THE CAPTAIN’S CHAIRS IN the bridge were very comfortable. Reyfyre sat behind the command center, steering the yacht and monitoring the systems. The moment we pulled out into the open waters of Hudson Bay, he seemed to relax. But he kept an eye out on the radar for other boats just in case some of those lunatics decided to sneak up on us.
“Once we get into the Labrador Sea, we can find a place to anchor, unpack our backpacks, and see what we have left. Then we can get a little shut-eye before we continue on. I won’t pull into port until we reach Newfoundland or Nova Scotia.” He pointed out the route on the map. “Or Bar Harbor in the United States. Those places are much more civilized than where we were.”
I stared at the map. “How long until we get to New York?”
Reyfyre chewed on his lip for a few minutes. “Probably about ten to fourteen days with stops for refueling and sleeping. Maybe a little less, but I’m only factoring in an average speed of fifteen knots. While this baby can go more, the seas are likely to be rough, especially with it being winter.” His gaze met mine. “If we’re there sooner, it just means these comfortable accommodations are gone for a while.”
“Comfortable?” I glanced behind me at the deck we were on and although there were a couple of couches behind us, it didn’t look all that comfortable.
“No, honey. There’s an entire living level below this one.” He smirked. “This was one of my only impulse buys after my parents died and their monies transferred to one of my phantom identities. I had always wanted one and said screw it. If I was going to be on the run from that megalomaniac, I wanted to be on the run in style.”
“Show me?” I waved toward the back, itching to see the rest of this boat.
“Not until I know no one has followed us. Besides, this doesn’t have any sort of auto navigation system. So, I want to wait until we anchor for the night, then I’ll show you around.”
“I could explore on my own.”
His head tilted to the side as he considered my statement. “I’d rather be the one to show you. I would have shown you much more than just the bridge had we not had to bug out so quick.”
“What do you mean?”
“Those guys were asking for trouble. If we hadn’t gone out so fast, I’m sure they would have let their stewing anger build enough to attack us on the boat. As it is, their glares promised retribution. And I, for one, would not like to have a murder charge over my head in addition to stealing a snowmobile.” He gave me a pointed look. “I don’t want our faces plastered all over the continent.”
“Oh.” I nodded my understanding and promptly yawned. The bridge was heated, so we both had stripped down to our jeans and sweatshirts, laying out our winter clothing across the couch and our backpacks and snowshoes on the floor near the closed-off stairwell he had pointed to.
“But if you wanted to take stock of what we have in the backpacks, you can do that.” He hooked his thumb over his shoulder to where the packs leaned against the couches.
It would certainly keep my mind occupied. I stood and stretched before I went over to the packs. I took mine first and set out things in piles. Food and liquids went on the table and clothing went on the couch in a neat pile. My clothing pile seemed so small in comparison to the food, blankets, and utensils in the pack.
“Where do you want these once I have things unpacked?” I held up the empty backpack.
“Closet over there.” He pointed to a slim door on the far side of the room.
I stowed my pack inside, noting there most likely would be enough room for his pack once I had emptied it. I went to work on his, and there was a lot more food than I had thought, along with a few pots and pans that we had used out on the tundra. On closer inspection, they didn’t need to be cleaned before we used them again. They already gleamed due to the charms on Reyfyre’s backpacks.
Reyfyre’s pile of clothing was on par with mine. Less than a week’s worth of garments were in our stacks.
“We might need some more clothes.”
Reyfyre glanced over his shoulder at his pile. “I have more clothing stored here. You can borrow whatever you need until we get to the city and get a job that will give us the funds to get clothing and find an apartment.” He turned back to the sea.
“Your shirts are too big for me,” I muttered as I continued to pull things out of his bag as if it had no end. And then I unhooked the sword sheaths from the sides and set them next to the shotgun Reyfyre had placed next to the command center. Having our weapons handy would benefit us if we were actually attacked.
I stowed the backpack away and then swallowed a small burp of bile. My stomach had become decidedly sour since we boarded, and I put my fist to my lips, racking my brain as to why.
“Um. I’m not feeling so great.” I sat on the couch.
Reyfyre glanced back at me, and his eyebrows shot into arches. He opened the panel next to him and rummaged around inside. Then he threw me a small round canister. “Motion sickness pills. Just take one of the pills with a little water and come sit up here where you can see the horizon.”
I stared at the container, reading the text imprinted on the top as to how to open the tube. It took me a few tries and by the time I got it open, I highly doubted I would be able to keep one of these little tabs down. But I did what he said and climbed into the chair next to him, still gripping the container.
“Just keep your eye on the horizon for a while.” His lips tilted into an amused smirk.
His expression crawled under my skin. “What?”
“I just never suspected that a mighty Valkyrie would succumb to seasickness.”
“Well, our crafts hover. They aren’t at the mercy of the waves beneath them.” I took a breath and concentrated on the distant line on the horizon like Reyfyre had suggested and prayed the medicine he gave me started to work fast, because otherwise, I’d be making a mad dash to the back of the boat to hurl in the ocean.