Evocation

Chapter 2- Right Hand Man

I take a deep breath, then walk down the dock and climb onto my ship. It's dark and slippery, so I go slow to make sure I don't fall. It's still night, but I didn't want to risk sleeping past noon and getting left behind. So I wrapped things up back at the tavern and now I'm ready to handle my crew's needs. My crew consists of eleven people and it seems they're all bustling around the deck preparing to set sail. I immediately bump into Daegan in the darkness.

"Oh!" Daegan looks me up and down, looking surprised to see me. "Captain, we weren't expecting to see you until the morning." His loose curly black hair covers his forehead and he pushes it out of the way.

I grumble. "Well, I'm here. Walk with me, Daegan." I head towards the captain's quarters. Passing by each of my crew members, some ignore me as they work and others look confused or surprised to see me before continuing on with their job.

I eye their handiwork as I pass, making sure they're doing things correctly. I rarely help them work or man a station while at sea. Don't get me wrong, I know how to, I just don't. My father made sure I knew every nook and cranny of this ship as a kid. He taught me to man every station and how to help out in any emergency. I know this boat better than anyone else here. My crew know that I'm a damn good sailor, even if I don't show them. Hell, I've taught half of them how to do their jobs. But I don't get involved because they need to see me as their superior. Just because I can get my hands dirty, doesn't mean that I'm going to.

I pull out a key from my boot and unlock my bedroom door. Daegan waits studiously behind me. Once open, I usher us inside and shut the door behind us. "Have you spoken to Lorcan?" I ask, going to the wall and igniting the lantern hung there.

"Aye," Daegan replies, but doesn't divulge more information.

"And what did he tell you?" I sit on the bed, unlace my boots, and pull one off as Daegan watches me by the door.

"He said to ready the ship and take sail by morning." Daegan hesitates before deciding to continue. "The crew asked where you were. Lorcan said that you were caught up in business and we are to leave if you haven't come by sunrise."

"Mmm," I hum, working on pulling off my second boot. "And Fenix? Have you heard from him?"

"He's on the ship, helping us prepare for the morning."

"I want him off my ship." I say without making eye contact, like I'm unbothered by him being here.

"Captain, I don't recommend-"

"You don't recommend?" I repeat, looking at him incredulously. "What do you recommend? Letting him gamble away my fortune? My ship? What's next, Daegan? Gamble away my men? My cunt?"

"Echo," Daegan has a warning tone in his voice. He's the most passive of my men but that doesn't mean he won't stand up for what he believes in.

I stand and strip my dress off, leaving me completely bare to him. I walk over to my dresser and pull out a loose top and my pants.

I clear my throat before I begin speaking. "So Lorcan arrives with Fenix by his side, alerting you all that Fenix gambled away your livelihoods, and you need to leave without your captain. And you lot were just going to let him?"

I slip the top over my head. It's a cream color and is slightly too big on me. The V of the neckline dips lower than I'd like, showing off too much cleavage for day-to-day stuff, but I'm also butt ass naked in front of Daegan at the moment, so why should I care?

"We don't want to leave behind our captain," Daegan speaks carefully. "But we need to protect ourselves and we all know you won't do it."

I ignore the jab. "So you'd let Lorcan take over? Betray me?"