Brown River Queen

“Mr. Simmons. He did spit in my eyes, didn’t he?”

She smiled. “Daroth was always fond of poisons. I merely took precautions against such.”

I looked out over the infant lake, wondered what it would look like in fifty years, in a hundred. There’d be boats, I decided. Boats and docks and ta

“Was it true what you said, about the times when the summer-born critters walk? That the world is a waking nightmare?”

“Yes.”

I let out the breath I’d been saving. Maybe it was true, that we’d struck a blow against slumbering monsters. And maybe, if that was true, I could forgive the odd lie, or three.

“I think we should name it Victory Lake,” I said. “Before someone starts calling it Mud Bend or Reek Hole.”

“Victory Lake,” said the erstwhile Corpsemaster, whose name I realized I would probably never know. “I believe I like that. Very much indeed.”

Laughter and cheering sounded as the Queen’s casino doors flew open. Darla’s voice rang out, and she walked a tad unsteadily toward me, a pair of tall beer glasses in her hands.

Stitches, Stitches once more, rose.

Good evening, Darla, she said.

“Stitches! So good to see you up and about. Are you rested?”

I feel a thousand years younger. Perhaps more. She picked up her plate and teacups, and after a moment she cast them all over the rail. Good evening, you two. I believe I will go watch Mama Hog and Mr. Prestley pretend to despise each other.

Darla sat and watched her go.

“I hope I didn’t interrupt anything,” she said.

“Not at all.” I took a sip of beer and gri

Poor Dutson. We’d found him in the false boiler Evis had given me the key to. Evis and I did the best we could, laying him to rest.

Darla tweaked my nose. “Uh uh,” she said, gri

The doors opened again. I heard Mama bellow Buttercup’s name, heard Evis and Gertriss laughing, heard footfalls on the deck heading our way.

I lifted my glass in a toast.

“Together, my dear. To the Queen’s maiden voyage. To victory over the forces of evil. And mainly to our thousand crown fee, forever may it wave.”

Darla raised her glass with mine. “Captain Markhat, I will always drink to that.”