“You aren’t gold like Mara,” Anna commented, moving to sit in the chair next to her Fairy visitor.
“No,” Meeka smiled. “Each Fairy has coloring unique only to them.”
“So, Mara told you about me?” Anna asked.
“Yes,” Meeka nodded. “Well, she informed the Council and they informed the rest of us. I didn’t believe it. The portal between worlds has been closed for so long.”
“So I’ve been told,” Anna stated dryly.
“Is it true you cannot return?” Meeka’s eyes were concerned.
Anna nodded; amazed her eyes didn’t tear up at the acceptance of her truth. For the first time since Mara’s horrible news, Anna didn’t feel the desperate urge to cry or scream. Instead, there was just a deep, aching void where her family used to be. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling, but it was more bearable than the roller coaster of grief she’d been on for three weeks.
“I’m sorry, Anna,” Meeka sympathized.
“Me, too,” Anna poured two cups of the tea Meeka brought her, handing a cup to the Fairy.
“You seem to be taking it well,” Meeka noted.
“I wasn’t,” Anna spoke in surprise, holding the tea, but not drinking it. “I guess the good memories I have of my family help make it more bearable.”
“Did you discover this on your own?” Meeka prodded.
“No, a friend,” Anna closed her eyes briefly. “Or, at least, I thought he was a friend.”
“He made you happy,” Meeka stated. “That seems like something a friend would do.”
“He’s a liar; a monster according to the stories people tell,” Anna informed her.
“Pay no mind to what stories are told,” Meeka waved her hand with a laugh. “People like to spread drama. It makes their boring lives seem more exciting, even if only in their own minds.”
“He lied to me,” Anna stated. “He kept secrets.”
“We all lie and keep secrets, Anna, yourself included,” Meeka chastised. “Did you tell him of where you truly come from?”
After a brief hesitation, Anna shook her head, “no.”
“Perhaps, he is as they say, a monster,” Meeka sat up, taking a sip of her tea before continuing. “However, I don’t see how any monster could bring happiness to as heavy a heart as yours. Surely, there is some good in him.”
“It doesn’t matter, now,” Anna sighed. “He’s gone and won’t be returning.”
“Well, at least he left you with a measure of peace before he left,” Meeka nodded.
Anna thought of the Fairy’s words, realizing she was right. Whatever secrets Jake kept and the lies he told, Anna was stronger for having known him. She may never be able to forget his indiscretions, but she would always remember the laughter he gave her. Anna looked over her shoulder, staring out her window at the Ocean. She smiled slightly, silently saying good-bye and moving on.
***
Jake’s gloved hands splayed around the glass of ale he held, his eyes transfixed on the amber liquid. The color reminded him of Anna’s eyes, a thought he quickly drowned in a large gulp of alcohol. He drank more than enough that day. Having docked in the small port of Rumala just as dawn came and finding a bar shortly after, Jake hadn’t kept an empty glass more than a few minutes before having it refilled. His head was buzzing with a thick, alcohol induced fog and Jake welcomed the numbing warmth of the liquid as he downed the rest of his glass.
“Take it easy, Cap’n,” Doc’s thick Celtic accent came from a nearby table. The ship’s medic was equally as inebriated as Jake, if not more so, making his comment all the more ridiculous.
“Speak for yourself, you old drunk,” Jake slurred.
“Aye, but I don’t need sobriety, old friend,” Doc hiccupped. “The boys have a present for ye comin’.”
“A present,” Jake muttered, his mind too soggy from ale to waste time imagining what the present may be. “Well, bring it on, mates!”
Laughter circled him as his men split apart, revealing a thick, beautiful bar wench behind them. The woman was dressed with purpose; her heavy make-up and revealing dress telling her services were bought for the evening. “We thought you could use a distraction, Captain,” Sully smiled, the older man the only sober Pirate among them.
“Aye, Sully,” Jake smiled. “You know me so well.”
Jake allowed the woman to claim his hand and lead him away from his table. Hoots and catcalls followed them down a hallway at the back of the bar and into a darkened bedroom. The woman closed the door, backing him up to it and rising up to press a hungry kiss on his mouth. Jake returned her fervor, pulling down the cap sleeves of her dress to reveal the bounty beneath the bodice.
The woman’s hands crept beneath his jacket, pushing it from his shoulders before setting to work on the buttons of his shirt. Jake stopped her exploration with his hand, “Shirt stays on, darlin’.”
“Whatever you want, Pirate,” the woman’s thick drawl was grating. “What I’m paid to care for isn’t under your shirt.”
Jake leaned heavily on the door as she dropped to her knees, her hands running down and up his thighs before setting to work on the buckle of his pants. He looked up at the ceiling, trying to work up any excitement at what the woman offered him, but failing. With a growl, Jake hoisted the woman up, tossing her to the bed at her back and coming down on top of her. His need for release was present, but his cock refused to harden for the wench. With determination, Jake pinned her down, feasting on her lips with his own as his hands explored her body.
By the woman’s whimpers, Jake knew he was too rough with her, but she didn’t complain. Women such as this wouldn’t complain. They were paid well to lay back and allow their clients to do whatever they wished, even if it caused them pain. The thought of Anna lying back for a man and allowing him access as this woman did sent ice through his veins. Jake jerked from the mattress, pacing the room in disgust of his reaction and the woman hired to please him.
The disheveled woman stared up at him in confusion, her dress torn and bruises forming where his hands had met her flesh. She was a lovely girl, with long blonde hair and green eyes which begged him to return, but Jake felt no desire for her. Running a hand through his hair, Jake straightened his clothing and headed toward the door.
“Wait,” The woman cried. “If you leave, I don’t get paid.”
Jake hesitated at the knob, a twinge of remorse for the woman making him look back. “I’ll go out the back. Wait a few minutes and tell them what you will.”
Without waiting for a response, Jake exited the room, following the dark hallway out the rear exit of the bar. His steps faltered and Jake thudded against the wooden wall of the building to steady himself. His gloved hands came up to cover his face as he groaned. Jake knew the moment Meridelle disappeared from view he made a horrible mistake. His inability to show interest in a hired woman was the last proof he needed to confirm his suspicion.
Jake did what he swore never to do; he’d fallen in love. Anna’s sweet, sad eyes haunted his every moment and the urge to return and beg for a chance was a growing ache in his gut. Jake thought he escaped without permanent damage, but it was too late. Anna found a way into his heart without even trying and Jake allowed it to happen.
There was no recovering for him, not from this. He would spend his life pining for a life and a woman he could never have. And, he reminded himself, he would never have her. Anna was beyond his reach. Jake was forbidden from entering Meridelle upon threat of death. Even if he did find a way to reach her, Jake knew Anna would never accept his past or forgive his sins.
“Why is the boss so obsessed with a powerless human?” A man’s voice echoed down the alley. “She’s nothing.”
Jake stayed to the shadows, knowing he was far too drunk for a successful fight. He kept out of sight as the men passed by, their conversation growing hushed, but still audible from his location.
“So, how does he expect us to reach her?” The first asked. “She’s locked up tight in Prince Char’s castle.
”
“We have friends on the inside,” The second man assured with a chuckle. “All we have to do is walk in and slit her throat; easy money.”
“So, who is this girl to him anyway?” The first pouted.
“I don’t know and I don’t care,” The second claimed. “The boss says this Anna girl dies, she dies.”
Jake’s blood ran cold, his alcohol induced daze gone in an instant. He strained to hear what the men were saying, sure he heard their conversation wrong, but they disappeared from his sight. Jake stumbled to the front of the bar, finding Sully on the porch smoking a pipe. He reached the surprised older man in several unsteady strides. “Gather the men, we sail now.”
“Jake,” Sully questioned; his eyes full of concern for his young Captain. “What’s happened? Is it the wench, I thought you’d be busy for hours.”
Jake waved off the man’s questions. “No time, mate,” Jake turned and started toward his ship. “We shove off now!”
With quickly sobering steps, Jake rushed toward his Crimson Jewel. By the time he reached the main deck, his mind was a war zone. He left Meridelle with no intention of ever returning. Whatever was happening within the castle walls was none of his concern; Anna was none of his concern. Still, the thought of sailing off and never knowing if Anna was safe or in danger was unacceptable.
Prince Char’s threat entered his mind, but Jake discarded it quickly. If the conversation he overheard held any truth, Jake had an obligation to act. Anna’s life may depend on it. Jake would do whatever it took to save the woman’s life, even if it meant losing his own at the hands of the castle Guards.
Chapter Nine
“Are you sure about this, Jake?” Sully asked with concern. Jake informed the older man of his intent on the short sail back to Meridelle, arriving just after midnight at the docks. Sully insisted on accompanying Jake as far as the castle walls, a vow he kept as they crouched in the shadows of ferns just beyond the royal grounds.
Jake knew his errand was foolhardy and reckless. His first mate had every right to be worried, but Jake was determined. “Just keep my lady warm for me, Sully. If things go wrong, we may need to make a quick exit.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Sully shook his head. “She knows what you are, now. She won’t come easy.”
“I know,” Jake muttered stiffly.
Nearing full sobriety, Jake came up with a plan to take Anna away from Meridelle, even if it be against her will. He couldn’t protect her inside the castle if as the two shadowed men stated were true none within the royal walls could be trusted. The only way he could guarantee Anna’s safety was to keep her close. Jake knew Sully was correct, Anna wouldn’t be accepting of Jake’s plan. He only hoped she would listen to reason once he explained the situation. And, if she still refused, Jake would do what needed to be done. She already believed him to be a vile monster, so he would take her as she expected to be taken.
Jake managed to pass the first set of gates easily, as they were very sparsely guarded, but the interior proved more difficult. Creeping through the shadows proved unwise as, in his buzzed state, he fumbled through the brush noisily. Jake managed to reach the outer walls of the castle before he was spotted. In an instant, Guards surrounded him, shoving him against the stone wall and binding his hands behind him. Jake groaned as he was thrust roughly to the ground, kneeling in front of the Guards.
“You have to let me go!” Jake demanded.
“Why would they do that?” Prince Char’s voice echoed as he came to join them.
“I need to see Anna,” Jake spoke calmly to the Prince hoping calm reasoning would earn him a few moments of her time.
“Anna wants nothing to do with you,” Char informed.
“I know,” Jake mumbled. “And, if I had any other option I would have stayed on my ship.”
“You should have,” Char muttered.
“Maybe,” Jake nodded. “I fear Anna’s life may be in danger. Please, I need to speak with her.”
“You think she needs you? You reek of ale and cheap perfume.” Char spat the words. “Anna deserves better than you, Pirate.”
“You won’t receive argument here, Mate. But, you can’t protect her,” Jake’s tone was calm. “I can.”
“You think you’re better equipped to protect her than I? You come in here fumbling around like a drunken idiot and you believe you can protect her,” Char straightened and his eyes chilled. “You’ll be sentenced at dawn.”
“You have to listen to me, Mate! Anna is in danger!” Jake shouted after the departing Prince.
“I’m not your mate,” Char turned back, his face angry. “And, Anna is just fine without you.”
“You’re making a mistake!” Jake watched the man walk away as the Guards jerked him to his feet. He pulled futilely against their hold as he was escorted down to the basement dungeons of the castle. Jake’s restraints were removed as he was tossed into a cell. He punched the back wall as the Guards walked away, the movement bringing a stinging sensation to his knuckles. The pain was a welcome relief from the frustration and anger he felt.
The last remnants of his earlier buzz gone, Jake was able to think back on the last few hours of foolish decisions he made with a clear mind. He could have sent a letter or a messenger. There was no need for him to place himself on the castle grounds; no need to remove her from their over fortified walls. Surely, if Char knew there were those in his employ who could not be trusted, he would launch an investigation. Char would discover the threat before Anna was harmed. Jake used these reassurances to calm the guilt he felt at not reaching her.
Char was right, Anna was better off without Jake’s interference. He couldn’t protect her; he would never be good enough. He should have stayed on his ship.
***
Char paced outside of Anna’s bedroom door, debating on whether or not to knock. He shook his head at his foolishness. Surely, Jake Reynold’s warnings were merely a ploy to be set free and escape his punishment. None in the realm knew of Anna’s origins, so there was none who would seek to harm her. Still, Char couldn’t shake the tingling sensation running down his spine, screaming at him to check on the woman in his care.
With a deep sigh, Char knocked on the door. Receiving no response he repeated the motion before pressing open the door slightly to peer inside. As he did, Char caught the scent of something foul before a blast propelled him back against the wall at his back. A moment of shock was followed by sickening dread. “Anna!” Char screamed as he stood and approached the door which was slammed closed with the explosion.
“Anna!” Char shouted as he pressed through the door, singed remains of linens were scattered throughout the room.
“Char?” Anna’s voice came from the hallway behind him.
Char turned, wrapping the woman in his arms and burying her against his chest. “Where were you? What happened?”
“I went to get a drink from the kitchen,” Anna sounded confused. “Is everything alright? I heard a bang.”
As she spoke, Char heard the stomping feet of his Guards, obviously alerted by the pop of the explosion. “Guardian Cole,” Char motioned for his most trusted Guard. “Take Anna to my study. No one is to visit her until I arrive.”
“Char,” Anna began. “What’s going on?”
“I’m sure it’s nothing, Anna,” Char breathed, trying to keep his fear from her. “I just need to check on something. Please, go with Cole.”
Anna nodded as she allowed the large Guard to take her arm, leading her down the hall. Char waited until she was out of sight to turn back to his Guards and Anna’s bedroom. A look inside revealed the explosion came from the stand beside her bed. One of his Guards bent to examine the charred remains, pulling up what was left of a shattered glass orb. The odor of dark chemicals remained on the glass, obviously having eaten away at the globe until it exploded. “I want everyone in the castle accounted for and their whereabouts documented since the moment Miss Blake arrived.”
“Y
es, Highness,” the Guards replied as one.
Char left the bedroom and walked swiftly to join Anna in his study. The sight of her sitting nervously in one of the leather chairs near the window pulled at Char’s pride. He thought she was safe in obscurity, but a dirty Pirate saw what he couldn’t. The thought rankled. “Anna, I need to ask you a question.”
“Is everything alright?” Anna asked as she stood to meet him.
“Yes, of course,” Char smiled. He may have failed to protect her this time, but Anna suffered enough pain these past weeks and didn’t need to be subjected to the truth of her danger then. “There was a glass orb on your night table, perhaps with some liquid inside? I need to know who gave this to you.”
Anna tilted her head in confusion, “You mean the globe with the swirling colors?”
“Yes,” Char smiled reassuringly. “Do you remember who gave it to you?”
“Of course,” Anna nodded. “Friga gave it to me last night before the ball.”
Char’s heart thundered in his chest as he struggled to find a way to excuse the woman who served his family for decades. Perhaps, she was given the globe, unaware of what it was. The explosive chemicals wouldn’t have been noticeable until they leached through the glass and touched the air. As much as he tried to pretend, Char knew what he must do. “Anna, I know it’s very late, but I need you to remain here for just a bit longer. I’ll return as soon as I can.”
Anna looked as if she wanted to question further, but she remained silent. Char laid a hand on her shoulder for a moment before ordering Cole to stay with her. As he exited the room, Char felt a jab of conscience for keeping secrets from the woman, but he easily excused them as necessary. Char needed to find out who wished Anna harm and the best way to ensure her safety was to keep her from knowing the truth.
“Highness, I must speak with you,” Mara’s hushed voice floated after him as Char paced the hall.
“Mara,” Char spoke her name in surprise. “I thought you were with your Council.”
“I was,” Mara confessed. “There has been a development. I fear Anna may be in danger.”
Once a Pirate (Mystical Realm Series Book 1) Page 8