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“-Fetching, don’t you think?”
Raesha should’ve listened to Emperor Septim. “I dunno.”
She peeked past the crates. Daylight thievery was challenging. Probably why the gems were stashed here in the first place. Raesha ducked before the first mate of the Marie Elena’s murderous glare could find her.
“-Ruby eyes. Or garnet!”
Or blood, thought Raesha, before she spied Puny Ancus, gesticulating and shouting at someone for coin.
“Done!” Methredhel replaced the last gem with its forgery.
“Too late.”
Hieronymous Lex had pushed past Ancus and was stomping across the docks towards them.
“I have an idea,” said Raesha.
*
With her crew busy with the Imperial Guard, Malvulis was first to spot the body. Sailor instinct overcame her and she leapt overboard, slicing through the water and sloshing onto the beach. She sealed her mouth over the still-warm Wood Elf’s lips, forcing her breath into the woman’s lungs.
The elf spluttered, rolling over to cough up seawater. Malvulis tugged a damp scroll from her blouse and expended a Major Restoration.
“Th- Thank you.”
“Tree elves shouldn’t linger near water,” said Malvulis, chiding, though she pulled the elf onto her lap.
“Said I’d check my friend’s traps. I swim fine when my foot isn’t stuck in a crab cag-”
Malvulis’s finger traced the circle of Methredhel’s pursed lips. The pirate’s blouse was soaked, clinging. See-through. Rummaging in her shirt had made it gape dangerously, enough to bare her dark areola.
“Mer, I said I will give you swimming lessons.”
*
Nobody was left to catch Raesha’s trickiness with a Waterwalk spell. She swam with a buoyant sack of gems bobbing behind her — ready to stash at Armand’s.
Methredhel was Raesha’s friend but one romantic assist was enough. What was cool about pirates anyway?
Maybe Luciana would find her magic impressive. She should visit.