A Pirate for the Dead Goddess (Legends of Rahasia Book 2)

Chapter Twenty-Five

         "I am forty-three years old." Ratu fixes her dragon veil around her neck, pinning it over her hair and snapping as though she actually is a dragon. "I'm running a very profitable business with my Dragon Veil gang. And now, here you come. Asking me to save the world when I'm trying to run a criminal empire."

Ode takes in the Queen of Thieves. She'd found her in a gambling den, robbing a noble blind. A noble who'd been released from charges for abusing a servant girl.

Ratu was about to cut some choice body parts off when Ode had pulled her away from the task. Well, Ratu actually got a few cuts in before Ode decided they'd run out of time for the vengeance, and really had to leave the mutilation for calmer, non-enemy-at-the-gate days. And the goddess of death was both delighted and perturbed to find the Queen of Thieves was as wily, vengeful, and ferocious as ever.

"You steal from the rich to give to the poor, just like those fanciful Idriolan fairy tales." Ode Ngayoh laughs at her old friend, still terrifying as ever. Tanned skin and clever eyes, slight crevices at the edges of her lips. Kohl lining them, heavily shadowed, the style of her Jiwanese heritage. Her veil, her strength. Her faith in Jiwa's deity, unshakeable. Lotion, also most likely pilfered, to hide any wrinkles, any sunspots.

"Yes, but I still take my cut. And the rich weren't using it anyways. Someone has to help the street orphans out. Give them jobs. They're just such precious creatures." Ratu sniffs. "Alhamdulilah. Give thanks for that."

"You employ them through thieving?"

"All these years..." Ratu sticks her tongue out at Ode. "Kamu setan. Kamu berbicara seperti anak kecil." [You are a devil. You talk like a child.]

Ode's grin widens. "You seem to have forgotten that I've learned a couple things in seventeen years. Saya juga seorang dewi." [I am also a goddess.]

Ratu stops walking in the middle of the street. Not far from the Lioness Gate, where guards have prepared a couple of ropes and a ladder to clamber over, only to drop down into the swarming enemy masses below.

"Before we go, and I inevitably fight to go help your little pirate boy because I love you," Ratu hugs Ode close to her, swiping away the tears from her eyes before Ode can catch them. Her fingers dig into Ode's shoulders, wishing to hear that heartbeat again. Wishing to know that everything's going to be alright. "I missed you, kucing. Seventeen years is too long to lose a piece of my heart. I wish I'd gone with you. If time reversed..."

Ode returns the embrace. "I know. Maaf, dear heart." She hugs Ratu closely. "But some things time should never erase. If I didn't leave, I wouldn't have Kali. And Kane is dying." She pulls back. "We both know that I can't let that happen."

Ratu smiles, breaking away. She wields a weapon of her own, a double-bladed spear. "I suppose I'll still fight for you no matter what. Like always, I dare to dream."

"Let's dream together." Ode starts climbing the Lioness Gate. She can already taste blood on her tongue. Even as her sore muscles protest, she can hear the horses' hooves. Kaliya needs me. And Kane does too. "And let's destroy every last person that stands in our way and leave them a bloody streak in the sand. For old time's sake."

***

Hey Pirates!

Looks like Ratu, Queen of Thieves, is back for the battle.

It's going to be a good one.

-Sophia