by Kari Edgren
He bowed, his large body moving with surprising grace.
Deadly grace, I couldn’t help thinking. Murmuring the requisite niceties, I linked my arm through Justine’s, ready to be away from the man, when he leaned over to whisper in her ear. “You may detain me whenever you wish, Miss Rose.”
My eyes widened from the blatant invitation. Justine just laughed, wagging a finger at him before following Master Calhoun down the dark corridor. James and Julian walked behind, sullen in their silence.
“You’ve made a right conquest, me lass,” Calhoun said to Justine. “Come the morn, you’ll be carrying the poor captain’s heart to Wexford, you will.”
“One must have a heart to lose it,” I mumbled.
Calhoun chuckled. “Mind you, Captain Lynch has plenty o’ heart when the time calls for it.”
We continued along the passageway, wooden crates coming in and out of view from the pocket of light cast by the sole lantern, held aloft in Calhoun’s meaty paw. The air felt noticeably cooler after two hours in the captain’s cabin, though even then I hadn’t felt truly warm despite having changed into dry clothing. With a shiver, I silently cursed the frigid sea wind, ready to trade my soul for a hot bath and down bed. Another shiver threatened when I caught sight of something that sent my heart flying into my sternum.
A girl had appeared out of nowhere, standing like a ghost between two large crates. Her eyes latched onto mine, and I recognized the mousy-brown hair and heart-shaped face, except with the addition of a swollen eye and discolored cheeks. The light moved forward another stride, and the darkness swallowed her whole.
“Gracious me!” I came to a stop, dropping Justine’s arm in the process. James and Julian stopped behind us.
Master Calhoun turned and held the lantern high. “What be the matter, Miss Kilbrid? Did a rat cross your path? The captain won’t be pleased if’n they’re nibbling his spices.”
I squinted into the shadows and pointed at the crates. “I saw a girl standing there, the same one who brought us the light earlier. But her face was bruised like she’d been beaten.”
Calhoun moved the lantern closer, shined it over the specified crates before moving it to illuminate a wider span. Nothing appeared, not even a rat. “You be sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.” I looked to the rest of my party. “Didn’t anyone else see her?”
No one spoke, just shook their heads in thoughtful silence.
I pointed again. “I tell you, she was right here.” How could they have missed her? Were they blind or had my mind been playing tricks again?
“Well,” Calhoun said, “supposing that be the truth o’ it, she’s long gone by now. I’ll keep me eye open all the same.” He swept a full circle with the lantern, coming to a stop right in front of me.
I squinted from the onslaught of light. “If you find the girl, please bring her to my cabin. I’ve a skilled hand with healing and may be able to help.”
He peered at me, and for some reason that one good eye made the skin prickle at my nape. “You wouldn’t be horning in on me trade, would you now?” He chuckled, and I fought the urge to step back.
Justine re-linked our arms. Then she gave an exaggerated yawn, patting her mouth for further effect. “Time for bed. Please lead on, Master Calhoun, before I fall asleep on my feet.”
“As you wish, me lass.” With a sweep of his amber cape, he spun around, the lantern held aloft once more. Arriving at the cabin, he touched the brim of his hat. “Till the morning then.”
He handed James the lantern, and we hustled inside, pulling the door shut behind us. I sank down onto the bunk, the image of the girl’s injured face turning the roasted beef and carrots to a cold lump in my stomach. Julian strode through the cabin to stand at the far wall with his arms crossed. James held a similar position, though with his back to the door. Their hard expressions bespoke of unpleasant thoughts, which I assumed had more to do with Captain Lynch than a girl neither had seen.
Perhaps she had only been a figment of my imagination. If so, the incident would be in good company with every other crazy thing that had happened today.
I rubbed my stomach, thankful the stays had been laced looser than usual.
Justine gave me a sympathetic grin. “Is supper bothering you?”
“A little indigestion,” I admitted. “I usually don’t eat so much at once.” The captain might be a depraved lecher, but his cook was a culinary angel.
“You did make quite the spectacle of yourself,” she laughed. “The captain almost had to send for another pie to keep up with you.”
“Captain Lynch was too busy devouring you to notice anything else, including the food on his own plate.” I loosened the stomacher in the front of my gown in search of more room.
Justine flopped on the other bunk in one of the least ladylike moves I’d ever seen her make. “Nothing but a bit of harmless flirting.”
A curt breath cut through Julian’s nose. “The man was practically making love to you all through supper.”
“Your concern does you credit, my lord.” Justine raised both arms toward the ceiling in a stretch. “But I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.”
“That’s not the point,” James said. “Captain Lynch behaved shamefully and should have been brought to task for it.”
“And bring the whole crew down on our heads in the middle of the Irish Sea?” Justine asked, incredulous. “You two did exactly as you should tonight by acting the perfect gentlemen without giving the least cause for retribution.” She patted the mattress next to her. “Sit down, Lord Stroud. You hardly look comfortable holding up the wall.”
I looked at James, my eyes beginning to droop. “You too, Mr. Roth. Forget about the captain and get some rest.”
James scrubbed a hand across his forehead. “You’re right. We’ll be done with the Sea Witch by morning.” Placing the lantern on the floor, he sat on the mattress next to me, and started removing his boots. “I’m so tired, I can’t see straight.”
Julian followed, sitting on the opposite bunk beside Justine.
I tried to stifle a yawn, but failed. His boots off, James moved from the bunk to rustle his saddlebag and greatcoat into a makeshift bed on the floor. Kicking off my slippers, I burrowed beneath the wool blanket and curled to one side. A brush and tooth powder beckoned from my bags, but lead seemed to have filled my body, making it near impossible to rise.
Julian and Justine laughed about something on the opposite bunk. I watched them for a moment, my eyelids drooping even more when Julian’s gaze eased to me. Lust burned unguarded in the brown depths. Heat emanated from him, spanning the small distance between us.
A faint smile curved his lips, and my last coherent thought came in a question. Do you ever give up?
Never...
My lashes fluttered shut, and the soft glow of the lantern surrendered to the darkness of sleep.
* * *
Fly away, Birdie girl.
I turned toward the familiar singsong voice. Deri’s pale blue eyes met mine, and hatred twisted in my gut as my fingers clenched around the bone handle of Brigid’s knife.
Something moved at her feet. I stared at the dark outline, tracing the lines of what appeared to be a wounded animal. Or a person. The sound of soft crying curled inside my ears.
Nora...
Fear burst inside me. I tried to lunge forward, but my legs refused to move. Deri laughed, icy threads that wove together with Nora’s plaintive cries.
Don’t hurt her.
I strained every muscle, fought to the extent of my strength for some measure of movement. Nothing happened. My body was useless, frozen in place as though paralyzed.
What’s wrong with me?
Deri’s laughter swelled to a maniacal trill. Reaching down, her hand hovered an inch from Nora
...
NO!
I jerked hard. There was a sharp thud, followed by a shock of pain in the back of my head. I gasped, and my eyes flew wide. The fingers of one hand moved reflexively around a fistful of air. The blanket had twisted around me, and I scrambled from the mess to stare wildly through sleep-filled eyes.
The world slowly came to right—four bare wooden walls, a low ceiling and no window. The lantern burned dim in the corner near the door, casting an eerie glow through the small cabin. James and Julian slept undisturbed on the floor. Justine mumbled something in her sleep from the other bunk before turning over to face the wall.
It was only a dream... Deri isn’t here... Nora isn’t hurt.
A breath shuddered from me. It had been months since my last nightmare, when I’d dreamt of drowning and woken up covered in sweat and fighting the bedcovers. This dream had been no less real with the laughter and plaintive cries. I gently rubbed the tender spot on the back of my head, feeling the beginnings of a lump.
Especially the cries...
The softest noise drifted into the room, settled like an iron rod in my spine. I sat stone still, not even daring to breathe, and listened for all I was worth.
It came again, a little stronger this time, the sound of a girl crying in the passageway not too far from the cabin door. A memory of the battered face flashed through my mind, bringing my feet instinctively to the floor.
She had been real after all and clearly in need of help. For the briefest moment, I debated waking one of the men for extra security. But that would waste valuable time and inevitably lead to heated discussions regarding either overactive imaginations or minding my own business. By then, the girl could be well away, vanishing again into the maze of cargo.
Having made up my mind, I pushed up from the bed and picked my way through the tangle of outstretched legs and discarded shoes. The ship rocked beneath me, turning the furtive action into an acrobatic feat. It seemed to take forever, while my heart thumped a staccato, so loud I thought it might wake the ship’s crew by the time I reached the door. At the last step, I held back a relieved sigh, glancing around instead to make sure my companions were none the wiser.
No one stirred. James snored softly. Julian lay on his back, hands crossed on his chest in peaceful sleep. My aunt remained on her side, facing the wall with the woolen blanket pulled up to her chin. I grabbed the lantern and winced from the grinding rasp of the metal hinge. Lifting the latch, I slipped outside and pulled the door shut behind me.
The ship creaked and groaned. Ropes and nets strained against the weight of the cargo. The wind blew above deck, and the various sails flapped an endless chatter. Several long seconds passed before the higher pitch of crying found my ears again, guiding me away from the main hatchway, deeper into the ship’s hull.
The lantern swayed slightly with each tiptoed step. Crates soon appeared on either side of the passageway. “Don’t be afraid,” I said in a low voice. “I’ve come to help you.”
A loud sniffle sounded in reply, ahead and to the right. I crept forward, peering into any gap large enough to hold a person. Another step, and I held the lantern between two stacks of crates, in a space no wider than my shoulders. My gaze dropped to knee-level, to a disheveled top of mousy-brown hair.
The girl was crouched sideways a few feet off the passageway, her legs hugged tight to her chest. The heart-shaped face was hidden from sight, buried in a nest of arms and rough green wool. I sank to my haunches, setting the lantern on the floor. With a whimper, she turned her head toward me. The one eye had almost swollen shut. The other was rimmed red from crying, and tears glistened on her bruised cheeks. I stared at her, dismayed that I could ever have thought such damage to be a product of my imagination.
I forced a gentle smile and reached a hand toward her. “I can help you if you’d like.”
The girl shook her head. “Go away,” she whispered, in a gruff Irish lilt. “I’ve done me part, now leave me be.”
A sudden chill found my neck. I shivered forcibly, dropping my arm for support as goose bumps raced across my skin. “Good heavens, it’s cold out here. Why don’t you come into my cabin, and we’ll see to those bruises.”
“You’ve no help to offer me.”
“I’ve a great deal of experience with healing.” My gaze moved to her neck and the slight form concealed beneath the dark green gown. “Have you more injuries?”
Her eyes shifted away from me. “There’s nothing more to see.”
My mouth tightened with anger. Based on her tone, the damage to her face was just the tip of the iceberg. “Who did this to you?”
“It’s none o’ your concern.” She pushed sideways, increasing the distance between us. “Go now afore it’s too late.”
“Too late for what? Is someone searching for you?” Another shiver ran the length of me, and I braced myself against the crate to keep from tumbling over.
“He’ll find me, all right. And he’ll find you, too, if’n you’re out here to be found. I tried to warn you earlier, I did. Now go away.” She shooed a hand at me. “Off with you! Go back to that cabin and lock the door. And don’t you be answering for no one.”
Footsteps sounded down the passageway. The girl’s eyes went wide with fear. “Go, now!” she hissed.
I set my shoulders. “Not without you.”
“Stubborn fool.” She groaned softly. “Hide the light, will you, and step beside me. Maybe with God’s luck, they’ll pass us by.”
I did as she bid, pushing the lantern into the gap before sliding in sideways. The light dimmed behind my skirts, then went out altogether. Displeased with the odd angle, I turned a quarter circle to face forward instead. My shoulders had to be drawn inward to fit, but it was the only way to give my hands equal play. Still as a statue, I coated my palms with power, ready to strike if necessary.
Footsteps drew closer. Weak light nudged at the darkness from the approach of another lantern. “Are you certain she won’t try to back out again?” a man asked, speaking in a low voice. “That girl of yours is as fickle as a guinea hen.”
I swallowed a gasp. Captain Lynch.
A soft chuckle followed. “Did you get a peep at her face? Me lass learned her lesson and won’t be stirring up any more trouble.”
Calhoun. And that damnable cur had admitted to hurting the girl. My temper raged, and another burst of fire raced to my palms. We’ll see who learns their lesson tonight.
“You’d better be right,” the captain said. “I’ve a vixen to tame once you’re gone.”
Another chuckle. “That Miss Rose be a rare prize, and a fair trade for the other one.”
Captain Lynch grunted. “Fortunate for you, I’m a man of my word, or I’d have them both.”
“I’ll be counting me good luck then, while you’re busy counting the gold I left in your pockets.”
“Fair enough, Calhoun. I’ll not interfere. Miss Kilbrid is yours for the taking.”
“What about the gents? Have you plans for them yet?”
Each word turned to ice in my stomach. Saints above! We’d walked straight into a viper’s nest! Another shiver rose up, and I wedged my elbows into the crates to keep from shaking.
“I’ll deal with them later,” Captain Lynch said. “Donal’s got a few ideas, don’t you, man.”
“Aye,” Donal grunted, and I recalled the rat-faced sailor from the deck.
Blast! That made it three to one.
The light grew stronger. Nerves jumped through my skin, and my hands trembled as though stricken with a palsy. Just a few more steps...
The light stopped suddenly. “Where the deuce are they?” the captain snarled. “We should have found them by now.”
“Don’t you be fretting. They’re here, I feel it in me bones.”
“Then find them! I want this business
finished before the sun’s up.”
They were so close, my fingers twitched in anticipation. Then another chill brushed my skin. A shiver gathered, ran through me from nape to navel. Not fully braced, I thumped an elbow into a crate.
“Did you hear that?” The captain’s voice dipped low with excitement.
Every muscle tensed at once. I waited, ready to strike at the first thing that came into view.
Feet shuffled, and Donal appeared in front of me, just out of reach. Hell and furies! I glared at him, daring him to come closer.
“I’ve got one here, sir. Awake as the day and staring me straight in the eye.”
“You whore’s brat!” Calhoun growled. “You’ll pay for this treachery, you will.”
The girl whimpered behind me and pushed deeper between the crates.
Donal grinned, revealing yellow teeth. “Yer a pretty one. Too bad ye’ll be going away so soon.” He reached for me.
“Don’t you touch her!” Calhoun hissed.
Too late. I slammed my hand into his chest. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he fell to a heap on the floor. Silence followed, marked only by the panting rasps of my breath.
Captain Lynch stepped behind Donal, staying well out of harm’s way as he nudged the sailor with the toe of his boot. “Is he dead?” he asked, to no one in particular.
Calhoun held the lantern close to Donal’s lifeless face. “Could be. You never know with her kind.”
My kind? What did he know about my kind?
He shook his head. “Poor lad. I warned him, I did, but he weren’t to listen.”
The captain looked at me, his lip curled in a sneer. “Donal was a favorite of mine, Miss Kilbrid.”
“Then perhaps he should’ve left me alone.” My hands remained at shoulder height, palms ready to strike. “You’ve seen what I can do. Come any closer, and you’ll get the same.”
His eyes narrowed. “Brave words coming from a little girl who’s shaking like a frightened rabbit.”
“It’s cold in here,” I said, stating half the truth.
Sky-blue eyes bored into mine. “The worst fear is always the coldest, my dear.”