Star of Darkness by Shanon L. Mayer

Author:Shanon L. Mayer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shanon Mayer

12

There was surprisingly little pirate activity between Tradewinds and the Temptress’s next destination, an island called Aquos. Jasika was disappointed; she had hoped to have the opportunity to reacquaint her newly-retrieved blades in combat, but there was none to be had.

Aquos was near to the southern edge of the Inland Empire. Only one town was further south, which was a small fishing village called Dive. Beyond the dock of Aquos stretched white, sandy beaches that glistened and sparked in the sun. Small buildings, lifted above the uneven ground on stilts, were scattered among the thick-leaved palm trees that covered the island. The residents were darkly tanned and everyone wore sarongs of brightly-colored cloth tied around their hips. The women twisted the end of the sarong up and over their chests to tie behind the neck, but the men were bare-chested and everyone was bare-footed.

Small woven pads dotted the beach and crew members eagerly stripped off as much clothing as they could and headed for the beach. Keagan grabbed Jasika and headed for a pair of mats. “Come on,” he urged her. “It’s vacation time.”

She let herself be pulled across the sand, not really sure what was happening. Keagan flopped down on a mat and began to untie his boots, setting them next to him before rolling up the legs of his pants and tugging his shirt over his head. All around them, Jasika could see other crew members behaving in exactly the same way and she wondered at the strange behavior. Curious and a little intrigued, she pulled off her own boots, careful to keep her dagger and the writ that Aric had written for her tucked safely inside them.

As soon as Keagan’s head hit the mat, a young man in a bright yellow sarong came over with a wooden tray in his hands. He set the tray down onto the sand between them and handed Keagan and Jasika each a hollowed-out coconut that was filled with a cool, fruity beverage. Jasika took a sip and discovered that mixed in with the fruit juices was a healthy amount of rum. The sweet rum mixed with the tangy juice made for a potent cocktail that didn’t leave her feeling as though she were suffocating as much of the alcohol she was accustomed to did.

“My name is Wren,” the young man introduced himself. “If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask.” His voice was light, pleasant and slightly accented. “Will either of you be needing cabanas for the evening?” He swept an arm towards the elevated cabins that Jasika had spotted earlier.

“No,” Keagan answered wistfully. “We’re leaving with the morning tide, so everyone gets to spend the night on the Temptress.”

“So sorry to hear that,” Wren answered smoothly. “Perhaps the next time your stay will be longer.” He stood gracefully, leaving the tray in place, and turned to walk away. “I will bring you supper when it is time.”

Jasika watched him walk away, confusion and amazement filling her head. All

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