After Dark {N. L}

6

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Sturmhond watched Ira from a distance. She'd seemed so different around the Crows compared to when she was around him. She was calm, happy, at peace. When she was around him, she was stuck up, formal, and just mean.

They huddled up together in a circle to keep warm on this cold winter night. Nina braided Inej's hair, Kaz sat firm, Wylan leaned against Jesper, and Ira had her head on Jesper's lap. Their seating arrangement seemed to unsettle him for some reason. They were so loud, that you could hear their entire conversation from where the Privateer stood.

Jesper explained, 'She kept encouraging me to gamble with him. Even after the incident she had with the grunt. So, I did what I was told.'

'You only did it cause you were scared of her.' Nina said.

'No, no, no, it was that year when she first arrived. I thought she was Inej's quiet, cute, and innocent little sister.'

He's talking about Ira. Sturmhond listened intently.

'So, we opened the game up and she came in with a tray of drinks. I thought this was odd, Kaz wouldn't have put her on waiter duty. This sixteen-year-old girl starts flirting with that man she told me to play with, basically forcing this drink down his throat. Now, I was a bit lost. So, I let her do her thing. She took him upstairs to her room. I had no idea what happened to the man. The next morning I found out she knocked him out, tied him, with only his undergarments might I add, and threw him on some random boat cargo. Everyone knew about the scandal. But they didn't know that a tiny sixteen-year-old was responsible for it.'

Inej laughed, Kaz had the tiniest bit of amusement on his face, but Nina and Wylan just looked shocked.

Sturmhond couldn't believe it. So it was her that threw that man on my boat. He looked at Ira and saw a satisfied look plastered on her face. She was so proud of what she did.

'In my defence yeah, he was passing me rude comments. I just feel sorry for whoever's ship I dumped him on. That grunt had a mouth that-'

'Sturmhond, the crew needs you on the lower deck.' Tolya cut off Sturmhond's eavesdropping.

He nodded and turned to get one more look at Ira before leaving. He saw her in a different light today. A light that he wants her to be seen in when she's around him.

Everyone had been working tirelessly trying to reach Ravka on time. If it wasn't for the mishap with a certain Wraith, he'd been quite proud of his crew. Sturmhond still hadn't forgotten the embarrassment he faced that day. A crew is supposed to represent their Captain, and they made him seem like an incapable sailor who can't tell his arse from his elbow.

'Captain, The second Wraith said to tell you that Brekker... told her... to tell you that he wants to have a meeting, with you.' a confused crew member snapped him out of his thoughts.

'Since when did you become a messenger Moscow?'

'She asked me to tell you-' the big man seemed to be disappointed in himself.

'So, you just obey whatever she says? This difficult woman. Stop being such a wimp. Look at the size of you. Tell her if she wants to tell me something say it herself. Don't enslave my own crew, and knock that look off your face, you look like a scared imbecile.'

That girl has my crew wrapped around her finger.

Ever since Sturmhond reminded Ira that she could be herself on this ship and not act like her sister, she'd been acting so drastically different with everyone except him.

Moscow delivered the message to Ira immediately.' I'm not making you a slave, what bullshit. Slavers make people do things on their behalf against their own will. But you're doing this willingly. Right Moscow?'

He nodded frantically, 'Of course ma'am.' Lies. She knew he was lying, but she loved it when men feared her.

'Tell your Captain that I want to see him.'

'Yes ma'am.'

Moscow left and came back.
'He said no ma'am.'

'Is that all?'

'He also called you a bad word that I can't say.'

'That mutt. Thank you, Moscow.'

I'll find him myself.

Sturmhond saw a new side to Ira every day. Today, he was subjected to a bad mood. But he didn't mind. At least she began talking to him and acknowledging his existence, instead of hiding behind Brekker all the time. He could tell that she was getting comfortable around his crew. She only took advantage of the three biggest men on his ship. Basically turned them into her personal slaves without talking much, and he had no idea how.