Before Remy had the chance to answer, the door burst open yet again. Remy frowned, though somehow managed to keep from snapping at Edward and Nick that she would prefer it, actually, if they knocked before barging into the galleys. It was probably the look on Edward’s face that kept her from speaking.
“Sir,” he said, those deep blue eyes fixed solely on Nick. “A man. In the water. A shipwreck. Just ahead. Please. Come quickly.”
Nick did not need to be told twice. He was up and out of his seat without a glance in Remy’s direction.
Which was perfectly fine with Remy. Because she, too, wanted to see what rendered Edward unable to form a cohesive sentence. And if Nick had lingered, he would notice that Remy could not walk completely upright.
And Remy did not want that.
Fifteen
It took her longer than it normally would have, but Remy made it to the starboard side of the ship, along with the rest of the Black Star’s crew. It was another few minutes before she realized what everyone was staring at, and in that moment, she now understood Edward’s urgency. There, in the middle of the water was a man clinging to his dear life to a wooden sheet, probably once part of his ship that, judging from the pieces that littered the ocean, had been demolished.
“Oh my God,” Remy whispered to herself. Her body shuddered when she took in the sight of the dead bodies they came upon. Some were missing limbs. Others were bleeding out quite profusely. Others were decapitated. Sometimes, it was only a hand that floated by. But it did not matter. The blue of the water was tainted with red.
No one was shielding her. No one was telling her that a lady should not see such things. And Remy herself did not look away. She wanted to, and yet she was transfixed by the horrendous sight.
Who would do something like this? Who could be heartless? These men floating lifeless would never see their final resting place. Instead, they would be lost. And even though was not certain what that meant, exactly, she knew that being lost was probably the most tragic thing a soul could endure.
It was not fair.
“Surely we are going to do something, yes?” She tilted her head back so she was looking at Nick, hoping the look on his face, perhaps in his eyes, would give her some clue as to what it was he was thinking. Nick would not just leave the man, would he? Even though he was a pirate, Nick would do the right thing.
He had when it came to her. This man should be no different.
“We are not just going to leave him there,” Remy prodded, her eyes still planted on the pirate captain.
“Course not,” Nick said, though his eyes were looking at the man oddly, like the man was a piece to this incomplete puzzle and Nick had no idea as to where to place him. With that said, Nick turned his attention to Edward. “Get a line to throw at to the poor bloke and be prepared to cast it on my orders.”
Edward nodded and disappeared.
“Ahoy there, mate!” Nick called to the man.’
“Ahoy,” the man called back. His blue eyes locked onto Nick – it was quite easy to decipher that Nick was the man in charge – and his chapped lips curled into a smile nothing short of relief. His voice was groggy, filled with exhaustion.
Edward returned at that moment with rope and proceeded to tie one end to the banister of the ship.
“What happened there?” Nick asked, gesturing at the wreckage.
Remy’s eyes widened in surprise. Just what was he doing exactly? Could he not see that this poor man needed rescuing, not questioning? Even Remy could tell the man was close to releasing his grip on the only thing keeping him afloat and yet, here was Nick, giving him some sort of interrogation.
“Attacked,” the man replied. He, too, seemed surprised by the inquiry but he said nothing of it. “Didn’t see it coming. Disappeared.”
“And you survived, eh?” There was slight doubt written in Nick’s dark eyes, and he raised his right brow.
“Yes.”
“What are you waiting for?” Remy asked in a hushed voice. “The man can barely hold onto the board. Have Edward toss him the line.”
“Darling, when you’re captain of your own ship, feel free to run it how you see fit,” Nick said, using the same low voice. “But you’re a part of my crew now, understand? So do us all a favor, and shut it for the time being.”
Remy dropped her mouth in surprise at how rude Nick had just been but before she could say anything to tell him just how displeased she was, Nick turned and nodded to Edward. From there, Edward tossed the man the line and in a manner of moments, they had pulled him onto the ship.
Remy had been correct. He was about to let go of the board. He barely gripped the rope securely and once aboard, could not even stand. Giselle hurried off, mumbling something about getting the man something to eat and perhaps a glass of water. Calum followed, adding that he would grab the man a change of clothes and something to dry the man off with. Remy pressed her lips together; she should have thought of doing something helpful but she could not stop staring at the man currently sitting on the wooden deck, his blue eyes far away.
“He looks tired,” Remy commented.
Though the words were initially for herself, she saw Nick nod. “He needs to sleep now.”
Once the couple had returned, Nick told Calum to check him out – medically speaking – and then dry him off, help him change his clothes, and let him sleep in Nick’s own bed.
“But your sheets are silk!” Remy exclaimed once Giselle and Nick, both helping the man belowdeck, were out of earshot. “He’ll get them wet!”
“You realize that man is teetering on death, yes?” Nick asked, turning to face her. “And not this kind, but the kind you don’t come back from. Calum’s going to dry him off and change his clothes before he takes the stranger to my room so it won’t be as bad as your overactive mind his claiming it to be. If I want him to talk about his recent trial, I need him comfortable.”
This caused Remy to pause. Nick wanted information from the man, she realized, which was why he was so accommodating.
“Why, then, did you ask him what happened?” she asked. “Why not just toss him the line without saying anything?”
“He may be injured,” Nick said, “but this is still my ship. I’m responsible for it, just like I’m responsible for my crew. If I had detected a threat from him, I would have left him there to die.”
The seriousness in his voice caused Remy to shiver. She believed him.
Adele and Edward both faded away, probably to finish off some menial task that had been interrupted by the wreckage. Remy knew she should probably return to the galley, but instead, she decided to follow Nick to the helm of the ship. His fingers gripped the rudders of the wheel and she watched as he set course to wherever it was they were headed next.
“Where are we going?” Remy decided to ask, tilting her head to the side as she took in Nick as a whole. There really was something awe-striking about him. He might not be tall or intimidating, but he had a presence about him, a presence no one could take away from him.
Nick gave her an annoyed look. “Has anyone ever told you that you ask too many questions?” he asked.
“I think you have, actually,” she said.
His lips twitched at her response and he shifted his eyes back at the horizon. “Port Haven,” he said.
“Port Haven?” She had never heard of Port Haven. “Where is that?”
“I’m guessing that’s where that man was from,” Nick said. “I’m not sure if you noticed that he was wearing a uniform, yes? That’s because he’s part of the Guard, a bufon is what we call them. And every member of the Guard hale from Port Haven. It’s where the law is formed and upheld. It’s where those that break the law are imprisoned, where trials take place, and where the imprisoned are executed.”
“But…” Remy gnawed the inside of her lip for a moment before finishing her thought. “But you are a pirate.”
“Yes.”
“You will be imprisoned.”
“Most lik
ely.” He shifted his eyes back to Remy. “So will you. So will the crew.”
“But you saved that man’s life,” Remy said, stamping her foot on the wooden floor. “How could they imprison you – us – after you saved that man’s life?”
“You should know best, darling,” Nick said with a small smile on his face. “It’s those that are in power only see everything in black and white. Because I am labeled as a pirate, someone who is bad, one good deed isn’t enough to redeem my wicked reputation.”
Remy should have felt offended by Nick’s slight insult. Yes, she knew all too well that many people – herself included – viewed the world in terms of one or the other, never both or neither. And yet, she felt that her view of the world was changing. She knew Nick was not bad, not after he saved her life and allowed her on his ship. And even though Adele still probably did not like her, the red head saved Remy’s life.
“Well, perhaps you can strike a deal with him,” Remy went on. “Say, he has to grant us immunity for safe passage back to Port Haven. And if he does not, we will…” She pressed her lips together, thinking hard, completely ignoring the amused look on Nick’s face. “We will take him to Tenedor. Yes.” She nodded, satisfied. “Yes, we will take him to Tenedor and not give him any way of protecting himself.”
“Quite the threat, love,” Nick said. “You’re starting to think like a pirate, I see. But no, we’re going to return him to Port Haven.”
“But why?”
Nick frowned. “Why do you continue to question me?’ he asked. “I am your captain and you aren’t allowed to question me.”
“Now who is the one thinking in terms of black and white?” Remy asked, furrowing her brow. “I think I have a right to know why you are so willing to allow this bufon – or whatever it is you called him – safe passage to his home when my life is at stake. As is the crew’s.”
“You don’t think I’m doing this out of the goodness of my heart?” He placed his hand where said organ was located underneath his chest. “You wound me.”
“I hope you are not doing this for that reason. You would be stupid for it.” Remy stopped herself from continuing. Something was bothering her, something about Nick’s explanation was not sitting well with her. But what was it? And then, it came to her. “You think this attack was committed by Captain Pan.”
It was a statement, not a question. Nick remained silent, his eyes staring straight ahead of him. But something flickered in the brown irises, and Remy knew that she was correct in her assumption.
“You want information about Captain Pan,” she went on. Now that she knew why Nick was acting the way he was, her voice got stronger, more confident. “And you think that if you help this bufon, he will give it to you.” It was so clear now, Remy did not believe she had not seen it before. There was only one thing Remy did not quite grasp. “Why?”
“Why what?” Nick asked, his voice dry but his eyes guarded.
“Why do you care so much about this Captain Pan that you would risk your life, my life, the crew’s life, just for information about him?”
“It’s none of your business,” he snapped.
“Of course it’s my business,” Remy retorted. “My life is at stake, or had you forgotten?”
“You are quite dramatic when you think your life is being threatened.” He arched a brow. “What if I guaranteed you that you would not die or be harmed or anything of the sort? Would you shut your mouth and just relax?”
“I do not appreciate your attitude,” Remy said, “but yes, I would probably relax, considering I trust you.” She looked into Nick’s eyes for what felt like a long time. “Do not let me down, Captain.” With that, she spun around on the heel of her boot and headed to the descending staircase in order to reach the galley.
The sun was still setting by the time everyone filed into the galley in order to eat. Giselle had cooked, and as before, it smelled delicious and tasted just the same. Conversation was lacking; people were too tired to talk while some were thinking too deeply. Remy was a bit of both. As the day went on, her wound stopped hurting but there was still that numbing that maybe was not directly painful but rather persistent, an annoyance much like if someone was continuously tapping her side.
Just as everyone finished their food, the door to the galley swung open and there stood the man they had saved from the wreckage.
“Sir,” Calum said, standing up. “You must rest. You’ve been through a lot and in order to regain your energy, you must sleep.”
“With all due respect,” the man said, wincing slightly. “I need sustenance. The smell… It woke me up. I haven’t eaten in two days. Please. May I eat?”
Remy shot a quick look at Nick, trying to decipher how happy the captain was at the thought that he would be able to question this man sooner than he thought. But as was usual for Nick, his eyes were guarded, hiding his true feelings at the changing situation.
The man slowly made his way into the room and took a seat across from Remy and adjacent to Nick. He was tall, Remy realized, a couple of inches taller than Nick, but lacking the sturdiness that Nick seemed to encompass. He was dirty – which Remy could not quite explain since he had been in the ocean for a long portion of time and assumed that the water would wipe away the grime – but he had changed into the clothes Calum had given him. They were too big for him, considering Calum was taller than this man, but they seemed to suit him. He had dark brown hair that had at one time been pulled into a ponytail but now framed his face quite messily. He might be handsome though, especially with those blue eyes and that strong jaw line.
Remy wondered just how this man had died and how he ended up being a bufon.
Giselle placed a plate in front of the man and it was not long before he began to eat. Quite messily, in fact. Remy could not stop her nose from scrunching up if she had tried. Nick managed to catch her eye and he gave her a reprimanding look.
“So,” Nick said, tearing his eyes away from Remy and looking at the stranger, who was already nearly finished with his food. “Why don’t we start off with a name.”
“I already know who you are,” the man said between bite. “You’re Nick Grey, the Transporter.”
Remy giggled at his response as well as the look currently etched out onto Nick’s face. The man’s eyes snapped up at her and suddenly, Remy felt herself straighten. His eyes were looking at her in the same way her attacker’s had. He said nothing, but continued to stare causing the young girl to shift uncomfortably.
“Your name, son?” Nick asked, trying to distract him from Remy.
“Who is she?” the man asked, pointing at Remy. He did not take his eyes off of her. “Why do I feel…”
“Your name?” Nick tried again, this time putting more emphasis in the question than he had been.
“Lieutenant Giles Watson.” He was still looking at her. “She’s alive, isn’t she? I can feel her heartbeat from where I sit.”
“Sir,” Nick said. He had walked around the table and took a seat next to Remy in hopes to capture the lieutenant’s attention from Remy. “We need you to tell us what happened so we can help you.”
“You cannot help me,” Giles said. It was only then that he looked from Remy. “That ship appeared through a thick haze of fog and disappeared just as quickly. He killed everything in his path. Everyone. My friends. My companions. Hone. All gone. They’ll never have the chance to rest in The Paradise. They’re souls are lost forever.”
“Why do you think you survived?” Edward asked.
Giles glared at him. “I’ve been wondering that since he left,” he muttered. “I just don’t understand. He wasn’t supposed to do something horrendous.”
“Who?” Nick said with urgency. “Who did this?”
“I mean,” Giles continued, looking at Remy once again. She had no idea why he was speaking with her instead of Nick, but his eyes still had that hungry look in them. As though, like her attacker, he wanted nothing to take her life from her and instill it in his own body
. “The Magistrate sends him to keep a patrol out on the seas. He has nearly as much jurisdiction as we do, and surely he’s not allowed to murder the innocent. He’s supposed to keep the peace. He goes where we cannot.”
“Who?” Nick said again. Remy noticed how tightly the pirate captain was gripping the edge of the wooden dining table; his knuckles were white, contrasting greatly with the smooth tan occupying the majority of his skin. “Who?”
“Captain Pan,” Giles finally answered. “He did this. I recognized his eyes. Blue, but lifeless. Dead. He didn’t even give us a chance to fight. He snuck up on us, didn’t give us a warning. And just like that, it was over and he was gone.”
“Sounds like Pan,” Remy heard Nick muttered beside her.
“Now what?” Giles looked around, as though noticing the rest of the crew for the first time before resting his eyes on Remy. “Where are we going?”
“We’re going to dress your wounds and make sure you get better,” Giselle explained.
“We’re taking you back to Port Haven,” Nick said. “I assume that’s where you’re from.”
When Giles nodded, Remy said, “But we need your word The Guard will not harm us when we return you to your home.”
“Darling?” Nick asked through gritted teeth. “What, exactly, are you doing?”
Remy ignored him. “If you know Nick, you know he’s a pirate,” Remy said, “and even here, piracy is a hangable offense. We just saved your life, and more than that, we are helping you resume your gull health. The least you could do is guarantee that none of us aboard will see the gallows while bringing you to your home.”
Giles pressed his lips together. “I daresay you are right,” he said after a long moment. “All right. You have my word nobody shall be harmed while in Port Haven.”
“Great!” Nick clapped his hands. “You wouldn’t mind signing your name to a sort of contract stating that then, would you?”
Sixteen
Port Haven took another two days to reach. All the while, Nick had Remy doing menial tasks, such as the dishes, organizing his bookshelves alphabetically by author and then alphabetically by title, cleaning every room – though Remy refused to go to the third level – and even swabbing the deck – a task she hated nearly as much as washing the dishes. However, Remy did not complain once because it got her away from Lieutenant Giles Watson. He never did anything inappropriate, of course. Apparently the Guard was quite familiar with the law of etiquette, but he continued to stare at her which made her nothing short of uncomfortable.
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