Vampirates: Tide of Terror (14 page)

“I’ll be fine to walk,” she announced.

“Good,” Cheng Li said, taking her hand. “Come along then.” They stood face to face for a moment. “And, on the way, you can tell me exactly what’s going on.”

“What do you mean?” Grace asked, looking at Cheng Li in shock.

“You’re
not
suffering from sunstroke, Grace,” Cheng Li said. “There’s something far more complicated going on with you. You’ll feel better if you let it out. Secrets have a way of eating away at us from the inside.”

Grace shuddered at the thought, imagining all the secrets of her time on the Vampirate ship — secrets she had only shared with Connor — eating hungrily away at her insides. The gnawing sensation felt all too true. And then there were the fresher secrets that even Connor didn’t know — that she could communicate with the Vampirate ship and journey to it, in her mind at least.

Cheng Li smiled softly and looped her arm through Grace’s. “Don’t look so anxious, dear. I’m not going to
force
it out of you. It’s fine if you don’t
want
to tell me — if you still don’t think you can
trust
me.” Cheng Li’s smoky eyes bore directly into Grace’s. “I think you should know, Grace, I am an excellent listener — if I do say so myself. If and when you
do
decide to talk, you could do a lot worse than talking to
me
.”

Could
she trust Cheng Li? It would be such a relief to share her secrets. And the older girl had shown her nothing but kindness, so far.

“Thanks,” Grace said, as they began walking. “I’ll bear that in mind.”

They walked on up the hill in silence. Grace still felt exhausted but exhilarated by her first journey back to the Vampirate ship. She was excited too by the possibility of unburdening her secrets upon Cheng Li. She badly needed someone to talk to — if only as a sounding board for her own questions. But her thoughts kept circling back, like a school of sharks, to one very big question. Could Cheng Li be trusted?

When they came to Grace’s door, Cheng Li said her good-byes. “Get some rest, Grace. You’ve clearly been through some kind of ordeal today, but you’ll want to be on your best form for the captains tonight.” She patted Grace on the shoulder, then turned to walk away.

“Wait!” said Grace. The word came out more forcefully than she had intended. Cheng Li turned, one eyebrow raised in surprise. Grace took a deep breath. “Why don’t you come inside?” she asked. “There
are
some things I’d like to talk to you about.”

Cheng Li nodded, looking very serious all of a sudden. “I regard your trust as a great gift,” she told Grace. “And, of course, it goes without saying — but I shall say it nevertheless — whatever you tell me will be in the strictest confidence. Just between us two.”

17

THE GOOD LISTENER

Once Grace started speaking, she found it incredibly easy to talk to Cheng Li about the Vampirates. Frankly, it was a huge relief to talk to
anyone
other than Connor, who was so overprotective and so ready to condemn the Vampirates — every last one of them — without even trying to understand their ways.

Unlike Connor, Cheng Li did not interrupt Grace with her own judgments. Instead, she listened closely, only interrupting very occasionally to ask for clarification of one thing or another. For the most part, Grace talked and Cheng Li listened, nodding supportively and encouraging Grace to share more and more of her experiences.

Looking at the clock by her bed, Grace realized she had been talking solidly for over an hour and a half. There was still so much to say. Initially, she had intended to censor the more extreme things that had happened to her during that time, but she decided that if she was going to confide in Cheng Li, and seek her help, then she had to tell her the full story. Either you trusted someone the full one hundred percent or you didn’t trust them at all.

And so Grace found herself recounting everything, from her first arrival on the ship to her realization that Lorcan, dear Lorcan, was not a seventeen-year-old boy but a seven-hundred-and-nine-year-old vampire! She told Cheng Li about breaking out of her cabin and going to confront the Vampirate captain himself — and finding out that he was far from the monster that she had expected. And then she told Cheng Li the full story of the Feast and the donors and her horrific encounter with Sidorio.

“
He
sounds fascinating!” Cheng Li said. “Terrifying, but fascinating all the same. I wonder where he is now?”

“I dread to think,” Grace said. “I hoped that when the captain banished him, he would just disappear into the wilderness. But I have a feeling that hasn’t happened. And now there are other rebellions aboard the ship. I just wish I could help.”

“But Grace, what could you
do
?”

It was a question worth asking. Grace thought hard. “I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t know. But I just have a feeling, deep inside, that I
could
help them. I really want to.

You see, I think in many ways I’m responsible for what is happening.”

“How?”

“Well, Sidorio was exiled because he attacked me. If I hadn’t been aboard the ship, he might still be there.”

Cheng Li shook her head. “No, Grace,” she said. “You’re being unfair to yourself. Sidorio wasn’t only banished for holding you hostage and threatening you. He killed his donor, remember? That was his open challenge to the captain’s authority. From what you’ve told me, the captain would have exiled him for that, whether you had been on board or not.”

Grace felt a sense of release at Cheng Li’s words, but then the heaviness returned. “That may be true, but what about Lorcan?”

She told Cheng Li about how Lorcan had protected her when Connor and the pirates came back for her, how he had stayed out after the Dawning Bell had sounded. And now she told of her two mysterious visions involving Lorcan, and the way he had acted during her spirit journey to the ship.

“Well, I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but I agree with you,” Cheng Li said. “It sounds like Lorcan did injure his sight when he stayed out in the light.”

“If he did, then it’s my fault,” Grace said.

“You’re being so hard on yourself. He knew the dangers, Grace. He must have. He made a choice . . .”

“To protect
me
!”

“It was still
his
choice.”

They sat in silence for a time, thinking over each other’s words. Then Cheng Li spoke again. “How did his eyes seem to you when you journeyed to the ship?”

Grace shook her head. “It was hard to see. His cabin was dark and he kept his head away from me, hidden by the bedding.” She smiled, ruefully. “It was as if
I
had the sight problem.”

“Grace,” said Cheng Li, at length, “I think your journey to the ship took you by surprise — as well it might have. You did well to get there. But, for your own reassurance, next time you journey there, you must ask more questions. Find out the truth about Lorcan’s sight. Find out if you can help. Perhaps they know how. Perhaps that’s why they are calling you back like this.”

Grace looked at Cheng Li curiously. “You really think
they
are calling me back?”

“Yes, of course,” said Cheng Li. “Don’t you? First, Darcy makes a spirit journey to you. And then you have these two visions of Lorcan . . .”

“But they came through the ring,” Grace reminded her. “I touched the Claddagh ring and it heated up and that’s when I had the visions. In fact, the ring grew warm before Darcy came, too. I felt really sick. And when I opened my eyes, there she was.”

Cheng Li thought for a moment. “So, the first contact you made after you’d left the ship was through Lorcan’s Claddagh ring. When you touched the ring, it appears you somehow triggered a response from your friends aboard the ship.”

Grace nodded.

“I’m sure they planned this,” Cheng Li said. “I’m sure that’s why Lorcan gave you the ring in the first place.”

“He left me a note,” Grace said. “He said it was something to remember him by. He said . . . he said to ‘travel safe.’”

“Well, there you are, Grace,” said Cheng Li, trium-phantly. “He virtually told you what to expect. It was his way — the Vampirates’ way — to help you travel back to the ship.” She paused, allowing a fresh thought to arrive and flower in her mind. “When you went on your own journey to the ship — a spirit journey, we might say, or astral journey — did you touch the ring to initiate this? Did it heat up like before?”

Grace shook her head. “I don’t think it had anything to do with the ring that time.”

“Fascinating,” said Cheng Li. “Okay. Then it seems to me that your connection is getting stronger. It’s as if they used the ring just to get your attention — to prepare you, as it were. And now...”

“Now what?” Grace was anxious to hear Cheng Li’s thoughts.

“Now it seems like they are ready to call you back more strongly.”

“So now, I just have to wait for them to call me again?”

Cheng Li thought for a moment. “Let’s try an experiment, shall we? Try touching the ring now.”

Grace raised her thumb and forefinger to the ring. “It’s cool,” she said.

“Keep on holding it,” said Cheng Li. “Tell me the moment its temperature changes.”

Grace kept hold of the Claddagh ring, just as she had so many times before. Cheng Li sat there, watching. Finally, after several minutes had elapsed, she asked Grace, “Any-thing?”

Grace shook her head.

“All right then,” said Cheng Li. “I think the ring is yesterday’s news. Now you have to wait until they call you. But be prepared. It could happen at any moment.”

“But how can I get back to the ship
properly
?” asked Grace.

“Don’t ask me,” Cheng Li said, with a smile. “Ask
them
! The next time you find yourself on that ship, that’s the first question you must ask them.”

Grace nodded. That made sense.

“It’s getting late,” Cheng Li said. “This has been fascinating, Grace, but I do think you should get some rest ahead of dinner. We will talk more of this. I shall keep thinking about it. Whenever you want to talk to me again, just say the word.”

“Thank you,” Grace said. “Thank you for listening.”

“No, Grace,” said Cheng Li. “Thank
you
for trusting me. It means a lot.” She smiled as she headed toward the door, then turned. “I would advocate saying very little to the other captains about this. They’ll doubtless want to know about your background. When they ask, I’d say nothing about the Vampirates. Not everyone is as open-minded as I am.”

Grace nodded. Cheng Li stood by the door, observing her with a curious look.

“What is it?” Grace asked. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that the most fascinating part of all this,” said Cheng Li, “is the connection you felt — that you still feel — to them. Other people would be grateful that they had escaped from that ship with their life. But you — you would willingly return.”

“Of course!” Grace said. “Wouldn’t you?”

Cheng Li considered the question. “Honest answer? I don’t know. I’m a survivor, Grace. Like you, I’m curious about the world and its mysteries. But to willingly throw myself into danger ...I really don’t know if I
would
do that.” She paused. “I remember one time, I asked your brother about you. And the way he spoke of you, he made you sound like the most extraordinary person.”

Grace flushed with surprise and pleasure.

“And now that I know you for myself, Grace Tempest,” Cheng Li continued, “now, I see that it is true.”

With those words, Cheng Li finally slipped out, smiling, into the corridor. Grace was exhausted — from her journey; from talking so much and from the relief of unburdening her secrets. As the door clicked shut, she lay back on the bed, her head seeking out the soft pillows, and immediately fell asleep.

18

THE CAPTAINS’ TABLE

At seven-thirty sharp, Jacoby Blunt knocked on Commodore Kuo’s door.

“Come in,” called the headmaster.

Jacoby pushed open the door, allowing Grace and Connor to step inside the headmaster’s study before following them in.

“Good evening, everyone,” Commodore Kuo said, looking up from his desk, where he still seemed to be hard at work. He was dressed as he had been earlier that day, but with the addition of a small pair of spectacles.

“I’ll be with you in just one moment,” he said, glancing back down to read over a document. Apparently satisfied, he inscribed his signature with a flourish of turquoise ink and slipped the document into his out-tray. Then he replaced the lid on his pen, removed his glasses and set them both down on the desk.

“A headmaster’s work is never done,” he said, standing to push back his chair and step away from his immaculately tidy desk. “Quick, let’s make an escape before something else crops up requiring my input.”

Slipping a dinner jacket over his waistcoat, he flashed a smile at Grace and Connor. “I trust you’ve enjoyed your first afternoon at the Academy?”

“Oh yes!” said Connor. “We had a great look all over. I had a long walk around the harbor and we saw the ‘lagoon of doom’ with its practice ship. And then I went for a swim in the pool. It was awesome.”

“Excellent,” said Commodore Kuo. “How about you, Grace?”

Grace flushed, remembering Cheng Li’s advice to keep her counsel. “Oh yes, it’s all wonderful,” she said, hoping she could get away with being so vague. It appeared that, on this occasion, she could.

“Terrific,” Commodore Kuo said, leading them over to the French windows at the back of his study. “I thought we’d all eat on the terrace as it’s such a fine night.” He opened up the doors and they immediately heard the buzz of chatter. Their audience was already waiting for them, it seemed.

“No going back now,” Jacoby whispered, from behind the twins.

Commodore Kuo stepped out onto the terrace. Grace, Connor and Jacoby followed. A long table had been set out there, lined with candles and groaning with food — from mountains of king prawns to platters of dressed crab and lobster and, sitting simmering on hot plates, bowls of unimaginably sweet-smelling curries, rice, and noodle dishes.

The other teachers were already crowded around the table, drinking wine and nibbling on canapés. There were, Connor noticed, just four empty seats at the table — two at the head and two at the foot. Just enough for the headmaster, Jacoby, himself and Grace.

“Now, Jacoby,” Commodore Kuo said, “why don’t you take this seat here, while I introduce Connor and Grace to everybody?”

Jacoby did as instructed, slipping into the seat. At the same time, Commodore Kuo clapped his hands together. “Everybody, if I might have your attention?”

Ten men and women turned. Most were silent, looking toward the twins with interest. One of the women was still finishing off a conversation.

“. . . certainly
not
in my day. It’s a complete nonsense if you ask me.”

Commodore Kuo beamed at her. “Captain Quivers, I’m as keen as mustard to know what you’re talking about.”

“I’m sure you
are
.”

“Well, perhaps we may return to that presently, but first, allow me to introduce you all to Grace and Connor Tempest.”

There were various nods and smiles from along both sides of the table. And then Commodore Kuo put his hands together and started clapping. The applause was taken up by the seated teachers, though not quite uniformly. Grace noticed that Captain Quivers was the last to join in and didn’t do so for long. She rather wished the others had proved so unenthusiastic. This was getting really embarrassing! She noticed that Connor seemed to be far less embarrassed. In fact, he was clearly enjoying the attention.

“Now,” continued Commodore Kuo, “as you know, the Tempest twins are our guests at the Academy this week. Mistress Li extended an invitation on our behalf, and Connor and Grace agreed to take a break from their valuable duties aboard
The Diablo
to come and see what we’re all about. And I’m sure that we’re all very grateful to Molucco Wrathe for agreeing to allow these young pirates shore leave.”

“Here’s to Molucco!” cried Captain Quivers wildly, raising her wineglass and sloshing a little of the liquid on the otherwise pristine tablecloth. “Oops.”

“Yes,” Commodore Kuo said, smoothly. “Here’s to Molucco.” He raised his own glass, gave a chuckle, then moved briskly on.

“Well, I think it’s high time that we tucked into this tempting feast,” he said. “But just before we do, of course I would like to make some personal introductions.”

He placed a hand on each of the twin’s shoulders and began introducing each of the captains ranked along the table.

“Grace, Connor ...this is Captain René Grammont, formerly of
The Troubadour
...”

“Bonsoir, Monsieur et Mademoiselle Tempest.”
Captain Grammont nodded formally in the twins’ direction.

“Next to René: Captain Francisco Moscardo, formerly of
The Santa Anna
and
The Inferno
...”

“
Buenos noches,
Tempest twins.”

“Then,” continued Commodore Kuo, “we have Captain Lisabeth Quivers, formerly of
The Passionflower
.”

“Hello, Grace. Hello, Connor. A great pleas —”

“And at her side, Captain Pavel Platonov of
The Muscovite
.”

“Dos vadanya,”
said Captain Platonov, rising and giving an exaggerated bow. Grace noticed Captain Quivers give a little laugh at this.

“I hope you’re keeping up,” laughed Commodore Kuo. “Next we have Captain Apostolos Solomos of
The Seferis
.”

“
Kalispera,
Connor and Grace.” Captain Solomos gave them a broad smile.

“And then there’s Mistress Li, to whom you need no introduction.” Cheng Li nodded formally to them. It was as if she and Grace had never had their recent heart-to-heart. Grace was pleased — Cheng Li was playing her part so that no one would suspect. “Now, Mistress Li has yet to captain a ship, of course, but we know that her future will be as illustrious as any of us seated here today. Indeed, I might go so far as to say she may well eclipse a reputation or two.”

“Hear, hear!” cried the woman seated next to Cheng Li.

“May I present Captain Kirstin Larsen of
The Krönborg Slot
.”

Captain Larsen had the whitest blond hair Grace had ever seen, intensified by a deep suntan and eyes as blue as a mountain spring. Captain Larsen raised a glass to the twins, then drained it in one draught.

“Next, we have Captain Floris van Amstel of
The Koh-i-Noor
.”

“Good evening.”

“And Captain Shivaji Singh of
The Nataraj
.”

Captain Singh bowed. Grace was tempted to mirror the gesture, but felt too inhibited so just nodded in response. She glanced at Connor. He was smiling from ear to ear. She could see how much he was enjoying meeting these captains who, according to Cheng Li, were among the most accomplished pirates in the world. Better yet, they appeared to be only too eager to meet Connor and Grace!

“And last of all, Captain Wilfred Avery of
The Barbary Corsair
.”

Of course. They had glimpsed Captain Avery several times from afar since they had arrived at the Academy, but now here he was across the table from them, his tanned face covered with white wisps of mustache and beard.

“We’ll be testing you both on all our names before dessert,” he beamed at the twins. Grace found herself instantly liking Captain Avery. She smiled back.

“Now, you sit here, Grace,” Commodore Kuo said, pulling out a chair for her between Cheng Li and Captain Solomos. Then the headmaster strode to the other end of the table and indicated for Connor to sit on the chair between himself and Captain Grammont. Jacoby was already sitting opposite and had begun tucking into the food.

“Connor, shall I help you to some of this green curry?” Captain Avery said. “It’s really rather good.”

“Yes, please,” Connor said.

“What about a crevette?” Captain Grammont said, following suit.

A crevette? What was he talking about?

The captain extended a wooden spear bearing a plump king prawn toward Connor. “A crevette,” he repeated.

“Oh, great, yes — thanks.”

Gradually, Grace’s plate filled up, too, and she joined the captains in their hearty feast. She wondered if they ate like this every night. She’d ask Jacoby later. She imagined that the other students, who had eaten an hour or so earlier, had received somewhat simpler fare.

“So tell us about yourself, Connor,” Captain Grammont said. “We know little about you except what an impressive start you have made aboard
The Diablo
.”

“Yes, tell us,” added Grammont’s neighbor — Captain Moscardo. “Did you always want to be a pirate?”

“What he really means is,” Captain Avery interjected, “did you read all about our exploits and dream of being one of us?”

Connor shook his head. “No, absolutely not.”

Captain Moscardo looked disappointed, but Commodore Kuo laughed at Connor’s answer. “Go on, Connor, tell them where you come from.”

“Well, we were born in Crescent Moon Bay . . .”

There was a chorus of sympathetic sighs.

“You know it?”

“Connor, it’s our business to know every bay, reef, and creek on the map,” Captain Avery said softly.

“Oh, of course. Well, my dad was the lighthouse keeper there. But he died and we didn’t have anyone left, so Grace and I —”

“What about your mother?” interjected Captain Quivers, directing the question at Grace.

“We never knew our mother,” Grace said sadly. “She died . . . giving birth to us.”

“How terrible ...for all of you.”

“So,” said Captain Moscardo, “you two had nothing left in that godforsaken bay.”

“No,” Grace said. “So we took our dad’s yacht and sailed away.”

“But where were you going?” Captain Grammont asked.

“We didn’t know then,” said Connor. “We just knew we had to get away. We thought we’d sail down the coast and see where we ended up.”

Captain Avery’s eyes twinkled at him. “The first sign that you
do
have pirate’s blood in your veins.”

“And where
did
you end up?” Captain Moscardo persisted.

“We were caught in a storm,” Connor said. “Our yacht was decimated by it and we both thought we were going to drown.”

“Oh!” exclaimed Captain Quivers. “You poor, poor children.”

“But,” Connor continued, “I was rescued by Mistress Li and taken aboard
The Diablo
.”

“And you, Grace?” inquired Captain Larsen, turning her crystal-blue eyes upon Grace.

Grace could sense, without looking, that Cheng Li was watching her carefully. The other captains now also stared in her direction. She took a breath, then spoke.

“I was rescued by another ship.”

“Which one?” pressed Captain Larsen. “We know pretty much all the pirate ships in these waters.”

“It wasn’t a pirate ship,” Grace said.

“Then what? A private vessel?”

“Something like that,” Grace said, praying that Cheng Li would step in and rescue her. But help came from another side entirely.

“Details, details,” Captain Avery said, with a smile. “The important thing is you both
were
rescued. And you found yourselves upon
The Diablo
. And what, pray tell, were your first impressions of Captain Wrathe?”

Connor knew he had to tread carefully, unsure of how the others felt about Molucco. Molucco wasn’t a big fan of the Academy so perhaps the teachers here were similarly disparaging about him? On the other hand, Molucco’s old sword
had
taken pride of place in the Rotunda.

“Captain Wrathe has been very good to me ...to us,” Connor said.

“He always had a keen eye for young talent,” Captain Quivers said.

“And, Connor,” Moscardo pressed forward again, “you weren’t at all scared to learn swordplay?”

Grace felt the attention turn back to her brother. Part of her was a little resentful but mostly she was relieved. The less questions they asked her the better, she suspected. She took the opportunity to exchange a brief smile with Cheng Li.

Cheng Li winked at her supportively, then offered her the platter of salt-and-pepper squid.

“No.” Connor shook his head. “I wanted to learn. It was my reward.”

“Your reward?”

“For helping Captain Wrathe in an attack.”

“You remember, Captains,” Commodore Kuo interjected. “Wrathe pillaged Governor Acharo’s house, up at Port Hazzard — and Acharo’s two boys staged a revenge attack on
The Diablo
.”

“Oh, yes.” Captain Grammont nodded. “I remember.”

“And Connor defended Captain Wrathe,” added Commodore Kuo. “Saved his life, by all accounts.”

“More’s the pity,” muttered Captain Singh. Connor made a mental note that here at least was one captain definitively opposed to Molucco.

Commodore Kuo caught Connor’s expression and was quick to respond. “You’ll hear some divided opinions here about Captain Wrathe, but I’m sure you’re no stranger to those already.”

This Connor had to admit was true.

“Frankly,” Commodore Kuo continued with a smile, “Captain Wrathe has always divided opinion. As any character that large might. You’re aware, perhaps, of the Pirate Federation and the rule of the sea-lanes?”

“Yes.” Connor nodded. “Of course.”

Grace listened intently, and carefully watched Connor’s changing expressions. She wanted to see if his sympathies stayed resolutely with Captain Wrathe or if he might be wavering.

“Well, the Academy works closely with the Federation,” continued Commodore Kuo. “Indeed, many of us here are involved in the hierarchy of the Federation. And we share and teach beliefs, such as the unequivocal respect for our captains’ sea-lanes.”

“We also,” added Captain Grammont, “strive to build and develop productive relationships with the land powers, such as Governor Acharo. Acharo was always lenient to us. It was a major ...well, let us say a major nuisance, Captain Wrathe attacking him like that. In the months since that attack, Acharo has changed his attitude and his policy toward us quite considerably. And that doesn’t just cause problems along the coastline of his territory, he has powerful allies in the north, too. So this random action by your captain has caused ripples far across these waters.”