Blackbeard's Revenge (Voyages Of Queen Anne's Revenge Book 2)

by Jeremy McLean

  Plague pulled out a familiar needle from his pocket.

  No! Not Anne! Edward moved his body around and tried to push himself upright. Damn arms! You're stronger than this. "Anne! Run!" Edward yelled, but Anne was too far away and the noises of the battle too intense for her to hear. Damn legs, move!

  Plague set the needle into a crossbow bolt, placed the bolt in a crossbow, and aimed it at Anne.

  "Anne!" Edward yelled, but to no avail. He pushed his body with all his might, his face turning red and veins showing from the strain.

  Plague pulled the trigger, sending the bolt to Anne at incredible speed, and it struck her in the shoulder. Anne stopped what she was doing and pulled the bolt out of her shoulder, confusion on her face. She turned to the altar. Anne saw Plague and Edward, then she stepped forward, but she collapsed on the ground.

  "Anne, God, no!" Edward howled, tears filling his eyes, but still Anne did not answer.

  "Mission complete," Edward heard Plague say.

  Edward forced himself to his feet, anger driving his muscles. He picked up his cutlass from the altar and approached Plague with lethal intent. Plague turned and picked up his daggers again, ready to kill.

  Suddenly, Bartholomew jumped up behind Plague. The big man wrapped his massive arms around Plague's arms and pulled them back to expose the assassin's chest. Then Bartholomew wrapped his legs around Plague's, not allowing him any bit of movement.

  Plague struggled against the bonds, but at least for the moment Bartholomew's strength was more than Plague could break. "Hurry, Edward. Kill him!"

  Edward pulled the blade back and slashed Plague across the chest. Edward's gritted his teeth, and stared into Plague's eyes. For the first time Edward could see fear in the man's eyes.

  Plague broke free from Bartholomew and Edward, and fell forwards to the marble, his shaking hand holding himself up. Blood poured from the open wound. Plague turned himself around and lay back on the raised stone.

  Edward approached Plague. He leaned over the body of the man who had haunted them the past months. The man who killed Henry's mother, the man who took Pukuh's arm, and had now poisoned Anne.

  Plague coughed blood over the marble, and laughed. He continued to laugh and cough blood as Edward stared at him. Plague was dead, and the man himself knew it, yet he kept laughing.

  "William!" Edward beckoned.

  William rushed over to Edward's side; he was covered in wounds, but thankfully still alive. Edward lifted his golden blade over Plague's head and stared at William. William nodded and placed his hand over the hilt of the blade.

  "Go to Hell," Edward said.

  Edward and William slammed the golden cutlass down on Plague's neck, severing his head from his body. The man named Edward Russell, the Plague, one of the Immortal Seven, was finally dead.

  Though Plague did not live up to one of his names, those who witnessed his death claimed they could still hear him laughing even after Edward delivered the final blow. He laughed all the way to the grave and beyond.

  37. The Ship's Name

  Edward ran like a ship with a storm in its sails. "Stay with me, Anne," he said between breaths. Edward carried her to the Freedom, the battle still raging on behind him.

  Edward had rushed to Anne's body, calling for Alexandre as he did so. The wooden spikes had dropped, revealing a way out in between the two sides of the trial.

  "We need médecine from the ship," Alexandre had stated.

  Edward had nodded, picked Anne up, and started running with Alexandre closely behind.

  Edward ran along the walled path to the entrance they were in not hours before. He rushed around the wooden statue and the pressure plates and into the woods.

  Anne's breathing was shallow and she was as pale as a cloud on a summer's day. Her eyes were closed in pain, flickering as the light passed over.

  Edward cursed under his rapid breath. How could I be so foolish? All the signs were there. Plague was never meant for me. I should have seen it sooner.

  "Focus, Capitaine," Alexandre commanded, noticing Edward slowing.

  "Right," he replied, quickening his feet.

  Edward emerged from the forest to see three ships. The Fortune on the left, the Freedom next to it, and on the right a massive second-rate warship.

  Edward could smell gunpowder in the air, and bodies recently sent to the next world littered the beach and water surrounding the ships. The Freedom had no marks of battle, but the third ship had many holes across the hull from cannon fire.

  "Oi! Is anyone alive?" Edward yelled.

  Alexandre pulled on Edward's shoulder, trying to pull him back. The Frenchman held a finger to his lips to force a cautionary silence on the captain.

  Before Alexandre could pull Edward back into the forest, a man appeared on the fore of the Freedom. "Captain! Praise the heavens you be safe," he said.

  Alexandre released the captain and the two ran to the ship. Edward waded through the water and sand, balancing with Anne still in his arms. "What happened, besides the obvious?"

  The crewman followed Edward to the side, then dropped the Freedom's jolly boat into the water. "When we saw the warship approachin' those of us leftover from 'ere and the Fortune hid in the woods and after theys all left we snuck back and showed the leftovers what-for."

  Edward gently laid Anne down in the small boat, but climbed up a rope ladder instead of jumping in. The crewman talking with Edward called others to his aid and pulled the jolly boat back up to the deck.

  "Are the boys doing alright?" the crewman asked while pulling hard on the rope. "We saw the enemy head your way, but there were too many for us to stop them."

  "All is well, no need to worry yourselves. Bartholomew and I killed their leader, the Plague, and it's only a matter of time before the men finish his crew."

  Edward jumped over the railing of the ship as the crew were securing the boat and pulling Anne to the deck. Tala was sniffing Anne and licking her face, trying to wake her. Alexandre was ahead of Edward, running to his medical cabin. Edward took Anne into his arms, and followed the Frenchman to the lower deck.

  "What happened to Miss Bonney?" the crewman asked.

  "She was poisoned," Edward yelled back before descending the stairs.

  Edward took care in transporting Anne down the stairs and the narrow hallway to Alexandre's cabin. She was sweating bullets and mumbling indistinct words Edward couldn't make sense of.

  Almost there, Anne. Hold on a bit longer, and Alexandre will save you.

  Edward entered the cabin and lay Anne on the table in the middle of the room. At the back of the cabin, Alexandre flew into a frenzy, grabbing a mortar and pestle in one hand and the Mayan plant in the other. He threw the plant in the mortar and crushed the leaves together with the pestle.

  "Third shelf, black mushroom. Vite!" Alexandre commanded Edward.

  Edward jumped to the right side of the room with the various shelves and oddities contained within. He quickly scanned the shelf and found the mushrooms in a glass. Edward removed the glass and handed a mushroom to the surgeon.

  "Do you know what poison was used?" Edward asked.

  Alexandre dropped the mushroom in the mortar and crushed the plant and it together with some water. "Oui. Our man in noir was sloppy. I had never seen the poison used on the Mayan devil, so if he used that again our princess would be gone. This is one I have seen before. I did not have enough time to save Henry's mother, but this time…" Alexandre took out a cloth and wrapped the plant and mushroom paste in the centre of the cloth. "Grab the two bottles in the corner." Edward did as commanded and brought the sealed bottles over quickly. "Now smell each of them, s'il vous plait."

  Edward opened the first and took a whiff of the contents. "Smells sweet, but with a hint of rot. Akin to bad wine."

  "Close that and try the other."

  Edward took the second bottle and repeated the process, trusting Alexandre's process. "Is this vinegar?"

  "Bon, it is vinegar."


  "And the first one?"

  "If you wish to kill someone, pour the first liquid on their head." Alexandre smiled devilishly. "We will need it next."

  Edward gazed at the bottle with a new appreciation of terror. "Why are they not labelled?"

  "Too much work. Now, focus." Alexandre set down a glass and handed Edward the cloth with the plant and mushroom mixture. "Hold this over the glass."

  Edward glanced at the liquid Alexandre claimed could kill with a splash, took in a deep breath, and held the cloth over the glass. Edward's eyes were shut tightly and his hands clenched against the glass, his knuckles white in anticipation for the deadly liquid about to be poured near him.

  Edward heard some shuffling around him, then nothing. "You may open your eyes," Alexandre said. Edward did as instructed and now saw four wooden clothespins holding the cloth against the glass. "Your dedication to the woman you love is admirable, albeit misplaced. You did not think I would risk pouring the liquide over you, did you?"

  Edward grinned sheepishly. "No, of course not."

  Alexandre gave Edward a knowing glance, then slowly and carefully poured the contents of the first bottle over the cloth. As the liquid passed over the herbs and mushroom it took on a blackish green hue and dripped from the cloth into the glass. Alexandre was meticulous in his preparation, taking his time, which Edward knew was precious in this scenario.

  Edward left Alexandre to what he did best and turned to Anne. She was shaking and cold, but her forehead was slick with sweat, like her body was in the throes of a fever.

  Edward took Anne's hand and gripped it tightly. "You can make it, Anne. If anyone can beat this, I know you can. If you can hear me, you need to keep fighting a little longer." Edward leaned over and kissed Anne on the forehead before wiping a strand of red hair away.

  "Capitaine, the vinegar, if you please," Alexandre said over his shoulder.

  Edward let go of Anne's hand and grabbed the vinegar bottle, opening it in a single motion. Alexandre held the cloth in his index finger and thumb over the glass.

  "When I say now, pour the entire bottle of vinegar over my hands."

  Edward cocked his brow. "Why, what are you—"

  Alexandre squeezed the cloth together, causing the absorbed liquid to pass through it and over Alexandre's hand. The liquid burned Alexandre's skin as it transferred from the cloth to his hand and down to the glass below. Alexandre shook with the effort to let every drop fall into the glass; his arm convulsed and his eyes widened with pain, but his hands never moved an inch.

  Alexandre threw the cloth away and moved his hands to an open area. "Now!" he yelled.

  Edward paused for the slightest moment, still in shock from what he'd witnessed. He pulled himself together and dumped the vinegar over Alexandre's hands. The vinegar reacted with the other liquid, providing the surgeon with the needed relief. Edward continued until the whole of the bottle was empty and the room had taken on a smell of sweet vinegar wine, rot, and burning flesh.

  "Now, I will need you to make the final preparation," Alexandre said, holding his hands in front of him still, showing no sign of pain.

  "What do I need to do?"

  "Pour a drop into another glass, and fill the rest with water."

  "Easy."

  Edward took an empty glass and set it on the shelf in front of him. Then, with a shaking hand, he gripped the other glass. Alexandre watch over his shoulder, breathing down his neck.

  Edward turned his upper body to face Alexandre. "Do you mind?"

  Alexandre backed up a few paces and leaned on the shelf, still watching like a hawk.

  Edward took two deep breaths and picked up the glass with the deadly concoction. He gently moved it to the other glass, setting the lip of the first against the edge of the second. Centimetre by slow centimetre Edward tipped the first glass up.

  "Vite," Alexandre prompted.

  Edward closed his eyes in frustration for a moment, then turned to Alexandre. "Stop," he commanded.

  Edward turned back to his task, but an idea formed in his head. Edward set the first glass down and pulled a clean cloth from Alexandre's supplies. He took the cloth and dipped the corner into the glass, letting the liquid absorb in. After Edward felt enough liquid was absorbed he positioned the cloth over the second glass, then picked up a clothespin. Edward put the clothespin above the spot on the cloth where the liquid was, then moved the pin down, the pressure pushing the liquid down and out of the cloth. Once a drop fell, Edward removed the cloth and filled the glass with water.

  Edward turned to Alexandre, the glass in hand. "Now what?" Edward couldn't be sure, but he believed he saw a small grin on Alexandre's lips.

  "Now, you must make her drink."

  Edward lifted Anne's head with his left hand while holding the antidote in his right. "Anne, you must drink this. Anne! If you can hear me, I need you to drink this. It will help you."

  Edward pushed the glass to Anne's lips. Alexandre dried his burned hands and helped open her mouth. Edward tipped the glass and gradually poured the liquid down Anne's throat.

  She coughed, spitting a bit of the liquid out. "Damn," Edward cursed.

  "Let her head relax, it will help."

  Edward nodded and cradled her head in his elbow. Her mouth naturally opened. Alexandre took the glass from Edward and he took over administering it to Anne.

  After a laborious ten minutes, the liquid was gone. Edward gently laid Anne's head back down on the table. She was still sweating and breathing rapidly.

  "Now what?" Edward asked.

  Alexandre returned his instruments to the shelves. "Now, we wait. The worst is past us. Se relaxer, your beloved will live on. Make her comfortable and wait for her to awaken."

  Edward nodded, then pulled Alexandre close and embraced him. "Thank you. You saved us all a dozen times over. I know I don't thank you enough for all you've done for our family, and for that I'm sorry." Edward let Alexandre go.

  Alexandre smirked. "Careful, Capitaine. I may become attached to everyone."

  Edward laughed as he picked up Anne from the table. "We both know it's too late for that."

  Edward then noticed the audience watching the entire time. He passed by them all, Anne in his arms. The crewmen watched Anne with concern and relief in their eyes. After Edward was outside the room, the crewmen piled into the medical cabin and flooded Alexandre with praise and questions all at once. Edward could see a smile at the corner of Alexandre's lips.

  Edward took Anne to the crew cabin and lay her down in their bed in the corner underneath the stairs. He pulled the covers over her, and kissed her on the forehead.

  "I won't be long, Anne."

  Edward ran back up the stairs of the crew cabin and then up to the top deck. He jumped over the side of the ship and climbed down the rope ladder to the sandy beach below. He ran to the path, but stopped short of entering. The crew of the Freedom and Fortune were standing in front of Edward. Bartholomew was leading the pack, waving to Edward.

  "My boy! Is Anne well?" he asked immediately. His face was bloody, dirt and cuts covering his body, but Bartholomew appeared no worse for wear.

  "Yes, she is fine. Alexandre created an antidote for the poison. I trust your return means the battle went smoothly?"

  "Aye, God was with us this day. We only battled half of Plague's crew, given the design of this trial, and when providence sent your crew to our aid the numbers were in our favour."

  Edward stroked his beard. "So the other half of Plague's crew is stuck behind the ark with no way out then."

  "Right you are. Ah, yes, you should be delighted to have this, I presume?" Bartholomew reached into his pocket and pulled out a key.

  Edward smiled. "How did you happen upon this?"

  "Writing on the front of the altar indicated a need to sacrifice blood. After you left, Plague's blood pooled on the altar and activated it, opening an alcove with the key inside."

  Pukuh and William, injured and helping each other walk, trudged over
to Edward and Bartholomew.

  "Where is Anne?" William asked, concern evident in his eyes.

  "She is in the crew cabin, resting. Alexandre made an antidote for her, so she is safe."

  William let out a sigh and nodded to Edward in thanks.

  Jack and Hank Abbot were next. The two waved to their captains as they passed. Jack was battle worn, but in good spirits considering. He had overheard Edward's mention of Anne being safe.

  Christina, Herbert, and Nassir exited the path after Jack and Hank. Christina ran over to Edward, followed by Herbert and Nassir on her heels.

  "Is Anne safe?" Christina asked Edward.

  Edward laughed, this being the third time he was asked. "Yes, she is well thanks to Alexandre. If you wish to see her, she is in the crew cabin resting."

  Christina kissed Edward on the cheek and then ran off to the Freedom ahead of her brother. Herbert and Nassir were fatigued, but uninjured. They both nodded to Edward when he glanced over.

  The remainder of the crew passed in waves, some more injured than others, and many asked about Anne despite their own worries. Edward answered their questions with a scolding remark to return to the ship and worry about themselves, followed by assuring them Anne was alright.

  Victor arrived last, carrying a body slumped over his shoulder, and something in his hand. This time, Edward ran over.

  "Did one of our crewmates die, Victor?" Edward asked.

  Victor shied away from Edward's eyes as he replied, "No."

  "Then, who…?" Edward examined the body, then noticed a severed head in Victor's hand.

  "Alexandre wanted the body," Victor said curtly. "Problem?"

  Edward stepped aside. "No, no. Continue on."

  Edward couldn't help but stare at the head as Victor walked to the ship. Plague still had a smile on his face, and though his eyes had gone glossy and dull already they were no less potent in inspiring fear. Like the eyes of Medusa, Plague could turn even the most hardened man to stone with his gaze.

  "Quite the foe, that one. You know him?" Bartholomew asked.

  "Yes, we met him a few times on our journey. He was well known by the name Plague, but his true name was Edward Russell. Anne and William believed him to be a Royal Assassin under direct orders from Queen Anne."