The Curse of the Crow: Explorers, #1

By Melissa J. Roche, Ressa Draco and Gabriel M. James

What could be better than selling lemonade to stave off the summer doldrums? Try swashbuckling adventure on the high seas! 

Captain Gabriel has done both before, the lemonade and the adventures, so he's pretty good at it despite the fact that he still has no idea what a swash even is, nor how one would buckle it. Never mind that -- he's setting sail with his quirky crew to embrace the unknown, including a magical unicorn and her warrior-girl companion, a harrowing side quest in search of the elusive "macguffin flower," and a crow-girl haunted by a curse.

Do Cap and the crew of the Dawn Horizon have what it takes to break the Curse of the Crow? ("Of curse!" promises Elliot, the ship's cook and official crafter of groan-worthy puns.) But the real question is, do you have what it takes to join them?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blade Wheel Books
• Release date: Nov 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215023426

Book preview

Chapter 1

Lemonade and Adventure

It was a hot day in late spring in the Turquoise Isles, and Captain Gabriel was sitting criss-cross-applesauce on a grassy knoll overlooking the sea town of Port Grandon and the shining blue waters of Crystal Bay, thinking about lemonade and swashbuckling adventure on the high seas.

He was thinking about lemonade because he wouldn’t have minded making some more money, and selling lemonade had never failed him yet. Plus, it was almost summer, and he was hot. And thirsty.

He was thinking about adventure because he happened to be a ship captain, and a decent one at that, even though he had only had twenty-something-but-not-thirty birthdays so far. Swashbuckling adventure on the high seas seemed like a good way for decent ship captains to pass the time to avoid getting bored with the summer doldrums. Never mind he still had no idea as yet what a swash even was, nor how he would buckle it.

Hm, was what he said out loud, plucking off a sprig of the long grass and chewing it along with his thoughts. His distant gaze fell on a crow that was hopping around the grassy hill looking for bugs and worms.

Aye, Cap’n, said his trusty friend and occasional helmsman Aric, who was sitting in the grass next to him. Aric’s birthday count was about the same, and he had gone on enough adventures with the captain to be quite good at adventuring by now. At least the helmsman parts.

You know, Captain Gabriel mused, I’ve been itching to get away off to sea again.

Aye, Cap’n.

Aric was an agreeable sort of fellow. Cap liked that about him.

We could do it, you know, he pointed out. Go on a sailing adventure.

We could.

We would need a crew.

We would, Aric agreed.

And some money, Cap added, thinking again about his personal economic situation.

That too.

But... adventure! He felt a thrill pulse through his veins at the very thought.

Aric gave him a steady look, his version of being thrilled at the very thought. After a pause, he nodded. Aye, Cap’n.

Then it’s settled! Cap slapped both hands on his legs, spit out the grass, and bounced to his feet. Let’s set sail in a week. See if you can’t rustle up a good crew and some supplies. Oh, and a wizard, we’ll need a wizard. A good one, too. Remember last time? He winced.

Aye, Cap’n.

Well, good. I’ll leave the wizard in your hands. He clapped a hand on Aric’s shoulder, unable to contain the eager grin spreading across his face. "This’ll be great. I’ll make sure the Dawn Horizon is shipshape and ready to sail. Oh, and I’ll see what I can do to get us some adventure money. You round up a good crew and meet me in a week at dawn at the docks. Let’s do this!"

Aye, Cap’n.

Cap gave his trusty friend one more nod, then he spun away and trotted down the grassy hill toward the sea town below.

It was time to make some lemonade.

Chapter 2

Dawn on the Dawn Horizon

When dawn broke on the day of the adventure, the Dawn Horizon was bustling with busy energy and almost ready to set sail.

Captain Gabriel was in the secure hold of the ship, counting his money and stacking it in piles of ten in his personal supply chest. He had been right about lemonade and summer doldrums. Plenty of curious and thirsty townspeople had wandered by his sales stand over the past week, most of them willing to drop a few coins for a refreshing drink and a charming smile. He and Aric now had enough money to pay for a crew and supplies, including an expensive seventh-degree wizard whom the captain had yet to meet. Hopefully this one would prove more dependable than the last.

He glanced over his shoulder to make sure he was quite alone, then peeked inside the special, secret sack next to the pile of money. A glorious scent wafted upward as the sack opened, and he drew in a deep breath. One should never go on any sort of adventure without a decent sugary stash on board. Satisfied, Cap tucked the sack safely out of sight in the chest and ducked back out of the secure hold into the dawn’s light.

On the deck, a dozen crew members⁠—⁠hired with the goal of keeping the ship from sinking⁠—⁠were running this way and that, stowing ropes and packing supplies into nooks and crannies and more wooden chests here and there. Aric was there too, supervising the loading progress and giving instructions.

Half of the supplies were food crates, headed for the ship’s galley. Their inventory was full of the usual adventuring fare: wheat, wheat seeds, bread, pumpkin pie, steak, potatoes, and several varieties of cooked fish, all stacked in piles of sixteen or sixty-four.

In addition, the main deck of the ship was already home to a small forest of full-grown fruit trees that would last forever and never die. At least, according to the new wizard, who had promised that his unique live forever potions were the best in the trade. With luck, the ship would soon have an endless supply of fruit to keep everyone happy and healthy and safe from scurvy.

Cap surveyed the half-forested deck for a moment, then decided he could live with the cramped quarters. Fruit was his favorite part of every meal.

That, and it was best not to question the ways of wizards. They tended to get cranky about questions.

At that moment, a voice behind him shrilled out, Oh no, no no no! and Cap turned to see an old man with a flowing gray beard and black, blue, and red robes trotting across the deck of the ship toward the forest.

Figure 1a: Astriel the Wizard

Ah. This would be the new wizard, if Cap had to guess, a man with the fantastical-sounding name of Astriel. Cranky already, although no one had even asked any questions.

Watch where you’re going with those potions! Astriel rasped at the crew members who were positioning a few stacks of boxes on the deck next to the trees.

The crew members froze at the sound of his voice, the boxes in their arms clinking as glass vials jostled each other inside.

These aren’t the live-forever potions for the trees, Astriel explained. These are the exploding prank potions. You know, the ones I invented to trick bad guys? Prank potions are quite sensitive of course, and we don’t want them going off next to our fruit trees now, do we? Look, all of the boxes are labeled on the sides, right here...

Cap considered joining them for a moment, if only to learn the explanations for the ancient wizard rune symbols painted on the potentially explosive wooden boxes, but then he decided against it. Ancient wizard runes had never been his strongest subject in school. Best to let the crew manage the potions.

Figure 1b: Astriel's wizard potions

At that moment, a young man with a round face⁠—⁠partly round, partly oval, like a raindrop face or an alien’s face⁠—⁠poked his head out of the ship’s galley. He’s right, be careful with those trees, he called across the deck, grinning at the mini-forest. "I’m growing rather fond of them!"

Cap rolled his eyes at the terrible joke. This was the cook, a teenage culinary genius by the name of Elliot, who had the sensible goal of making sure the ship had at least a week of food at all times. And the less-sensible goal of entertaining them all with a steady supply of bad puns.

Hey, out of my hair⁠—⁠shoo! The young cook swatted at a black-feathered shape flapping around his head. A moment later, a crow fluttered away to land on a nearby tree branch. It gave the cook a beady-eyed look and settled down to preen its feathers. Elliot gave it a warning glare, then returned to his business in the galley.

The second the cook disappeared, the crow snuck a sideways peck at a nearby apple and gobbled down the juicy bite, making sounds in its throat that reminded Cap of a bird trying to laugh.

Figure 2: A crow in a live-forever tree

But the sun was climbing higher in the dawn sky, and there was more to think about than thieving birds. Cap glanced around at the flurry of activity, another thrill running through him. All was well underway, potion placement mishaps aside. In just a few short minutes, they would be ready to set sail, take to the high seas, and embrace adventure. Buckle those swashes, and all that.

Cap’n, came a voice from his elbow, and he turned to see Aric standing there with the checklist, a worried frown on his face.

Yes? Are we ready to sail?

Aye Cap’n, it’s just that I was noticing that we might be missing some things.

What kind of things? Cap took the list and scanned it over.

Well, Aric said, drawing out the word, maybe some things to, you know, defend the ship.

Defend the ship?

Weapons, armor, that sort.

Hm. Now Cap’s brow was furrowed too. Do we have any crew members who know how to use any of ‘that sort’?

Not that I know of, Cap’n.

Hm. The captain didn’t either, but he wasn’t ready to admit that out loud. Maybe it didn’t matter, though. This wasn’t likely to be the sort of adventure that required any personal combat.

Right? Right.

Well, he said at last, trying to sound more confident than he felt, at least we have exploding prank potions for any bad guys.

Aric still looked uncertain, but he nodded as he took back the checklist.

Cap didn’t let the ominous silence linger. Are we ready to set sail, then?

Aye, Cap’n. Aric turned and shouted to the crew: All hands to your posts! Off we go!

After another flurry of activity, the Dawn Horizon slipped away from her moorings and headed out toward the open sea.

Chapter 3

Out to Sea

Two weeks passed. Two weeks of sailing, and eating fruit sandwiches, and more sailing, and basking in the sunshine, and catching fresh breezes just perfect for sailing, and riding the rolling waves toward the distant horizon. Basically, a ship captain’s summer dream come true.

One afternoon, the cook was standing on the quarterdeck of the ship as the waves gently tossed beneath them, muttering something that sounded like: Blue... so blue...

Oh hey there, Cap said as he joined him, staring out at the vast, empty, adventure-ful horizon.

Elliot glanced his way. Hi.

What’s wrong? Cap asked. He couldn’t imagine anything being wrong on a day like this. He filled his lungs with another deep breath of ocean air.

I’m feeling a bit blue, the cook said with a sigh.

Why?

Because everything else is blue. The sky⁠—⁠Elliot waved a hand at the impressive expanse above them⁠—⁠the sea⁠—⁠he swept his other hand around the full circle of tossing and sparkling waves⁠—⁠and even that spot on the deck where your wizard spilled that potion thingy a few days back.

Cap chuckled at the memory of the mishap. The boards still smelled