Cutlass (Cutlass Series)

by Ashley Nixon

  “Aren’t you going to remove my binds?”

  “No.”

  “How am I to sleep?”

  “How do you normally sleep?”

  “Not tied up.”

  “Surprising. Then this will be a first for you. Good night.”

  Larkin looked at Leaf who still sat at the fire, his legs drawn up. He smirked and then blew on the fire, and all went dark.

  ***

  Any other time, Barren would be able to sleep easily on the cold floor of the cave, but not tonight. Tonight, the rocks dug into his back, the blanket was too thin, and every small noise put him on edge. He expected two things to happen: either they would be discovered, or Larkin would try to flee. So far, Larkin was quietly leaning against the wall of the cave. In the darkness, he couldn’t tell if she was sleeping, though she shifted a lot, probably trying to find a comfortable position. He laughed to himself a little. This girl had probably never slept on the floor in her life. She was used to feather beds, warmth, and linens.

  It was then Barren finally heard it—an explosion erupted, and a cracking sound filled the air as a cannon ripped into the Cliffs. Barren shot to his feet.

  “Everyone up!” he yelled in the darkness, though it was probably unnecessary considering the terrible sound the cannon had made. “Get to the ship!”

  The crew followed quickly. They were all calm and very thorough, making sure to gather as much food, artillery, and whatever other belongings they needed before heading out of the cave. They had prepared for this.

  Barren hurried to pull on his sword belt and boots, then headed for Larkin. He pulled her to her feet, and she stumbled and fell, hitting the rocky ground. Barren helped her up gently, despite the chaos surrounding them.

  Outside, the night was cool and misty, the air smelled of smoke, metal and dust. Barren led Larkin through the mud and water as the sounds of war riddled the air.

  “If they were trying to save you, this wasn’t the way to do it. This will only get you killed.” Barren’s voice was steady and serious. He was angry. This was exactly the opposite of what he expected William to do. Not only would this attack drive them farther from Maris, it left Barren no opportunity to take Larkin back to Maris if he wanted to.

  Keeping his hand on Larkin’s back, he led her toward the ship. He wondered what she was feeling at this moment—did this attack come as a surprise to her as well? If she was afraid, she was good at hiding it.

  As they boarded the ship, a cannon ball crashed into the cave that had been their refuge, a deafening crack shattering the air. A section of the Cliffs collapsed; pieces of rock broke apart and fell into the ocean, causing water to rise up and accost the air.

  Barren moved Larkin to the center of the ship and left her there as he and the others prepared to sail. Barren knew his men were skilled at working under pressure, and the ship was moving in no time: anchor lifted, sails drawn, weapons prepared, just in case things went south. After part of the Cliff’s collapsed, the firing stopped momentarily—whoever was attacking them was waiting for them to flee.

  Leaf peered through the curtain of darkness, searching for the source of the cannons.

  “Who are they?”

  “I can’t tell,” the Elf’s brows came together. “The ship bears no mark of Maris, nor that of a pirate.”

  Barren was silent. He turned to look at their old refuge. What was once a massive wall of rock in the center of the Orient was now a pile of rubble.

  “Did they not think about this?” asked Leaf. “They could have killed her. And how will they know they haven’t?”

  “Perhaps the only intention was to lure us out,” suggested Barren. If they were careful and headed in the opposite direction, the attacking ship would never see them and they could escape—it was too dark for human eyes to catch them. “Tread carefully, Sam. The Orient will protect us if we take the hard way out to sea.”

  “Where are we headed?” Sam called from the helm.

  “Silver Crest,” said Barren without thinking. He wasn’t sure what made him choose that island, but when he did, the decision felt right. “Let’s go to Silver Crest.”

  The Elf and Sam exchanged a look. “Really? You want to take her there?”

  Barren nodded, and Leaf raised his brows, shrugging. “You’re the captain.”

  Silver Crest would be the safest place they could go with Larkin, mostly because it was the pirate haven of the Orient, and Barren would be welcome there. It was also nearly impossible to find if you didn’t know how to navigate the sea; especially since the Orient was very particular about whom she let through. Another reason Barren wanted to go there was that he didn’t expect William to come with one ship to reclaim his bride. He would send a fleet. Barren did not have a fleet, but he guessed there were several pirates in Silver Crest ready to go to war against Jess Reed’s murderer.

  The steady tick-tock of the grandfather clock was the only noise in the study. Outside, the occasional rumble threatened rain. Sleepless and angry, Christopher Lee and William Reed were still up, contemplating their next move. William looked around him, trying to rest his eyes on anything other than Lee himself. The man had not stopped glaring at him since his daughter disappeared. On a regular basis, Lee and Reed really didn’t get along, and this situation had done little to alleviate the tension between them.

  After a moment, the lord stood and walked toward the window—gray light streamed in from the moist morning air.

  “So, do I understand you correctly? Let me repeat the news you have for me—the Cliffs were destroyed on your order, the rubble was searched, and there was no sign of my daughter or the pirates. Is that correct?”

  William swallowed hard. “Yes, Lord.” William, sitting tensely in his seat, gripped Larkin’s crimson scarf.

  “And you made this decision without the king’s orders? And without consideration of my daughter’s safety?”

  When William didn’t say anything, Christopher turned around. His presence seemed to swell and fill the room. His ice-blue eyes chilled him to the core.

  “So, you will not take responsibility for your careless actions?” the lord’s tone was biting.

  “We both know the king would not have approved of destroying the Cliffs with his sons aboard Barren’s ship, even if he were here to make that decision.”

  “But I did not approve of destroying the Cliffs with my daughter aboard Barren’s ship!”

  “The rubble was searched, and there were no signs of the pirates. They must have fled before we got there. Larkin is alive.”

  “Alive? She’s alive for now,” Christopher’s voice rose in anger. “Considering your engagement to my daughter was my arrangement, I think I must reconsider, since you are so willing to put her life in danger for your own gain. Pray, tell me again what you gained from destroying the Cliffs?”

  If Christopher did call off the engagement, it would leave one of them happy—Larkin had made it perfectly clear that she was only agreeing to the marriage to satisfy her father. She had also made it clear that she could never learn to love him, even if he learned to love her. William ground his teeth together, recalling those words. She would learn to love him or he would see to it that she never loved another.

  “Everyone knew Barren’s strength came from his ability to move in and out of those Cliffs, hiding in the shadows. They should have been destroyed long ago to prevent him from wreaking havoc on our island.”

  “Yes, and you should have met him at sea long ago! Yet here you sit, stewing in your anger as I lecture you about your rash decisions!”

  William pressed his lips together. “Ensuring her safety at the party was not my responsibility, alone.”

  “Are you attempting to blame me for my daughter’s disappearance?” Christopher stepped behind his desk again.

  William averted his eyes. While he couldn’t completely blame Christopher, he knew he was part of the problem. Christopher always seemed lost in his own thoughts and consumed with his own agenda,
which left Larkin to fight for his attention in any way she saw fit. This normally added up to her inappropriate behavior in society—meaning she often voiced her sonorous opinions about politics in the Orient and relations with the Octent, not to mention she had habit of sneaking off to the shore late at night. She remedied this by doing anything Christopher asked—like marrying William.

  Christopher leaned across his desk. “Do you think I arranged this marriage because I’m fond of you?” His voice was low and gruff. “I agreed because you are the king’s nephew and may someday become king, especially since Tetherion’s sons have gone rogue. But if you defy Tetherion’s rule, how do you expect to become king?”

  “With force,” William replied simply.

  “Force? This is politics, William. Plain and simple—your job is to show them you’re king material, not act the part of an ex-pirate.”

  “If King Tetherion hasn’t removed his sons from succession by now, what makes you think he will? I will have no choice but to take the throne by force, and Larkin’s disappearance is just the beginning of that.”

  “And how is that?” Christopher wasn’t hiding the fact that he felt William was an imbecile, but William knew the old man by now. If he weren’t intrigued, he wouldn’t have asked.

  “The king can easily be blamed for Larkin’s disappearance,” said William at last. “His orders have stopped any attempt to destroy that ship. Now, with the embargo and Larkin missing—well, the public will only take so much. Maris has already stomped several revolts because of Barren.”

  Christopher’s brows perked, and he sat back in his chair. “What are you suggesting?”

  He had had a lot of time to consider what he was about to propose to Christopher Lee. Through the night, he’d sat on the shore near the ocean, fighting the anger that welled within him at the realization that Barren had gotten the best of him, but perhaps that was not so…perhaps this was the perfect situation to accomplish an even greater goal.

  “This situation has put us in the perfect position.” William finally met Christopher’s gaze, and with a shrug he said, “What if we say Larkin has been killed? And blame Tetherion for not taking care of Barren when he became a nuisance? For not dealing with pirates properly?”

  “But she is not dead,” said Christopher.

  “Barren will not return her until I meet him at sea. Who’s to say we are lying?”

  “The people will want proof.”

  “Is it enough that I cannot prove she is alive.” William held up the scarf. “I am a grieving lover, do I need proof?”

  Lee was quiet for a long moment. He tapped his fingers together as he considered what William was saying. “And you think this will be enough to shake the foundation upon which Tetherion stands?”

  “I do,” William replied. “Would you not agree it is the perfect storm?”

  “Perfect storm, perhaps—but you would incite rebellion. You realize this is treason?” Christopher raised his brow in question, as if William were stupid. The Ambassador wiped his sweaty palms on Larkin’s scarf. They’d waited for this opportunity for a long time. Here it had presented itself in the strangest of situations, enabled by his brother, and he wasn’t about to let it slip away from fear of prosecution.

  “We barely have a king,” said William. “Once we go public with our grief, it is only a matter of time before the people of Maris are revolting in the streets, demanding that King Tetherion be removed and I put in his place. What does Tetherion think he can do? Ignore Barren until the public forgets that he has murdered half our population? Before they forget his sons joined in on Barren’s cause? I think not.”

  Lee shrugged. “They have before.”

  “But Barren has never crossed over to the boarders of Maris. This is different.”

  “What happens when the people of Maris discover Larkin is not dead?”

  William shrugged. “It will merely be a happy ending.”

  “You risk death,” Christopher reminded William, and then he was silent for a long moment, reclining in his chair, fingers steepled. “Tetherion could return and crush you easily. You do not have the support Tetherion has. The nobles would turn against you...unless you possessed power greater than Tetherion’s title.”

  “What has more power than the title of king?”

  Christopher smirked, and it made William feel uncomfortable. “Why, the stone that binds your blood to the throne.”

  “You’ve gone senile in your old age,” William said. “The bloodstone is just a legend.”

  “Legends bear some truth,” said Christopher. “And I can assure you, the bloodstone is real. It has only been stolen.”

  The legend Christopher was referring to was known as The Elder King and the Bloodstone. In it, the Elder King, Eadred, fought against Gesalec the Defeated for the kingdom of the Orient. Eadred was given a bloodstone by the Elves, and was able to defeat Gesalec, winning the throne of the Orient. No one was really sure how Gesalec was defeated, and the legend only claimed that the stone tied the Reed line to the throne, making it impossible for any other to lay claim. The legend was one of the reasons the people of Mariana still believed the Elves were hiding powerful magic in their realm.

  “Who took it?”

  “Your father,” Christopher replied. “He, of all people, despised its existence. He believed that nothing entitled a man to the throne. He has hidden the stone somewhere in Mariana, I am sure of it. If you really want to become king without opposition, you’d do well to find it.”

  “But if it truly exists, then it is of no use in my hands. It would only mean I am entitled to the throne, as I share Eadred’s blood.”

  “On the contrary, at this moment, the bloodstone is not in any one person’s possession, which means it is protecting the whole of the Reed line, but if you were to possess it, it would recognize you as king and do anything in its power to protect you. You would be…invincible.”

  All his threats would be eliminated. A chill spread down his spine.

  “Where do we begin searching?”

  “I have a few ideas,” said Christopher. “But first, I want my daughter. If we are to hold up this charade, she cannot come here, and I’ll be damned if she remains in Barren’s hands.”

  “We can send our privateers for her,” said William. “She’ll be as safe with them as she is with us.”

  “Well, then, let’s get to grieving.”

  The next morning, Barren emerged from his cabin, a stale roll in his hand—breakfast. He tore at it absently, chewing on small pieces. The sun was abnormally bright, and almost blinded him as he left the shadow of his shelter. He moved up the stairs to the helm where Sam and Leaf stood. The Elf clutched a compass, and he and Sam were discussing navigation. Though they were both used to sailing to Silver Crest, there was always that chance that they’d make one wrong turn and miss the island entirely.

  Barren stared out at the deck of his ship. Datherious and Natherious were gathering supplies to repair a sail the violent wind had torn in the night. Seamus was inspecting several swivel cannons resting on the gunwales of the deck, and Slay sat perched in the crow’s nest, cutting away at a piece of wood: the shavings fell like rain, landing on the deck below. Barren thought about telling him to stop, but he guessed after having the pirate go after a blanket for Larkin, it was probably best to let him chop away at the stick, or he might find the knife in his back.

  “Anyone following us yet?” Barren asked Leaf.

  “Not that I can tell,” replied the Elf. He gazed around him one last time, not needing the aid of a spyglass. His Elvish sight was far superior to anything manmade.

  “Has she said anything?” Barren nodded toward Larkin. She remained against the wall of the ship where Barren had left her after the attack on the Cliffs. Remnants from the previous day still adorned her. Bits of flowers were tangled in her hair. Loose curls fell around her face, and black smudges beneath her eyes. Her dress, dirty and tattered, was spread out before her, and the jewel-toned
fabric shimmered in the sun. To his annoyance, Barren still thought she was beautiful.

  “Not a word,” said Leaf. “She’s barely moved, and more surprisingly, she hasn’t complained. If I couldn’t hear her breathing, I would assume she was dead. You might want to feed her, though. She is looking pale.”

  Barren watched her again; she didn’t look up. It was as if she were deliberately trying to stay focused on anything but the pirates. Barren took another bite of his roll.

  “I still marvel at how my brother managed to become engaged to her.”

  “I am surprised, too,” replied Leaf. “But only because she would not let him have his way so easily. Perhaps she will be good for William...she might put him in his place.”

  “Blasphemous words, Leaf,” said Barren. “Suggesting that anyone can be happy with William Reed. Besides, if she is so independent in thought, how did she let herself be directed into a marriage she did not want?”

  “You are not a part of their world, Barren. The only aspect of her life she has no control over is who she marries. Who she loves, well, that is a different story entirely.”

  “To marry William would be a waste.”

  “I must remind you that Larkin is half-Elf,” Leaf’s sea-green eyes were on her now. “And she can hear every word we are saying. Now...the bread?”

  Barren looked down at his roll again. He grabbed the canteen of water sitting next to the helm, and moved away from Leaf. His boots thudded against the deck but even then, Larkin didn’t look up. Barren stood before her for a moment, waiting to see if she would acknowledge him, and yet again, she didn’t move. So the pirate knelt to meet her gaze—her eyes seemed to simmer, and despite the fury aimed at him, he smiled.

  “Here,” he held out a piece of bread for her. “Eat.”

  She hesitated for a moment and then took a bite of the bread as he held it to her mouth, chewing slowly. After she swallowed, she met his gaze.