“Seems to me, ye could use a lift.” The voice boomed as we descended the hill. No point in running if the ship could outdistance us so easily.

“We’re good, thanks!” Quinn called.

“Come aboard, mateys. The Expanse be no place fer travelers like yerselves.”

“I think we’ll pass.” I nodded to Quinn and we started to move around the side of the galleon. For every step we took, the ship mirrored us. No way around it. Perhaps through it? Placing my hand on the ship’s side, I pressed. It wasn’t cloudlike or anything, though I could shove my hand through it if I applied enough force. Weird. I’d never seen anything like it. I’d always assumed ghosts were wisplike creatures with no solid form. Apparently not.

“Oh, come now, ye land lubbers. We’ll travel faster together. Ye can’t have too much grub along with ye, now can ye?”

It wasn’t food I was worried about.

“Or water. Or entertainin’ company.”

Leaning into Quinn, I motioned him close. “If we board a ghost ship, do you know whether we can get off again?” I whispered.

“I think so—”

“Of course ye can get off. What kind of pirate do ye think I be?” the voice boomed. Somehow it didn’t put me at ease.

“What if we don’t want to board?” Quinn yelled back.

Silence.

A bead of sweat dripped down my back. Our flight had taken a lot out of us. Our water definitely wouldn’t last.

“Please,” came the subdued reply at last.

“Why do you want us to board?” I asked. “And where are you anyway? Show yourself.”

We heard a pop and a brightly colored but translucent parrot appeared. He fluttered over us, an eye patch covering his left socket.

“I’ve been so lonely, ye see. The others have all passed beyond. All except yers truly.” His voice was still deep and rough. Mimicking his former owner’s maybe? He circled us again and I put out my forearm for him to land on.

“Many thanks, dragon-fairy. Feels good to rest me old bones. I be Pirate McPiratestein, by the by, but ye can call me Pie.”

“Of course you are.” I introduced Quinn and myself.

Quinn’s mouth had fallen open. “You mean to tell me you pilot this ship by yourself?”

“Well, who else would do it? I can see ye ain’t the brains here, matey.”

“He is, actually.” I winked at Quinn.

“Then ye be in more need of me than ye think, Mr. Twig. I have water, grub, and lots of stories to tell. Thar’s hammocks for ye to sleep in when ye git tired. An easy journey and I’ll even drop ye off closest to Rottingvale Quagmire. Though why ye’d want to go thar, I can’t imagine. Perhaps we could swap yarns on the way?”

“How is it you ended up alone on the ship?” Quinn asked. His eyes darted to the craft as though searching for hidden crew members.

“Shave me belly with a rusty razor, ain’t ye a suspicious lad? Ye’d make a fine pirate. But to answer yer question, I don’t rightly know. When me master, Captain Blackstone Yardley passed on, I expected to go with him. Yet, here I be.”

“Betrayer Yardley was your captain?” Quinn sucked in a harsh breath. “I always assumed the Blackstone Yardley stories were just myths to scare the young ones.”

“Of course Captain Blackstone be a real person, of that I can vouch. He’s been me captain since I was but a chick, barely hatched from an egg, he has.”

“How long ago did he pass on from here?” Quinn’s gaze was intent on the bird.

“No idea. Time weren’t exactly me specialty. I’d say a century or so, but I could be wrong. Long enough fer me to git lonely.”

“You sure you wouldn’t mind giving us a lift?”

“What’s a pirate have to do to git a little company?”

Quinn and I exchanged glances.

* * *

“This is awesome.” Quinn turned a full circle on the deck. “I can’t believe you get to sail this!”

“Ah, see, I knew it.” Pie fluttered and landed on a perch tied to the mast. “Ye’d be a natural pirate.”

“I don’t know about that, but I’ve always wanted to sail.” As he said this, the wheel turned on its own and the ship lurched into motion. The galleon plowed through the sand like surf and rocked back and forth as it cut a swath through the desert.

We stood and just enjoyed the breeze the ship seemed to create, the sails billowing.

“Ye’d be wanting some grub now?” Pie asked.

“That’d be great.” I wasn’t sure if we should eat the food, only I didn’t want to offend the bird. We definitely headed for the Quagmire and at a clip we could never match on foot. At this rate, we’d have enough of our own food and drink to carry us through if need be.

Pie whistled and with a pop a table laden with food appeared. The meal looked delicious, except for being translucent. No way we’d be able to eat it. Not and gain sustenance anyway.

Pie seemed to realize it too. “Oh, barnacles and blowhards, I didn’t know. I swear it on me captain’s good name.”

“Doesn’t being a pirate automatically mean they don’t have a good name anymore?” Quinn smiled.

“So it does, Mr. Quinn. Maybe you ain’t as addled as I originally thought.” Pie made a clacking sound with his beak that I figured was supposed to be laughter.

I rummaged around in my knapsack and pulled out a few pathetic hunks of dried cave quoll, some salty smoke-frosted magpie, and the water skin. We both drank deeply, but were careful to keep some in reserve just in case we needed it later.

After we finished eating, Quinn recounted our adventures to date. He embellished a bit, but I had to admit, the guy could tell a rousing tale. He even managed to make it funny. He pegged Drutilda’s voice just right, too. Pie hopped from foot to foot on his perch with excitement.

“Blimey, ye blokes be scurvy dogs after me own black heart!” He did that clicking thing with his beak again that I was now sure meant laughter.

“Guilty as charged.” Quinn swept into a low bow. “Now, tell us your story, Pie. What’s a nice bird like you doing in a miserable desert like this?”

“It’s a yarn, that be for sure. We raided the wrong ship, we did. T’were early morning and we’d been chasing a mighty lord’s vessel through the night. We’d finally caught up to it, but when we sent a shot across their bow—ye know, to warn them—a creature rose from the sea.”

“A kraken?” Quinn hung on Pie’s every word.

“Ye’d be thinking so, aye? But it weren’t no kraken, matey. Not sure, but I’m thinking it be a demon. Seems we raided a witch’s vessel by mistake and she’d summoned the beast. Well, it blasted our poor Dishonorable Princess.” He tapped one foot like he was patting the ship. “Next thing we know we’re ghosts in this deity-forsaken desert.”

“I can’t believe a witch would summon a demon.” Quinn shivered. “They’re notoriously hard to control. She had to be powerful to even summon one, much less contain it.”

“Oh, she didn’t control it. That be the thing about black magic. It has a way o’ spinning ’round on the user. That be the reason my Captain didn’t keep no dark witches on board.” Pie whistled, clacked his beak. “Last thing I saw before we turned up here be that thing turning on them that summoned it. I always expected their ship to turn up here. Wouldn’t that be something? We’d git to chase them around the desert for all eternity. Honestly, at least it would have given us something to do.” His feathers drooped when he finished his tale.

“You really miss your Captain, huh?” I reached out and lightly patted him on his back.

“He be a good master. Always giving me treats. I liked to ride his shoulder when we went on raids. He let me in on all the action.”

“You really don’t know why they passed on?”

“Arrr, no. I wracked me brains, I did. One day they be here, and then Skinny Pete disappeared right afore our eyes. Next it were Tall Sam. Then Peg-Leg Louie. It went on like that, until it be just me an’ the Captain. When he started to fade one day, I tried to stay with him, but he just slipped away.”

Pie’s voice came out choked and fat tears filled his eyes.

Quinn stroked the parrot’s head and beak. “Hey, it’s okay, Pie. I’m sure we can help you figure this out.”

I goggled at him. Really? We’re going to help a pirate bird figure out how to go to the hereafter or wherever it is ghosts disappear to when they stop haunting a place?

“Now, just a minute—”

“I just miss him so.” He rubbed his head against Quinn’s hand. “Ye really think ye can help or mayhap ye be only being nice?”

“I can’t think of how we can help right now, but I’ve got some spell books back home and I can see if there’s anything useful in them.” Quinn kept stroking the bird’s crown.

Pie peered up at him. “Blimey, you’re a powerful wizard, ain’t ye? Now I can see it.”

“What? No, no. I just own a lot of books. I can’t promise they’ll be of any use—”

“Now ye be fooling with me. I can see it clear as day. Ye be a wizard.”

Quinn shot me a pained look.

“We just don’t want you to get your hopes up,” I said. “We can’t promise anything.”

Pie cocked his head to the side until it sat almost perpendicular to his body. “And ye, Mr. Twig, be more than ye appear too. A powerful dragon ye be.”

I snorted. Before he uttered more gibberish, I yawned. “If you don’t mind, Quinn and I would like to rest. We’re happy to exchange more stories in a bit, but it’s been a long day already.”

Pie bobbed his head.

“Of course, of course. Ye can take me Captain’s cabin.” He flew off his perch, urging us to follow.

* * *

Retreating to the Captain’s cabin was a relief. I looked at the large bunk. In the corner of the room was a hammock that was probably for the cabin boy. I didn’t mind the idea of a hammock, but I was so big I wasn’t sure I’d fit. Before I could say anything, Quinn lowered himself into it and, using his feet, made it swing.

“I love hammocks.” He whooped once he really got it going.

I shook my head, but couldn’t help but smile at his antics. Until the rope holding the hammock to the wall snapped. Quinn thumped to the floor.

“Oww!”

I threw myself from the bunk and rushed to his side. I knelt and helped untangle him from the ropes.

“You okay?”

“Nothing hurt except my pride.” He rubbed his backside and smiled at me. I couldn’t help smiling back. “Thanks for changing topics with Pie. It’s still a really sore subject.”

“No problem. I could see you were uncomfortable.”

“You really are not what I expected.”

“What did you expect?” I almost didn’t ask, since I’d heard some variation of this my entire life. Usually laced with some kind of disappointment or contempt.

“Well . . . I have a confession.” Quinn ran his palms over his thighs, brushing away imaginary dust. “Brandsome came to you in part because we heard Lapus kept you chained to a wall. He liked to brag about it. Though it was obvious you were the one creature he couldn’t bend to his will. We also heard you were a . . . creature of mixed heritage . . . and were living your life on your own terms. With your dad being a council member, you could have a cushy Alphae job, right? But you refuse. Those are the rumors, anyway.”

Okay, not what I expected. He made me sound heroic and shit, when that was the farthest thing from the truth. I just didn’t want anyone to control me, whether my mother’s clan, my father and the Alphae, or a scumbag like Lapus Rainbowpebbles.

“Like all rumors, there’s a lot left out.” I started to rise from my knees, but his hand snaked out and caught my wrist.

“But still a grain of truth, right?” He blushed and released me. “I guess I wanted to meet the creature who lived life on his own terms.”

I snickered, held out my arms in a grand display.

“And now you have.”

“Yeah, but in my head, you were this fierce, grumpy beast, you know?”

“I still am.” I narrowed my eyes.

He continued like he hadn’t heard me.

“And I figured you’d be ugly.”

I choked on my retort. Really? Quinn was not so good for a guy’s ego.

“Not that anyone said that,” he hastened to add. “But I just couldn’t imagine how a dragon-fairy mix could be attractive. I lacked imagination.”

“Is that so?” I snorted.

“Mmhmm.”

I leaned in close until our noses were almost touching.

“And now?”

His lashes fluttered in a pretty good imitation of Brandsome. “Now I’ve learned not to trust gossip or my own shoddy imagination.” His breath ghosted over my mouth. He leaned up a hairsbreadth and our lips touched. Just a brush, but my body ignited from the contact. Before he could pull away, I pressed our lips together with more force.

I was careful not to touch him otherwise because I didn’t want him thinking I would take advantage. Just a small taste would have to satisfy me. I pulled back, breaking our lip lock.

“I really like you, Twig.” His cheeks flushed and he leaned back in, sealing our mouths again. Quinn moaned and opened his mouth welcoming my tongue inside. What dragon-fairy could resist such a sweet invitation? I knew I shouldn’t, but our tongues slid against each other, twining and exploring. He tasted slightly of the meadowmint I always smelled on his breath, and his lips were soft but firm under mine.

Sliding his hands to my cheeks, he held me in place. Not that he needed to worry about me pulling away. I couldn’t even if I’d wanted to. It was all I could do not to flip him on his back and take him right on the floor. My dragon was all for that idea, raging with impatience. I ignored that desire and kept the kiss slow and deep. I balled my hands at my sides so I wouldn’t follow through with my dragon’s demands.

The next thing I knew, Quinn clambered onto my lap. I wobbled precariously, but sunk further onto my heels so I could hold his weight. Quinn never even broke the kiss, his legs wrapping around my hips, and our groins pushing together. We both groaned from the contact. My fingers itched to grip his hips and rock him against me. My whole body shook with the effort it took not to follow through. My dragon roared in my head demanding I flip him onto his stomach, then strip, fuck, and bite him. Pretty much in that order.

The stripping and fucking didn’t surprise me, but the biting made me gasp and pull away. I wouldn’t be freaked out if it was just the urge to nibble at his shoulders and back. Only that wasn’t where I had the urge to bite. I wanted to sink my fangs into his neck, sealing the mate bond. The rarity of a dragon mating was something to be marveled at on the best day, but choosing a human mate? Unheard of.

“What’s the matter?” Quinn’s arms slipped around my shoulders, a hand tangled in my hair, his blunt nails digging into my scalp.

How did I answer that? I’d never experienced anything like the reaction my body and my dragon were having to Quinn. I tugged his arms from around my neck and gently slid him off my lap.

“Did I do something wrong, Twig?” His face pulled into worried lines and his eyes became wary once again.

I caressed his cheek.

“You did everything right.”

Now he looked even more confused.

“Then why are we not . . .”

“Screwing?”

“Well, yeah.”

I swallowed hard. Not ready to tell him the whole truth. I needed to figure out why I was so drawn to him. Besides, if I bit him and Quinn returned to Brandsome, I would essentially belong to the unicorn, too; once bonded, a dragon won’t leave their mate. That would be a royal cluster. And anyway, I didn’t want a mate. Mates meant commitment. And a loss of freedom. For both of us.

Unacceptable. I’d never let anyone own a piece of me. Didn’t want to own a piece of anyone else.

“You’ve been used roughly by Brandsome.” I paused to gather my thoughts. Now, how to tell him I didn’t want to be thought of in the same way? And how much did I say about my dragon wanting to mate him?

He froze for a moment before a fiery blush spread over his cheeks and he scrambled away from me like the three-headed hounds of hellafuck were on his heels.

I didn’t see the punch coming. Quinn clocked me one. My head snapped back and I braced on my elbows to prevent my head slamming into the floor.

“What in the bloody blue blazes—”

Quinn shook out his hand. He’d probably broken a knuckle or two. He sprung to his feet, chest heaving. If my jaw wasn’t aching so fiercely, I’d appreciate the view.

“I should have realized you wouldn’t want to be tainted by someone with my sordid past. Spells and curses! I’m so stupid.”

“Wait, what? No, Quinn—”

But he’d already fled. I scrubbed a hand across my eyes. Huh, that could have gone better. Good job, Twig. Make him think he’s damaged goods.

I didn’t care that he was an indentured servant. Neither fairies nor dragons were known for their virginal natures, so being a unicorn’s bed slave didn’t bother me. It wasn’t that I didn’t want him. I did. Too much.

Where were these feelings coming from?

I’d wanted him before that kiss, but one touch of our lips sent every instinct into overdrive. Could it be some type of magic? Did Quinn bewitch me? Closing my eyes, I tapped into my fairy side, tried to detect any magic use. Nothing. Not a sure thing, though. Still, it didn’t exactly feel like magic. Except could it be a residual of Brandsome’s magic?

Maybe it was some sort of savior complex. I felt bad Quinn was in such a terrible situation. I was currently responsible for his well-being and I intended to follow through. Sure, I found him sexy. I mean, who wouldn’t? He was sexy. And surprising. Most humans I met quaked in fear once they found out what I was, but even at his most nervous the guy had balls.

I waited before returning to the deck, giving my mind and body a chance to settle down. By the time I walked onto the deck, I’d done a halfway decent job of convincing myself it was all just a fluke. I liked Quinn and lusted after him, sure, but a mate was a whole different game. One I wasn’t willing to play.

We’d just be friends. Or whatever we could be since I held his servitude contract. I could live with it. Sex was easy to get and even easier to forget. As soon as we returned to Lighthelm, I’d find a nice lascivious siren to slake my lusts. Just needed to remember to wear ear plugs, since a siren’s song never ended on a happy note.

If I thought about it, I’d been overly horny ever since meeting Brandsome and so likely my state was indeed a result of the unicorn’s magic and not Quinn per se. Maybe the magic screwed with my senses and made me think Quinn was mate material. Obviously, he wasn’t. We’d go back to what we were in the beginning and call it good. No biggie.

One look at Quinn and I knew I was lying to myself. My dragon side gnashed its teeth at the idea of walking away from him. Even my fairy side seemed starry-eyed around him. Basically, I was fucked. Yep, that had to be some sort of powerful magic.

Quinn stood at the railing, humming the strains of a familiar lullaby as Pie chattered away to him. Why did that make my body suffuse with warmth and my heart give a kick in my chest? With him staring into the distance, it gave me a moment to listen to his sweet voice without him getting self-conscious. He really was a beautiful man.

I cleared my throat so they’d know I was there. Quinn didn’t acknowledge me other than to abruptly fall silent, but Pie was pleased to have another person to regale with his past adventures. If he noticed Quinn barely spoke to me and when he did it was in a snide tone, well, he ignored it. I suspect when being a companion to pirates one got really good at dismissing minor disputes between the crew members.

We cruised along like this until the sun set again. After a sparse meal of leftover dried cave quoll and a few more of Pie’s tales, I yawned.

“Pie, I’m headed to bed. I’ll see you in the morning. Thanks again for everything you’ve done for us.”

“And a goodnight to ye, Mr. Twig. A right pleasure it’s been.”

“Are you coming, Quinn?”

“My bed collapsed, if you’ll recall.” His voice was quiet and without inflection. “I’ll just bunk down on deck.”

“You can take the bed. You need to rest. You’ve got dark circles under your eyes and it’s going to be a trying day tomorrow.”

“I don’t need you to critique my appearance. Or to worry about my sleep habits. I can take care of myself.” He crossed his arms, but it looked more like he was giving himself a hug than a defiant statement. His tilted chin told another story.

“I wasn’t asking.”

He cursed under his breath. Pie glanced back and forth between us, but amazingly didn’t say anything. He was probably getting settled in with popcorn for the coming confrontation. And it was coming. Quinn’s brows drew down, his jaw clenched hard enough to chew through spikes, and if looks could kill . . . well.

“You don’t. . . . You can’t. . . . I won’t. . . .” He stomped off in the opposite direction from the cabin. I rolled my eyes. Drama queen much? I swear Pie smiled as much as any bird could, but he kept his beak shut.

I strode over to Quinn, threw him over my shoulder like a sack of gold, and bid goodnight to Pie.

Pie’s strange clicking laugh followed us.