The Sky Pirates Part Three (special preview)

“Oh no you haven’t!” Ayako screams. She shoves Bray back down onto the ground and picks up the baby. “You monstrous idiot!”

“He was fine!” Bray scoffs. “I made sure of that, and I was watching him the whole time, I swear, Ayako.”

“Oh please.” Ayako growls. “You just wanted to show off! You weren’t watching him at all. How the hell could you with your head in your ass?”

Bray rolls his head and starts to turn back towards Cyrus. “Well, you’re here now, so let me finish this. I’m winning.”

“Oh sure!” Cyrus laughs loudly. “I just had you on your ass.”

“Had the women folk not shown up I would have had you on yours!” Bray roars at him.

“Both of you need your asses worn out,” Ayako grumbles. She then turns to me. “You care to see this at all?”

I look at her then silently move towards Cyrus. “Is this really the way you intend to talk?” I ask him. “Have you two even discussed anything?”

“I need to work this out,” Cyrus huffs. “Let me deal with this, knock him around, and then we can talk.” He then gets a look in his eyes. “Are you ok?” He gasps. “What did the doctor say was wrong?”

I think back to what Ayako said and I screw my mouth into a tight line. “Not sure,” I grumble. “She had to do a test to make sure of something, so I don’t have an answer yet.”

“It’ll be ok,” Cyrus kisses my forehead. “Just some land sickness like you said.” He smiles at me. “Go sit down somewhere cool, ok? I’ll be done here really fast.”

I huff. “You sure?”

Cyrus winksa t me. “I’ll win it for you.”

“Didn’t ask, but ok.” I go back with Ayako who takes me to her quarters she shares with Bray. She sets Hinata down on the ground, taking out toys to play with him.

Hinata has the same sunny gold scales as his father. His tail is a small stub and his belly is still fleshy and velvety. He crawls around, stumbling when he tries to walk.

“You ok?” Ayako asks.

“A little shocked,” I sigh. “Today has been...a lot.”

Ayako smiles. “I bet.” She pats the floor beside her. As I sit down Hinata crawls up into my lap. “I’m sorry,” she then sighs. “I know all of this is so sudden, and Bray doesn’t know how to make a great entrance.”

Hinata is making small sounds as he plays with the buttons on my coat. His big eyes then look up at me and he breaks into a big, toothless grin.

I smile back at him and rub the top of his head. “I’ve known Cyrus almost all my life. The story has always been he joined the crew when he was little along with other orphans.” I pick up Hinata who giggles happily. “He was ok not knowing, as long as he had the crew around him, it was family enough.” 

Hinata reaches out, pulling my hair and then grabbing at my face.

“Be nice,” Ayako takes him and sets him back on the blanket. 

“Is Bray it?” I look at her, searching her face for an answer already. “Or does he have even more family out there?”

Ayako nods. “His parents are still alive.” She waves her hand to the window. “After Demir started rising to power, they decided to hide on their island. They didn’t want to deal with all the machinations that Demir wanted to set in order.”

“Did they give up looking for Cyrus?” I whisper.

Ayako shakes her head. “Much like Bray, they tried to keep track of where the Furies were, but since they kept to the sky, there was no way of knowing. But they never stopped hoping that Chakrii, I mean, Cyrus was still alive.”