Fate's Pawn: Five Jewels

Final Preparations

Who or what had been that voice? The thought haunted me throughout the storm.

No… I had a good idea of what it was. It's not like this was my first time tangling with a Sin. However, once they found Eros things could get… sticky. No matter what it took, I needed to keep him safe.

I wanted all of my mates to be safe.

There had been no 'reaching out' to the voice. Whoever it was I would get a full audience with in the not too far future. I was more than well aware of that little fact.

Let's see… who was I missing? My nose scrunched as I thought about it. Wait, was it really just Greed and Wrath left or had my memories decayed to that point?

"You're awake?" Maxwell's hand traveled down my back with soft strokes as he maintained eye contact. "I think we're through the worst of it."

He was right. The boat wasn't living out its wildest dreams of being a bull any longer. But that only meant that I would be confronting that voice very soon.

The door to the room slammed open and Dagan stormed in. "Thought you could capsize me, huh?" he demanded with his eyes locked on me. "It'll take more than your mere witchery to get rid of me that easily."

Maxwell's arms tightened around me and his eyes flashed. "Excuse me, Captain Blade but I would prefer if you did not talk to the woman I love like that." Though his words were gentle the expression on his face had hardened.

Dagon laughed. "I'm not afraid of you pretty boy," he taunted. "But here's the thing. You want me to take a return trip with that thing and the pay is going to have to be upped quite a bit to make it worth it for me. I told you she was nothing but bad luck." He flashed the group a confident grin.

Maxwell hugged me tight before slipping out of bed and putting himself in a position between us. "And I believe I told you, Sir, that I will not tolerate you saying or doing anything that hurts her."

Dagon waved his words away. "If you want to board the ship again after this little island experiment fails, the price won't be the same. You won't get away without at least triple the fare. Now, take your black cat off my ship before I throw her off."

Maxwell growled but I put a hand on his arm to stop him. "It's okay," I assured him. "We'll go, don't worry." I almost slipped and said his true name but held back. "Thank you, Captain Blade."

His bright eyes flashed at me but instead of getting another scolding with that sharp tongue of his, he jerked his head in a nod and strode off.

Maxwell wrapped his arms around my stomach and pulled me against his chest. "I'm sorry, Coral," he whispered. "I hate when you have to deal with situations like that."

That? Dagon's mild annoyance would pale in comparison to what awaited me on the island. "It's fine," I assured him. Biting my lip, I willed the powers to travel down my fins and change me. Whatever was awaiting me, I was going to have to figure out as soon as I could. My non-sea legs weren't going to last.

Maxwell helped me to my unsteady feet and I cast an eye over the room. Angel and Eros were almost shadows of each other. Both had chosen hammocks and both were endlessly entangled as they slept through all the chaos.

The goofs.

Quix however was awake in a bed nearby. His head was bowed in servitude, but his eyes were pinned to my form. He didn't have to speak for me to know that he was less than happy about what had just happened.

"Oliver take care of the ship and the others. We're going to go take a trip outside to see what we're dealing with."

Quix shot up like he'd been jammed with a cattle prod. "Instead of that, allow me to accompany Ms. Coral," he offered. "Master, you haven't gotten enough sleep quite yet. It would be my honor if I could tend to this little task for you."

Wow, his personality was a massive change compared to when he was alone with me. At least for now, maybe my sweet Quix was still in there, somewhere. I just had to unlock his memories for it all to work.

Maxwell struggled to hold back a yawn. Why hadn't I noticed the signs earlier? This man was exhausted. He'd probably stayed up the entire time while holding me while I'd slept like a rock. "No," he argued with a stubborn shake of his head.

"I insist," Quix's eyes darted to mine and in them there was a clear plea.

"Max?" I suggested as I put my hands around his wrist. He calmed and gave me a nod. "I'm only going to take a quick look. It probably is better if you get some rest. I trust that Oliver won't let anything happen to me."

Quix nodded and put a hand to his chest. "Master, you know that if what you wish is for her safety, it will be done. Please, for her sake get some rest."

"Please?" I added with a gentle squeeze of his arm.

Maxwell sighed and slouched back against the bed. His head hit the pillow and his eyes fluttered. "You're sure?" he whispered to me as he battled against his tiredness.

I nodded. "Positive."

"Protect her," he ordered to Quix before sleep claimed him.

Just how long had the man fought against rest? It made me worry for his future.

Quix sighed and stared down at me. His eyes were cold but a fake smile was plastered to his lips. "Well, Coral, I guess this means I get to be your companion to check out the island and help you find whatever it is you're searching for."

"I can go myself," I interrupted him.

"No." He put a hand on my shoulder. "I already promised him, and I won't let him down." He turned his attention to Angel and Eros who were both still asleep. "We'll leave them to take care of him. The doctor will wake up if anything serious happens, no matter how deep of a sleep he's in now."

"If you say so…" With one last look at Maxwell I followed Quix out of the room. The sun had returned and its morning beams warmed me from head to toe.

"You're really going to go there?" Dagon chuckled as he watched us. His arms were crossed and a smirk played on his lips. "Well, I probably won't have to worry about you wrecking the return trip after all."

What was he talking about?

Quix stared past me. His eyes flickered over the surroundings and narrowed. "Coral," he called.

"Yeah?" I tore my attention away from Dagon.

"Even going on a walk to inspect the island appears that it can be dangerous… However, as long as you listen to me and abide by my rules, I'm sure we can make our little adventure and get back. But if you drag the Master into this, I'll never forgive you."

What was he so worried about? I turned my attention to where he was staring and my breath caught in my throat as I forgot how to breath.

The island loomed ahead of us, looking more like a cave than any island I'd heard of before. Jagged cliffs lined the shore, and probably were more or less while Dagon had been laughing. There was no way his precious ship would be going anywhere near that.

Thick trees covered much of the entrance. Their branches were bent and twisted as if warning us away from the cavern of darkness beneath them.

From our vantage point we could see beyond the opening and to a series of what appeared to be bridges spanning massive gaps of black unknown.

Dagon laughed again and clapped Quix on the back. "I'm not going to bother telling you good luck, you're stuck with her, you won't be making it back, my lad."

Quix ignored him and turned to me, holding out his elbow. "Let's go, Coral."

It only took a second more of Dagon's obnoxious laughter to drive me forward. Time on my feet was limited after all, and if I wanted to inspect those bridges and figure out how long it would take to cross them in this form, I needed to hurry.

"We'll be back in less than an hour," I told Dagon with a glare.

"You'll be back?" He laughed. "I'll believe it when I see it, little mermaid. Now hurry off and let your tentacles of bad luck crawl around this man's neck and strangle him. Mark my words, you're going to be the death of everyone on this ship."

It was pretty rich words considering I more than remembered exactly who he really was. I was going to be the death of everyone? At least I hadn't been the monster who had created the seven sins.