Phoenix Burning Read online

  Ayla pushed the long side of her hair back over her shoulder. “Obviously.”

  “Tell me.”

  Ayla’s eyes flashed. “I’d say stop ordering me around, Ship’s Engineer, but as I wanted to talk to you without your captain anyway…”

  “I won’t hide things from him.”

  “You don’t have to. I just want to tell you my plan first. Then we can talk your captain into it together.”

  Toby frowned. “You mean he won’t like it.”

  “I mean that whatever I suggest, he’s likely to shoot it down without thinking it through. You’re more … visionary.”

  “You mean gullible.”

  “No, that’s not what I—”

  “Fine,” Toby growled. “Tell me.”

  Ayla folded her arms. “You’ve heard of the sun worshippers?”

  “Of course – the Solar Order.” Toby thought of Morris and Javier, the two crew members who, long ago, had been so entranced by the sight of the sun returning to the sky, they had gone blind staring at it. “The captain dropped off some crew at their sanctuary near Malta a few years ago. They were a friendly port.”

  “They’re less friendly now.” Ayla licked her lips. “We have a sailor who used to live on Gozo. He got out when the Order gained complete control of the island. It’s theirs now and they’re strict. The islanders either agree to worship the sun, or are exiled.”

  “From their homes?”

  “Most stayed,” Ayla said.

  “So they were all blinded!”

  “Not all.” Ayla shook her head. “The sun worshippers consider those who’ve gone sunblind the most holy in the order, but they allow others to worship the sun and keep their vision. They need workers: traders, gardeners, fishermen, cooks, cleaners, same as any other place. The point is, Sebastiane told me that even when he lived there, anything dredged from the sea or traded that was remotely related to the sun had to go to the sanctuary. They were particularly keen on collecting items showing the Solaris logo.”

  Toby gasped. “There might be inverters inside.”

  Ayla nodded. “Almost certainly. The sun worshippers believe the old-world reliance on solar power was an affront to the sun. They say that’s why Yellowstone erupted and blocked it out for so long – a punishment and a warning of worse to come. By collecting everything related to the sun, they think they’re protecting us from another cataclysm.” She laughed. “Idiots.”

  Toby’s mind was racing. “Even back then the sanctuary was like a fortress. We can’t do a straight raid.”

  “No.” Ayla grinned. “But I’ve got a plan.”

  Toby leaned closer, caught on her hook. “What sort of plan?”

  “On the longest day of the year, the sun worshippers have a festival.”

  “That’s in a month,” Polly mumbled.

  Ayla ignored her. “At the festival a specially chosen couple, representative of the Sun and Moon, will hand out gifts to the pilgrims. For the weeks beforehand this couple will live in the sanctuary to prepare for their big day.”

  “So?” Toby frowned.

  “In one week, the Order will choose that couple.”

  “You’re suggesting we send someone in for this choosing,” Toby said. “Whoever gets picked will have a couple of weeks in the sanctuary to find the inverters and smuggle them out.”

  “We can’t just send someone in,” Ayla air-quoted his words back at him. “The couple have to fit the criteria in order to be selected. There are rules.”

  Toby raised his eyebrows.

  “The couple has to be male and female – to represent the different energies of the Sun and Moon.”

  “Easy enough.”

  “For the same reason, one must be blond and one dark haired.”

  “And?” Toby pressed Ayla.

  “The couple also have to represent the New Year, which they measure from the longest day: youth, innocence, rebirth and so on.” Ayla mocked the idea with a curled lip. “So only those between the ages of thirteen and sixteen are considered.”

  “That’s why you need us,” Polly squawked matter of factly. “You and Toby make the perfect couple for this festival.”

  Ayla smiled winningly at Toby. “We’re the right age, your hair is growing back and if anything you’re even blonder than when I last saw you.”

  “That’s because he hasn’t been blowing soot out of the boiler room,” Polly muttered. “He still isn’t going though. Right, Toby?”

  “I don’t—”

  “Listen,” Ayla said. “On the longest day, the crew of the Phoenix visit the sanctuary as pilgrims – all we need to do is hide the inverters among the gifts and hand them over. It’ll be easy.” She bent closer, the long side of her hair dangling to her knees. “We go in, we get chosen.” Here she lifted strands of her own black hair and let them fall through her fingers. “We spend a couple of weeks living in the lap of luxury while we look for the inverters. Where’s the problem?”

  “I—”

  The doorway darkened and Toby looked up. The captain and Dee stood in the passageway.

  “So,” the captain began. “Why are you here?”

  Ayla looked at Toby, silently demanding his support. Then she turned to the captain. “I’ve got a plan to get us both an inverter, if you’ll hear me out.”

  The captain paced the room, stroking his beard. “If these zealots find out we’re fitting our ships with solar panels…”

  “We’ll have the sun worshippers after us as well as the world’s navies.” Ayla laughed. “They’re blind prayer-mongers, we’re pirates. I’m not worried.”

  The captain thumped the counter beside Toby. “And what does Nell think of this? I can’t believe she’d ask anything of the Phoenix.”

  Ayla bit her lip.

  “Ayla?” Toby frowned. “What are you hiding?”

  Dee leaned on the doorjamb with her arms folded.

  “Nell already tried her way.” Ayla refused to look Toby in the eye. “She sent a crew member into the sanctuary disguised as a medic. We never heard from him again.” Ayla sighed. “I liked Hideaki.”

  “You think he was caught stealing?”

  “Must have been.” Ayla still did not look up. “It’s been over a week. He’d have been out by now.”

  “That still doesn’t explain…”

  Ayla raised her head, her eyes blazing. “Nell doesn’t know I’m here, OK. She wants nothing from the Phoenix. Last I heard she was planning on sending a full raiding party into Gozo. Stupid.” She leaped up and pressed her forehead on to the cloudy perspex porthole, as if her mother watched through her own reflection. “The crew’s still recovering from the battle and, like you said, that sanctuary’s a fortress.”

  Dee spoke without moving from her position by the door. “You expect us to believe you’re here without Nell’s say-so?”

  Ayla’s shoulder’s sagged. “Nell kicked me off the Banshee. I said it was stupid to send in a raiding party. I told her my plan and when she refused, I tried to sell it to the crew. Most were on my side. No one really wants to be in that raiding party, not when the Banshee is so torn up. Nell found out I’d gone behind her back.”

  “You bloody mutinied!” Dee breathed.

  “Not exactly.” Ayla’s reply was so quiet Toby could barely hear her. “I never wanted to take over from Nell; I just thought she might listen to me if I had the crew on side. I—”

  “That’s mutiny.” The captain frowned. “I’m sorry, Ayla, but you expect us to believe, after you showed us how loyal you are to your mother, that you have since betrayed her?”

  “It wasn’t betrayal,” Ayla snapped as she spun to face the captain. “Nell’s not thinking straight. She’s going to get the whole crew killed – me along with them. I’m not suggesting the Banshee and Phoenix team up. I just need to work with one of you. Then when the con’s over, we share out the inverters.”

  “You want Toby,” Dee said.

  Ayla nodded and glanced at him, seeking
support.

  Toby did not meet her eyes. Was this something he wanted to do – go on a mission with Ayla again? His heart thudded. It couldn’t possibly work, there was too much between them. Ayla had imprisoned him on the Banshee, she hated his family and she had watched the Phoenix abandon her to die. He’d be a fool to trust her.

  But if they didn’t get the inverters they would have to give up on the island. Without solar power the Phoenix had to sail close to shore – no venturing into the deep salt. Things would go back to the way they were and suddenly that didn’t seem like any kind of life: living from hand to mouth, fighting for survival, knowing the Greymen or the Banshee would catch up with them eventually.

  Only the hope of finding the island had kept the crew going. If they gave up that hope…

  “Your pulse is accelerating.” Polly nipped his ear. “Don’t even think about it.”

  “We need those inverters,” Toby said eventually. “Ayla’s plan makes sense.”

  “We have other blond crew.” Dee scowled. “We could send Rita with Rahul, Amit, Ajay … any of them.”

  “They’re all too old,” Toby explained.

  “So Ayla says.” Dee narrowed her eyes.

  “It’ll be easy enough to confirm the rules when we get there,” Toby said.

  “When?” Dee marched up to Toby. “You’ve already decided!”

  From the corner of his eye, Toby saw Ayla’s wild grin.

  The captain held up a hand. “I can’t allow it, not after last time. You imprisoned Toby on the Banshee and he was almost killed.”

  Ayla ignored the captain and leaned towards Toby. “It’s not nearly as dangerous as rescuing you from Tarifa. Between us we have two ships, both with unusable solar panels. I don’t know about your crew, but ours isn’t too happy about that. Nell needs an inverter, or she will be facing a mutiny. From what I heard when I climbed on board, I reckon you’re in the same position.” A sly look entered her eyes. “Did you translate the map?”

  “So that’s what you’re after.” Dee narrowed her eyes. “You want our map translation!”

  Ayla shook her head. “Honestly, no. I just wondered, is all. Our map is useless, our panels are useless, our ship is damaged and our crew is injured. We need these inverters and my plan will get them for us. Sebastiane told me all about the sanctuary, how it works. I know how we can get in and out.”

  The captain’s eyes slid to Dee’s.

  “I don’t trust her,” Dee snapped. “There’s no way she’s here without Nell’s permission. They’re after Hiko.”

  Toby tensed.

  “Keep Hiko locked up below if you like,” Ayla replied. “I won’t even look in his direction, let alone go near him.” She spread her hands. “It’s an inverter we need right now. If I can go back to Nell with the piece of equipment she’s after, she’ll have to let me back on board.” She swallowed. “She’ll have to forgive me.” Her hair fell over her face. “I made a mistake, Captain, can’t I atone for it?”

  “Are you referring to your mutiny on the Banshee, or your betrayal of the Phoenix?” the captain asked.

  “Either. Both.” She widened her eyes and Toby had to bite his cheek to stop himself from laughing.

  “All right.” The captain looked at Ayla’s rust-covered palms. “You’ve made your point. Toby, take Ayla to clean up. Once Rahul clears the mess we’ll have a meeting with the rest of the crew. If we’re going to consider this, we need a solid plan. That means I want input from everyone who has ever had a dealing with Gozo.”

  As Toby closed the door behind him, the captain turned to Dee and started to speak in a low and urgent voice.

  FOUR

  “So, the traitor’s gonna tell us how to pick up an inverter,” Crocker sneered.

  Peel turned to the captain. “Put her off the Phoenix now, before it’s too late.”

  “Too late for what?” Arnav hawked and spat. “We ain’t going anywhere and nor’s she.”

  “We need that piece of equipment.” Nisha sat close to Rahul, his arm closed around her. “If we put Ayla off ship without listening to her, where will we get one?”

  Rahul tightened his arm. “No reason we can’t take her idea and do the job without her.”

  Toby watched Ayla smile slightly as Rahul spoke. She knew that only she and Toby could complete the heist. She wasn’t worried.

  Marcus stood beside his partner; he had been silent for the whole meeting. Now he spoke. “Dee doesn’t like it, I can tell.”

  Toby whirled to look at Dee, who hadn’t said a word. “Dee?”

  She rubbed her healing wound and said nothing.

  “You’re my second, if you’ve something to say…” the captain prompted.

  Dee sighed. “You know my thoughts, Captain. I don’t trust her.”

  “If Dee says she can’t be trusted, then we shouldn’t,” Marcus said.

  “I hear you, Dee,” Rita called out. “But without Ayla, I’d be hanging from the ramparts in Tarifa, alongside Rahul, Theo, Oats and you, yourself, Captain. We owe her. We should at least hear what she has to say.”

  “Rita…” Dee said, her voice low in warning. “She’s Banshee.”

  The crew growled at that and the atmosphere thickened.

  “We don’t know why she’s really here!” Oats shouted. “Could be the Banshee’s more badly damaged than she says. Could be they want the Phoenix. Could be a trick.”

  D’von started to sidle closer to Ayla. Toby caught his friend’s shoulder and shook his head. “They’re being mean to Ayla,” D’von grumbled.

  “She can look after herself,” Toby murmured as Ayla vaulted on to a tabletop and raised her voice.

  “We don’t want your bucket of a ship. I’m here because we both need inverters and my plan to get them requires the Phoenix’s crew.”

  “Why not use your own crew?” Rita shouted.

  Ayla snorted. “For a start, I need a partner in crime and Banshee pirates are all easily identified.”

  “She’s right,” Toby said.

  “Well maybe her captain should stop tattooing her crew!” Dee snapped.

  “Basically you need one of us to help you because we haven’t mutilated ourselves,” Uma grunted. “Nice.”

  Ayla glared at her. “I don’t need ‘one of you’. I need Toby.”

  Uma leaped to her feet. “Not a chance.”

  “Uma!” Toby frowned. “This isn’t your decision.”

  She spun to face him. “Have you forgotten already? She’ll get you killed. Maybe she wants you to go with her because you’re expendable. That’ll be the real reason she won’t use Banshee pirates – because she cares what happens to her own crew.”

  Toby caught his breath.

  The crew began to call out. “Get off the table … we don’t need you … get off our ship!”

  The voices grew louder and uglier but Ayla shouted over them all. “There are inverters in the sanctuary of the sun worshippers in Gozo.”

  The crew quietened.

  “How do you know?” Nisha finally demanded.

  “Intelligence gathered.” Ayla narrowed her eyes. “Toby and I can get into the sanctuary disguised as devotees, in advance of the solstice festival. We go as representatives of the Sun and Moon, who must be under sixteen. Once we’ve found the inverters, you arrive disguised as pilgrims and we hand them over to you.”

  Marcus stood shoulder to shoulder with Dee. “You’re asking Toby to infilitrate the sun worshippers’ sanctuary with you at his side. It wouldn’t be safe for him to go into that sanctuary with a trusted companion, let alone with you.”

  “There’s no downside here,” Ayla replied. “Toby and I get dropped off at the sanctuary where we live in comfort for a couple of weeks. We find the inverters, we pass them to you. We get out.”

  The crew shuffled and muttered, then Arnav cleared his throat. His wrinkled face was thoughtful. “Heard of this festival, I ’ave,” he said. “An’ there’s one thing you ’aven’t mentioned, girlie.�
�

  Ayla fidgeted shiftily.

  “Thought as much.” Arnav nodded. “Yeah. You ’aven’t mentioned what ’appens to those Sun and Moon kids when the festival’s over.”

  “What happens?” Toby spoke slowly.

  “It’s not a problem.” Ayla opened her hands.

  “What happens, Arnav?” he insisted.

  “The Sun an’ Moon are special, ain’t they? So the ones who are chosen get the proper trainin’ to become high-ups in the Order.”

  Marcus’s chin shot up. “Hang on! Doesn’t that mean they have to be sunblind, like Morris and Javier?”

  “Yep.” Arnav nodded. “After the pilgrims get their gifts, the Sun and Moon get staked out with their eyes taped open. Blindness takes a minute or two, or the rest of the afternoon – dependin’.”

  “On what?” Nisha whispered.

  “On how cloudy it is.” Arnav directed his attention to Ayla. “Wasn’t goin’ to mention that, were ya, girlie?”

  Ayla appealed directly to Toby. “We’ll be out before then.”

  Toby scowled. “If we’re the focus of attention during this festival, how the hell do we get out again before we get blinded?”

  Ayla hissed. “I have thought this through. We’ve a chemist on the Banshee. He’s been working with an old sleeping tablet: Tuinal. It’s a respiratory depressor. He’s given me pills that fake the effects of death. If we can’t get out the easy way, we can each take Tuinal. They’ll think we’ve died. There’s no way they’ll stake out a couple of dead bodies.”

  “They might cremate them.” Amit spoke up.

  “Or bury them,” Ajay added.

  Toby caught his breath. He could all too easily imagine being buried alive. It would be like the aftermath of the explosion in Tarifa, only with no light, no friends and no hope. He exhaled shakily.

  Ayla rolled her eyes. “I already thought of that. Sebastiane told me what the order does with their dead. They’re known for it. They don’t cremate – they believe it’s too close to worship of the eruption. They don’t bury, because they don’t have a cemetery. They entrust their dead to the salt.”