A Pirated Heart: Magic Unbound

His Anger and the Cat

"Take your brother below deck; have a talk." Kaden ordered quietly as he glanced at Arabella out of the corner of his eye. Arabella scowled at his words. He could practically feel her reluctance to neither deal with Damian nor leave the gods alone with them. But even Kaden knew that the Cartridge siblings had a lot to work out. 

"That's an order." He added before she could open her mouth. Arabella snarled before she turned to face Damian and Ashik. The Leviathan nodded his head to the silent demand she sent his way.

Bring him to the Galley. Drag him if you have to.

"Hey! Where are we going?" Damian growled when Ashik started to steer him below deck. Arabella passed the three gods one final glare before she turned to follow behind Ashik and her brother. Kaden followed the trio until their backs were gone before he turned back to the gods.

"I don't believe we've been introduced." He started as he waited for the gods to turn their attention back to him. Aegir was the first to face the captain fully. He smirked.

"I suppose not. I can understand you have the right to be cautious. Circe has not been known to make friends." He offered as Mizuchi let out a snort of agreement. Tefnut was silent as she folded her arms across her chest. She didn't like the fact that she couldn't keep eyes on the demon or the Leviathan.

"So we've learned," Kaden replied as he stepped forward and offered his hand. Aegir met him the middle and clasped Kaden's hand in his own.

"My name is Aegir, I am a Northern sea god." Aegir introduced before he released Kaden's hand from his grip.

"Captain..."

"Kaden Lockes, yes, we know." Tefnut interrupted derisively.  Aegir threw her a warning glance over his shoulder. She ignored it and circled around him to stand in front of Kaden.

"That woman. That demon needs to die." She hissed menacingly. Just as she reached up to grab Kaden's neck in her claws, something stopped her. She frowned when she found herself frozen in her place.

You harm anyone aboard this ship, I will kill you.

Tefnut's eyes widened at Arabella's voice in her head.

Not if I kill you first.

Aegir and Mizuchi moved back as they watched their companion shift forms. Their eyes widened when Tefnut's transformation was complete. Kaden looked surprised as he looked down and found a black cat in the place of the angry goddess. A golden ankh was etched across the cat's forehead.

"Uh, I didn't..." Kaden started as he glanced around in confusion. Aegir started to laugh loudly as Mizuchi snickered from behind him. Tefnut hissed and growled before she leapt toward Kaden's face, intent on inflicting as much damage as possible. But again, she was stopped mid-air.

"Oh, ho, Teffy, maybe you shouldn't keep attacking the captain! It's not doing you any good, is it?" Aegir asked in between his chuckles as he moved forward and lifted the cat out of the air. Tefnut growled again and she scratched Aegir out of spite. Aegir ignored it as he stepped back and smiled at Kaden.

"I am curious about this crew. Not just the demon." He remarked as Mizuchi shifted behind him. Kaden watched the dragon disappear in a plume of fog before reemerging as a man with long white hair and bright blue eyes. Japanese characters covered his arms and led to a tattoo that was an exact replica of his dragon form.

"I am curious as well." 

***

Damien moved to the furthest corner of the galley as Arabella closed the door behind her. Ashik had offered to leave them alone, but she knew that he would be useful as a mediator. Arabella glanced over at the kitchen entrance.