Heirot

Telanis's effort at human chivalry ended in the hallway, where he was leaning on Laya or the wall for balance far more than providing any useful support to her with his arm. Other crew members were also making their way toward the deck. They were quieter than usual, but lively enough to call out some playful teasing remarks at Telanis's poor dexterity.

When they reached the deck, the captain was already calling things to order. "Good morning, crew. Now we all know something serious happened here last night, and it wasn't just about the storm. I've taken many of your personal accounts, and it seems whatever was done, affected us all." The group grew quiet as he spoke. "In addition, we found a shattered stone and a blood circle carved in the infirmary. We believe these to have been tools of black magic. Except mandatory personnel, no one is leaving this deck until we get some idea of who is responsible." The crew began murmuring.

"Excuse me, Telanis," someone tugged on the elbow of the unicorn's sleeve. It was the ship doctor. "We have someone in the infirmary who was treated last night. His wound has been stitched, but he isn't faring well. Forgive me, but I recall your skills from last night. Could I borrow you for a few minutes? I've cleared it with the captain," he asked over the commotion.

Telanis looked over at Laya. "Will you be alright here?" he whispered, uncertain about leaving her.

Laya looked around. She took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes," she replied. "I'll be fine. You go on. I'll be here when you get back." She smiled to him and the doctor next to him.

But, Laya felt uneasy. She wasn't quite sure how they planned to find out who did it. But, she was more than happy to offer that man up as the one as soon as she found him in the crowd.

Telanis nodded and walked away below deck with the doctor. As the crowd shuffled in together, another body took his place. "Aren't you a pretty thing," observed the man from last night. His breath smelled faintly alchoholic, but he looked more arrogant than drunk as he cast a glance over her. "I didn't realize we had a woman on board," he grinned suavely, imagining himself quite the charmer.

All Laya's ideas of standing up and telling everyone about him faded as the voice filled her ears. Her body went rigid. Her face paled. She stood without looking at him, holding her breath. Her arms wrapped around her stomach. How did she tell them? Should she just scream it out? He didn't remember, so how would they believe her?

Laya concentrated on packing her fear and loathing and sickness away into a small box within her. It took all her will to force it back, and even still it was rippling under the surface. "Please, leave me alone," Laya whispered, looking down at the deck.

"Now, missy, that's awfully cold," the man cajoled, placing a hand on her shoulder and sliding it in a small circle over her upper back. "I know it's been a long night for everyone. If you'd like, we could go relax, after this."

Laya's clasped hands clenched together, her teeth gritting. It felt like needles were ripping through her gut. She twisted her head around at him as she shrugged his hand away. "Please... leave me alone," she told him, her voice not nearly as strong as she wanted it to be. Her gray eyes flashed up to his, and it took all her will to look him in the eyes. She realized it was the first time she'd actually tried.

"Frigid little bitch, aren't you?" the man snarled, sounding frustrated now. He reached out to cup her chin and leaned in close to her face. "You don't know what you're missing."

A hand closed on his wrist and hauled it upward and back, dragging him backward a step. "I think she does," Adonis said coldly.

"Who the fuck are you," the man spat, tugging his arm back as he studied the stranger.

The words were loud enough to draw some attention.

"Is everything alright back there?" the captain asked, raising an eyebrow at the disturbance.

Laya felt a rush of fear when he grabbed her chin. It flooded in so fast she couldn't control it. She felt suddenly dizzy, her breath coming in short heaves. Panic making the edges of darkness creep in around her vision. Then, his hand was gone and Adonis was standing there.

"Adonis! Adonis," she was worried he'd do something to get himself in trouble. She rushed forward to stop him without thinking. She wrapped an arm around his waist, half hugging herself to him, while she forced his other hand down out of sight. "Thank you," she whispered faintly, needing to rest against him now just to remain standing.

She needed to get better. This was ridiculous. Fear shouldn't make her want t faint. How would she ever escape something if it did.

"Everything is fine," Laya told the captain. "Just a missunderstanding."

The unicorn blinked, focusing on Laya's presence against him.

"If you had a boyfriend, you should have have just said so, nasty little wench," the man snapped, ignoring the attention of the crew.

Adonis stiffened a little at the assumption, but didn't say anything.

"Claudio, those people are our passengers and our guests," the captain cut in sternly. Several crew members were glaring at him. "What's more, they're good people."

"How do you know that? You've only just met them. We've been sailing together for years, and suddenly we take on a few passengers and this happens. Who do you suppose we should be pointing fingers at? One or our own, or these folk?"

The captain frowned. "Had you joined us for dinner last night, you might have met them yourself, and not speak so coldly of them now."

"Well, just look at his head! Wasn't the stone you found similar to that thing? Why's he wearing something like that after all that's happened, eh?"

"Claudio does have a point, Adonis. Let's have a look at it, just to set everyone's mind at ease," the captain said.

Adonis froze. "It...doesn't come off," he said uneasily.

"What do you mean, it doesn't come off?" Now, everyone was staring.

Adonis's pulse jumped and his breath caught in his throat. Why couldn't he think of something to say? He needed to tell them something.

Laya thought quickly, her mind racing for an excuse. Why couldn't she just tell them it was the person they crewed with? Because he had just spoken the reason they wouldn't believe her.

"Please," Laya said, stepping away from Adonis, but she kept her hand on his shirt for support. "We had nothing to do with what happened last night. I know you will find that hard to believe. But, just think of it. Why would we attack the people helping us get home? We would never be able to crew this ship alone. We would never harm you."

Laya shot her eyes towards the man who had attacked her last night. What was his name... Claudio? "But you... What would you have to gain if you hurt everyone on this ship?" she asked, suddenly forgetting her previous thoughts of keeping quiet about him. Just looking at him made her sick, and knowing that he would get away free able to harm another woman who might ask for a ride, it made her too angry to think straight.

A need for vengance grew in her, and her spine straightened. Her feet felt more sure.

Claudio bristled at this accusation. "I have absolutely nothing to gain in hurting this crew! This ship is like family to me!" he growled.

"Don't people normally eat dinner with their family?" Adonis asked.

The man's glare could freeze fire. "I was finishing an assignment."

"What assignment?" someone asked.

"Down in the cargo hold! I was getting the box count on the eggs from Port Karelii. Anthony requested it."

"Yeah, and you never got it to me. I wound up sending Phil down, later," Anthony piped in.

"Maybe I fell asleep!" Claudio growled. "All I know is I lost most of my memory of the night, just like the rest of you, and then woke up feeling like I'd been punched in the face."

Laya stepped towards him. "I could feel you in on those missing blips of your memory," she spat.

"You found something in that cargo hold and it had terrible power. It corrupted all the senses you had. Every desire, every want, it was magnified and you acted on it. Trust me. You acted on it," she growled. "And your amulet was destroyed, and your power was taken, with it your memories."

"That's ridiculous," the man growled. "You're speculating. There's no way I could do something like that and not remember! Besides, how would everyone be healed if I did all that?"

"Because your amulet broke. You're power was gone," Laya said quickly. "Its not ridiculous. It happened. Adonis turned what you did back and saved all these people from your blundering mess!"

The crew looked at Adonis and Claudio. "How exactly could Adonis have turned things back, if he wasn't the one who cast the spell in the first place? We were all infected. We were all too sick to move." the captain said.

"That's why I'm saying, he's the one who cast the spell in the first place!" Claudio snapped. "You babble about family, but where's my respect? None of you ever listen to me! You think you all know what's best for this ship, and you just expect me to follow along, year after year. It's getting pretty damn old."

"Interesting. Wouldn't it be nice if they all needed you for a change?" Adonis asked darkly. "If they were at your mercy, and you were their only hope for survival? If you could lay first claim to any woman on the ship, and see her bow down before you while you relieved yourself upon her?"

"Don't try to spin this back on me," Claudio fumed. "I may think things like that when I'm in a mood, but there's no way that stupid thing could possibly make me try to carry them out!"