Midnight (DISCONTINUED, INCOMPLETE)

22 || Curse of a Leader

A delay. Callum would be on the pirate's ship for even longer while Ash followed along someone else getting their happy ending. How long would it take? Weeks? How much farther away could he get in that time?

An ugly need to demand some other solution twisted in Ash's gut. It rose up, and a protest nearly left her lips. At the last moment, she bit down on it. Gytha's glowing face flashed in her mind. She might finally be able to free her siblings from their curse.

But Callum.

Lorica smiled gently. "We wouldn't be able to do much if we continued to pursue Wolfbane. We would be wandering aimlessly until we found a lead."

Caspian clenched and unclenched his hands at his side, his narrowed eyes on Lorica, but he didn't say anything. Though, he didn't have to. What Lorica said was already threading strings of doubt within Ash.

"How long do you think it will take to get a lead?"

Lorica leaned back in her seat, plucking a compass of her desk as she did and fiddling with it, much like she had last time Ash was in this room. She glanced between Caspian and Ash. Her lips were set into a thin line as thoughts raced through her eyes. Finally, she flicked the compass from Caspian to the door.

"Caspian, please excuse us. I would like to speak with Ash alone." When Caspian continued glaring, the edge that sharpened Lorica's featured into something angry softened. "Please."

It took a few heartbeats, but the fight in Caspian ebbed away bit by bit. For a moment, Ash thought he would revert to the broken, desperate form she had seen before. The change stopped at a place that left Caspian's expression unreadable instead.

"As you wish, Captain." He gave a two-finger salute to her, a half-hearted smirk to Ash, and then he was out the door.

When it closed, Ash turned a raised eyebrow to her. "Wouldn't he just listen from outside?"

Lorica's eyes lingered on the door for a moment longer before she shook her head. "No, Caspian may get angry with me, but I'm sure he will still respect my wishes. For now, at least."

A silence fell over the two of them, Lorica's gaze turned inward. Ash shifted her weight from foot to foot. Why wasn't she saying anything?

"Well?" Ash finally said.

A large part of her, the part that chided for her speaking up to someone who would be considered above her in this situation, winced. Another part, though, where the disgust had remained buried pushed her forward. It was only because of that part she had been able to speak up.

Thankfully, Lorica didn't need any more prodding. "Yes, Ash, my apologies." She rubbed her eyes then began messaging her temples. "I believe it goes without saying that we do not delve into a crew members' past unless they express a want for anyone to do so or do it themselves, but Caspian has done nothing to hide his disdain -- no, absolute loathing toward Wolfbane."

Ash nodded. It had been one of the array of emotions the name Wolfbane had evoked from Caspian, though part of her was more curious about the devasted more than the anger.

"Do you remember when I told you that none of my crew are killers?"

Wait, what? Ash blinked. How had the conversation gone in that direction? Once more, she nodded.

"That," Lorica said, leaning forward and twirling the compass on her desk, "is because I do everything in my power to ensure my crew members are able to return to their old lives as untainted by their time on the sea as when they were living normal lives. I may prepare them for a life as a pirate, but my wish is never for them to truly become one."