tiredness fades completely.

“Fuck,” she says. “Fuck, that’s so good. I was mostly joking about the threesome, but seriously, I’d go down on you right now if you wanted me to.”

“Vex’ahlia,” her brother says, sounding deeply horrified.

“Still taken, but thanks,” Kash says.

“Yeah, but apparently you don’t have that much of a problem with infidelity, since I’m pretty sure we found out last night that you’re married,” Vex says.

Kash and Keyleth exchange a look. “They’re separated,” Keyleth says, after a moment. “She’s a bitch. It’s not really cheating.”

“Also, I don’t want to talk about it,” Kash says.

“Yeah, okay, fine,” Vex says, standing up. “Thanks for the thing you just did.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Kash says. “You get one lesser restoration during our entire time at Daggerbay, so lay off the booze, okay? I’m not going to do this every morning just because you don’t know when to stop. I only do that for Keyleth.”

Keyleth whacks him on the arm. “I like drinking!”

“Yeah, I know,” Kash says, rolling his eyes. “And I like you, so you can have as many holy hangover cures as you want—though that’s a spell you can actually cast, for the record.”

“I know, but I never bother learning it,” Keyleth says, leaning back on the pillows. Her shirt rides up a little, and Vex can’t help appreciating the view. “That’s what I have you for.”

“Thanks, babe, that’s sweet,” Kash says. “Good to know why you keep me around.”

“Yeah, I can’t think of any other reasons,” Keyleth says, leaning over and kissing his cheek. She draws back, and they eye each other. “Um, Vex—”

“Yeah, we’re leaving right now,” Vex says quickly. “We’re so gone. Have good sex.” She jumps off the bed, relishing the way her head definitely doesn’t throb with the motion, grabs her brother’s wrist, and drags him out of the room.

“Have good sex?” he says, once the door is shut firmly behind them. “Really, sister?”

“What?” she says. “Come on, let’s see if any place in this town sells coffee. I know I’m not hungover anymore, but it was still a late night.”

Vax shakes his head. “Yeah, all right. Let’s go exploring.”

—

Vex spends the rest of their time at Daggerbay sticking close to her brother and drinking a hell of a lot less. Vax keeps his arm around her, steals her drinks whenever he feels like she’s coming up on the limit of something that might give her another hangover, and laughs at practically everything Gilmore says.

Zahra watches them, sitting on Vex’s side, and doesn’t say much, and Vex wonders, picking at split ends at the bottom of her braid, what she said during the long, drunken night she mostly doesn’t remember.

They end up spending five days there, and on the last night, everyone drags Grog and Scanlan away from the prostitutes and dumps them both back in Gilmore’s so they can all get drunk together again.

“But not too drunk,” Zahra says dryly, watching everyone with an expression that says she knows she isn’t going to get anywhere saying that. “We are leaving at dawn tomorrow.”

“That’s what Kash is for,” Scanlan says cheerfully.

“It’s cute that you think I’m going to save you from yourself in the morning,” Kash says, nursing his single ale. “It’s almost you like you think I’m not going to just laugh. Really loudly.”

“I don’t get hungover,” Grog says proudly, and he chugs an entire tankard and slams it down on the table. “I’m gonna get another.”

“Could you grab me one too?” Pike says, waving her own empty mug at him.

“Sure, Pike,” Grog says.

She grins up at him. “Thanks, buddy!”

“Pike, you’ll take pity on me, right?” Scanlan says, leaning towards her.

“I don’t know, Scanlan,” Pike says. “Kashaw has a point about learning from your mistakes.”

“What mistakes?” Scanlan says, sounding offended. “I never make mistakes!”

Kash snorts loudly.

“How about the mistake of thinking you can outdrink Grog despite being about a tenth of his size?” Percy says. “That seems like a mistake to me.”

“That’s just…thinking positive,” Scanlan says.

“Ooh, we should have a drinking contest,” Keyleth says eagerly.

“We should not,” Percy says.

“Yeah, why not, that’ll be hilarious,” Kash says.

“Oh, dear lord,” Percy says, putting his head in his hands.

The night devolves somewhat from there, though Vex bows out gracefully, after taking one look at Grog and deciding that unsuccessfully trying to outdrink him is definitely not worth the headache tomorrow morning.

When her brother tries to participate, she wraps both arms around his chest and says, “Under no circumstances is that a good idea. Someone back me up here.”

“You should listen to your sister, Vax,” Gilmore says, grinning at both of them, which isn’t exactly the quarter Vex’d wanted support from, but she’ll take it. “I can’t see that ending well.”

“You will definitely lose, throw up, and hate yourself tomorrow morning,” Vex says. “And Kash will probably just laugh, and Keyleth doesn’t know that spell, and who knows what Pike will do, so no.”

“It’ll be fun!” Vax protests. “And what makes you think I’ll lose?”

Vex cackles, not even dignifying that with a response.

“Oh, Vax,” Gilmore says, clearly trying not to laugh as well. “You are a very talented and capable individual, but this doesn’t seem like your arena.”

“That’s one way to put it,” Vex says. “Of course, ‘too stupid to live’ might be another.”

“You know, I don’t think I like it when you two gang up on me,” Vax says, leaning back against her chest and apparently at least temporarily dissuaded from attempting suicide.

“That’s too bad, since I’m enjoying it quite a bit,” Gilmore says, smiling over Vax’s head at Vex, who smiles back despite herself. “It’s unfortunate you’re leaving so soon, but I do look forward to seeing both of you again.”

“Oh,” Vex says. “Um, about that—”

“We kind of just hitched a ride on Zahra’s ship,” Vax says, looking down. “We’re getting off in Vasselheim.”

“Vasselheim,” Gilmore says. “Well, that is a long way away. I have to admit, I’m sorry to hear it.”

“Yeah,” Vax says, looking up at him. “All of a sudden, so am I.”

“Vasselheim’s nice,” Vex says, her muscles tensing.

“Yeah,” he says, looking up at her and smiling. He pats her arms where they’re still wrapped around him, her hands pressed against his chest, to keep him from leaping at the drinking contest. “Things’ll be good there.”

She smiles back, relieved. “See?” she says. “My plans are amazing.”

“Yeah, I can tell you’re enjoying yourself,” Vax says, rolling his eyes. “Why don’t you go help Zahra judge the drinking contest, huh?”

Vex glances over. “I don’t think she needs any help.”

“Yeah, but I bet she’d like it,” Vax says.

She eyes him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“What?” Vax says. “I’m just saying, I feel like judging a drinking contest is probably funnier if you have company to help you make fun of everybody. I thought maybe you’d want to go, you know, help her with that.”

“You think I should go help Zahra make fun of everyone else,” Vex says skeptically. It does sound like fun, but on the other hand… “I call bullshit. You’re not nearly as sneaky as you think you are, brother.”

“You’re way too suspicious,” he says. “I’m your brother.”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Vex!” Zahra calls out suddenly, and Vex startles, looking over at her smiling face. “Come tell Scanlan that convincing other people to do his shots for him is not a valid method of winning a drinking contest!”

“Did you two plan this?” Vex says quietly to her brother.

He rolls his eyes, sitting up straight and breaking away from her. “Now you really are being paranoid, sister.”

“Fine,” she says, standing up. “Scanlan, you’re a moron and that’s definitely cheating!” she calls out. “Be right there!” She nudges her brother’s boot with her toe. “Coming?”

He looks up at her. “Yeah, all right. Gilmore?”

“How could I resist?” Gilmore says. “By all means, lead the way.”

—

The ship feels small and close after days of being able to go anywhere she liked, but the crew is silly and happy and more friendly than ever, even Kash. Besides, they’re finally going north and west, far away from Emon and Syngorn and Syldor and everyone else they know, and that’s more than worth a little claustrophobia.

The crow’s nest is as wonderful and freeing as ever, and Zahra takes to coming up at night, ostensibly to collect her and lock her back in the brig, but mostly they just sit and look at the stars and talk until Vex is too tired to keep her eyes open. It’s nice, though she doesn’t quite know what to do with that.

Four days after they leave Daggerbay, moving slower than they did on the way there, since Zahra’s told Keyleth to save her high level spells for emergencies, Vex actually spots something in the water besides them. “Fuck,” she says, fumbling with her spyglass. She jams it back to her eye, but she doesn’t know enough about ships to identify it any further. “Uh. Ship! There’s a ship!” she yells frantically.

Everyone down on the deck looks up at her. “What kind?” Zahra shouts.

“Fuck if I know! The kind with sails that goes in the water!”

“Oh, that’s helpful,” Kash says. “Hang on.” He starts swinging up towards her, quickly and efficiently, for all he doesn’t come up much. He tumbles into the nest next to her and says, “Where’s the ship?”

She points, and he squints down her finger. After a moment, he grabs the spyglass and peers some more. “Fuck, how’d you even see that?” he says at last.

“Vax told you I had good eyes.”

“I can’t believe he was actually right about something,” Kash mutters. “It’s too far away for me to see much of anything.” He leans back over the side of the nest. “Hey, Keyleth, you can’t just scry on ‘that ship over there,’ right?”

“It has to be a person,” she says. “Tell you what I can do, though—” And she turns into an eagle.

“We are way too far away from land for eagles!” Kash yells at her, but she just caws at him and flies off in the direction of the ship. 

“She is the most annoying person I have ever met,” Kash says. “I hate her.”

“Uh-huh,” Vex says. “That sounds about right.”

“Shut up.” Kash shakes his head. “I’m going to go talk to Z. Keep an eye on that ship, okay? If it looks like they’re, I don’t know, shooting at a bird—”

“I’ll scream bloody murder,” Vex assures him.

“Not that it’ll do any good,” Kash says bitterly. “We’d never get there in time. I’m going to kill her.”

Vex pats him on the back comfortingly as he goes to start climbing down, but as it turns out, his fears are completely unfounded. Some fifteen minutes later, the same giant eagle flies back to the ship and turns into Keyleth just in time to land lightly on the deck.

Kash, talking in a low voice to Zahra at the helm, whirls around. “I fucking hate you,” he says, racing towards her. “You are the most annoying person in the entire world, I’m going to kill you, you complete—” And then he grabs her and kisses her.

“Mixed signals, sweetie,” Keyleth says, grinning, when they pull apart.

“You’re so annoying. Why are you always like this?” he says, and then they start kissing again.

“Aww,” Scanlan says. “That’s adorable.”

“Kash,” Zahra says, laughing. “Timing, darling. I need her to be able to talk.”

“Right, sorry,” Kash says, drawing back.

“Perfectly understandable,” Zahra says. “Keyleth?”

Keyleth smooths her clothes down. “It’s a Marquetian ship. I’m surprised they’re so far north, but we’ve mostly been heading west, and they’re probably going to Emon. It looks merchant.”

“Looks?” Zahra says, but there’s a frisson of excitement starting to run through the crew.

“If it’s military, I’ll be stunned,” Keyleth says. “It’s not as if Marquet has much a navy anyway, and it’s definitely Marquetian. I got a good look at most of the crew, and unless Tal’Dorei went on a racial profiling spree—”

“Well,” Zahra says. “All right, then.”

“Awesome,” Kash says with feeling. “It’s been a while since we’ve done some real piracy.”

“You attacked a city and kidnapped two people,” Vax says.

“Yeah, you get that that’s not really what pirates do, right?” Kash says. “Mostly we attack ships, unless your sister is paying us really obscene amounts of money.”

“Glad to know I’m special!” Vex calls down to him.

“Vex, come down a minute,” Zahra says, beckoning. “Vax, come here. I want to talk to both of you.”

Vex glances at the ship in the distance again, and then she shrugs and starts half-swinging, half-falling down to the deck. She lands neatly on her feet, and Vax scowls at her. “I swear, every time you do that, I age about ten years.”

“If that were true, you’d be dead by now,” she retorts. “And it’s totally safe, I’ve only done it like a million times.”

“We haven’t even been on this ship that long,” he says, falling into step with her as she starts walking towards Zahra.

“You worry too much,” she says. “I know what I’m doing.”

“That’ll be a great comfort to me when you smash your head open on the deck of the ship, yeah,” he says.

“Oh, fuck off.”

“Vex, Vax,” Zahra says, “wait there a second. Kash, take the helm for me?”

“Hmm? Oh, sure, Z.” He leaves off from where he and Keyleth had started kissing again and runs up the stairs as Zahra walks down them.

“Here, come talk to me,” Zahra says, beckoning them into her quarters, which neither of them have ever been in before.

Vex looks around, curious, but in the end, it’s just a room—desk, chair, papers, maps, a trunk for clothes. A bed. She shrugs and hops up to sit on the desk without waiting for Zahra to say anything, bracing her arms against her thighs. “What’s up?”

Zahra sits in the chair after a moment and says, “We’re going to attack that ship.”

“No kidding,” Vex says. “So?”

Zahra picks up a quill and turns it over in her hands, her tail twitching slightly. “I wanted to say—I know we said that if you wanted to stay out of the brig, you had to work, but this isn’t what I meant. No one’s going to make you help us steal things.”

“Oh,” Vex says, laughing. “Is that what you were worried about, darling? Don’t be. Vax and I don’t mind stealing things. I don’t know that we’re completely comfortable, say, killing the innocent—”

“That’s not a problem,” Zahra says, smiling at her. “We try not to do that, anyway. Kash and I both feel strongly about it.”

“Then we don’t have any issues, and we would absolutely love to help you steal things from that ship,” Vex says cheerfully. “Right, brother?”

Vax flips a dagger in his hands. “Can’t wait.”

“Well,” Zahra says, sitting back in her chair and crossing her legs. “That’s very convenient.”

Vex grins at her. “Don’t tell me—you’re about to say we’re being too helpful again, right?”

“Actually,” Zahra says, “I was about to say ‘thank you.’”

“Oh,” Vex says. “Um. Well. You’re very welcome, of course.”

Vax claps her on the shoulder. “Sorry,” he says to Zahra. “My sister is emotionally constipated.”

“Oh, I’m emotionally constipated,” Vex says, elbowing him, hard enough to make him catch his breath. “Have you met you?”

Zahra laughs, shaking her head. “You’re both lovely. Now get out of here and help us all get rich.”

“Now that,” Vex says, “is exactly what I like to hear.”

—

The battle is pitched, bloody, and non-fatal.

“Scourge of the seas we’re not,” Percy says dryly, as they finish making sure no one’s injuries are too bad and the other ship is still functional and well-stocked enough to get the sailors safely to the shore of Tal’Dorei.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Scanlan says, baring his teeth. “We’re incredibly dangerous and threatening.”

“I’m pretty threatening,” Grog says, hefting his massive hammer over one shoulder. One of the sailors whimpers slightly. “See? They think so.”

“The most threatening pirate who doesn’t kill people ever,” Vax says, clapping him on the back.

“I kill people,” Grog says. “I kill lots of people. Except, like, helpless people, because that’s, uh, wrong. And I don’t like doing it. And it’s boring.”

“This is the morally weirdest pirate ship ever,” Vex says, leaning against the railing of the ship they tragically aren’t stealing.

“Well, we have to be the best at something, darling,” Zahra says, coming over to stand next to her and smiling. “Everyone should have a skill.”

“And our skill is confusing people about morality?” Vex says, grinning. “I think we can do better.”

“That’s—” Zahra pauses. “Our skill?”

Vex opens and closes her mouth. “Well, I just meant, darling, that—”

“It’s a good skill,” Zahra says, cutting her off. “I like our skill.”

Vex bites her lip to hide a stupid smile. “Come on, darling, don’t you think we could at least manage to shock people with our moral weirdness? Step up our game a little?”

“Shock people?” Zahra says. “How would we do that? An orgy?”

“Did someone say orgy?” Scanlan says, his head whirling around to look at them.

“No,” they both say together.

“Are we having an orgy?” he says.

“Under no circumstances.”

“Do I even want to know?” Kash says, coming up to them.

“Almost certainly not,” Zahra says.

“Yeah, figured,” he says. “Listen, we’re all ready to go.”

“Excellent,” Zahra says. “Vex, back on our ship, please.”

“Ooh, giving me orders,” Vex says. “That’s so sexy.”

“Mm,” Zahra says, snorting. “Go be aroused on our ship.”

“I definitely will be,” Vex says, winking at her.

“You’re an embarrassment,” Vax says, passing by and grabbing her by the arm and pulling her away, to the board that’s currently bridging the two boats. He pushes her onto it ahead of him, saying, “That wasn’t even a good line.”

“It was a joke, brother,” she says, running over the distance easily and waiting for him on the other side. “You may have heard of them. They’re commonly used as a form of communication.”

He smacks the back of her head. “Yeah, okay, sure.”

She slaps him in retribution. “You’re such a jerk. I’m going to go up, keep a look out, make sure no naval ships are about to come catch us in the act, okay?”

He shrugs. “Sure. I’ll just wait down here and not puke my guts out.”

“You get used to it,” she says.

“I’d rather not have to, thanks.”

She shrugs. “Suit yourself.” She climbs quickly, having had a lot of practice at this point, settling herself into what’s rapidly becoming her space. The others on the ship barely even bother taking shifts, unless it’s when she absolutely has to be eating or sleeping.

She’s barely up there for five minutes, though, when Kash is shouting up at her, “Hey, moron in the crow’s nest! Get the hell down from there!”

She pokes her head over. “Why? You need something?”

“We’re about to get out of here,” he says. When she just stares him, not understanding, he says, “Fast. Quick getaway type thing, like we did the last time you saw us steal something? Needing to run for it is an unfortunate consequence of leaving people alive.”

She shrugs. “So?”

“So? So? So I’m pretty sure Z’s going to fucking pissed at me if her new favorite eye candy gets killed falling off the mast at high goddamn speeds!”

“I’m not going to fall off!” she yells. “And I’m not eye candy!”

“Sorry, do you remember how fast and violently we travel when we do things this way?” Kash says. He grabs Vax’s arm. “Moron, convince your moronic sister to come down and tie herself to something.”

“I can tie myself to something up here!”

“Vex’ahlia, this does kind of seem like a bad idea—” Vax starts, and she ignores him.

“Shut up, both of you. I’ll be fine. What do you care?”

“I care because if Z asks me, ‘Gee, Kash, whatever happened to Vex?’ and I say, ‘Well, I tried to get her to not commit suicide, but wow, I guess it didn’t work,’ I will get eldritch blasted straight into the water,” he snaps. “It’s all fun and games until my best friend’s new—whatever you are—gets killed being an adrenaline junkie.” When Vex hesitates, he says, “Come on, she’ll, like, cry, and then I’ll kill myself, and we’ll be known as that embarrassing suicide pirate ship, instead of that cool and badass but also merciful pirate ship.”

Vax looks at him. “That sounds like something Scanlan would say.”

“Take that back.”

“Fine!” Vex says, before Kash can snap and murder her brother. “I’m coming down, okay?”

“Thank you,” Kash says, with bad grace. “Both of you, get someone who knows more about knots to tie you down, okay? You haven’t been at sea for that long. I don’t trust you to do it right.”

“Fuck you too,” Vax says cheerfully as Vex drops regretfully to the deck.

Kash flips them both off and leaves, going to Keyleth’s side and talking to her in a low voice as she shakes her head and laughs at him.

Vex looks around for a decent place to get started with some knots when her brother wraps an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t die,” he says.

“You and Kash worry too much,” she says. “Come on, let’s get ready, I can’t wait.”

“You can’t wait?” he says. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Don’t you remember the last time we did this?” she says.

“Vividly, yeah.”

She makes a face at him, dragging him over to where Pike is standing with a pile of ropes, smilingly dissuading Scanlan from tying them together, clearly in a bondage kind of way.

“Hey, Pike,” Vex says, breaking neatly into the conversation. “Help me and my brother with the knots?”

“Oh, sure!” Pike says. “Here, let me.”

They end up securely fastened to the deck with everyone else, Vax holding onto her tightly, his face buried in her hair.

“If you throw up on me, I’ll kill you,” Vex says.

“If you enjoy yourself too much while I’m suffering, I’ll kill you.”

“I don’t get why you don’t like it.”

“Because I’ve never suffered brain damage, that’s why,” he mutters, and then Keyleth raises her hands, and the winds rise, and they fly.

—

“So, do you guys party like this every time you take a ship?” Vex says breathlessly, dropping down into a seat next to Zahra, half-drunk on ale and exhilarated. “I don’t remember anything like this after you kidnapped us.”

Zahra looks up and smiles at her. “Not always.”

“So what makes this one special?” Vex says. “Or should I be asking why we weren’t special? I might be offended.”

Zahra reaches over to tuck a stray bit of hair back into Vex’s braid, and Vex shivers, pressing her lips together and keeping her eyes steadily trained on Zahra’s face. 

“No need for offense, darling,” Zahra says. “We were just a lot more worried about Emon’s navy catching us not far from the coast than we are about anyone coming for us in the middle of the sea after we robbed some anonymous merchant ship from Marquet.”

“Oh, well, then, I feel better about myself,” Vex says, letting her gaze fall away. “I’m glad to know we would’ve merited a celebration.”

“The biggest and best,” Zahra says.

Vex isn’t sure what to do with that, with Zahra’s habit of just saying things seriously, like she fucking means it. She smiles, leans back against the table, hangs her head back on her shoulders lazily, and after a moment, she says, “We are worth quite a bit of money, I’m told.”

Zahra looks away, her mouth tight, and then she turns back again. “Yes,” she says lightly, “it’s true. Every time I look at you, I just see bags and bags of gold.”

Vex laughs, relieved. “No wonder you like me so much. That’s the most flattering thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

“Darling, people are not talking to you properly. Everyone should be telling you how expensive you look.”

Vex mock-fans herself. “Oh, Captain Hydris. Tell me more.”

Zahra takes a long sip of her ale and leans forward. “I think that you might be worth money than anyone else on this ship,” she murmurs. “And we have some pretty hefty bounties on our heads.”

Vex leans forward too, mimicking her. “Do tell.”

“Well, to start with,” Zahra says, “there’s the truly obscene amount of money you agreed to pay me to kidnap you and your brother. By the way, now that we’ve made the agreement—you know I would’ve done it for significantly less, don’t you? We might not have been quite so showy about it, but we would’ve done it.”

“I didn’t know,” Vex says. “Damn.” She’d been desperate not only to get out, but to have no questions asked, and for the first time in her life, she hadn’t been interested in haggling, just closing the deal.

“So, there’s that,” Zahra says. “And then you’d make excellent blackmail or ransom material, and that’s not even beginning to mention you.”

“I’m sorry, I thought we were already talking about me,” Vex says. “In fact, I’m sure of it.” She tosses her hair theatrically. “I have a finely tuned sense for these things.”

“Do you really?” Zahra says. “It must be going off all the time.”

Vex rolls her eyes. “Stop, you’re making me blush.”

“What I meant,” Zahra says, “is that we hadn’t even started talking about your particular skills.”

“With that and calling me expensive, Scanlan and Grog will start getting ideas.”

Zahra laughs. “As the captain, I feel as though I ought to be able to call dibs.”

“Well, that’s very assertive and proprietary of you,” Vex says. “It doesn’t matter, though.” She winks. “I don’t think you can afford me.”

“I don’t know,” Zahra says. “I just captured the cargo of a very, very rich merchant ship from Marquet, you know. I think I could afford quite a bit.”

“With my help,” Vex says. “Some of that cargo had better be mine.”

“Yes, with your help,” Zahra says. “That’s what I really meant, about your particular skills. You’ve more than earned passage on this ship, doing what you’ve done today—and this entire time, really. It’s very…valuable. You’re very valuable.”

Vex licks her lips. “It was fun, is all,” she says.

“You’re very valuable to me,” Zahra says.

Vex wants to kiss her. It’s stupid and a terrible idea, but she wants to anyway, with a suddenness and an urgency like being stabbed. It’s unbearable to think that she’s never so much as run a finger down Zahra’s jawline, that she has no idea what her hair would feel like, caught between her fingers. She looks down at her own clenched fists and thinks of Vasselheim and being free of Syldor forever.

“I should get some sleep,” she says. “It’s late, and I’ve already had too much to drink.”

“Oh,” Zahra says, sounding surprised. “Good night, then.”

“Good night?” Vex says. “Aren’t you coming?”

“What?” Zahra says, loud and too fast.

Vex looks at her, blinking back the urge to close the distance between them. “You need to lock me in, remember?”

“Oh,” Zahra says. “Yes, of course—no.”

“No?” Vex says. “You’re confusing me, darling.”

“No,” Zahra says. “Good night, Vex’ahlia. I don’t need to lock you in tonight.”

“So—I should get Kash?” Vex says carefully, though she’s almost entirely sure that’s not what she means.

“No,” Zahra says. “That’s not—Kash!”

“What, what?” Kash says, jerking upright from where he and Keyleth were slumped together, passing a tankard back and forth.

“Vex and Vax move freely at night, from now on,” Zahra says. “Unless you have any objections?”

Kash grunts. “Well, we already have rats,” he says. “I guess those two can’t do much more damage than that.”

Keyleth giggles. “That means he likes them.”

“I definitely do not,” he says. “And I don’t like you either.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Keyleth says, pushing the ale into his hand. “Have another drink, sweetie.”

“Fine,” Kash mutters, leaning back again and taking a large gulp.

Zahra laughs. “That does mean he likes you, you know,” she murmurs, quietly enough that there’s no way Kash will hear her. She has to get very close to do it, her breath warm against the side of Vex’s ear.

Vex smiles as well, weakly. “Yes, I’d actually figured that one out.”

“See?” Zahra says. “You’re smart as well. Very valuable.”

Vex shoots up, standing quickly enough that her head swims and she has to catch herself against the side of the table. “I have to go to sleep.”

“If you really feel you must, darling,” Zahra says. “Why the rush?”

“I’m very tired,” Vex says, her voice deliberately even and cheerful. “I’m just—very tired. I really think I might collapse if I try to stay awake much longer, and that really would be embarrassing, passing out on the table. So awkward.”

“Bad manners, even,” Zahra says, smiling.

Vex wants to press her lips, her fingers, her whole self against that smile. She manages a jerky nod, barely, and practically runs out of the room as fast as her unsteady legs can carry her.

She stumbles through the—unlocked, and staying that way—door of her room, and sits down hard on the wooden floor. It’s not hard to remember why this is a bad idea, but it’s hard to care in the face of the tilt of Zahra’s head, the deep red of her skin, the easy intimacy of her words.

“I’m drunk,” she says to the empty air and the bars of her cell and the open door.

No one answers, and eventually she falls into an uneasy sleep.

—

“Mind if I join you?” Zahra says, poking her head over the side of the crow’s nest.

Vex glances over at her and smiles. “It’s your ship,” she says. “Isn’t that what your ridiculous hat is for? Proving you’re a big, bad pirate captain?”

“Ridiculous?” Zahra says, climbing over the side and sitting down next to Vex. “My hat is excellent, thank you very much.”

“You have horns,” Vex says. “It’s ridiculous.”

“All pirate captains have hats,” Zahra says. “I think it’s a rule.”

“Don’t we break rules?” Vex says. “Isn’t that our whole thing? It might be time to say no to peer pressure, darling.”

“I like my hat,” Zahra says, reaching up to touch it. “I can’t believe you don’t.”

“You have horns.”

“Are you saying tieflings can’t wear hats?” Zahra says. “That’s discrimination.”

“Hat discrimination?”

“It’s the very worst kind.”

Vex laughs. “Well, in that case, darling, I’m terribly sorry.”

“You should be,” Zahra says. She shifts slightly, and Vex glances over at her. “You know, we’ll probably reach Vasselheim sometime tomorrow.”

Vex goes still and hates that she does. She—she knew that, honestly, that they were nearing the opposite shore. There’s no reason for it to surprise her, and there’s definitely no reason for it to be a disappointment. “Will we really?” she says. “I suppose I’d lost track of where we were.”

“Yes,” Zahra says. “We don’t go there often—we don’t go to shore in places other than Daggerbay often—but I know where it is. We’re getting very close.”

“How nice,” Vex says, and it doesn’t come out quite as genuine as she’d like it to. It’s hard to imagine giving this up—her perch high above the world, the distant horizon, the wind in her hair. It’s hard to realize that she doesn’t particularly want to go back to being stuck on the ground.

She becomes aware of Zahra watching her carefully, and she looks over, smiling brightly. “Well, darling, I suppose you’ll get the rest of your money soon.”

Zahra opens her mouth and closes it again, frowning slightly, like she isn’t sure what to say. “I know how much you hate to give away money,” she says at last.

“Do you think I won’t pay you?” Vex says. “Darling, that’s just hurtful.”

“No, no, I know you’ll pay me,” Zahra says. “I only meant—if you’d rather not, you could just stay aboard the ship. The rest of the money is for delivering you to Vasselheim. If you just stayed, you wouldn’t have to give me anything at all. Except your continued work on the ship, of course.”

“Oh,” Vex says, very faintly.

“If you didn’t want to pay me,” Zahra says quickly.

“Right,” Vex says. “I do hate paying people.”

“Yes,” Zahra says. “That’s why I thought I’d offer.”

Vex looks at her and then looks away again, jittery. She knows, she knows that that’s not what this is about, because she isn’t completely stupid, no matter what her brother says. She’s pretty sure that she could kiss Zahra if she wanted to, and she does want to. She’s positive that she could say, yes, I’d like to stay, but not because of that, just because I want to. Or she could just say that Zahra’s right, and she’d rather not have to part with the gold, so yes, she’ll stay, thank you very much, and Zahra wouldn’t call her on it.

“I—” She has to make a joke, right now, defuse the tension, or she might die. “You must think me very mercenary,” she says, and she laughs, but she knows it sounds forced.

“Well,” Zahra says. “Yes.”

“I’m surprised you think my work is worth that much,” Vex says, and then, before Zahra can start telling her how valuable she is again, she adds, “Would there be a set amount of time I would have to work before letting me off on the nearest shore would be free? This sounds a bit like indentured servitude, I have to say.”

“Vex—” Zahra says.

“I just mean,” Vex says, too loudly, “that surely if I agreed, and then decided to get off and go my own way in a month, I would, theoretically, still have to pay you some portion of what I’d owe you for leaving me in Vasselheim.”

Zahra’s very quiet, and for too long, all Vex can hear is the waves far below them.

“Does that mean you’d like to stay?” Zahra says at last.

“I—” She doesn’t know what to say. “I’m saying it’s more complicated than simply deciding to not get off a boat at Vasselheim.”

“Darling, we could figure something out.”

“Work-based contracts are very complicated,” Vex says, determinedly ignoring her. “I think—I think it might all be too much effort.”

“Oh,” Zahra says. “Well, if you think so, of course, dear, I completely understand. I just thought I might offer, since I assume the thought of handing over all that money must be weighing heavily on your mind.”

“You do make a good point,” Vex says. “But—” She doesn’t finish the sentence. She doesn’t even know what to finish it with.

“Yes,” Zahra says. “It’s all right, darling.” She rests a hand very lightly against Vex’s arm, who tries not to react. “No hard feelings.”

“No,” Vex agrees. “Why would there be?”

—

Everyone is in a quiet mood when they dock at Vasselheim’s port the next day, Vex and Vax standing by the side of the ship with all their things packed and at their sides for the first time since they got kidnapped.

“Well,” Kash says, breaking the silence. “I’ll be glad to see the last of the two of you.”

“Oh, shut up,” Keyleth says, shoving him. “You’re so terrible at this.” She comes forward and gives both Vex and her brother long hugs, holding onto them tightly. When she finally pulls back, she’s a little teary. “I’m going to miss both of you a lot, and so is he, even if he won’t say it.”

“I am not,” Kash mutters, but without much feeling.

“Thanks, Kiki,” Vax says, smiling at her. “We’ll miss you too. But not your worse half.”

Keyleth giggles, sniffing back her tears. “Yeah, uh-huh.”

Like that breaks some kind of barrier, everyone else is coming forward to give them hugs and tell them how much they’re going to be missed, even Grog, who Vex thinks might break one of her ribs when he lifts her up to tell her she’s pretty cool and good in a fight.

Zahra comes forward last, gives Vax a quick squeeze, and then comes to a stop in front of Vex, not moving forward to touch her. “Vex’ahlia,” she says.

“Captain Hydris,” Vex says. She bites her lip. “I am going to miss you.”

Zahra smiles. “So am I, darling.” She opens her arms, and Vex steps forward to hug her tightly, squeezing hard and letting it last a little too long. Zahra says, very quietly into her ear, “If you change your mind, the offer is still open. And it will stay that way, for as long as you like. If we’ve already left Vasselheim, well. You found us once. I assume you can do it again.”

Vex pulls back and takes a deep breath, shaking her head very slightly. Zahra nods, and Vex doesn’t think she’s imagining the disappointment on her face.

“Well,” Zahra says. “I think you owe me something?”

“Of course,” Vex says. She takes a dagger and very carefully slits open the seam of her jacket, gesturing for her brother to catch the tiny diamonds that pour out.

“Smart,” Kash says appreciatively.

“I was being kidnapped onto a ship by known thieves, I wasn’t exactly going to just carry bags of money,” Vex says. “Vax, give that to—”

“Yeah,” he says, tipping them carefully into Zahra’s cupped hands.

“Well, I think that’s all,” Vex says. “You can count it, if you like.”

“That’s all right,” Zahra says. “If you ever need to be kidnapped again—”

“I’ll know who to contact,” she says, and then she can’t stand it anymore, and she grabs her brother’s hand and drags him off the ship with her.

“Vex!” she hears from behind her, when her feet hit the dock, and she turns slowly, seeing Zahra standing on the ship, leaning towards them over the rail.

“Yes?” she says.

“I think those diamonds are worth a little more than you think they are,” Zahra says. “You paid me too much.”

“What?” Vex says.

“Here,” Zahra says. “To make up the difference.” She plucks the ridiculous hat from the top of her head and throws it through the air, where Vex catches it, her hand snapping out and closing around the stiff leather automatically. “I’d hate to overcharge you.”

“No, I’d be very displeased with you,” Vex says, gripping the hat tightly. “That would be wrong.”

“Yes, that’s what I thought,” Zahra says. She nods at the hat. “Wear it for me.”

Vex swallows hard, pressing her eyes closed for a second, before she jams it firmly onto the top of her head, arranging it neatly. “How does it look?” she says, and she’s proud that her voice is very nearly even.

“Better on you,” Zahra says. “Goodbye, darling.”

“Bye,” Vex says, grabbing her brother again and turning quickly, practically dragging him in her wake as she moves away from the ship and the water.

He lets her get them out of sight of the ship before he says, “What did Zahra mean, about an offer being open?”

She stops dead in the middle of the street, whirling around to face him and dropping his hand abruptly. “You heard that?”

“I have good ears,” he says. “And I wasn’t standing that far from you. Vex’ahlia, what’s going on?”

She tugs at her hair and looks down, away from his face. “She told me last night we could stay on board the ship, if we wanted to.”

“Oh,” he says, and she looks up at him. “Did you think I’d be surprised?”

“I don’t know,” she says.

“You said no.”

“Clearly.”

“Why?”

“What?” she says, staring at him. “Well, because—”

When she doesn’t finish the sentence, he grabs her hand and pulls her off the street, towards a clearly labeled bar. “Come on, you’re buying both of us a drink,” he says.

“I don’t need a drink,” she says, digging her heels in a little, but he manages to pull her along anyway.

“Too bad,” he says. “I need one, and I don’t feel like drinking alone.” He shoves her onto a stool at the bar and catches the bartender’s eye, holding up two fingers.

“You’re overreacting, brother,” she says.

“No, I’m having a conversation we should’ve had a while ago,” he says, sitting down and turning towards her. “But we didn’t, because—well, because we didn’t want to.”

“I don’t understand,” she says warily.

Two ales thunk down onto the bar in front of them, and Vax grabs his with worrying speed. “Oh, good timing,” he says, which is not comforting. “Sister, pay the man.”

She does so, grudgingly, and sips her own drink as Vax gulps quite a bit of his. “You’re starting to make me nervous,” she says, watching him.

He puts the ale down again and looks at her straight on. “I know why it’s different when it’s me.”

She stares at him. “What?”

“Why me and Gilmore was different from you and everyone,” he says. “I get it.”

“It was a stupid thing to say,” she says immediately.

“Yeah,” he says. “But I know why you said it. It is different. Because you flirt with everyone, and I don’t. So if you do it, we both know it doesn’t mean anything serious, but if I do, it might. Am I right?”

“Maybe I’m just a worse person than you are,” she mutters, looking down.

“Vex’ahlia.”

“Yeah,” she says. “That’s why it’s different when it’s you.”

“You know it’s always going to be me and you, right?” he says.

“I know—”

“I mean it,” he says. “You will always, always, always be my first priority. That’s never going to change.”

“I know,” she says again. “I know that, I do. And I like it that way. You and me against the world, that’s how it goes. That’s how it’s always going to go.”

“Yes, it is,” he says. “But, Vex’ahlia… I don’t know if it has to be just you and me.”

“What?” she says, clutching at the edge of the bar. “Brother—”

“You will always be first,” he says, reaching over to put a hand over one of hers. “But would it really be that bad if there were some people who came after? You and me, and then our friends. I don’t—we might not always have to be alone. Having other people in your life doesn’t mean I mean less to you.”

“And the other way around,” she says.

“And the other way around,” he says. “We don’t have to stay on the ship—I don’t know what’s going on with you and Zahra, and I don’t know if that’s what you want, but we could.”

She looks down. “I don’t know what I want.”

“I sort of figured,” he says gently, squeezing her hand. “I don’t either, really. But while you’re figuring it out, I don’t want you to worry that there’s a single thing in the entire world that could ever take you from me or me from you. That’s not the way this works.”

“I know that,” she says. “I do. It’s just—”

“I know,” he says. “You think I wasn’t starting to feel a little possessive about how close you and Zahra were getting? I get it.”

“Funny, you’re seeming pretty well-adjusted right now,” she says.

“Come on, sister, neither of us is well-adjusted,” he says, grinning at her. “I spent a lot of time talking to Pike about it, honestly, while you flirted in the crow’s nest.”

Vex winces. “Oh, that’s embarrassing. I’m never going to be able to look at her again.”

“She was really nice about it,” he says.

“Yeah, that doesn’t make it better. Now she knows how weird we are about each other.”

Vax laughs. “Stubby, everyone knows how weird we are about each other. That’s why I know it’s going to work out. There isn’t anyone, anywhere who could enter into a—a friendship with one of us and not know where our priorities are going to stay.”

“I’m not sure what you’re telling me to do right now,” she says, picking up her tankard with her free hand and gulping. It’s shit ale, bitter and weirdly textured, but at least it’s something.

“I’m not telling you to do anything,” he says. “I’m just telling you, you know, if there’s something you want to do, you don’t have to worry about you and me. You never have to worry about you and me.”

She lets go of the bar and turns her hand so that she can hold his properly, instead of just having him gripping her awkwardly. “I felt guilty,” she admits after moment. “With Zahra, I mean. About just the idea of having a real relationship, not just a flirtation.”

“I felt guilty about Gilmore,” Vax says. “I was just pissed at you, so I did it anyway. And I pretended I didn’t, because I didn’t want to be, because—oh, because you do it all the time, and I was annoyed with you. But my point is, I don’t think we have to feel guilty for caring about other people. It’s not—I could never replace you. Could you?”

“No,” she says, squeezing his hand. “But isn’t that—what if one of us gets married, or something horrible like that? Isn’t that supposed to be the most important person in your life?”

“Pike says that’s stupid,” Vax says.

“Do you worship at the church of things Pike says now?” she says tartly, and he laughs again, tangling his fingers with hers.

“Maybe, yeah,” he says. “But Pike says Grog is her favorite person in the entire world, her best friend, and the idea that that might change just because she fell in love is dumb.”

“So, we’re being dumb, is what you’re saying, and we should stop.”

“Well, yeah, but that part we knew.”

She snorts, smiling down at their clasped hands. “I’m going to tell Kash you admitted you were dumb,” she says.

“Are you?” he says evenly, and she knows what he’s really asking.

“When did this become up to me?” she says. “It’s your life too.”

“Yes, but this whole pirate thing has sort of been your show,” he says. “And… I’m not really committing to anything, or anyone, if I get back on that ship. Not yet.”

“Neither am I,” she says quickly. “I’m not…ready for that. To be that serious about it. I don’t know if I…”

He nudges her ankle with his boot when she doesn’t continue. “If you?”

“If I trust anyone but you that much,” she says. She smiles bitterly, her insides twisting up. “Is that horrible?”

“I don’t know,” he says frankly. “It’s not like I’m any better.” He laughs suddenly, and she glances at him, surprised. “I don’t know if it’s horrible, but I have a funny feeling like Pike would tell me it’s not very healthy.”

Vex smiles wryly, despite herself. “She’d probably be right.”

“Look, sister,” he says. “We’re here, in Vasselheim. We can stay here, for as long as we want to. We don’t have to get back on that ship. It doesn’t have to be those people. I just don’t want you to feel like it can’t be. Or like we can’t ever have anyone.”

“I think I know that,” she says. “In my head, I mean.”

“Yeah.” He nudges her with his toe again. “It doesn’t have to be everything all at once, you know. We can work up to trusting people to—to have our backs. To be people we can love.”

She nods, looking down at her ale. There’s no foam really left on the top, and she can almost see her own reflection in the liquid. “I feel like it means something,” she says. “If we go back. I’m not ready for it to mean anything.”

“Well,” Vax says, after a too long moment, “look at us, the cowards.”

“It’s not about cowardice,” she says, stung.

“Hey, I was including myself in that,” he says. “I don’t know what to say, Vex’ahlia. I love you. I don’t think we’ll love each other less if we love other people too. I don’t know if these people are the right ones to love, but I think I might like them to be.”

Vex stares at him, and then she downs the rest of her drink. “That’s a thing you just said.”

“Yeah,” he says. “I meant it, though. Wouldn’t you like it? Not just Zahra, but all of them. Pike, Keyleth, Percy. Grog. Even fucking Kash and Scanlan.”

“Fuck,” she says, and then she grabs her brother’s unfinished drink and drains the rest of that as well, in one long swallow.

“I was drinking that,” he says.

“Too bad,” she says. “Okay. Yeah. What the fuck. Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah. Let’s go be pirates,” she says. “But I want to at least see Vasselheim first. Do you know how much I paid to get us here?”

—

They sneak back onto the ship well after midnight, after exploring most of the city that it turns out they won’t be living in after all. Scanlan is on watch, but he doesn’t seem to notice them slipping past him onto the deck and into the shadows by the side of Zahra’s cabin.

Vax jerks his head towards the door. “Want to let her know we’re here?” he whispers.

She shrugs. “It’s late, we might as well let everyone sleep. Including us, if it comes to that.”

“I can’t tell if you’re trying to avoid emotional conversations or prank everyone,” Vax says lightly, glancing from side to side. “But all right, I can’t exactly say I object to either of those possibilities.”

She elbows him in the side, hard. “Shut up. Let’s just go to our room.”

“You know,” he says, as they sneak downstairs. “I get the feeling that if we’re full members of the crew, we might not have to sleep in the brig anymore.”

“Oh, but I was getting used to it,” she says. “It feels positively homey down there. And it’s not like we ever have anyone else down here, taking up space by being prisoners.”

“What if they kidnap someone else?”

Vex gasps in mock-horror. “But we’re their only true kidnappees! How can you suggest they could be so unfaithful, brother?”

“Oh, of course, my mistake,” he says, dry as the desert. “Obviously this is an exclusive kidnapping relationship.”

She sniffs primly, easing the door to their old cell open and ushering him through. “Of course it is,” she says. “I don’t get casually kidnapped, and I’d hope you have enough respect for yourself to be able to say the same.”

“I’m sure everyone on board will be glad to hear about how seriously you take all this,” he says, sitting down cross-legged against the wooden side of the ship.

She sits next to him, leaning against his side, and his arm comes up immediately to wrap around her shoulders. She rests her head on his shoulder and sighs.

“Too much, with the mentioning taking it seriously?” he says.

She shakes her head, feeling his armor scratch against her cheek. “No, I just—this is the right thing to do, right?”

“You mean, like, morally?” he says dubiously. “I don’t know if there are moral imperatives in making friends.”

“No, dumbass,” she says. “The right thing, like, um, the right thing for us. The best thing to do for our lives and the future and whatever else we’ve got.”

“Oh,” he says. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” she says. “This was your idea!”

“Yeah, and me, I’m known for thinking things through.”

“Why do I listen to you?”

“I’m older,” he says.

“By approximately no time at all,” she says. “I can’t believe I listen to your opinions.”

“Yeah, me neither, honestly,” he says. He pats her arm. “Go to sleep, stubby. Uncertainty and bad decision-making will still be here in the morning.”

“Oh, well, that’s comforting,” she mutters, stretching out on the floor, where Pike had dragged a couple of shitty mattresses ages ago. No one’s bothered to move them, and Vax lies down next to her, their breathing evening out in the dark room.

“We can always get off somewhere else,” Vax says quietly. “This isn’t a commitment.”

“Yeah, yeah. You just want to see Gilmore again. That’s the real reason we’re here on this ship again,” she mutters.

“Honestly, Vex’ahlia, I barely know the man,” he says, sounding tired. “It’s not like I’ve spent every night having long and personal private conversations with him—wait, I forgot, that’s you.”

“Shut up and go to sleep,” she mutters. “Your talking privileges have been revoked.”

He blows a raspberry in her ear, because he’s a dick, but he’s mercifully silent after that, curled up against her back, the steady rise and fall of his breathing leaching the tension out of her muscles as the ship and the sea rock her to sleep.

—

They sleep in the next morning, for once, because no one comes down to wake them up. Why would they? As far as everyone on the ship knows, they disappeared into the streets of Vasselheim and haven’t been seen since.

Vex wakes up yawning and rolls onto her stomach, stretching out. Her brother is still lying next to her, pushed up onto his elbows, his head cocked oddly.

“Problem?” she says, pillowing her head on her arms.

“What time would you say it is?” he says.

She blinks, raising her head enough to prop her head up. “There aren’t any windows in here. I couldn’t be sure.”

“But if you had to guess?” he persists.

She frowns, but doesn’t question it, cataloguing how tired she feels against how anxious she’s been and how badly she’s been sleeping lately, feeling out the stiffness in her muscles from lying in one position too long. “After noon,” she says at last. “We slept a long time. Why?”

“I think the ship’s moving,” he says.

She shoots up into a sitting position, trying to get a grip on the rolling motion of the ship beneath them. “Oh,” she says. “Well.”

“We weren’t going to change our minds anyway,” he says. “Right?”

“Actually, I’m mostly offended that they didn’t wait longer to see if we were going to come back,” Vex says, and she’s a little surprised to find that it’s true. Most of the nerves she’d been feeling last night seem to have receded with the shore. “I think I wanted them to hang around for a while, giving us as much of a chance as possible to change our minds. It definitely could’ve taken us longer than a day.”

“I’m glad you’re taking this so calmly,” her brother says.

She glances over at him. “Are you not? Did you want to change our minds?”

“No,” he says, after a moment. “Not really. But I might feel better if we had the option. I like having a back door.”

“Yeah, you’re not going to find one of those on a ship,” she says.

“Yeah, thanks for the information,” he says, sitting up properly and scowling at her. “Why are you so relaxed? You were the one freaking out yesterday.”

“You like bad decisions while we’re making them,” Vex says.

“Was this a bad decision?” he says.

“No idea,” she says. “Come on, brother, run in headlong—that’s your thing, isn’t it?”

“Yes, well, I ran in, and now I’m starting to wonder if I should’ve maybe thought that through better,” he says.

“No back doors,” she says, unsympathetically. “Too late.”

“Fuck you,” he says. “Should we run in headlong, then?”

“Didn’t we already?” she says.

“Not really,” he says. “We could still hide and steal food and stowaway until we hit another shore and sneak away again. It’s not like they know we’re here.”

“Yes,” she says carefully.

“Either we’re doing this or we aren’t,” he says. “All or nothing, right?”

“What happened to wanting a back door?” she says. “Now you’ve pointed one out, and you’re trying to burn it down.”

“I don’t know what I want,” he says. “We can hide for a few days, if you like.”

“No,” she says. “Run in headlong. Good plan. I like it.”

Neither of them moves.

Vax laughs weakly, his mouth twisting up. “I never thought of us as cowards.”

“Yes, you did. You said so yesterday,” she says, reaching to the side and picking up the hat she’d set aside the night before, when they were going to sleep. “And you were right. We hold ourselves back from things. Me especially, but we both deflect and make jokes and leave back doors open.”

“Your point being?” he says, and she sees his eyes dip down to where her fingers are rubbing the brim of the hat.

She makes them stop, plops the hat back down on her head, and takes a deep breath. “My point being, let’s go say hello to our new friends.”

—

They slip onto the deck quietly, mostly out of force of habit, and Vex takes it in—everyone running around yelling at each other, Scanlan singing something ridiculous at a laughing Pike, Grog hauling on ropes like it’s nothing, Keyleth darting in to press a quick kiss to a scowling Kash’s lips as she runs across the deck to sling an arm around Percy’s shoulders as they bend over a pile of papers, Zahra at the helm with a smile on her lips as she watches everyone.

“Headlong,” Vex whispers to her brother, and then she stands up straight and strides out into the sunlight. “Captain Hydris!” she yells. “We had an agreement. I think you owe me some diamonds.”

The look on Zahra’s face when their eyes meet makes her gut clench in something that feels uncomfortably like fear. It’s too honestly, beautifully happy, and Vex feels somehow clumsy and badly fitted into her skin, even all the way across the ship.

“Vex’ahlia,” Zahra says, and her voice lingers over every syllable.

“How the hell did they even get on board?” Kash says, breaking into the moment, and Vex looks away from Zahra, off-balance.

“Really, sweetie?” Keyleth says. “That’s what you’re focusing on?”

“What?” he says.

“Oh, honestly,” Keyleth says, shaking her head at him. “I’m so glad to see both of you,” she adds, running to Vex and Vax and throwing her arms around both of them. “It’s wonderful that you decided to come back, really.”

“Good to see you too,” Vex says, hugging her back very hard. And she is happy to see Keyleth—simply, uncomplicatedly happy. And Pike too, who’s next to run over and say hello, and after that, it’s no time at all before the whole crew is piling over to welcome them both back.

“Vex,” Zahra says again, from much nearer this time, and Vex disentangles herself from the pile of hugs with speed she wishes she could replicate in combat.

“Enough of all this,” she says lightly. “Captain Hydris?” She holds out a hand expectantly.

Zahra looks at her, a soft smile on her face, but Vex holds her ground, chin up and hand out and absolutely no messy feelings in sight.

“Well, I’ve hardly been keeping them in my jacket pocket,” Zahra says at last. “Or even in my hem.” She inclines her head towards her cabin. “But of course I’ll settle up with you. They’re in my quarters. Come along, darling.”

She turns and walks that direction, the easy sway of her hips matching the roll of the waves underneath them. Vex can’t stop herself from watching, but she’s jerked out of her reverie by the sudden heavy weight of her brother’s arm over her shoulders.

“Seriously?” he says, though he keeps his voice low. “The woman looks at you like that, and you ask about your diamonds? What’s wrong with you?”

“I like diamonds,” she hisses, walking quickly after Zahra.

He keeps up with her easily. “What happened to headlong, sister of mine?”

“I’ll headlong you into the ocean.”

They walk into Zahra’s little cabin after her, and she looks up and smiles at both of them. “It’s lovely to have you back,” she says. “I’m very glad you reconsidered.”

“Well, I decided I couldn’t part with all those jewels after all,” Vex says. “Speaking of, darling…”

“Of course,” Zahra says. She lifts a little leather bag out of a—unlocked, Vex can’t help but notice—drawer and holds them up. “As discussed.”

Vex holds her hand out, and Zahra places it in her palm, but her fingers close around the top at the last second.

“Actually,” she says, and Vex stiffens.

“Yes?” she says warily.

“I think I ought to keep one of those,” Zahra says. When Vex frowns at her, she says, “For the hat.”

Vax snorts with something that sounds annoyingly like amusement, and Vex steps on his foot.

“The—the hat?” she says. “Darling, I know you’re fond of it, but this hat is not worth a diamond.”

“All right,” Zahra says easily. “So give it back to me.”

Vex puts a protective hand on the brim of her hat, holding it firmly on her head. “It’s my hat now,” she says defensively. “You gave it to me.”

“Actually, I think you’ll find I sold it to you,” Zahra says. “You overpaid me, so I gave it to you in order to make up the difference. And now, if I’m going to give you back all the diamonds, I’d like my hat back.”

The automatic no Vex feels bubbling up in her in response to that is absolutely absurd, and she knows it. It’s a silly hat, and she certainly doesn’t need it, and there is no reason for her to want to keep it, especially if she’d have to give up an entire diamond in order to. This is a stupid conversation and a stupid proposition and— “The hat doesn’t even look good on you,” she protests. “I’ve told you that again and again, darling, so really, I am doing you a service by wearing it instead.”

“Mm-hmm,” Zahra says, infuriatingly patient. “This is a pirate ship, dear. We don’t trade in charity.”

Vex scowls at her. “I thought you were happy to see me.”

“I’m delighted,” Zahra says, and she honestly looks like she means it, smiling warmly. “That doesn’t mean I can just give you things. Money is serious business.”

She looks like she’s teasing, a little, but there’s also a serious cast to her face that reminds Vex of her brother when he’s decided to follow some piece of stupidity through to the end.

Vex reaches up to the brim of her hat, but her fingers stall out a hairsbreadth away from touching it. She wants to keep it. Of course she wants to keep it, because she’s stupid and more sentimental than she’s ever admitted to herself before. There’s no way it’s worth a whole diamond.

For a brief, terrifying moment, her mouth opens, and the words form in her throat, I’d like to keep it because it makes me think of you. And just then, she really believes that she could say it, and that Zahra would smile at her, just like that, and it would be wonderful.

But the words choke in her mouth, and her hand closes on the brim of the hat, and she takes it off her head and hands it over.

“Well, if it really means so much to you,” she hears herself say, and then the hat is in Zahra’s hands, and the smile is fading from her face.

“Thank you,” Zahra says, a little stiff. She looks down at the hat in her hands, and back up at Vex, and then after a moment, she puts it back on her head.

It still looks ridiculous balanced on top of her horns, but it suddenly isn’t funny anymore, and Vex looks down instead of meeting her gaze, and she pockets the bag of diamonds.

“No, no,” she says to the wooden floor. “Thank you. For the diamonds.”

“Of course,” Zahra says, and the silence lingers horribly.

“Well,” Vax says, into the pregnant pause. She’d almost forgotten he was there. “This has all been fantastic, but we should get to work.”

“Of course,” Zahra says again.

“Where are we going, by the way?” Vax asks. His voice sounds oddly normal, in the face of everything, and if she could, Vex would hate him a little bit.

“In a general southerly direction,” Zahra says. “But for now, we’re just being pirates. Sailing, stealing—we don’t usually have a specific heading.”

“That makes sense,” Vax says. “Come on, sister, back to the salt mines.” He grabs her arm and pulls her roughly from the room, and she stumbles after him.

Instead of letting her go to the crow’s nest, though, he pulls her over to the side of the ship and glares at her. “What the hell was that?”

“What?” she says defensively, though she definitely knows.

“That,” he says. “With—all of that! What happened to not being like this anymore? To being willing to take the leap?”

“I’m here, aren’t I?” she snaps. “Leap taken.”

“Leap half taken,” he says. “Sister, anyone with eyes can see that you and Zahra want to—”

“Shut up,” she says. “Shut up. It’s not—there’s time to figure that out.”

“That is not the point,” he says.

“That’s my point,” she says. “Now, didn’t you say we needed to get to work? Come on, we don’t have all day.”

“I thought you just said we did,” he mutters, but he follows her grudgingly and heads for Kash, presumably to get instructions.

She doesn’t even bother asking, just heads straight for the center mast and starts climbing the rigging. The view, when she gets to the top, is as perfect as ever, but her stomach feels leaden, and the wind stings her eyes and cheeks, and somehow, she can’t quite bring herself to enjoy it properly.

—

The next few weeks pass, if not quickly, then steadily. It’s easy to fall back into patterns on the ship, to smile at the same people and do the same chores and avoid Zahra’s steady gaze. Vax manages to mostly keep his mouth shut, somehow, and time…passes.

She can’t quite bring herself to regret not staying in Vasselheim, but it’s hard to feel like this is exactly what she wants out of life. She loves being on the sea, and she loves stealing from ships that pass their way, but she’s tense and uncertain, and half the things she wants to say die in her throat.

Zahra still comes up to visit her in the crow’s nest at night, and they still talk, but Vex feels on pins and needles knowing that if she just moved, if she just said—

But she doesn’t.

By the time they go back to Daggerbay, she’s unspeakably relieved to watch the shore approach. She’s almost vibrating with the need to get off the ship and get some space to think and not practically run into someone everywhere she goes.

Still, she follows everyone to Gilmore’s happily enough, since she could use a free drink or two and the sight of Vax also completely failing to deal with his life. Of course, he could prove her wrong and get it together, but it’s Vax. She’s not betting on it.

The seasons are turning, and there’s getting to be a chill in the air, even on the southern end of Tal’dorei, so she closes her eyes to enjoy the warmth from the huge fireplace as they cross the threshold into the bar. She looks around cheerfully as she brushes the hair back from her face, and it takes Vax grabbing her arm in a grip that’ll leave bruises for her to even realize anything’s wrong.

She follows his gaze to the bar, already shifting into a better stance for fighting, and sees Gilmore looking stiff and unhappy. That’s surprising enough that it takes her another moment to register the man sitting across from him, and then she stops noticing anything else.

Syldor turns his head at the noise of their entrance, and he looks straight at them. “Children,” he says. “There you are.”

Vax makes a furious sound next to her, and the rest of the crew starts turning to look at them, and she tries desperately to think of a next move, but like magic, she feels her spine straighten and posture perfect itself.

Shoulders back, chin up, hands down, like a lady, she can hear her etiquette teacher saying to her, things she hasn’t thought about in months, and it’s like she never managed to leave.

“Hello, Father,” she says, and she wants it to come out steady, but her voice trembles like a child’s.

Vax steps in front of her. “What are you doing here?” he bites out. He sounds furious, and she’s helplessly jealous of how thoroughly unconflicted he always is.

Already, she can feel the sick longing unfurling in her gut, the stupid desire to see her father smile at them, to hear him say, I missed you. As soon as you left, I realized how perfect you really were, just so she tell him to go fuck himself. Or so she can run to him and bask in the approval she’s always dreamed of, and fuck, but she wishes she could say for sure which she’d do.

Syldor raises a cool eyebrow at Vax, seemingly unconcerned. “I was informed by the servants and the graffiti in the garden that both of you had been kidnapped by pirates. You thought I would do nothing?”

“Why should you?” Vax says. “It would’ve been a very convenient way to get rid of us.”

“Is that what you think I want?”

“We don’t know what you want,” Vex hears herself say. It practically bursts out of her, coming out too loud and too strong and too much. “You take us away from our mother, and then you ignore us for years, and then we leave, and you bring us back and then keep ignoring us! We’re not decoration, because we’re bastard half-elves, and you don’t seem to take any pleasure from having us around, so why keep us? Why even care that we were kidnapped?”

Syldor looks at her, and she makes herself hold his gaze. Chin up, she thinks again, wildly.

After a long moment, he says. “I was concerned.” Vax scoffs loudly, but Syldor ignores him. “I didn’t receive a ransom note, and any other reasons for your kidnap seemed likely to end badly for you.”

“And you were concerned,” she says. “Right. Besides, I bet it would be really bad for your image if it didn’t look like you cared that your son and daughter were kidnapped by vicious pirates. Well. The elves might not mind, but I hear the sovereign of Emon is a family man.”

“Vex’ahlia, stop being hysterical,” he says impatiently.

“Hey,” a loud voice says, and Vex jumps a little and looks with surprise over at Grog, who’s scowling fiercely at Syldor. “Don’t talk to her like that.”

Vex’s mouth drops open, and she gapes at him like a fish.

“Yeah,” Pike says. “You’re being very rude.”

“Who are you?” Syldor says, somehow managing to look down his nose at a goliath at least a full foot taller than him.

“Burt Reynolds, at your service,” Scanlan says cheerfully, walking straight up to him and sticking out his hand. “Attorney at law. You must be Lord Syldor Vessar.”

“You’re a lawyer,” Syldor says, his voice thick with disbelief.

Keyleth crosses her arms over her chest. “We’re…all lawyers.”

Vax chokes, and Percy mutters, “Oh, dear lord,” and rubs his forehead in very long-suffering way.

“You’re all lawyers. Of course,” Syldor says. “I’m not sure why I asked. Naturally, you’re the pirates who kidnapped my children.”

“If you’re considering arresting us, Lord Vessar,” Percy says evenly, raising his head and fixing Syldor with a look that reminds Vex that he grew up with people like this, “I would strongly caution you against it. We may allow tourists into the city—more people to rob, after all—but we only let them walk out with what they brought in.”

“And frequently not that,” Kash says evenly.

“And you may note,” Zahra says, “that you came in alone.” She shoulders her way forward and stands in front of Vex and her brother. “And that’s how you should leave.”

“Or we’ll sue,” Scanlan says, and Vax starts laughing.

“Yeah,” Grog says. “Also fuck you up. Right, little buddy?”

“Right,” Pike says, squaring off.

“Yeah,” Keyleth says. “Because you’re—you’re a dick. And we don’t like you.”

“You tell him,” Kash says, apparently in all seriousness.

“She’s right,” Percy says, smiling faintly. “We don’t like you.”

“And if you try to remove anyone from this city,” Zahra says, her voice soft and deadly, “I think you’ll find you’ll have to go through every one of us first.”

“And then some,” Gilmore says, plopping a sign onto the bar. It reads clearly, in gorgeous calligraphy:

We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone. Please leave, before we are forced to remove your internal organs.
Thanking you,
—The Management

“So if you could please exit the premises,” he says cheerily, but his smile has too many teeth in it, and arcane energy is starting to glitter at his fingertips.

“We’re very selective about our clientele,” a new voice says, and Vex glances past Gilmore to see Sherri, of all people, leaning against the door to the back room and scowling at someone else for once.

Syldor looks at every single one of them in turn. “Vex’ahlia, Vax’ildan, stop this childish—”

“You heard them,” Vax says. “You’re not welcome here. And we’re not going anywhere with you, if that’s what you wanted.”

“Here,” Vex says abruptly, fumbling with her things. She throws the little bag of diamonds she’s kept close since Zahra gave it back to her, and he catches it neatly, his eyebrows raising when he looks inside. “I stole those from you, but I don’t need them. You can have them back. But that’s all you can have back, because it’s all that was stolen from you, because we aren’t yours. Right, brother?”

“Right,” Vax says.

“And we weren’t really kidnapped, so you can stuff your concern,” she says, and if her voice wobbles a little, it doesn’t matter. “We’re fine. So go back to Emon or Syngorn or wherever you like, and don’t look for us. We’re long gone.”

He looks at her for a very long time. “I see.” For a second, she thinks she sees a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth, but then he pockets the diamonds and nods at all of them. “Try not to get arrested by someone else, both of you. And if you do…” He sighs, shaking his head. “Get a real lawyer.”

He walks calmly past them, his sleeve barely a hairsbreadth from Vex for the briefest second, and then he’s out the door like he was never there, and Vex stares numbly at the space he used to occupy.

“How dare he,” Scanlan says, breaking the silence, “suggest that Burt Reynolds isn’t a real lawyer?”

“Oh, for—” Kash says, rolling his eyes.

“I can’t believe you said that,” Keyleth says, starting to laugh.

“I can’t believe he didn’t believe me,” Scanlan says.

“Aww,” Pike says. “I believed you.”

“That is so sweet,” Scanlan says. “It’s just like you to be so sweet.”

“I wish I’d known who he was,” Gilmore says. “I wouldn’t have even let him in.”

“But you knew something was up, huh?” Kash says.

“Well, he started asking all these odd questions,” Gilmore says. “And I realized he was looking for information about Vax’ildan and Vex’ahlia, and I couldn’t have that.”

“Darling,” Zahra says, “are you all right?”

And Vex realizes, all at once, that her hand is over her mouth and her shoulders are shaking and she’s starting to cry. “That—all of you, that was—” She presses the heel of her hand against of her eyes. Vax has an arm tight around her shoulders, and she is completely surrounded by people who love her, and it’s never been like this. Life has never been like this. “Nobody’s ever done anything like that, not ever. And all of you just—”

“Hey,” Grog says. “Our ship, we’re, like. Family, yeah?”

Vex smiles helplessly through the tears. “Yeah, all right.” She reaches up and squeezes his shoulder. “You’re a pretty good weird cousin, Grog.”

“But I’m a better weird cousin, right?” Scanlan says, and she starts laughing and laughing.

“And you?” Vax says, looking across the room at Gilmore. “You’re not on the ship.”

“Well, no,” he says. “But that doesn’t mean I was going to sit back and let anyone talk to you and your sister that way.”

“Right,” Vax says, nodding. “So, can I buy you a drink?”

Gilmore opens and closes his mouth, starting to smile widely. “I already own all the drinks here,” he says, his voice teasing.

“Good point,” Vax says. “So, can you buy me a drink?”

Gilmore laughs loudly, beckoning him over. “I think I might be able to manage that, yes.”

Vex looks over at her brother in time to see him raise an eyebrow at her, and she rolls her eyes and shoves him away from her. He grins at her and kisses her temple, walking over to lean against the bar.

“In case you couldn’t tell,” he says to Gilmore, “that was a euphemism.”

“Oh, was it? By the way, weren’t you not coming back to Daggerbay?”

“Long story,” Vax says.

“I can’t wait for you to tell me all about it,” Gilmore says, and then Vax grabs his collar, pulls him in, and kisses him solidly on the mouth.

“I can,” he says, once he’s pulled away.

“On second thought, so can I,” Gilmore says, and he tugs him back in.

Vex grins, wiping her eyes and shaking her head, biting her lip on another laugh. She looks up to see Zahra smiling at her gently.

“You look like you might need a drink as well,” Zahra says. “Maybe something strong.”

“Yeah,” Vex says. “Or—actually, you know what, I don’t.”

“No?”

“No,” she says. “I don’t. Isn’t that amazing?”

“Vex—”

“Tell you what, I could use some air, though,” she says. She takes one step back towards the door, and then she looks over her shoulder. “Are you coming?”

Outside, the cold, salty air stings at her cheeks, stiff and bracing, and she smiles up at the sky and holds her arms out.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever made a decision as good as when I paid you to kidnap us,” she says conversationally, not bothering to check to see if Zahra’s followed her out.

“Funny,” Zahra says. “I’m not sure if I’ve made a decision as good as letting you.”

Vex turns around and looks at her—at Zahra, who almost certainly loves her, who she might love back, who’s been waiting weeks for her to say yes. “I have something for you,” she says.

“For me?”

“Yes,” Vex says. She holds out her hand and opens it slowly, revealing a single small diamond glinting in the middle of her palm. “I saved one.”

“And you’re…giving it to me?” Zahra says.

“Oh, no,” Vex says. “Pirates don’t trade in charity, darling. I’m selling it to you.” She reaches out and plucks Zahra’s hat off her head. “I think you’ll find this looks better on me.”

Zahra’s breath catches, and they stand there staring at each other. “It does look better on you,” she says roughly. She bites her lip and takes a tiny step into Vex’s space. “Vex, darling—”

“The diamond,” Vex says. “You have to take the diamond.”

“Vex—”

“Take the diamond.”

Zahra makes an impatient sound and grabs the diamond from her hand, holding it up pointedly. “Vex’ahlia—”

“Good,” Vex says, putting the hat on her head. “How do I look?”

“You look beautiful,” Zahra says. “You’re so—of course you look beautiful.”

“That’s good, because you can’t have it back,” Vex says. “I’m a pirate now, so I need a pirate hat.” She feels like a pirate—wild, and like the world is hers for the taking. She feels like the sea is stretching out all around her, even though she’s on dry land.

“You’re beautiful,” Zahra says. She reaches up and adjusts the brim of the hat slightly, settling it better, and then her hand drops to Vex’s cheek and pauses, cupping it very lightly, so they’re barely touching. The moment lingers, and when Vex takes a breath, it shudders its way into her chest.

“I’ve been waiting, I guess,” she says quietly, looking Zahra straight in the eye, her skin breaking out in goosebumps at just that tiny, shivering touch. “For the right time. To not be scared of you or my brother or me or my father or leaving or staying. To be sure. I know you were waiting for me.”

“And is this it?” Zahra says. “Are you sure?”

“I don’t know,” Vex says. “But I sort of don’t feel like I have to be. I’m still scared. But I think we’ll figure it out, don’t you, darling?”

“I really do,” Zahra says, and her thumb strokes Vex’s cheek gently.

Vex smiles. “No need to be so careful,” she says. “This time, I’m not going anywhere.”

“I’m very glad to hear it,” Zahra says, her hand falling to Vex’s hip and grabbing hold. “I’d very much prefer that you didn’t.”

“Well,” Vex says. “I’m out of diamonds. However would I pay you?”

“No more paying me,” Zahra says firmly, and then she leans forward before Vex can say anything else and kisses her.

Vex’s stomach swoops like Keyleth’s making the ship skip across the sea again, and she closes her eyes and pulls Zahra closer and enjoys the ride.

—

When they finally leave Daggerbay again, a full week later, Vax makes out with Gilmore for at least a full five minutes on the dock next to the ship while Kash rolls his eyes and Scanlan catcalls. Vex laughs the entire time, leaning on the railing and waiting for her brother to drag himself back onto their boat.

“Stop being smug that we live with your girlfriend,” Vax says when he finally manages to tear himself away. “Some of us are suffering. We won’t be back for ages.”

“We do live with my girlfriend,” she says. “But your boyfriend does a lot of magic, so stop whining and remind him to think with his upstairs brain long enough to use it.”

He scowls at her. “Don’t you have a job to do?”

“Don’t you?”

He shoves her, like the five year old he totally still secretly is, and she sticks her tongue out at him as she makes her way over to the mast and starts climbing up. She’s started wearing winter gear, and it makes the climb a little harder, since all the padding means she has less range of motion, but she’s so used to pulling herself up by now that she barely even notices. Her hat, of course, never even twitches, no matter what she does.

She looks up at the grey skies and shouts down to Keyleth, “Is it going to rain?”

“Not if we don’t want it to!” Keyleth calls out cheerfully. “That’s what you have me for.”

“Oh, I knew we kept you around for a reason,” Kash says, and she giggles.

Vex grins, looking up and out towards the horizon as Zahra starts to pull the ship away from the dock. She glances back once at the shrinking shore, and then she sets her sights on the wide expanse of water ahead.

Down below, something crashes loudly, and she looks down to see Grog cursing loudly and chasing her stupid brother around the deck as he laughs hysterically.

“Do I want to know?” she yells.

“Probably not,” Zahra shouts back. The sun glints off a tiny, sparkling jewel dangling from one ear, and Vex smiles helplessly.

“So, situation normal, then?”

“Just about. How’s the view from up there?” Zahra shades her face with one hand as she looks up, and Vex gazes out at the open, glittering water, stretching out for what seems like forever.

“Sea’s all clear, Captain!” she cries, and the ship flies forward.