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The plank slammed down, and Jackson darted across, completely bypassing Killian, and scooping me up in his arms.
He spun me around.
“Jackson!” I laughed, hanging onto him and taking in the scent of home.
The sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted our reunion, and I left Jackson’s embrace to find a bewildered and somewhat vexed Killian observing us closely.
He stood, waiting for Jackson to say something, but my friend was just as stubborn as the pirate and he placed his hands on his hips, watching with an amused smirk on his face.
“Jackson, this is Killian Flynn—”
“Captain Killian Flynn.” Killian jumped in, running a finger along the hilt of his sword. “It’s my ship that you just tried to blow out of the sky.”
“Apologies, Captain Flynn.” Jackson bowed. “We merely attacked a pirate ship that had grown too close to our own. We’d received word that Ainsley may have been kidnapped.”
Killian didn’t bother flinching or reacting in the slightest to Jackson’s words, nor his pompous, arrogant use of the word “pirate.” Jackson had always thought them villainous.
“Jackson,” I said as I touched his arm. “Killian and his crew have saved me and aided me quite a few times on my journey. I would have been in a lot of trouble without their kindness.”
Jackson gave me one of his signature unimpressed looks, letting me know that my over-explanation was noted.
He relaxed his arrogant stance and held out his hand. “My apologies,” he said.
Killian did not take it, and instead, simply stared at the man before him. Jackson was tall, but not nearly as built as Killian. He had no reason to be, as he mainly resided inside the walls of Rookhallow Proper. So as Killian puffed out his chest, defiantly eyeing my friend, I decided it may be a good time to interject.
“What are you doing here? Why did you leave home? Is everything all right?”
Killian softened as I blurted out question after question about home toward Jackson.
“No one has heard a word from you since you fled, Ains.” Jackson stared at me, and I realized it was almost as if he had seen a ghost. As if he had wondered if I’d made it anywhere, let alone to an airship with a pirate captain looking out for me. “We heard rumors of a lightning caster being hunted. There’s a warrant out for your arrest.”
“How much?” Killian asked without hesitation.
I swatted his arm, and he narrowed his eyes in my direction before he chuckled. “How much, love, helps us realize how quickly we’ll be hunted.”
Jackson’s flinch at the soft tone Killian had taken with me was unmistakable. I attempted to smooth it over and move past it without another thought. “Yes, you’re right.”
“The duchess feared you had been taken, or worse. So, I volunteered to find you,” Jackson finished, taking a step back from me.
I reached out, pulling my dear friend closer. “I’m tougher than that.”
“You and your crew are welcome for as long as you need. I have matters to attend to,” Killian said, eyes darting between myself and Jackson. “If you will excuse me.” He tilted his head and left us as he walked toward Rek, who was watching cautiously from his position at the helm. He didn’t bother a secondary glance in our direction.
Crap.
“Look at you, Ains,” Jackson said, drawing my attention back to him. “Dressed up and appearing like a pirate yourself. Is it what you dreamt of?” Although his tone was light, the way his face fell when he questioned me, revealed more than he likely knew.
Our lives had changed. In such a scant amount of time, we had become so vastly different, unlike we had ever been before.
“I’m still me, you know.” I smiled, taking him by the arm and leading him to the other side of the ship, and away from the plank. “How is Mother?”
Jackson drummed his fingers on the side of the ship. “She’s stronger than you’re giving her credit for with those sad eyes, Lady Lilstrum.” He nudged me with his shoulder. “She wrote this letter and told me to give it to you if I found you.”
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an elegantly folded letter and handed it to me. I traced the perfectly even wax seal holding it closed. Perfection. Just like Mother.
I could feel Jackson’s gaze boring into me, and I met his eyes. He looked at me differently, and I couldn’t put my finger on the emotions behind his stare.
“What’s your plan, Ains?” he inquired. “Did you find your birth father? Are you ready to return home?”
