Wildest Dreams (Fantasyland #1)(99)

There were also two crude space heaters that appeared to be portable on the floor. They looked like they were made of iron and there were fires lit in them in an effort to ward off the chill which somewhat succeeded and somewhat failed.

I also saw trunks, most of them I recognized as mine, lining the cabin behind the chart table.

In the back by the desk on the opposite side to the seating area there was a huge, standing globe and for some reason that was where I moved first.

When I got there I slowly turned the intricately painted globe with the tips of my fingers and, fascinated, I saw the map depicted on it showed that this world was not identical to my world. Not even close. There were no Americas, no Europe, Asia, Africa or Australia. There were Poles at top and bottom but that was the only thing that was the same.

I twirled the globe to find Lunwyn and noted, not surprisingly, it was at the top, nearly to a Pole. The wide Winter Sea was north of it, the icy Pole beyond. The Green Sea, painted emerald on the map, was to the west of Lunwyn and it was more like an ocean, incredibly vast. I saw Middleland, painted in dark greens and blacks and Hawkvale and Fleuridia, both depicted in deep greens with Fleuridia having a few light greens. And below the equator, there were countries, all painted in browns and creams, called Korwahk, Keenhak and Maroo.

I was turning the globe to see what lay beyond when I heard, “Milady?” and my head came up.

The boy was standing in the doorway.

He was looking uncomfortable and uncertain as well as impatient. I guessed that he had things to do and those didn’t include waiting on a woman in his captain’s quarters.

I moved away from the globe and toward the boy, saying, “Hello there. You’re Skylar?”

He nodded, watching as I approached him and shifting his body in a way that made him look strangely like he wanted to turn around and run.

“I’m Finnie,” I introduced myself before stopping several feet away.

He nodded but didn’t speak.

“And what do you do here, Skylar?” I asked.

“Captain’s boy, milady,” he answered.

I nodded thinking he was kind of young but what did I know, he was the only captain’s boy I’d ever met.

Then he asked on a prompt, “Aught I can get you, milady?”

I smiled. “Two things, some water so Frey and I can wash up after that ride and also not to call me your lady, instead, I’d like you to call me Finnie.”

He peered up at me then swallowed what appeared to be nervously then nodded again.

Then he stood there staring at me.

When he didn’t say anything, I asked, “Is there something you wish to say?”

He shook his head and his body shifted again before he stated, “You haven’t dismissed me.”

Oh. Right.

I smiled again before telling him, “You can see to that water now, Skylar.”

He nodded again, once, quickly, then raced out.

Well, that was a little weird but… whatever.

Determining to ask Frey later, I finally set about having a good look around.

I’d had the opportunity to take off my cloak, hat and gloves, nose through Frey’s stuff on his desk and wash up when Skylar brought some warmed water to pour in the copper pitcher and I had a brass spyglass to one eye and was on my knees in the bench at the back, peering out at pretty much nothing (because it was still dark and there was a huge ass ship behind is that was in my way) when Frey came back.

I turned my head to watch him walk in and saw him stop and stare at me with unconcealed puzzlement.

“What are you gazing at, wife?”

I grinned at him, moved off the bench and put the spyglass on his desk while I walked to him and answered, “Seeing as it’s night, a whole lot of nothing. Still, that spyglass is cool, that bench is cool, that window is cool and this whole freaking cabin,” I stopped in front of him and slapped my hands lightly on his chest, tipping my head way back to look up at him, “is cool.”

His eyes moved over my face then he lifted a hand to cup my cheek, his thumb sweeping out to stroke my cheekbone.

What he didn’t do was smile back and I saw he looked distracted.

So I leaned in closer and asked, “Is everything okay?”

He didn’t answer. Instead he informed me, “We’re away soon.”

I smiled again and whispered, “Awesome.” Then I asked, “Can I come up on deck and watch while we set sail?”

He shook his head. “You need to sleep, wee one.”

I shook my head too. “Frey, I’m totally not tired.” And this was true, I was wired, not tired.

“All right,” he replied, “then I need to concentrate on navigating my ship out of the bay, my men need to concentrate on setting sail and while we do that none of us need to concentrate on my curious wife finding trouble as she wanders around discovering so I’ll ask you to stay in our cabin and stare through your scope at a lot of nothing.”

Hmm. Bummer.

Though I could understand why he wanted that and I could also do that for him.

“Okay,” I gave in. “But can I get a tour later?” I pushed and he again shook his head, not in the negative but as an indication he was used to me not giving up and I knew this didn’t annoy him when I saw his eyes warm but his mouth still did not curve into a smile.

“Skylar will take you around once we’re away.”