“Damn!” he spat, sounding concerned. “Stall them. Dinna let them in here if ye can help it.” He released Gavina’s wrist and started to pace the room, his hand to his chin in thought.
“What are ye goin’ to do?” she asked him, wanting to run, but also not wanting to leave her father behind.
Birk stopped in his tracks and looked over at Gavina. “I’m goin’ to hide this map somewhere where they’ll never find it.”
Once the red-haired man left, Birk grabbed the map and pulled Gavina into an adjoining room. She struggled against his hold, but he was too strong for her.
“Take off yer clothes!” he commanded.
“Nay! I’ll never give myself to ye.”
“I dinna want yer body. Or at least no’ yet.” He pulled out some kind of metal writing tool and a bottle of ink out of a chest on the table.
“What are ye doin’?”
“I’m savin’ the map as well as yer life.” He stormed across the room, coming toward her with the map in his hand. “If those pirates get ahold of ye, ye’ll be naught but the ship’s whore when they’re done with ye. Now hold still and dinna move.”
He reached out and threw her down on the floor, ripping open the back of her gown.
“Nay! Leave me alone!” she cried, kicking and screaming, fighting to keep her virginity intact.
“Blethers! Ye give me no choice, Wench,” he ground out. She felt something hit her on the back of her head. It caused her to see stars and then she passed out.
Not sure how long she’d been unconscious, Gavina was awakened by Birk shaking her hard.
“Get up!” he commanded.
She pushed up to her knees, feeling pain in her back as well as her head. Rubbing one blurry eye, she saw Birk lighting the map on fire and throwing it into the hearth.
“Ye’re burnin’ the map?” she asked in astonishment.
“Aye. I’m burnin’ the map so those cutthroat pirates will never find it. I’ve copied it and put it somewhere where it will be safe. Somewhere that they will never look.” He chuckled, as if he were proud of himself for fooling pirates.
She sat up rubbing the bump at the back of her head. Then her hand went to her aching back. Why did it hurt so much? “Where did ye hide the map?” she asked.
“I’ve copied the map in ink upon yer back,” he told her.
“What?” Her eyes and mouth both opened wide. “It’s on my back? Nay!” This shocked her and scared her all at the same time. She jumped up to discover he’d taken her clothes and dressed her in the attire meant for a lad while she was unconscious. “What did ye do to me? What am I wearin’?” She looked down at her body, holding the baggy clothes out from her body.
“Ye’re Gavin, my servant boy now,” he told her, brushing his hands together. “Gavina is no more.”
Before she could respond, he picked up some shears and reached out, yanking her to him by grabbing her long, black hair in one hand.
“Ow!” she cried. “Ye’re hurtin’ me. Let me go.”
“This willna hurt half as much as what those pirates will do to ye if they discover ye’re really a lassie.” He cut off her hair, even shorter than men usually wore it. Then he walked back and threw it into the fire as well. “I’m savin’ yer life, Wench.”
“Savin’ my life?” Her hand went to her head, feeling the skin at the back of her neck that was now exposed. A cool breeze bit at her flesh, making her shiver. Her long, black hair that she prided herself on was now chopped off so short that she felt naked. She now looked like a boy. Tears fell from her eyes. “Ye’ve killed my faither and then abducted me and had yer way with me!”
“Nay. I didna ravish ye. No’ yet, lassie. However, there will be time for that later. Now, hush up about yer faither because I killed him in self-defense.”
“That’s no’ the way I saw it,” she spat through gritted teeth. “My faither never even had a chance to defend himself.”
“Och, get over there and haud yer wheesht, ye troublesome wench.” He pushed her into the corner, causing her to fall in a heap in the shadows of the room. The door to the room burst open and a tall pirate with brown hair hanging almost down to his waist entered the room with two other pirates right behind him.
“Ahoy, Matey,” said the man with a sarcastic tone. “I figured your men were distracting us and thought we’d find you here cowering in the corner.”
“Ye’d best be on yer way, Tristan,” said Birk. “I’ve got nothin’ here ye’d want.”
“Really? Well, that’s funny.” The man named Tristan coolly and calmly strolled into the room, while the other two pirates entered and started picking up items and sticking them into canvas bags. “You see, word on the dock is that you’ve got something that I definitely want. It seems you stole a treasure map from an old woman named Nairnie. Now give it back.” He moved further into the room.
“I had it, but it’s gone. Ye’re too late,” Birk told him.
“Don’t try my patience, Birk. Hand it over.” Tristan walked right up to him and held out his empty palm.
“I dinna ken what ye mean.” Birk smiled and shrugged.
“Give me the damned map,” demanded the man in a low voice. “I won’t ask again.”
“I told ye, I dinna have it. It’s gone for guid.”
The blond man who looked to be the youngest of the three rushed over to the hearth. “I see it, Tristan. It’s in the fire. He’s burning the map!”
“Pull it out!” yelled the third man with black hair, coming to join him. “Hurry, before it’s gone.”
“It’s too late. I told ye that,” sneered Birk. “The map is gone and now ye’ll never get yer hands on the treasure and neither will Nereus.”
“Nereus?” asked the pirate named Tristan. “What does my nemesis have to do with the map?”
“I sent word to him as soon as I obtained it,” explained Birk proudly. “I was goin’ to sell it to him, but my plans changed.”
“That map once belonged to my father.” Tristan put his hands on the table and leaned in closer to the man, talking right up in Birk’s face. “So, the way I see it, the treasure now belongs to me and my brothers. I want that map.”
“There is nothin’ I can do.” Birk raised his palms in surrender. “As ye see . . . ye’re too late.” He nodded at the fire and the remnants of the blackened parchment.
“Nay!” Tristan slammed his hand down atop the table, causing Gavina’s heart to jump. She cowered in the corner, barely able to breathe. She’d never seen pirates before, and now there were three of them right here in the same room with her. It was a terrifying sight.
“I don’t believe for one minute you’d do such a foolish thing as to burn a treasure map. Why would you? What would possess you to do such a thing? What do you gain from that?”
“I burned it so ye wouldna get it,” Birk answered with a cocky chuckle.
“Then, I guess you’re even stupider than I thought.” Tristan’s tone sounded impatient and irritated now.
“I have the map memorized,” said Birk, tapping the side of his head with his finger. “That’s why ye need me alive and canna kill me. I’m the only one who kens where the treasure is.”
“Nay,” grumbled the pirate with black hair. “You wouldn’t have burned it without making a copy.”
“I agree, Mardon,” said the blond, youngest pirate.
“Thank, Aaron.” Mardon smiled. “After all, it’s not often you agree with me on anything.”
“There is no copy, I tell ye,” Birk tried to convince them. “It’s all right here, just like I told ye.” He once again tapped his temple, making a face.
“I’ll kill him!” The pirate named Aaron drew his blade and rushed over to Birk.
“Aaron, wait,” shouted Tristan, but Birk had already drawn his blade and was fighting with him. As their swords clashed together, several of Birk’s men burst into the room. Gavina watched in horror as the pirates fought with Birk’s men, ending up killing them all. She held
her hand tightly over her mouth in order not to cry out when one dead man after another hit the floor. One of them landed right by her, his outstretched arm almost reaching her. She pushed back into the corner and closed her eyes, wishing for this to be over and for the pirates to leave.
When she heard a blade hit the floor, her eyes sprang back open. The pirate named Aaron had disarmed Birk and now held his sword to Birk’s throat.
“Can I kill him now, Tristan?” asked Aaron. “Can I?”
“Not yet. Lower your sword and stand away.” Tristan slowly walked over to Birk, his boot heels clicking against the wooden floor, the sound thundering in her ears as he walked right past her. He slowly bent down, picking up Birk’s sword, placing it on the table. None of the men even noticed Gavina silently crouching in the corner and she prayed they never would. “Tell me something, Birk,” said Tristan, resting his butt on the table next to the sword. “What’s the name of my ship? Now, think real hard, because you’re not going to want to get this wrong.”
“I – I dinna remember,” admitted the man.
“Give me an answer, because your life depends on it.” Tristan stood up right in front of the man now, looking and sounding very threatening. He was tall with wide shoulders, his presence filling the small room. Next to him, Birk looked tiny. “I’m waiting, Birk.”
“It’s . . . it’s . . .”
“Yes?” Tristan raised a brow.
“It’s the Sea Hawk.”
“Is it?” Tristan’s eyes flashed over to his brothers and they all smiled.
“Nay, mayhap it’s the . . . the . . . Condor,” said Birk nervously. “Aye, that’s yer ship’s name.”
“Are you sure?” Tristan’s voice remained calm and steady as he used his sleeve to shine the flat end of his sword that lay across his lap. Gavina wondered what kind of game he played with Birk. Whatever it was, it seemed to make the man very nervous.
“Nay, wait a minute,” squealed Birk, his voice raising an octave. “Just give me a minute to think. It’s the . . . the . . . Eagle.” He snapped his fingers in the air. “Aye, the name of yer ship is the Eagle.”
“Wrong for the third time, and the odds are not looking to be in your favor.” Tristan remained calm, slowly standing up with his sword clutched in his large fist. “Mayhap I should just tell you. It’s the Falcon,” said Tristan, leaning in closer when he revealed his ship’s name.
“Aye, of course it is. The Falcon. I kent it was a bird,” said Birk. “I promise ye I’ll never forget it again.”
“Don’t worry, because you won’t have to remember.”
“I willna?” Birk’s eyes flashed over to the brothers and back to Tristan. Then his attention was on his dead men lying sprawled across the floor. Slowly, he took a step backwards, looking very frightened. “Why no’?” he asked, his lips quivering as he forced a smile.
“Because, I’m going to kill you, that’s why.”
“B-but ye canna. I have the m-map memorized,” stuttered Birk, his palms going up in the air as if he were trying to make an invisible wall between him and the pirate. “If ye kill me ye’ll never find the treasure.”
“Not true.” Tristan smiled and Birk frowned. “You see, it’s clear to me that if you cannot even remember the name of my damned ship, then you don’t have the map memorized either. That means you’ve got a hidden copy of it somewhere. You stole what was supposed to be mine, and I cannot let you get away with it.”
“Nay, ye’ve got it wrong.” Birk seemed desperate now. “I didna ken it was yer map when I stole it from the old hag. And I dinna have a copy. Ye’ve got to believe me.” Then he slowly lowered his hands and his spine stiffened. His chin lifted as he boldly continued. “Besides, even if I did have a copy of the map, I’d never tell ye where I hid it.”
“I know that. So, I guess I’ll just have to find it myself. Search the room, boys,” Tristan told the two others that were with him.
“With pleasure, starting with Birk.” Aaron reached out and ripped open Birk’s shirt, searching him for a copy of the map.
“Get away. I told you I dinna have it.” Birk pushed him, and Aaron stumbled.
“You’ll die for that, Birk.” With his sword drawn, Aaron lunged at Birk, but Tristan held him back.
“Wait, little brother.”
“What for?” grumbled Aaron. “Let me kill the sneaky bastard.”
“Let’s find that copy of the map first. Search every corner. He couldn’t have hidden it far. He’d never let it out of his sight.”
Gavina whimpered, covering her mouth, but it was too late. They’d heard her.
“Who’s there?” Tristan’s head snapped around and he peered into the far corner. “Come out here into the light where I can see you.” He lifted his blade, leading his way across the room.
Gavina shook with fear, unable to even move. These were the cutthroat pirates that Birk had told her about. Things had gone from bad to worse ever since she set foot in the tavern, and it looked as if her life were over now unless she could somehow escape.
“I said, get out here!” Tristan shouted, reaching out and yanking her to her feet. Her body crashed into his, her cheek momentarily resting up against his bare skin poking through his opened shirt. She pushed away, daring to look up into the eyes of the pirate devil.
“Who are you?” he growled, demanding an answer.
“Leave him alone,” spat Birk from across the room. “He’s naught more than a lad.”
“I see,” said Tristan, studying Gavina with a penetrating perusal. “What are you to Birk?”
“He’s my servant boy,” Birk answered, and she was thankful. The last thing she wanted to do was to talk to a pirate. “He kens nothin’. He walked into the room right before ye did, I swear.”
“You look more like a milksop to me,” said Tristan with a grunt. “Tell me, Boy, do you know where Birk hid the copy of the map?”
Gavina swallowed hard, her eyes glancing over to Birk who was slowly moving toward her. He gave her a small shake of his head, warning her silently not to tell them.
“N-nay,” she said, barely able to say the one word. She cleared her throat, realizing she was supposed to be a boy and should probably try to lower her voice.
“Search the boy,” Tristan said over his shoulder. His brother, Mardon, headed in her direction. Gavina let out a small whimper and backed away from him, her back hitting up against the wall.
“Ye’re scarin’ the lad. Let me show ye that he doesna have it.” Birk held his hands in the air to show he had no weapon, and slowly moved toward her.
“All right,” agreed Tristan. “Then do it.”
Birk patted her down, pulling up the legs of her trews and then pulling up the front of her tunic, quickly showing her stomach, but not going high enough to let them see her breasts.
“I don’t see a map anywhere,” said Mardon, throwing things through the air as he searched through a trunk.
“Damn. If only we were a few minutes earlier, I might have been able to save it.” Aaron poked at the fire with the tip of his sword, trying to salvage the burned remnants of the map, but to no avail.
Gavina didn’t say a word.
“What’s this?” asked Tristan, looking down at Gavina’s feet. He used the tip of his sword and picked up her flute by the string that was attached to it.
“That’s mine! Dinna touch it.” She reached out for it, but Birk held her back with his arm, making her feel as if she were pressing up against a stone wall.
“It’s just a flute, lad, let him have it. It can be replaced,” said Birk.
“That one canna,” she said, trying to remember to make her voice sound lower. She wore a hat, and kept her face tilted downward, trying to hide beneath the brim.
“Can you play it?” asked Tristan, surprising her by the question, running his hand along the length of the flute like he was stroking a lover.
“Of course, I can play it! I said it’s mine.” Her jaw clenched as she held back her
emotions, watching him touch her flute. For some reason, she swore she could feel him touching her as well, though he wasn’t. Gooseflesh rose on her arms and she rubbed her hands over them. That flute was sacred to her and the last remembrance she had of her older brother, Liam. She prayed the pirate wouldn’t break it or take it.
“What’s your name, lad?” Tristan asked her, looking up from the flute.
“His name is –” Birk started, but Tristan held up his hand to silence him.
“I’m talking to the boy,” he growled.
“I’m Gavin- . . . Gavin,” she answered, almost giving him her real name, but catching her mistake at the last minute.
“Gavin, Gavin,” he repeated with a smile. “Either your parents had an odd sense of humor, or I’m frightening you.”
“Ye dinna scare me,” she said, not wanting the man to know how much he really did. Her eyes settled on her flute in his hand once more.
“Oh, then it’s this that takes your concern.” He held her flute up between them. “Take it,” he said. “I don’t know how to play it so it has no value to me.”
“Thank ye,” she whispered.
When she reached out for it, he snatched it away before she could even touch it. “On second thought, I think I’ll hold on to it for now.” He knotted the string from the flute around his belt. Her eyes focused on his thick waist belt carrying many weapons. He had a second belt over one shoulder with the sheath to his sword.
“You can see I dinna have the map, so leave us, and dinna return,” Birk told the pirates.
“I will,” said Tristan. When Gavina looked back up, he was staring right at her. His green eyes met hers and she noticed that they were the color of the sea. For some reason, she couldn’t look away. “We’ll be leaving, but I will be taking your servant boy with us.”
“Nay!” both Birk and Gavina shouted at the same time.
“Ye canna have him,” protested Birk.
“I find it odd that you’re so protective over a mere servant,” Tristan remarked, his eyes darting back to his brothers. “Why is this boy so important to you?”
“He’s no’. It’s just that I . . . I need him,” stuttered Birk. “To do my biddin’.”
Tristan (Pirate Lords Series Book 1) Page 5