Corvus (Stars and Sails, Book 1)

Forty-one (Part 2 of 2)

Jade pounded her fist on the door. No answer. Again. Again. Harder, until the door shook and the sound filled the mess hall.

A groan. "Give me a minute."

Jade slammed her fist against the door again.

"Chuuk!" The door slid open before she could hit it again. She woke Sabik up. He wasn't wearing a shirt. "Harris, I discharged Oliver this evening. He is not here." He turned around and went through one of his coffers for something to wear. "You are welcome to go check on him, but I would like him to get his rest."

She stepped into the room and slid the door shut, startling him from his task. Jade's feet felt hot, Like every time she walked, she was trailing little flames behind her. She steadied herself, her head was spinning a little, but overall, she felt invincible. Before Sabik could go back to looking for a shirt, she pulled her sword out of its scabbard. "Fight me."

Sabik stared at her. He blinked. "I am going back to sleep."

Jade walked towards him, cutlass extended. When she was a step away from him, he seemed to finally understand how serious she was. He backed up, tripping into his desk. The items on his desk teetered, including a small cask presumably containing Tobias Zelley's head.

She pointed the sword out towards him. "Where's your weapon?"

A pause. "Have you been drinking, Harris?"

"No," she said. Looked away. "I-I had some."

"You had some." He nodded. "Okay. Put the sword down."

"You're scared to fight me."

"You are immensely correct."

Jade put her weapon at ease but didn't put the sword back into her scabbard. Sabik stepped forward and held his finger up. "What are you pointing at?"

"Follow my finger with your eyes," he said. He moved it back and forth. "No, my finger, Harris. This finger. The one I'm pointing." He sighed and put his other hand behind his back. Jade finally followed his finger back and forth and back and forth.

"This is stupid. What are you doing?" She asked.

Sabik drew his hand back. "Can I see your sword?"

Jade laughed. "You're going to steal it." She said. "You'll trick me," she said, lingering on the sharp end of the word trick.

"I think it is beautiful," He looked at the cutlass.

"You don't admire many things, Doctor." She handed him the sword.

"Just because I do not say it does not mean I do not think it," he brought the sword over to his lantern and looked at it for a minute. Then he swung open the coffer and set the cutlass inside. He closed the box and locked it. Jade shut her mouth fast, smashing her teeth together. She swung her fist at his face. He dodged to the side and moved behind her. She turned around, stumbling and swung again. He caught her by the wrist. She kneed him in the hip. He stumbled back and fixed his stance, fists up. Feet planted like he was ready to defend himself.

"Hit me," Jade said.

Sabik didn't say anything back.

"Hit me!"

"I'm not—"

"Hit me!" She screamed. She charged forward, pushing him back with her forearm until he slammed into the wall.

He winced, gasping hard on the impact. "Rhuktti," he swore. "I am not hitting you. I will not fight you."

"Give me my cutlass back."