Page 39 of A Yulean Sister’s Guide to Getting Kidnapped

We walked through the narrow halls, him pointing out a few things as we did, but it was hard to keep it all straight. This all felt like some kind of dream, one I couldn’t decide was good or bad.

“So, this is why you never gave me your name,” I said, out of the blue. It had just occurred to me that I didn’t even know the name of the man I was supposed to trust with my life in the middle of the ocean.

“It is not,” he confirmed.

I sighed when he didn’t continue. “Can you tell me what your name is?”

“You can call me Captain Shadowhart,” he said.

I rolled my eyes. “That’s not a name, it’s a title.”

“Yes, and it’s what everyone calls me.”

I grumbled, but didn’t argue further, considering it seemed like he really wasn’t going to budge.

“And this is where you can get something to eat,” he said as we entered the swinging wooden doors. “Like I said, everyone who works gets their share of meals and rooms, so feel free to come here for your meals.”

“Got it,” I said.

“Anne,” he shouted through the loud mess hall. I didn’t think anyone would hear him, with the loud conversations floating everywhere. But as soon as he opened his mouth, silence descended over the place.

From the back corner, there was no movement until the small woman came forward. She was the one who checked on me yesterday.

“Yes, Captain?” she said, with the kind of respect people spoke to my mothers with.

“This is Sage, you met her yesterday?” he asked.

“Yes!” Her reply was overeager. “I was the one who told you she was awake.”

“Right,” he continued. “Get her fed then take her with you on deck duty. She needs to learn the ropes.”

“Right away,” she said.

“No,” I said quickly, turning to him.

He looked down at me, and Anne, for her part, looked like she was going to keel over at denying her captain. “I’m not going on the deck, remember?”

He rubbed his neck, thinking back. “You feel that strongly about it?”

“Yes.”

“Fine,” he changed course quickly. “Anne, take her to the laundry room, and show her how to use the equipment.”

“Right away,” she responded.

“Stay with her,” he instructed me. “Try not to cause trouble, yeah?”

He started to turn, but my hand darted out, catching his coat.

His body stood frozen staring at me, waiting for me to tell him what was going on.

But I didn’t know what to say. I’d never been somewhere so… different. And even though he was a prick, the captain was the last person I’d seen since I was back on land. Even in my head it sounded confusing and nonsensical, but he felt like an anchor to me, one I wasn’t sure if I was ready to lose.

When I didn’t say anything, I expected him to say something smart, but then his face changed. Maybe it turned a bit softer?

“I’ll check with you after lunch,” he said. “I have a bunch of preparations to make.”

I let go of him. “Yes. I’ll be fine.”