Corvus (Stars and Sails, Book 1)

Forty-four

Jade fell to one knee to catch her breath. The hike to the Raven's Perch Light had not been easy. The Durantan Union never got this hot and despite spending years of her life in the sun, her skin had never gotten any darker. Maybe today was the day she'd look more than just sickly pale.

Still breathing shallowly, she stood up on her trembling calves and felt around her waist for her second hip holster. It was equipped with a cutlass and a pistol. She took it off and handed it to Sabik. "Take this. You'll need it."

Sabik was still stooping. Sweat beaded up on his forehead. His jaw tightened. "I am a doctor. It would be self-serving to injure people."

"It's always self-serving to injure people," Jade said. She prompted him to take the holster again, but he didn't even look at it. "After all, you didn't seem to think so when we were attacked."

He tentatively took the holster from her. "That was different," he said. "I didn't have a choice."

Jade's facial expression soured. "You don't have a choice now, either."

With a furrowed brow, Sabik secured the weapons around his waist. Jade's frizzy red hair stuck out in every direction. She pulled on the shoddy piece of leather that held it back and shook her hair out. Then, she gathered all the pieces high on her head, where they would be nowhere near her face, and fastened the strap around them. She swallowed hard and caught her breath. She motioned for Sabik to keep up. If Fairburn had any other tricks up his sleeve then they'd have to move fast.

The lighthouse was tall. It was made of dull white bricks that had been chipped away at by sand and wind. Somewhere, not too far away, horses whinnied. She tried to open the door, but it was locked. Sabik reached over her shoulder and pulled on a thick rope. A bell rung. The sound made Jade tense up. The pair waited for a few moments, but they were not met with an answer. Jade made her way around the side.

"What are you doing?" asked Sabik.

"We are going to break in," Jade said. "Save me the indecision. Do you have a better idea?"

After a defeated pause, "I do not."

Jade threw her knapsack onto the ground. She retrieved her grappling hook and slid the bag onto her back again. She organized the hook by looping the rope on the ground and gathering the excess around her shoulder. Sabik made a noise. She turned her attention away from her work to look at him. He crossed his arms. His medical kit—a glorified haversack—was tucked away neatly at his feet.

"Did you prepare for this?" he asked.

"Wrong question," she said. "I prepare for everything. Mostly."

She took up the hook in her hand and set her view on the catwalk—the highest balcony. She spun the hook around rapidly. When she felt she was ready, she released the hook. The tan rope snaked through the air and clattered against the metal railing. She pulled on it a couple of times. Not only was the hook secured, but the railing seemed stable—more or less.

She closed in on the lighthouse. With the rope in hand, she hauled herself off of the ground and scaled the wall.

"Is there anything you aren't good at?" Sabik picked up his medical kit and walked closer to the wall.

"Sailing, unfortunately," she grunted as the rope scratched her palms.

She pushed upwards, scaling past a few barred windows and loose bricks. Her heart thudded and her hands were raw. "The Coronis, she doesn't like me."

"That's ridiculous," Sabik called up the wall.

In between pants, Jade grinned to herself. It was funny in the saddest kinds of ways. "Maybe I'm superstitious, but she chose my father and now that he's gone..."