Chase the Stars

Mila tucked the pistol Charlie handed her under the back of her shirt. She didn't really need a gun to accomplish what she needed to, but she didn't like being unarmed so it didn't hurt to have it.

"So where you boys headed?" she asked, batting her lashes at the nearest pirate.

"No place for pretty little girls," he replied.

"Sounds exciting. I like danger."

The pirate chuckled. "Do you, now? Well then I guess it's your lucky day."

Mila eyed him up and down, lip curling slightly. "I don't think so," she said dismissively. "You don't look very dangerous at all."

The man's lips pursed and he stepped forward so he towered over her. Mila was familiar with the intimidation tactic and she didn't even blink.

"I always thought pirates would be bigger," she remarked, poking him in the chest. "I bet even my baby faced friend here could take you down."

Charlie shot her an incredulous look as the pirate turned his gaze toward him.

"You think you're tough, huh?" he asked.

"I didn't say anything!" Charlie protested. The pirate took a swing at him and Charlie ducked, moving out of the way. He crashed into Mila and she let herself fall to the deck, rolling out from beneath their feet. She rolled right to the helm, swinging her legs around to kick it. She caught hold of the lifelines as she braced her feet against the base of the helm as the ship jerked to the right and the pirates slid toward the railing. One man toppled over the side with a startled yelp. The captain came thundering up from belowdecks.

"What the devil is going on up here?" he snapped. Mila had sprung to her feet and turned the helm sharply again. The Peregrine stayed tilted to the right so that the pirates couldn't reach them. The plank they'd used to cross from their ship to hers slid off the rail and disappeared into the ocean. The captain was sprawled on his face, cursing a blue streak as he tried to get back on his feet. Mila spotted Charlie as he started to slide down toward the piled heap of pirate limbs. She tossed him one of the lifelines and he caught it, gripping it for dear life as he inched his way closer to her.

"Great plan," he panted.

"You told me to wreak havoc. Now hold on to your ass." She increased the speed and then violently jerked the wheel again. This time half the crew went over the side. She saw some of the remainders trying to free their pistols but now she had the Peregrine zigzagging wildly through the sky practically on its side. It was an advantage of smaller ships like this that they could pull off slightly insane maneuvers that larger ships never could. She freed the pistol Charlie had sneaked her and fired into the mass of bodies. Someone shouted in pain as her bullet nailed him in the butt cheek.

"Um, Mila?" Charlie called uncertainly. "There's a cliff coming up ahead."

"I know." Mila cranked the lever that opened a gap in the railing so she could lower the ladder she used to disembark. Another sharp turn sent the remaining pirates sailing through it and into the waves below. The cliff loomed up before her and Mila deftly turned the helm, sending the ship practically straight up. They crested the top of the cliff without so much as grazing it, hurtling over a grassy field dotted with sheep before veering back out over open ocean.

Mila laughed and pushed hair out of her face as she returned to a normal speed and position. She looked over at Charlie, who was gripping his rope so tightly she thought his fingers must be bleeding. His hair was a complete windswept mess and she had never seen him so pale before.

"Was that enough havoc for you?" she asked.

"I think I'm going to be sick," he moaned. He lurched clumsily to his feet and retched over the side of the ship. Mila grimaced.

"You really needed to get out of that clock tower, Charles."

He retched again and Mila rolled her eyes. She set the controls back to auto-sail before heading down to the galley for water and crackers. Charlie was still slumped against the railing looking like death warmed over when he's came back.

"Here, you great big baby," she said, placing the water and crackers in his hands.

"You're insane," he croaked. "You are completely, certifiably, inarguably insane. Do you know that?"

"I've had my suspicions." Mila smiled cheekily. "Wait here and catch your breath for a minute. I'm going to go down below and make sure that ugly pirate didn't get into anything important."

She went down and checked her secret compartments in both the galley and her own room. They were undisturbed. Mila hauled out the small chest from the secret compartment in her bedroom wall and opened it. All the money she still had from Crawforde was there, as well as a few other glittering trinkets. One in particular caught her eye, glinting in the dim light and seeming to mock her. Mila picked up the silver brooch and held its cold weight in her palm. A huge sapphire sat in the center, with delicate silver leaves framing it. On the back were engraved the initials A.H.

It had been pinned to her cloak the night she fled Curis and her father. She had never been back, but now they'd be passing not too far from the wealthy port city on their way to South Plymm. Her skin crawled and her chest tightened just thinking of how close to her childhood home they were. She had hoped ever to lay eyes on Curis again.

Mila jumped as she heard a soft knock on the wall. She dropped the brooch and it slid across the floor. Mila sprung up but Charlie had already knelt to pick it up. He studied it with interest for a moment before Mila snatched it out of his hand.

"A.H.," he said. "Is that something you stole, miss professional thief?"

"Yeah," Mila said flatly. "I stole it from a dead girl."

She shooed Charlie out of the room and put the brooch away before sealing the box back into the secret compartment. She opened the door again to find Charlie whistling in the hallway and polishing his pocket watch on his sleeve. She rolled her eyes.

"You and your clocks," she muttered. "Some of the food didn't survive the flight. We'll need to stop in Maryport to restock."

At least her gourmet chocolates and assorted treats she'd picked up in Etherport were fine. She'd stowed them safely away in the secret compartment in the galley. She was hungry just thinking about them. They reached Maryport in the evening, sliding in among the regular fishing boats. They wandered up the crooked cobblestone streets munching on some pears Mila bought from a market stall. Mila saw a red and black tent set back from the road, a banner spread over the entrance that read Mister May's Sensational Show.

Actors and circus people regularly set up shop in the area; so many people traveled through ports like this that it was easy to draw an audience. Mila barely glanced at it until she realized Charlie had stopped walking. She turned around and saw him standing stock still and staring at the tent. He looked like he'd just taken a blow to the head.

"Charles?" she called, walking back. She snapped her fingers in front of his face when he didn't answer. He wasn't even blinking. Finally he looked at her but had to blink several times before the blank look faded.

"What's wrong with you?" Mila asked.

"I...I know this show," Charlie muttered. "I haven't seen it since I was a kid."

"Let's go in then." Mila shrugged and tugged him toward the tent. "These things are usually terrible but it could be fun. We were attacked by pirates earlier, after all. We could use a good laugh."

She towed him up to the ticket taker and handed over a few coins. "Two tickets, please," she said brightly. Charlie still looked dumbstruck as she steered him inside the tent and pushed him into a seat. After several more minutes the tent flap closed and one of the performers backflipped out onto the stage. Mila saw Charlie clutching his damn pocket watch again while he stared straight ahead.

"What's the matter?" she whispered. "I can't tell if you're fascinated by thespians or terrified of them."

It took him a long moment to answer. "My dad is one of the actors."