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“You promised to be careful.”
Cookie looked taken aback. “I’m always careful. But they were very alert. I think they know that we suspect, or they suspect that we know.”
“You don’t say.”
The cruiser broke in half. Explosions flashed in the gap. The stern half slid and plunged into the ocean, sending another massive wave toward us. Watching it all without the sound felt surreal.
“I wanted to warn you in case they attempt to attack. Forewarned is forearmed.”
“Thank you, but your timing sucks.”
I turned the screen so he could see the remaining chunk of the cruiser slowly slide toward the waves.
“Oooooooh,” Cookie said.
Tony came striding out of the dining hall and said in a great imitation of an English accent. “I felt a great disturbance… Oh hell.”
The remaining half of the cruiser landed in the waters and broke apart.
“Did you fire at it?” Tony asked.
I shook my head.
Tony looked around. “Where is Sean?”
“Take a wild guess.”
He stabbed his finger at the fracturing hull of the sinking cruiser. “Is Sean in there?”
I nodded.
“How…?”
“He used the inn to throw himself at it.”
“Does he know you have anti-aircraft weapons?”
“He does. He installed half of them. He is making a statement.”
Tony landed in Sean’s chair. I dismissed Cookie’s screen and watched the underwater explosions flash.
“Does he do this kind of thing a lot?” Tony asked.
“Define ‘a lot.’”
“I’m sorry,” Tony said. “This must be very stressful.”
“Not as stressful at it is for the pirates inside. He is slaughtering them in there.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Tony said.
“I know. Thank you for caring. It is stressful, but I picked him, and I have no regrets.”
We sat quietly for a few moments. The cruiser was almost completely submerged now. Only a corner of the hull protruded above the waves. The sea around the wreck churned, as the local wildlife realized there were delicious meaty bits inside.
Sean was a good swimmer. I held on to that thought like a life preserver.
“I spoke to my dad,” Tony said. “We are more popular than the Super Bowl. Everyone is watching.”
There would be more excitement tomorrow. “Did he have any advice?”
“He says we’re doing great. He’s surprised we haven’t killed a Dushegub yet.”
It had become my personal goal to get through this mess without losing any of the guests while they were on the inn’s grounds, Dushegubs included.
“Two more challenges left,” Tony said.
“Yes.” The talent challenge was next. “Do you think he will hand out roses tomorrow at the elimination ceremony?”
Tony cracked a smile. “We can only hope.”
A bright red flash announced another explosion. I sighed.
“Do you want me to go help him?” Tony asked.
I shook my head. “It’s a matter of trust. I have to trust that Sean wouldn’t take on anything he couldn’t handle.”
Tony nodded, rose, patted my shoulder, and walked away.
Five minutes later I dropped the void field and watched human Sean climb up onto the balcony. He was wet from head to toe, but otherwise uninjured. He straightened and grinned. I put my arms around his dripping body and kissed him. His face was cold, but his lips were warm, and he tasted just as I remembered. He squeezed me to him. Gorvar whined, circling around us.
“Sorry,” Sean breathed into my ear.
“That wasn’t cool.”
“It was a little bit cool.”
“No.”
“Admit it, you were impressed.”
I shook my head.
He laughed and there was no better sound.
19
When we last left our fearsome innkeeper duo, Sean had taken down the pirate vessel that attacked the inn’s branch reaching out to the planet of Kolinda. But mysteries remain: how did they know that Gertrude Hunt had a door leading to the planet and where it was? What was their motive? Who is the pirate prince masquerading as one of the candidates? Stay tuned to find out. Maybe.
I opened my eyes. The slanted ceiling above me was shrouded in gloom except for a narrow rectangle of moonlight coming through the top of the window. The clock on the wall told me it was just past one. We’d gone to bed thirty minutes ago, after locking everyone in.
“What is it?” Sean asked.
“Caldenia.”
There was a tiny pause as he checked where she was. “How the hell…?”
“Gaston or Tony.”
My money was on Gaston. I had given both of them temporary privileges to open doors to guest quarters, because we needed all of the manpower we could get, and they ended up escorting various groups of guests back and forth. As the first, the longest, and the most special guest of the inn, Caldenia had access to all common areas and could roam freely, but it would have taken either Gaston or Tony to unlock the doors to the otrokar delegation’s quarters and let her in there.
I got up. “She’s been in there for twenty minutes. I’m going to get her.”
“I’ll go.”
“I’ve got it.” I leaned over and kissed him. “Rest. You’ve done plenty. I need to talk to her anyway.”
