Pirate's Vengeance (The Djinn Kingdom Series Book 1)

by LJ Andrews

  Chapter 17

  Pierata Island

  Smythe shouted from atop the rail of the quarter deck. “Drop anchor!”

  The crew cheered and bounced around the deck like a pack of wild dogs. Smythe cackled as the raven on his shoulder squawked and flew toward the edge of the small island they’d sailed to.

  The metal anchor crashed through the sky wedging tight into special anchor stones along the shore of the island.

  “Where is this island, sir?” Nova asked the captain.

  “Just off the shores of Mollem, not traced on any map,” Smythe answered, showing his black teeth beneath his dark beard. Lowering his voice so only she could hear, his face fell serious. “A final stop before arriving at Koning.”

  “So why this island?” she asked, her heart aching thinking she was so close to her home island.

  Smythe cackled again. “Ye’ll see, Miss Nova. Kane,” Smythe shouted turning to his first mate, “go get the boy, let him stretch his sky legs. Perhaps he’ll see what a merciful captain I be, despite his stubbornness.”

  Nova gulped watching Master Kane walk toward the brig. She knew he was going for Kale, and the idea of seeing him again since the naval raid made her stomach flip. She’d avoided the brig ever since they’d last spoken. It had been nearly two weeks, and he’d still refused to join the crew. Smythe’s patience was wearing thin, and she feared he would ignore her pleas and dispose of Kale if he didn’t join soon.

  Atlas stood beneath the quarterdeck. He waved his hand, signaling her to join him.

  “Ye are keeping our secret, right lass?” Smythe said, wrinkling his nose.

  Nova glanced at Atlas, and back to Smythe. “Of course, sir.”

  “Good. If anyone were to find out where we be goin’ before the proper time, it wouldn’t be just yer neck on the line.”

  Taking a deep breath she thought about the implications of his words and who he was really threatening. “I haven’t said a thing,” she answered, filling with resentment at the control Smythe had over her.

  The captain nodded and she felt his piercing black eyes watching her as she joined Atlas and the rest of the crew in the skiffs paddling toward the shore.

  From the moment the boat was fastened to the dock Nova’s senses were awakened. Pistols fired from every direction. Pirates were engaged in rough sword fights over small bags of geld. Men were slumped over barrels of hard, malt filled drink, chugging down pint after pint. Their bodies were strewn in the oddest of places, with the smell of alcohol reeking from their clothing.

  One man was bent over a large crate filled with empty bottles. His beard was dripping with caramel-colored liquid. Nova bent low to make sure he was alive, but quickly covered her mouth in disgust when he belched in her face and rolled over, a content smile painted on his slumbering face.

  Women in low cut dresses and red smeared lips squealed as they teased drunken men, petting their dirty faces and pouring more drink into their mouths. Near the pub a woman made Nova’s heart sink into her stomach. She was facing away from her, but she had long dark hair, braided down her back. Her perfect hourglass figure brought tears to Nova’s eyes as she pushed through the rowdy crowd to get closer.

  “Mother,” she whispered as she fought her way toward the woman.

  “Nova, where are you going?” Atlas called from behind.

  As she was about to call out to the long-haired woman, Nova stumbled backward into Atlas’s arms as a pair of scuffling men burst into the dusty road from a boisterous pub. The men punched and kicked one another, while a group of seductive women watched from the windows, laughing and taking large puffs of wooden pipes.

  By the time she composed herself, and scanned the crowd for the mysterious woman, she was gone. Nova’s heart sunk. It had only been her imagination.

  “Easy now, be on watch for people flying through windows,” he smiled.

  “What is this place?” Nova asked taking in the chaos around her.

  “Pierata Island!” Chipper said excitedly. “Too much for ye to handle wench?”

  Atlas glared at Chipper, but Nova bristled when he didn’t defend her against the crass words. “It was explained to me as a pirate’s refuge. To come and be pirates without fear of the Navy,” he said.

  “Them dogs’ll never find us here,” Willy the cook said in a slurred voice from behind.

  Nova turned and saw him with one of his plump arms around the shoulders of a woman with a missing front tooth. Her red dress was ruffled high up on her thighs, and her stockings were torn and tattered, but she laughed and handed Willy another bottle.

  “How can they keep it a secret?” Nova quietly asked Atlas.

  She frowned when Chipper pushed him aside and bent low enough for his rancid breath to burn her nostrils. “Because no one wants to attack an island filled with pirates. Ye might find better employment here, girl. These lovely ladies know their proper place amongst men,” Chipper said, pointing to some of the red-lipped women laughing and hugging the smelly pirates.

  She narrowed her eyes, and reached for her dagger, but Atlas placed a hand on her elbow.

  “Alright, come on now, let’s just go get a drink,” he said to them both.

  Nova shook her elbow free from his grip and kept her steely glare on Chipper. “No thank you, I prefer decent company, not slimy pirates.”

  Chipper snarled and cocked the hammer of his pistol, but Atlas stepped in front of him. “That’ll do from you both. We’re on the same crew remember?”

  “She’ll never be on me crew,” Chipper snarled and turning to Atlas he growled like a wild animal. “And ye would do well to pick where yer loyalties lie. We don’t need another hand at the helm, ye are disposable. Now are ye comin’, or are ye choosin’ the witch?”

  Atlas seemed notably uncomfortable, and Nova felt her heart splitting in two as he hesitated a second too long.

  “I’ll make it easy for the both of you,” she said storming away. “Enjoy your drinks.”

  She wiped her cheeks from the stinging tears as she ran from the pub, blocking out the degrading calls from the pirates of rival crews. At the edge of the town she glanced back, but Atlas was gone.

  On the outer edge of the island she found refuge at a small, peaceful stream shrouded by the black leaves of island nightshadow. The babbling water blocked the shrieks of rowdiness from the nearby town.

  Nova fell to her knees near the stream’s bank and released her sobs. She cried in embarrassment, shame, and heartbreak.

  “He just stood there,” she shouted to the water.

  Lowering the messenger bag on the ground, she hugged her knees tight against her chest and cried harder than she’d allowed herself since leaving Arbeiten. After several minutes of sobbing Nova jumped at the sound of cracking twigs behind her. Sudden instinct kicked in and she had the dagger in her hand in an instant.

  “Atlas?” she asked hopefully to the darkness.

  Kale’s somber face came into the light from behind the thick trees. Nova felt a rush of her heart, but still held the dagger in front of her, remembering the last moment they’d spoken.

  “What do you want?” she snarled.

  He watched her through his bright, thoughtful eyes, but didn’t say a word.

  “Why are you here alone? What do you want?” she repeated.

  Kale paused and leaned against a tree. He’d shed his blue naval jacket, but still wore the white loose fitting shirt. It was stained and dirty from sleeping in the grimy cell. His white pants were yellowed, but he had still refused to dress in the clothes offered to him.

  “I suppose they think letting me loose on a pirate island I don’t really stand a chance at escaping, except with another crew. It seems they would be right.” He sighed and sat a fair distance from her next to the stream. “I admit I’ve never seen a bloodthirsty pirate cry.” He smiled, but she could see it wasn’t friendly. He seemed to be mocking her, which fueled the dark anger.

  “Best not to provoke an upset pirate, the
re’s no telling what I’ll do,” she threatened while twisting the dagger in her hands.

  Kale held up his hands in surrender. “I’m not provoking, just stating a fact. Maybe I find it refreshing seeing some real emotion.”

  She glared at him, not sure whether she believed his words. “Why are you here? You want to kill me remember?”

  He leaned back on his elbows, and she saw his toned upper arms beneath the white shirt. She chewed on the inside of her cheek to force herself from gawking. “Seems I’m doing the same thing as you; getting away from that,” he said nodding toward the distant laughter. She bit her lip and sat down, still holding tight to the dagger. “Now, I wonder why would a she-pirate hide from her crew? Perhaps, they don’t respect you?”

  “I’m respected.” She surprised herself for defending her position on the pirate crew. “I’ve bested two men on my own.”

  He lifted his eyebrows. “No, four men. If you remember you were responsible for the death of my mate, and almost me.” Kale’s eyes darkened at the memory and Nova’s stomach clenched from the guilt of that night. “But why bring up the past. Keep fooling yourself, girl, I hear the crew talk about you. Seems the only reason you’re still alive is because of the captain and your little lover. But where is he I wonder? Perhaps it’s just you and the captain now.” Kale sneered at her in the dark.

  Nova felt a rush of anger. The dagger was hot in her hand as she fought against the idea of thrusting it in his chest, the darkness told her she could without struggle.

  “No enough!” she shouted to the battle inside.

  Kale looked at her strangely. “Enough what?”

  She shook her head. Her resolve strengthening against her turmoil. She smiled as the anger seemed to fade the more she resisted.

  Nova glared at Kale before scrambling to her feet. “I am Varick Willock’s daughter. I am no pirate!” Her eyes burned into Kale as strength heated her veins. Kale’s forehead furrowed, but he didn’t say anything. “And for the record, despite what you think of me, I never lied to you on the docks in Regen. I’m doing what I need to do to survive.”

  He actually seemed surprised by her response. Nova whipped her golden curls and stomped toward the tree line, not hearing the rustling of shrubs next to her.

  “Hey,” she heard Kale shout from behind her, but she ignored him. “LOOK OUT!” he cried.

  Nova turned around just in time to duck out of the way from Chipper’s sword. She landed on her back in a thorny bush. Feeling the hot drops of blood from the spikes, her eyes widened as Chipper angrily lifted his blade again.

  She rolled off the bush, avoiding the fatal blow. Her mind raced as she tried to remember everything Taylor had taught her.

  “Chipper stop,” she said. “It’s against pirate law; I’m part of the crew.”

  “Ye’ll never be on my crew,” he shouted, swinging. “Ye’ll pay for those insults and bringing shame to the Vengeance once and for all.”

  Chipper flung his sword, but Nova blocked it with the blade of her dagger. She was on her knees, holding tight to the jeweled hilt as Chipper pushed harder with his sword. Her arms felt weak as her legs crumbled from the force.

  “Chipper” she begged as the darkness bled into her heart. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  Chipper threw his head back laughing. “Ye couldn’t hurt me if ye tried, stupid girl.”

  She grimaced and looked at Chipper as a disease, nothing more than a piece of slimy trash trying to destroy her. As the anger and confidence built so did her strength. Nova stood, pushing Chipper away from her.

  The pirate watched her in shock and confusion, but she didn’t wait for him to say anything. Stuffing her dagger into the bag she turned and ran. Nova darted into the muggy jungle of Pierata, running from the desire to harm another human, and running from Chipper’s deadly hand.

  Kale’s shouts faded in her ears as she pushed aside the smooth, waxy palm leaves. The jungle smelled like sweet perfumes from the numerous vines of flowers. Finally, in a dark clearing surrounded by moss covered boulders, Nova stopped to catch her breath.

  The jungle was eerily void of human chatter. Only occasional squawks and howls of hidden creatures flittered in her ears. Nova’s hands trembled against the jagged handle of the old cutlass against her hip. Dropping the weapon she fell to her knees, crying a fresh wave of tears. She wanted her parents. When they’d been together this battle between light and dark had never happened. Life had been…happy. Now, even as she fought, her stomach pitched in sick waves as she battled with her senses to stay true to who she was.

  Cracking twigs spurred her back into focus. Gripping her cutlass she leapt to her feet, in the stance Taylor had taught her, and prepared to meet whomever was crunching through the jungle.

  The plants were dark, and Nova had no orientation as to where she was in regard to the filthy town. Suddenly two palms spread, and Chipper stepped into the dark clearing, smiling wickedly.

  “Ye run fast, but where did ye expect to hide, girl. Ye insult the life of pirate, all we be to ye are nothin’ but pillagin’, slimy men, well if ye be so tortured allow me to give ye some relief.” Chipper tossed his pistol to the jungle floor and unsheathed his long sword. Fading sunlight shimmered across the surface, lighting the blade like a sadistic beacon in the deadly jungle. “But we do it proper-like, just as I did when I was a soldier.”

  Nova’s jaw dropped in surprise and she gripped her cutlass tight. It seemed as if shards of glass coated the sides of her throat whenever she tried to swallow and an innate instinct to survive overtook her thoughts. At last, Nova attempted one last plea of reason. “If that’s true, Chipper, then you know you don’t have to kill me. Don’t you remember a soldier’s honor? I…don’t want to fight you, it never ends well.”

  “If ye think fightin’ for that devil King is honorable, then yer dumber than I imagined. But ye be right, it won’t end well for you.” Chipper scanned the clearing, his rum-glazed eyes brightening with exhilaration. “Interesting place ye chose to stop, wench. Them shrubs behind ye are bloodsnaps, the thorns are full of poison that’ll drive the sanist among us bat-mad. Maybe before I kill ye I’ll have a little fun with a bit of the venom.”

  With her jaw clenched in bitter disappointment, Nova stretched her cutlass in front of her, the rounded handle fit snugly in her hand. No matter how she fought, the building shroud of angst and arrogance threatened to overtake her. She stretched her neck left and right, pulling the suddenly tight muscles until they relaxed.

  “Last warning, I don’t want to fight you,” she said darkly.

  “Don’t worry too much, it will be over soon.” Chipper’s lips pulled up into a wide sneer once he lowered into a deep lunging stance. Silence encompassed them as if the creatures took pause in their scurryings to observe the pirate battle.

  Nova took a deep breath and brought all her focus onto Chipper’s weapon. He would surely fight unfairly, and if she wanted to survive every mental facet needed to be awake.

  On cue, Chipper lunged across the clearing and met Nova’s blade with his in a deafening clash of metal. Chipper spun out with expert footwork and slammed the heavy hilt of his sword in the center of Nova’s back.

  Gasping for the lost breath from the blow, Nova bent forward, but quickly raised her blade above her head as Chipper swung fiercely over her. Both fighters pushed with all their might against one another until finally Nova swung her blade to one side, unlocking the two swords.

  Chipper stumbled backward, but quickly reoriented his position. “Give it up, girl. Yer no match for me.”

  “I’ll stop when you do,” she said, holding tight with both hands to her cutlass.

  Surrounding shrubs and bushes broke as someone tromped toward the clearing. Peering through the tree line Kale’s handsome face came into view. He watched her curiously, but stayed against the large palm tree shrouding him from Chipper.

  The helmsman swung once more, surprising Nova slightly. A jutting rock seemed to appear
out of nowhere and feeling her ankle twist uncomfortably she fell hard to the ground, landing on her back.

  Her shoulders heaved in frightened exertion, the dark storm inside her urged her to fight harder, with more venom, but she refused to give in. Nova saw from the corner of her eye, Chipper’s heavy boot step next to her head.

  “I told ye it would be over quickly,” he said in a sinister voice.

  Her skin warmed beneath the hot tears dripping from her eyes. She tried to imagine her father’s smile as the guilt of her failure to find him overwhelmed her. She knew if she embraced the darkness inside she could end Chipper, but it would be highly unlikely to ever return to her inner light if she took another life, even in defense of her own.

  The sound of his sword raising above her head was deafening and chilling all at once. Naturally she held her breath, keeping her eyes shut tight, waiting for the fatal blow.

  “Hey…stop…” Chipper’s broken, angry protests brought her from her sorrow.

  He grunted and cursed against loud thumps. Daring to open her eyes just slightly, Nova saw the tall pirate stumble over the very stone she had and land into a heavy cluster of bushes.

  Nova raised up on her elbows, in surprise, Chipper’s cries of pain filling her ears. Casting her eyes about the clearing she saw Kale still huddled near the palm tree, watching Chipper thrash against the shrubs. He seemed to have stayed still, and his eyes gave no hint he had been involved in Chipper’s sudden fall, but the stone in his hand suggested otherwise.

  Nova scrambled to her feet and rushed toward Chipper. Black, shiny thorns stuck into his arms, drawing blood as he beat against the tangled vines.

  “Nova, stop!” Startled she spun around just as Atlas crashed through the bushes. “Don’t kill him.”

  “I’m not,” she retorted. “He attacked me…and just fell.” Nova’s diamond eyes met Kale’s stoic expression suspiciously.

  Atlas looked at her incredulously as he briskly passed her on his way to help Chipper. He reached out toward the pirate, but quickly pulled his hand back. Nova watched on as Chipper stared blankly at the twinkling stars.