WHISPER- shadow and bone

Chapter 3

As Mal and Alina stormed through the ship on a mission to find the captain, Ada hung back and slowly admired the interior of the boats hull. It was intricately patterned and looked expensive too, far to expensive for an ordinary sea captain. Her thoughts were disrupted by a yank on her arm as Mal pulled her into a room and shouted "Request for charter, Captain. Immediate charter."

"He means we need to leave right now," Alina nodded urgently.

The blonde man that stood in front of them had an air of regality. He was upright and officious as if he owned the boat, the seas and half the world himself. He was drift finely in woven gold and green with a collared shirt poking out from his tailored coat. He was smooth and sleek for a sea pirate. He leant over the desk and stared at the trio through his eyebrows.

"Let's be clear about two things. I don't take orders on my own ship. And we're already underway. I'm glad you've joined us. Now, maybe you'd be so kind as to give the room a little light. After all you are Alina Starkov. A 20-million-kruge Saint," he began to rasp, placing a gun on the table next to the wanted poster the girls had found earlier.

"Dead or alive," the man muttered with a smirk.

"Oh shit," Ada whispered as she subconsciously moved forward to make sure Alina was stood firmly behind her.

"No point in denying it, Miss Starkov. You are the Sun Summoner. "

"You're right," Alina nodded in annoyance as she drew her hands together and then apart to create two sunbeams on each palm.

"Impressive," the man wolf whistled and raised his eyebrows. "And it's not often that I say that."

"Let us go. Or you'll be out 20 million kruge and a ship," Alina warned.

"While I'm well aware you could consign us all to the watery deep, you should really consider how far from the docks we are," the man spoke as he began to pour himself a drink. "Besides, I'm not handing you over to the Fjerdans."

"You're not?" Alina raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Saints, no. Sorry, is it offensive to say that in the presence of a living Saint?" the man chuckled to himself as if Alina's mere presence were as funny as a fairy tale coming to life.

"Yes. Yes it is. Please apologise," Ada spoke with a deadpan face.

"I don't think I will," the man shook his head every so slightly.

"I even said please," Ada scoffed. "Sea pirates these days," she sighed.

"I am not a-" the man furrowed his brow and stood up in fury.

"What do you want with us then?" Mal interrupted the conversation and moved to sit on the seat opposite to the man. Alina stood behind the chair as a backup, one eye on the man from earlier who lurked in the depths of the room. Ada stalked forwards and leaned on the desk with her shoulders, grinning at the blonde man with curiosity.

"With you? Nothing. Honestly, I'm not even sure who you are," the man shook his head and sipped his drink slowly.

Ada scoffed into her chest. "What!" she exclaimed to see Mal's aggregated face.

"But the Sun Summoner..." the man continued, ignoring the girl and boy. "Well, you have to know you're quite valuable."

"And what does that mean?" Ada scoffed as she raised an eyebrow.

"You just said you wouldn't turn her in for a bounty, pirate," Mal snarled.

"Privateer," the man furrowed his brow.

"A privateer is what filthy rich pirates call themselves just to feel better about how they're so filthy rich and how they have nothing better to do than sail around the world," Ada tilted her head to the side.