Read Online Steele-Faced (Daggers & Steele Book 6) by Alex P. Berg - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alex P. Berg
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pushing her hair over to the side, exposing the long, smooth lines of her neck. She sucked her lower lip in through her teeth and let it back out, succulent and wet.
I glanced over my shoulder to make sure we were alone. “Well, I suppose there are any number of things that concern me. Despite my braggadocio in Theo’s presence, I’m not entirely sure how I’ll place my bets with such a rich prize on the line, or if I’ll be able to bluff properly. I’m concerned about our overall performance, and who’ll come out on top. And I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep my wits about me if things go as I hope they do.”
Shay did the thing with her lip again. “Are we still talking about card games?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m trying to sell you a fine leather jacket.”
Shay smiled and squeezed my hand. “You rouge.”
The door behind us creaked, and we both turned. Out of it emerged a young man in one of the ship’s navy and white sailor’s uniforms. He took a look around and quickly locked onto Shay and me.
“Excuse me,” he said. “Are you Mr. and Mrs.…Waters?”
He hadn’t come from the ball. His clothing made that obvious.
“Yes,” I said. “What is it?”
He shifted his feet and glanced up and down the deck again, all while playing with his hands. “I’m, uh…sorry to interrupt. But Boatswain Olaugh instructed me to come get you. It’s urgent. Could you follow me?”
“What’s this about?” asked Steele.
He couldn’t keep his hands still. “I really can’t talk about it. But you’re needed in one of the ship’s luggage compartments. Please?”
I forced my annoyance down under my vestments. Shay wasn’t going anywhere, after all. “Fine. Lead the way.”
11
Shay and I trudged deep into the Prodigious’s belly, following the sailor down several flights of stairs into darkened corridors. The smooth wood floors of the promenade deck were replaced by bare metal, and the paint on the walls transitioned from a gentle cream to a flat white. The air became musty, and instead of cigar smoke and hints of potpourri, it held traces of coal ash and salt. It left an iron tang on my tongue.
While revelers packed the halls of the first couple floors, well-dressed and cheerful and inebriated, they disappeared the further we went. We passed a few of the ships’ crew, and then none at all for almost a minute. Given our escort’s demeanor, I started to get a feeling of unease—why had I let Shay convince me to leave Daisy behind?—but then we turned a corner to find Boatswain Olaugh standing in front of a closed bulkhead door, just as the sailor had promised.
He didn’t look happy, and I didn’t drop my guard.
“So,” I said as we walked up. “Can I ask what’s going on now?”
“Almost. Steck’s inside. He can explain better than I can.” Olaugh cranked on the door handle and opened it.
Steele glanced at the crewman but stayed true to character. “Steck? Who’s that?”
Olaugh nodded at the sailor. “He knows.”
“He knows?” I said.
“I, uh…know,” said the sailor. “Names. Occupations. Everything.”
“How does he know?” I asked. “Why does he know?”
Olaugh clenched his teeth. “If you’d go through the door, I think you’d figure out why pretty darn quickly. Or you should if you’re any good at what you do.”
Any good at what we do? I stepped through the portal, and the sailor hadn’t sold it short. It was a luggage compartment, though only moderately filled. There were a few stacks of suitcases and trunks and carpet bags, loosely tied down with rope to keep from shifting, but most of the space remained unused, which made sense. The Prodigious was large enough to undertake a lengthy journey, but her maiden voyage consisted of a quick jaunt around the Wel Sea. I couldn’t imagine many of the ship’s guests had packed heavy.
I spotted Steck’s head past one of the stacks and called out to him. “Steck. What’s
I glanced over my shoulder to make sure we were alone. “Well, I suppose there are any number of things that concern me. Despite my braggadocio in Theo’s presence, I’m not entirely sure how I’ll place my bets with such a rich prize on the line, or if I’ll be able to bluff properly. I’m concerned about our overall performance, and who’ll come out on top. And I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep my wits about me if things go as I hope they do.”
Shay did the thing with her lip again. “Are we still talking about card games?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m trying to sell you a fine leather jacket.”
Shay smiled and squeezed my hand. “You rouge.”
The door behind us creaked, and we both turned. Out of it emerged a young man in one of the ship’s navy and white sailor’s uniforms. He took a look around and quickly locked onto Shay and me.
“Excuse me,” he said. “Are you Mr. and Mrs.…Waters?”
He hadn’t come from the ball. His clothing made that obvious.
“Yes,” I said. “What is it?”
He shifted his feet and glanced up and down the deck again, all while playing with his hands. “I’m, uh…sorry to interrupt. But Boatswain Olaugh instructed me to come get you. It’s urgent. Could you follow me?”
“What’s this about?” asked Steele.
He couldn’t keep his hands still. “I really can’t talk about it. But you’re needed in one of the ship’s luggage compartments. Please?”
I forced my annoyance down under my vestments. Shay wasn’t going anywhere, after all. “Fine. Lead the way.”
11
Shay and I trudged deep into the Prodigious’s belly, following the sailor down several flights of stairs into darkened corridors. The smooth wood floors of the promenade deck were replaced by bare metal, and the paint on the walls transitioned from a gentle cream to a flat white. The air became musty, and instead of cigar smoke and hints of potpourri, it held traces of coal ash and salt. It left an iron tang on my tongue.
While revelers packed the halls of the first couple floors, well-dressed and cheerful and inebriated, they disappeared the further we went. We passed a few of the ships’ crew, and then none at all for almost a minute. Given our escort’s demeanor, I started to get a feeling of unease—why had I let Shay convince me to leave Daisy behind?—but then we turned a corner to find Boatswain Olaugh standing in front of a closed bulkhead door, just as the sailor had promised.
He didn’t look happy, and I didn’t drop my guard.
“So,” I said as we walked up. “Can I ask what’s going on now?”
“Almost. Steck’s inside. He can explain better than I can.” Olaugh cranked on the door handle and opened it.
Steele glanced at the crewman but stayed true to character. “Steck? Who’s that?”
Olaugh nodded at the sailor. “He knows.”
“He knows?” I said.
“I, uh…know,” said the sailor. “Names. Occupations. Everything.”
“How does he know?” I asked. “Why does he know?”
Olaugh clenched his teeth. “If you’d go through the door, I think you’d figure out why pretty darn quickly. Or you should if you’re any good at what you do.”
Any good at what we do? I stepped through the portal, and the sailor hadn’t sold it short. It was a luggage compartment, though only moderately filled. There were a few stacks of suitcases and trunks and carpet bags, loosely tied down with rope to keep from shifting, but most of the space remained unused, which made sense. The Prodigious was large enough to undertake a lengthy journey, but her maiden voyage consisted of a quick jaunt around the Wel Sea. I couldn’t imagine many of the ship’s guests had packed heavy.
I spotted Steck’s head past one of the stacks and called out to him. “Steck. What’s
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