Tempest and Tide [Nikolai Lantsov]

~ Chapter Five ~

One of the crewmen drags me from behind the crate, his eyes livid as he starts cursing me out in a language that I don't recognize. I stumble away from him, trying to put as much space between me and his seething anger as possible.

Tolya comes charging out of the cabin, Sturmhond just a few steps behind him.

"What is going on?" He demands, striding past the crewman. Sturmhond stops between us glancing back and forth from me to the red-faced deckhand. I can see confusion scrawled across his face.

"A spy." The red-faced man accuses, accent thickening with his anger as he points an accusatory finger at me.

"I wasn't spying." I protest crossing my arms defensively over my chest. The rest of the crew is starting to crowd around us, drawn in by the shouts. In an instant Tamar is at my elbow, her eyes daring anyone else to step closer. I know that as soon as she realizes how little I trust them, that same look will be turned on me.

"I found her sitting, looking into the window," The man shouts, his accent so strong I can barely understand as he pointing an accusatory finger at me, "You tell me that is not a spy."

"Of course not." Sturmhond tilts his head, eyes glimmering, "She was lurking, not spying. It's a completely different thing."

I stare at him in shock. I was just caught two inches from his window and he's defending me. What is going on? I try to catch his eyes but Sturmhond refuses to look my way.

"How do we know that she's not working for the Darkling? She could be waiting to turn us all in." The deckhand balks, his face as red as the sunlight tinting the horizon.

"Because I, your Captain, told you she isn't and that should be enough for you."

Sturmhond nods to Tamar as he speaks. She takes my arm, pulling me away from the gathering crew and back toward the Captain's cabin. I don't resist, confusion still pounding against my brain like waves against the hull.

My accuser harrumphs, spitting off another string of curses in his foreign tongue.

I flinch with each word, trying to look anywhere but at him. I only meet angry glares from the rest of the crew. So much for their goodwill.

The Captain still won't meet my eyes. He's speaking directly to the crewman now, his voice low enough that I can't hear what they're saying.

Still, I stare dumbfounded at the Privateer's back as Tamar pushes me into his cabin. The last thing I see before the door slams in my face is Sturmhond clapping his crewman on the back.

I stand frozen to the floor. The boat is rocking beneath me, each swell making my stomach spin faster. An ocean of questions flows through my mind, so many that it's impossible to pick one from their torrent.

Something about this ship feels even more wrong than before. Sturmhond shouldn't be trusting me, especially not after the stunt I just pulled.

Don't trust people, trust their motivations. Nikolai's voice comes back to me. People are unpredictable, but if you know what's driving them then you'll know everything.

What is Sturmhonds motivation?

Ravkan, Privateer, Pirate. Money and power are the only obvious choices, but I can't give him either of those things. Perhaps he wants me to trust him so he can ship me back to the Darkling. But if he has a Corporalki on board he doesn't need my trust, he could keep me here with or without my cooperation. So what is it?

The door swings open and Sturmhond comes marching back in, his coat swishing in the breeze. He stops before me, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I know that I am a fascinating individual Korina, but you can't be lurking around like that." His customary swagger is all there, but something new is behind the words, "My crew isn't quick to trust, so stop making yourself more of a target."