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GERALDO SAT AT HIS desk, pressed a button, and out came a series of trays unveiling charts, maps, and logs. Everything a navigator of the sea required. A bell sounded as a rod bounced out of another compartment dangling diagrams of stars, air currents, and wind patterns. Other files unfolded and flipped onto the desk in a neat stack: documents to measure the correct amount of magic to pilot the trip home. Graphs to navigate the skies popped upright from an automatic drawer. Someday soon Geraldo would use these for he would own one of the king’s airships. He licked his finger and twisted the end of his mustache, peering out his window as his cabin descended, daydreaming of the day he would soar over the waters and into the clouds.
Why are they bringing me down?
A knock on the door interrupted his woolgathering and he looked at the gold ticker in his pocket. It was late. The skipper wouldn’t dare wake him at this hour unless something tragic was happening to the ship. Geraldo rushed to the portal and peered out. A glassy sea peered back at him.
Geraldo pushed another button on his desk and all the drawers, compartments, and hanging rods quickly retreated into their hiding places, while the desk cover rolled down and sealed them neatly in place.
“Who is it?” Geraldo asked.
Jednah’s voice, gruff and lazy, answered. “We’ve a present for you, sir.”
“What sort of present?”
“A female one,” the man answered, then grunted.
Geraldo stormed to the door. When he swung open the ingress, he faced her. They had her hands tied behind her back, a gag over her mouth, and her dress muddied and torn. He grimaced.
“Untie her!” he ordered. “Why did you bring this woman aboard my ship?”
“Hawk?” Fengard stepped aside.
“I might have known it’d be you,” Geraldo said to Hawk.
“She’s a prisoner, sir,” Hawk announced.
“I’m no such thing,” the woman protested after Hawk removed her gag. Jednah jerked her arm and her face turned red. She glared at Geraldo.
“Who told you to bring prisoners?” Geraldo asked.
“Sir, she saw us when we were practicing magic,” Hawk said.
“I see. So she knows about what we’re doing?”
“I’m afraid so, sir,” Jednah grumbled. “She was hiding in the brush spying on us.”
“Spying?” Geraldo grimaced. “You’re a spy?”
“I’m no spy,” Anna said.
Geraldo regarded the exchange between Fengard and the captive. Suspicious! But then again, mystery and wizardry went hand in hand.
“I was simply going about my business and came upon these three while they were practicing magic. I have no idea who you are or what you’re up to. Frankly, I could care less. However, your men frightened my mare and now I have no horse. I would thank you to take me back to shore, provide a horse and tack for me, and I’ll be on my way.”
“If it were only so easy,” Geraldo said, twisting the tips of his mustache again. Instead of listening to her rant, his thoughts were elsewhere. How can we use this little gem?
“I’m sure you could manage,” she argued.
“Whether or not I could or couldn’t isn’t the topic for debate, miss....” Geraldo gestured for a name.
“Lady Anna,” she said.
“Lady Anna. You are a guest on the Enchantress now. I will do what I can to give you proper accommodations. However, I cannot let you go.”
“And why not?”
Geraldo offered her a seat and signaled to his men to leave. Hawk had been staring at the woman with his mouth open. Jednah slapped him on the arm and motioned toward the door. Fengard left last, giving Anna a terrifying frown, and fingering the hilt of his dagger.
“Go,” Geraldo shut the door when the man stepped out.
“It seems Hawk is impressed with you,” Geraldo said once the door was shut.
“Why can’t you release me?” Anna asked.
“Do you know who we are?”
“No, of course not. You’re strangers—foreigners. I can see that you’re up to something underhanded. And your men are also. They are obviously working against you.”
“Oh?” Geraldo raised his brow at the accusation. Trying to pit me against my wizards? “Well, if they are, I will take care of it. No need for you to worry,” he said.
“They’re lying to you.”
Jednah, Fengard, and Hawk will need to be re-trained. No one must know what we’re doing here. That we had to take other prisoners aboard last night was grievous but that was an accident. Too much wind, not enough control over the magic. These are things that need to be perfected, and soon.
He licked his lips and studied the woman. “How much did you see? I mean when you caught them in the act?”
She didn’t respond at first but stared as if she didn’t see him.
“Ma’am?”
“I...ah... It’s a lie. They kidnapped me.”
“Oh.”
Well, that story changed rather swiftly.
“And why did they do that?”
“I don’t know. They said they had some sort of scheme, and they didn’t want you to know about it.”
Geraldo chuckled. “These are my...sorcerers. Whatever they do, they clear it by me, and I give them permission. Or orders. Either way, I think you probably know too much. And therefore, I cannot let you off my ship. Not now.”
“If you’re suggesting I would tell the world, you’re wrong. I don’t know the nature of your business, so why would I say anything?”
“Ask yourself that question. Gossip is dangerous. Neither I, nor my crew, can afford to release you.”
“You’re calling me a chinwag?”
A chinwag? Geraldo hid his smile with his hand. He didn’t like to insult women, especially not pretty ones.
She took a breath and opened her mouth, then shut it and sat back, fingering the carved woodwork of the armchair. As silence permeated the room, her eyes grew wide like a child’s as she studied Geraldo’s cabin, stopping to gaze at each device that adorned his shelves—the brass gears assembled so that it turned the hands of a clock, his peculiar talking device that allowed him communication with his crew without leaving his cabin, and the flintlock pistols decorating his wall.
“What are those?” she asked.
“Pistols,” he answered with a wry smile. “You’ve never seen one?”
She didn’t answer.
He chuckled and using a small cloth to protect the sheen of the pearly grip, picked one of the pistols up. Instead of explaining what it was to her, he held it up in the lantern light. “Beautiful piece of art, is it not?”
Her eyes met his and he winked. “This, my dear, gives our people advantage over yours. Never forget.”
“It’s a weapon?”
He rolled his tongue on the inside of his cheek. “A small cannon.” How lovely to see her eyes so wide. He returned the pistol to its rack, brushed his hands against each other, and sat down across from her on his plush captain’s chair. “Now tell me all you can about your countryside.”
“I know nothing,” she returned.
“Come now. Let’s be honest with each other.”
“You start,” she said. Her eyes were those of a defiant young woman, not unlike the girls back home. Full of vigor and rebellion. A woman like her must be treated with respect. Geraldo thought of how he might entertain her, then snapped his fingers, stood, and went to his cabinet. He removed a decanter made from blown glass in the shape of a dragon, decorated with small rubies and amethyst, gems that any woman would admire. He poured the contents into an equally stunning goblet.
“Very well. I will tell my story. For your benefit.” He offered the goblet to her. Anna didn’t respond, so he placed it on a table next to her.
He sat down again, took a sip of his wine, and cleared his throat.
“My homeland is far north from here. A cluster of islands called the Allotrope Isles. Well-named, for each island exists in a different time, yet they all exist in the same space.” He took notice of her puzzled look. “A phenomenon you would probably never understand, nor be able to live with.”
Anna shook her head, completely perplexed.
“And you came here because?” she asked.
“Because we’re running out of fuel, and we need what you have.”
“Where? What fuel?”
“Wine.”
“What?” She laughed. “Are you sots?”
“Not at all, although we do enjoy a drink or two.” He walked casually to where he hung his armor and picked the breast plate up. Another opportunity to show off the spoils, he held it up for her.
“Isn’t this the most beautiful armor you’ve ever seen?” He tapped it with this fist, making a dull sound.
“Red armor?”
“Red wine armor. You see, we have the technology to turn fermented grape juice into this. And I have been commissioned by my king to procure enough wine to dress his army.”
“By stealing it?”
“Exactly.”
“Why don’t you just buy it? Trade for it?” she asked.
“We’re not a wealthy country and it is always winter where we live. I’m afraid we don’t have enough wealth.”
“So how are you’re going to steal all this wine? By using your sorcerer’s magic?”
I told her too much, Geraldo thought. But what does it matter? She’s not leaving this ship, not until our mission is accomplished or we’ve made her one of us. Now there’s a thought!
“You like adventure?” he asked.
“What makes you think that?”
“You were out roaming the countryside by yourself.”
“I enjoy riding my horse.”
Geraldo stood and walked to his mantel, picked up his horn and spoke into it, never once taking his eyes off Anna.
“Have Hawk come here, please,” he said into the device. “I want him to make this guest of ours as comfortable as he can. She’s free to roam, but she mustn’t disembark.” He smiled at her. “Hawk is a good fellow. He’ll watch over you and treat you fairly. We have no desire to bring harm to you or anyone on this continent. We simply need to get fuel and return home. In exchange, perhaps I can give you something from our world.”
Anna’s lips twisted in displeasure. He could tell her mind was devising an escape route.
“Here,” he handed her a small leather pouch and in it, a magnifying glass. This should keep her pacified.
She took it and set it on her lap. Someone knocked at the door and without waiting for Geraldo to answer, Hawk entered.
“What happened?” Hawk asked.
“She’s despondent that she isn’t going home right away. Give her the skipper’s room and tell the skipper he can sleep on deck from now on.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Is that pity in your voice?” Anna asked as she rose from the chair.
Geraldo gasped. For all the gentlemanly things he’d been doing for her, she had quite the gumption in her tone.
“If so, don’t bother.” She took his hand and slammed the magnifying glass into his palm with such force that he recoiled.
“Inform your skipper he can have his room. I’ll sleep on deck.”
“Nonsense,” Hawk blurted. Anna glared at him.
“I wouldn’t think of pitying you, I’m only trying to accommodate you,” Geraldo said.
“A horse is the only thing that will accommodate me!” With that she left.
“Go take care of her, Hawk. You brought that woman here, use a heavy hand or sweet talk, whatever works! And inform the balloonist I need another scout. One more load of wine like the last one and we can go home.” Geraldo waved the young man out the door. He jumped from his chair and paced across the room, heat gushing through his veins. He’d been slapped by a woman before, but that hadn’t stung nearly as much as Anna’s rebuff. He didn’t know who he should be angrier with—the girl or the foolish men who had brought her here.