Page 37 of Maggie and the Pirate’s Son

“Devil ray,” she repeated, shivering, as the giant beast cast them in shadow and sea spray once more. She liked the way its name sounded like devilry, something she’d been accused of plenty throughout her childhood. “I think it wants to be friends.”

Langley scoffed but Bash laughed. “If anyone could achieve such a feat, it’s surely you.”

She feigned a skeptical expression, though she still didn’t take her eyes off the leaping ray. “Because I’ve some great knack for charming the devil?”

“I believe you could charm anyone you put your mind to, Mags,” he rumbled in his deep, growly voice, making her stomach do backflips just like the flying fish out there, which continued to frolic, though somewhat less enthusiastically as the Revenge continued on its course and out of the ray’s territory.

It was simply magical. “You’ve seen such creatures before?” she asked, wide-eyed.

“Aye, big ones, and tiny wee ones, too. Their skin is soft as buttered leather.”

“What a strange and wondrous place this ocean of yours is,” she murmured.

“Aye,” Bash agreed. “And it’s playing all its best numbers just for you.”

Maggie beamed, but she still couldn’t bring herself to break her gaze as the ray grew smaller and smaller in the distance. If she glanced away even for a second, she might never see another such creature again.

With all Jory had encountered in her travels, Maggie bet she’d never even heard of a devil ray or seen such a breathtaking sight. They wouldn’t believe the stories she’d have to tell.

Maybe this adventure hadn’t been such a terribly rash misjudgment after all. She was certainly richer for having taken it.

“I’m telling you, Nav, it’s a sign, and not a good one,” Langley said, daring to step closer now the beast was far away. Maggie had forgotten he was even there.

“Return to your post, Langley,” Bash said again with a slightly irritated tone that suggested he’d forgotten too.

“Middle watch claim they may have seen sails.”

“May have?” Bash repeated, stern but not unkind.

“Everyone’s saying.”

“Who saw it?”

Langley scratched his head. “Dunno, but they’re saying it’s the Woebegone. They’re saying we’ve found Willy Walsh at last!”

Bash’s eyes darted to Maggie, and he took out his spyglass.

“Willy Walsh, is it?”

“Aye, Nav. Sure as beans the devil means to trick us somehow.”

“Did you also reckon it was a sign when we encountered the whale last week?”

“Aye, Nav, course. Meant we’d find him, and now we have.”

“But we didn’t find him last week, did we?” Bash asked, turning the glass out to scan the water.

“No, but you know how these things⁠—”

“So even if the ray was a sign, might have naught to do with Walsh.”

“It’s a sign, sure as beans, and not the only one.”

“Who was on second watch, Langley?”

The young man’s face fell. “Dunno. Balthasar and Samson, maybe.”

Bash’s eyes flicked to Maggie and away so fast she thought she had imagined it. “Balthasar was on watch with Samson?”