Choosing Home

Chapter Five

Harry and Jay walked up the gangplank of the Lost Revenge, Harry feeling as if concrete had been poured into his shoes. Gods, he was just going to talk to his little sister. Why did he feel like he was walking to the gallows?

Oh yeah. Because he had made his sister feel like he hated her. Because he had hated her.

No! Don't think about that, he told himself, gently shaking his head. You think about that and you're going to turn right back around to join Uma and Mal over at Lord Hades.

"You know, it's like every time we see you, you're taking more of our crew," Henry chuckled as he walked up to them as Jay and Harry made their way to the deck.

"They're our crew too," Jay said, shaking his head as he went over to pat Henry on the shoulder.

"That they are," Henry nodded as Jade walked up to them.

"Hey Harry, hey cuz," she said with a grin upon seeing the two boys.

"Hey Jade," Jay grinned back. "Wrestle any more crocs?"

Jade rolled her eyes. "You do that one time and they never let you forget it."

"Because it was a six foot crocodile and you almost drowned," Jay told her.

"Details, details," Jade chuckled and waved her hand as if she was waving away Jay's words.

Harry sighed. "Henry, we've got something the crew needs to know and I need to talk to CJ. Where is she?"

"She should be with Ryan," Henry told him. "They're under orders not to leave the ship though. After what happened with Freddy at Mal's Cotillion, we're pretty positive the Angels are going to go for either the Captains or the under fifteens as payback. I mean, they've been quiet so far but that could always change."

"Right," Harry nodded. Thank Gods I got Harriet off the Isle then, if the Angels are going to target the leaders of our crew or the kids. Wait...the only under fifteens left in the crew are Ryan and...

"Henry, you're positive CJ's still on the ship?" Harry asked, his hand tightening around his hook as if his life depended on it. If some Angels needed to taste his hook, he'd be more than happy to oblige.

"Yeah," Henry nodded. "Jay, go with Jade and let the crew in on what we need to know. I'll take Harry to see CJ."

Jay chuckled. "You've been enjoying the Captain role a bit too much haven't you?"

"Sorry, forgot you were third in command," Henry said, giving Jay a sheepish smile.

"It's okay," Jay told him. "You're the captain after all. You're going to be the one making the orders."

Harry sighed and resisted the urge to tap his foot. Dear Gods, they were burning cloud here!

"Okay, okay, I'm coming," Henry said, as if sensing Harry's annoyance at the delay. The two of them split off and Henry led Harry to where Ryan and CJ were reported to be. Of course when they arrived, they had to pause as they didn't quite know what they were looking at.

"Henry?"

"Yeah?"

"Is Ryan braiding my sister's hair?"

"Looks that way."

"Why is he doing that?"

"I came across the exact same scene you did Harry. I know everything you do."

Harry blinked and then blinked again for good measure. The scene before him didn't change one bit. Ryan was sitting on one of the mattresses in the crew's quarters, CJ sitting with her back to him and letting him braid her hair. It was honestly one of the strangest things he had ever seen and he saw Mal turn into a dragon.