Deanna remained silent, but her eyes betrayed her anger and suspicion at the Goddess’ motives. For whatever reason, whatever crossed her fancy, Sharay had made her fashionably late appearance aboard the Jade Phoenix claiming to offer Deanna (and Wish Star if she felt so inclined) a way off this tainted ship...away from Brahngier. A golden opportunity, to say the least, but Deanna knew from prior and personal experience, that nothing Sharay offered came without a price.

Ten minutes. That was the time allotted for the therianthrope woman to make a decision. Deanna took her time, her teeth sinking gently into her lower lip as she considered her reply. To insult the Goddess, regardless of whatever scheming plan Sharay had in mind, would be a grave mistake. Even for one who had once boasted the title Beloved of Sharay, Deanna knew the Goddess would tolerate only so much from her so called ‘daughter’. Wisely, Deanna refrained from disrespectful verbal scorn.

“Five minutes.”

Lost in thought, the melodic sound of Sharay’s voice brought Deanna back to reality. Would be it worth whatever cost Sharay would demand to ensure Wish’s safety? Her own? The babe that kicked mercilessly in her womb? Deanna’s lips parted, her decision made with slight hesitation, when she heard the calamity erupting from behind closed doors. Jumping off the bed, she snatched the pistol from the Goddess who leaned against the doorframe in that nonchalant manner of hers, as if all hell had not broken out on the Phoenix. Whatever trepidation and fear Deanna held before, vanished at the very thought of her only friend suffering whatever damning fate had befallen those whose voices she recognized as the crewmates of the ship. She was prepared for battle, for whatever waited in the belly of the ship when a slender hand, warm and gentle with a mother’s touch rested upon her own, and lowered the weapon in hand.

“I do not believe I raised you to be a fool.”

Deanna’s head whipped toward Sharay’s, amber eyes meeting with those glittering pools of darkness and she scowled. “You did not raise me.” The hostile words were spat behind gritted teeth. “Get out of my way. Wish is in danger, or are you oblivious as to the hell that has been unleashed on this ship from that...that...thing.!”

Sharay deftly plucked the weapon from Deanna’s hand and holstered it in the mortal woman’s weapon’s belt. Unmoving, uncaring to Deanna’s demands, the Goddess folded her arms over her breasts and stared long and hard at Deanna until she sensed some form of calm flow throughout her former acolyte. Upon seeing the relent, Sharay smiled some, a mere baring of teeth.

“Pay attention to my words of wisdom, my sweet. Your emotions are crippling and deadly, even more so now,” she gestured with a jerk of her chin indicating Deanna’s seemingly neverending pregnancy. “Logic, reason, and common sense will serve you well, especially during a time like this.” Shifting her posture, Sharay lifted a hand to Deanna’s forehead and wiped a damp lock of dark hair away, tapping at her brow with a forefinger. “Use this…,” that same hand dropped down to graze over the holstered pistol, “...before you use this.”

Deanna was confused. Why was Sharay helping her, if one could even call it that? “Do you know what is happening? Not just here, but...everywhere? Do you know what he is?”

Sharay was quiet for a moment before nodding. “Yes.”

The previous calm began to dissipate then as the fire smoldered behind Deanna’s eyes. “You will do nothing then? You will just sit back and let it happen?”

Expecting such a reaction, Sharay simply shrugged. “It is not my battle. Besides, I do believe I have saved this pitiful world enough. It is someone else’s turn.”

“People will die! They are dying!” Deanna’s shout was interrupted by the slamming of a body against the door to her cabin, which did little more than jostle the Goddess who rested her back against it, much to her annoyance. The screaming, cursing and firing of weapons continued without mercy or hesitation.

“Indeed. People die every day. It is the way.” The Goddess’ attention seemed elsewhere though, as if listening to a conversation only she could hear. “Your five minutes are up. I have somewhere else I must be. Someone I have been looking for has finally arrived at my temple. It is only fitting that I am there for a personal greeting.” Sharay smiled cryptically then. “I shall send him your regards, I think, yes? Unless you have decided to come with me, that is?”

Unable to interpret what Sharay was talking about, especially with all the screaming, shouting and violence beyond her door, Deanna shook her head. “Wish. There is a child on board as well. A girl posing as a boy, but she is still a child. The Captain...the crew. I cannot leave knowing there is a chance, even a small one, that I might be able to save them.”

The Goddess nodded knowingly, the smile fading some. “Some things do not change, child.” Brushing herself off, Sharay inched from the door, prepared to open it. “Very well. Go then. Play heroine. Attempt to save your little friends and the rest of the world. Try not to get yourself killed...again...in the process.” The enigmatic smile was back in place. “Regardless of the enmity between thee and me...I still have use for you, Deanna.” Her gaze dropped to Deanna’s belly, painstakingly hidden (or attempted at least) behind layers of clothing. “Once the half-breed decides to make its way into this wasted world, that is.” Sharay smothered the laughter that threatened to erupt at the angry but comical look on Deanna’s face. “Oh don’t be a pill, child. Your presence is requested on deck. Come. Then I am off!”

The door opened and both women were greeted by a small swarm of crewmen frothing at the mouths, enraged men who bled black liquid from their eyes. Men who would devour them, who would tear at them with clawed hands and teeth, men who lacked any reason or conscience. Men who would paint the cramped quarters of the hall with the blood of two women who were at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Men who obviously didn’t know better not to fuck with a goddess, or more specifically, -THE- Goddess.

Sharay rolled her eyes and snorted as they advanced hungrily upon the women. “Oh please!” A flick of her fingers forced each snarling zombified man against each side of the walls, effectively pinning them against damp and rotting wood as oiled inky tendrils slithered around their throats, cutting off their incoherent snarls and growls...and necessary air supply.

“Move along dear,” Sharay called back to Deanna, who was impressed despite herself as she inched carefully out of the infected's reach. Once on deck, Sharay moved so that Deanna could bear witness to a nearly unrecognizable Brahn, along with his legion of crazed army who were once decent men. Those who were infected weeped the same black ooze from their eyes as did those Sharay had restrained below.

Relief flooded her as she made her way cautiously across the bloodsoaked deck when Wish came into view. Wish who was seemingly unaffected by whatever dark magic or vile mind poison Brahn had inflicted upon a majority of those on the Phoenix, as well as the little girl Brock who huddled behind the fae. Deanna turned to glance over her shoulder at Sharay, but the Goddess had made good on her vow and was gone.

Deanna took a deep breath and stepped over a fresh corpse as she continued on toward Wish. Interestingly enough, not a single one of the affected made any attempt to stop her or attack her. Instead they watched her predatorily but kept their distance for which Deanna was grateful. The gratitude did not stop there as Lapis Cove came into view, which held Brahn’s attention. Despite the newfound youthful appearance, Deanna could not stand to have the weight of his gaze upon her, and breathed a sigh of relief once the fae and Brock were within touching distance.

The teenaged girl’s cheeks were stained with drying tears as she lifted her head to regard Deanna. “Don’t try to attack him. Don’t try to kill him. He...he’s not what we thought him to be. He’s...a monster. He killed that man. He let them...they…,” Brock shook violently and pointed with a shaky finger at the remains of the young crewman, barely suppressed the urge to vomit as she trembled and turned away from Deanna, whispering to herself, “We’re all going to die.”

The urge to comfort Brock came and passed. Not that Deanna was heartless, but there was no sense of giving the child false hope. The possibility that each and every single one aboard the Jade Phoenix who had temporarily been spared Brahn’s form of justice would end up like the poor sod who lay in pieces was very likely. Deanna had no illusions about death.

As the ship nearly hugged the shoreline, Deanna bore witness to the fate of those that resided on Lapis Cove and shuddered. Death was fresh on the island, and it was likely to continue now that the Jade Phoenix crew (or what remained of it) arrived. So far, Brahn had made no attempt to further communicate with the unaffected, his eyes intently focused on the Cove as a sandbar slowed the ship’s crawling speed.

Deanna caught Wish peering at her from the corner of her eye, silently acknowledging that each woman was still alive and well, but for how long. What nightmare awaited them at Lapis Cove? What horrors did Brahn have in store for them? Deanna lifted a hand to Wish’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, as if reassuring the fae (and perhaps herself) that they would indeed live to see another day. As if sensing her mood, the babe squirmed in her belly, and for the umpteenth time Deanna wondered exactly what was slithering inside that abyss of fluid in her womb. Dragon? Human? Elf? Troll?

Just then, the dragonscale that hung around her neck nestled between her breasts began to illuminate brightly, a white hot light that not even her clothing could conceal. The dragonscale had acted strangely like this before, but nothing of this intensity. Never before had the glow caused her skin to burn, but that changed as she cried out in pain, the scale burning and blistering the tender flesh while she fumbled to rip the cording from around her neck. The pain was awful but the raw blistered skin would heal, perhaps even scar. It was what the pain represented that caused Deanna more agony and grief than expected. Verial.

Something horrible had befallen Verial. The sudden animation of the dragonscale testified to that truth, and Deanna mourned the fact she was not by his side. Was he fatally wounded? Dead? Deanna had no way of knowing, and would remain ignorant of his fate until she returned to Arthuran...if she returned at all.

The sounds of Brahn’s ‘crew’ shuffling behind her caused her to stiffen and remind her that though her thoughts and heart wanted solely to remain on Verial, she had to focus on matters at hand. Use her head. That was the advice given to her by Sharay. Leave the emotions at the door and walk hand in hand with logic and rational thinking. Easier said than done, she thought sourly.

Leaning closer to Wish and Brock, Deanna’s alert gaze finally settled upon the form of Brahn, her posture tense as she waited in wonder as to what would be the next step in the fateful journey of theirs.