Bekka shook her head. “Not yet, it has her essence bound up in it, I don’t know what it would do to her.”
Dexter’s look indicated he was not terribly concerned about her fate. Jenna looked at her suspiciously as well. Finally Dexter shrugged. “Jenna, she came for you. What say you about this?”
“Do you wish me harm?” Jenna asked her, stepping up to her. When she did not respond Jenna reached out and grabbed her chin, twisting her head so that she looked at her.
“Girl!” She snapped. “Do you wish me harm still?”
The girl’s eyes watered and her chin quivered for a moment. “I don’t want to hurt anyone ever again.”
Jenna stared at her and then let her chin go. She walked away and found herself staring at Keshira, who had stopped working and was watching from afar. She opened her mouth but paused, staring at the construct. “Do what you will,” she said, then descended the staircase to the companionway before anyone could say more to her.
Dexter watched her go, somewhat perplexed. He looked back at Rosh, who just shrugged. “Set her down, Rosh,” Dexter said.
Rosh did so, and let her go so that she stood on the deck unrestrained. She stood still, tears running down her face.
“Alright, see what you can do with her,” Dexter said. “If she can work she can stay, if she gets in the way…”
Dexter let the alternative go unnamed. He turned to Kragor and sighed, then went to the stairs and threaded his way down them so that he could take over on the helm that Bekka had abandoned when she had sensed the situation unfolding.
“Really? I can keep her?” Rosh asked, surprised.
“She’s not a thing to be keeping,” Kragor said, smacking him on the arm. “You and Bekka see what you can do to settle her down. Bekka, you keep that ring with you until you know more about it. Don’t you be giving it to anyone.”
Nearly two days passed with the ship unusually quiet. Bekka and Rosh spent time with Bailynn, or so the girl claimed her name was. Bekka and Rosh began calling her just Lynn., hoping to make her feel better.
Rosh showed her the sails and the rigging, explaining as best he could how the magic of the ships helm somehow enabled the sails to catch the solar wind and sail through the void. Quiet and seemingly morose, she nevertheless drank in the lessons.
Bekka spent time mostly watching and studying them, though occasionally she would correct Rosh when he misspoke on how the solar winds worked on the sails and how the helm could still control a ship even without them, though it was slow and cumbersome.
Jenna avoided the trio at all times, leaving an area as soon as Lynn entered it. She reserved no special glances or looks towards her; she simply sought to be in another area whenever possible. Dexter was growing tired of how awkward the situation on his ship was becoming, and realized that since no one else seemed to be willing to deal with it, he had to do something.
Jenna, Dexter, and Jodyne were sitting at the table in the galley eating dinner while Keshira and Kragor worked the sails. Rosh and Lynn entered the room, the large man leading the way and sitting down next to Jenna. That left only a seat next to Dexter for Lynn, who took it silently. Jenna immediately pushed her plate back and started to stand.
“No, wait,” Dexter said, looking at her. She met his stare blankly, but remained seated.
“This stops now. I need my crew able to work together,” he said, looking at her and glancing at the rest as well for added effect. “Working together means talking, not avoiding.”
Jenna’s cheek twitched a little at his words, but other than that she showed no outward sign.
Dexter scowled. “What is it? Sure, she tried to kill you. That would make my day go from bad to worse too, but it’s over. What’s got the splinter in your ass now?”
Rosh snickered at Dexter’s question, then quieted down when he drew a glare from the man.
Jenna glanced at Rosh but ignored Bailynn. “She is a constant reminder of what they do.”
Dexter sensed that she wanted to say more, but for some reason she did not. He mused perhaps it was the lack of privacy that held her tongue. He nodded. “Alright. I can understand that. Now get over it; I’ll not have it on my ship.”
Jenna’s eyes flared for a moment in surprise and hurt, but even more quickly her expression locked down again. “How long until our next port of call?”
Dexter was surprised by the question. He glanced at Rosh and Jodyne then said, “a week or so, why?”
Jenna nodded, having made a decision. “I will leave your service then,” she said, her eyes drilling into his intently. “Now may I be excused, Captain?”
Dexter’s mouth parted in surprise. He caught himself and nodded, not knowing what else to say. He felt as though she had kicked him in the stomach.
Jenna rose from the table and left the galley, heading directly for her cabin. Dexter turned to look at Rosh and Bailynn, and noticed how she was trying to make herself as small and unnoticeable as possible next to him.
“Can I have her cabin?” Rosh asked, and was promptly ignored.
Dexter looked at Jodyne, who was watching him intently as well. “Well lad, are ya going to go after her?” she asked, her tone indicating he was a fool if he did not.
He nodded, rising up, then turned back to Rosh, whose mouth was opened again to say something else. “No,” Dexter said, pointing an accusatory finger at him. “Don’t even be saying it.”
Rosh shut his mouth slowly and grinned when he looked at Jodyne. She harrumphed and backhanded him on the arm, then went about collecting the abandoned dishes for cleaning. Rosh just sat there and looked at Bailynn, shrugging. “Aw stop that, what’re ya crying for?” he asked, seeing fresh tears sliding slowly down her cheeks.
Bailynn remained quiet, withdrawing into herself.
* * * *
Not pausing as he had in the past, Dexter opened the door to Jenna’s room, hitting something halfway through the motion and pushing it out of the way. A girlish grunt preceded the sight of Jenna lying face first on her bunk, then scrambling around and rising back up with a furious expression on her face.
Dexter’s chagrin did little to make her pause. “Don’t you knock?” She spat angrily.
He did a double take, and even turned to look at the door before looking back at her. He opened his mouth to reply but she had already moved on.
“Shut the door already,” she said.
Off balance, Dexter shut the door and looked back at her, wondering how he could recapture some momentum.
“Look, I just can’t do it. I know I owe you, and I promise I will find a way to pay you, but I can’t be here… with her.”
Dexter kept his mouth shut and listened, realizing he might get more out of her this way. He nodded that he understood and waited for her to continue.
“It reminds me… of them. Of the things they did. So damned sure of themselves; everything was fair as long as it involved no harm to the elves,” she spat out. She laughed harshly and said, “Or at least the right elves.”
“Is that it?” Dexter asked softly. “Was…is she an elf?”
Jenna looked at him, the fury gone from her eyes and sadness in its place. “No… they all looked like that.”
“I thought you only knew of monsters and hounds and the like?” He pressed, stepping closer to her without realizing it.
She nodded, sniffing in spite of herself. “Yes, but its elven magic and, its worse, they sacrificed the life of an elf for every one they made. They bound up the soul of the elf in the slayer and that causes them to adopt elven features. That…thing was human, but she’s been corrupted. She looks to be a waif only sixteen years old, but in truth she is probably closer to forty or fifty.”
“Worst of all is she does not know this about herself, she only knows what they told her; what they wanted her to know.”
Dexter nodded and found himself reaching out and touching her tenderly on the shoulder. She glanced at him and offered him a weak smile. “Dex… I can’t. I just can’t stay. Not with her having a part of me.”