by S Lawrence
My anger and fear surge at my own words, and on cue, Cyder’s ship comes into view. The crew is tense as they come through the narrow opening and drop the sail. Silence envelopes the ship, no chatter or banter, just angry silence.
A crew without their captain. Us without our brother.
I watch it slide in beside us as the other ships come through the opening. Hagen’s is last and it drops its anchor, swinging its starboard side around. The gun ports rise and cannons slide out.
Hagen wastes no time.
Cyder’s crew straightens as the guns fire and rocks crash into the water.
The channel is no more.
The King can’t follow us, but now neither can Cyder, if he breaks free.
I haven’t let go of the rope and as I pull it tight in my hand, I nod at the first mate. “Trap it.”
He nods, and there is a flurry of movement as I cross back to my own ship. A shrill whistle cuts through the air, and four ships begin to move. Cyder’s first mate drops the anchor, and I hear him call the crew to the deck.
He knows what I know, what my brothers know. Someone betrayed Cyder. Someone betrayed us. Another reckoning is at hand.
It’s clear that Travis isn’t the traitor, for he is waiting with knives held loosely in his hands and death in his eyes when I swing across to Cyder’s ship. Moments later, Wilder and Hagen join me. Hagen’s face is dark with rage, but Wilder’s calmness is lethal.
I watch as he steps forward, his sword held down against his leg but drawn already. Some of the crew shifts slightly, and we take note of who. Hagen glances at me as we wait for Wilder. Our brother doesn’t get angry often but when he does, he is a force to be reckoned with.
“Bring us the betrayer.” The demand was whispered, one that can’t be ignored. “Bring him to us or suffer my wrath. Your honor has been destroyed.”
Hagen and I don’t move from our positions at his back. The silence is only broken by random throat clearing. We don’t speak as Travis moves through his men, eyes searching, reading their faces.
Travis moves to stand between his crew mates and us, drawing up to his full height, and once again stares at them.
“The captain would give up his life for any of us, and someone has betrayed not just him, but also us. Someone led them to us. Someone let them on our ship. Someone gave Captain to them. Someone has handed him over for torture…” he stumbles over his next words. “Or death.”
We are still silent as a young man I haven’t noticed before steps forward. Tears are in his eyes.
“They have my sister.” He swallows. “It’s no excuse, but I had to try to save her.”
No one moves, except to turn their heads toward us.
“Jamie?” Travis’ face says it all. Disbelief.
“They caught us three years ago. Maggie was just eight, and he kept us after he did horrible things to our momma. He gave me one option, get on one of your ships or she will be…” The boy starts to sob.
I watch as Wilder’s body relaxes, but at the same time, his body is rigid with outrage. I reach out and lay my hand on his shoulder, and he steps back.
“Travis.” The man turns his head to look at me. “Bring him to my ship.” I turn to leave them, knowing he will do as I ordered.
I can hear Wilder and Hagen moving right behind me. We don’t stop until we are in my quarters.
“Cyder would not want him killed, but something must be done. We must find all of his spies.” Hagen paces while rubbing his hand over his short hair.
“How do we do it though?” Wilder flops into the chair by the table.
“No idea.” Hagen punches the thick beam that runs the length of the ship.
“First thing we have to do is question the boy,” I murmur while thinking out loud. “He has to be communicating with them somehow.”
On cue, there is a knock at the door. Hagen stops pacing and Wilder sits up straighter as I turn to the door and call out.
“Enter.” My voice is hard.
They enter, the boy first, his head held up and back straight. Travis closes the door silently behind them. Jamie walks to the chair that Hagen slams down in front of him then sits.
“I deserve any punishment. I only ask that you try to save her,” he asks, his voice steady.
“We make no promises,” Hagen growls and the boy nods, his fists clenching in his lap.
“How did you get Cyder to bring you onboard?” I watch him as I speak.
“That was my fault, sir,” Travis declares from near the door, ready to face any consequence.
“Don’t punish him, please. The King learned you would take in certain types of boys and he placed me in a place I would be found. I played my part and did what I was told.” Jamie’s voice didn’t waver.
I glance at my brothers, gauging their moods. Anger, but I also sense sympathy for the position the boy was put in. What wouldn’t we do for each other? Nothing.
“Does he know all of our ports?” Again, I watch for those tiny expressions people can’t hide.
“No, only that you have gotten supplies at certain places before.” No deception on his face.
“Where is your sister?” Wilder asks, and only Hagen and I can hear the heartache in his voice.
We weren’t all only children when we were stolen away.
“His ship. There is a small room with marks all over the walls.”
I cringe, knowing exactly what room he’s speaking of. Hagen visibly flinches, knowing who made those marks, and Wilder looks away, hiding his reaction. She was locked in our room. No, not a room. Our cell.
Prison.
Hell.
“Fuck.” Hagen punches the beam again.
“He’s never kept a girl,” Wilder says, his voice low. “The crew.”
He doesn’t continue; he doesn’t need to. They are animals. An eleven-year-old girl doesn’t stand a chance of surviving them.
“He gave me two years, and I only had a few months left to give him one of you.” The boy has tears in his eyes.
“Are there more on the ships?” Hagen strides to the young man, his steps pounding over the worn wood of my floor as he stops inches from the boy.
“Yes.” He moves and Hagen stiffens but the boy just pushes his sleeve up and shows us a small eye tattoo on the inside of his elbow. “He marked all of us to remind us he was watching.”
Hagen straightens and strides out. I trust him to go through every crew including my own.
“Travis, go back to your ship. Leave Jamie here. I will handle him from now on.” Travis nods and I can see he feels for the young man but will never trust him on his ship again. “Jamie, follow me.”
The boy nods and stands, ready for his punishment. Wilder stays in the chair, and I leave him to get his thoughts together before he heads back to his own ship.
Climbing down the ladder, I lead the boy down into the belly of my ship, straight to the galley and to Kellihan. I trust the man to watch the boy, and he happens to have one of the few places that can be locked on the ship.
“Kellihan?” I call out as I step into the kitchen.
“Captain.” The older man calls from a dark corner, and I turn at the sound.
“This is Jamie, the one that gave them Cyder.” Kellihan pushes up, fire in his eyes. He has long thought of us as his own. “King has his sister locked in our old...room.” I choke out the word.
“A girl.” Two words that speak volumes.
“Yes.” I turn to look at Jamie slouched behind me. His arms are wrapped around his midsection and tighten at Kellihan’s tone. “Jamie, one more question.”
He nods, his face turning up to look at me.
“Are there more in that room?”
He blinks slowly and his face falls more. “I...I never even…” He trails off.
“That’s okay, boy.” Kellihan comes around the side of the huge butcher block island and stands at Jamie's side. “What do you want me to do with him?”
He watches me closely, waiting
. “Put him in the larder.” I look at Jamie and then the man I consider a father. “It is for his own safety as much as punishment.” Kellihan smiles slightly and nods, and I don't miss the hint of pride in his eyes.
I turn and leave him to it, rushing through the ship to the deck. My door is open, and I know Wilder has gone to search his own ship. Jack is waiting for me.
“Gather the crew. Get four men you trust completely and have them bring each person, one at a time, to me in my quarters,” I order as I stride through my door.
I close my door behind me and lean against it. Glancing at the wall, I have an urge to follow Hagen’s example but I’ll keep my knuckles intact, in case I need to kill someone soon.
Next my eyes turn to Reyna’s chest sitting in the corner, and I push off the door, crossing to it. We had all looked at the paintings but we hadn’t studied them. Lifting it up, I place the dark wood on my desk and sit, running my fingers over each of the latches releasing the hidden locks. The lid opens soundlessly, and I look inside as I begin to hear movement outside my door. Instead of going for the final picture, I lift the letter and pull out the first painting. The women in it are breathtaking, and the men at their sides are formidable.
Otherworldly. Magical.
Tearing my eyes from the people, I focus on the scene around them. When Reyna had pulled it from the chest and showed it to us, it had felt familiar to me somehow. Just a niggling thought at the back of my mind. I stare and stare, focusing on every tiny detail, but my frustration grows as I just can’t grab hold of the thread. A knock at my door saves me from myself. Placing the painting back inside, along with the letter, I close the lid and place the chest on the floor behind me.
“Enter,” I call, and Jack opens the door stepping inside.
“Everyone is gathered, Captain.”
“Send in the first person.”
Jack looks back and jerks his hand.
We go through the crew one at a time. No one even blinks when they are told to strip and their body is searched.
Each one hears the same thing as they leave. “Keep your mouths shut.” Each one nods, just a jerk of acknowledgement.
The door opens as the current crew member leaves and the next comes in. I know as soon as I see him.
“Strip.” He glares, and I simply wait as Jack repeats the word. “Strip. Or I will do it for you.” He flips a nasty looking blade in his hand.
The man stands defiant.
“I know the eye is on you. Show us.” I lean back in my chair as I lock eyes with the man.
I don’t know his name or how long he’s been on my ship.
“When did he join us?” My eyes stay on him.
“Just before your accident,” Jack growls, his eyes are hard.
“So the man we killed wasn’t working alone.” I steeple my fingers in front of me.
The man is still standing stiff and defiant in front of me. “Jack.”
My first mate opens the door and jerks his head. Two men file in the door shutting behind them.
“Hold him,” I command as I rise.
The man fights as they grab him, and I hold out my hand. Jack places his knife in my palm as I stop in front of the King’s man. He struggles more as I reach out and grab his shirt. My blade nicks his chest, causing blood to seep from the small cut. Then the knife cuts through the coarse fabric in my hand like it’s nothing. I slice from top to bottom then let Jack pull the remnants from the man’s body. There on the inside of one of his outstretched arms is the eye.
This is no boy that is being coerced. This man came here to hurt us, to destroy us, and I feel no remorse in my next action.
The blade cuts through his neck the same as it did the fabric, and he stops fighting. He stands in silence until his legs buckle then the men drag him out.
“Bring in the next, Jack,” I say as I wipe off his blade on my sleeve then hand it back to him.
He turns, stepping over the pool of blood to pull the door open wider, and motions with his hand. The next man enters and stops just outside the edge of the blood, his eyes focusing on me.
“Strip.” Jack’s voice is like a whip, but the man doesn’t flinch.
This goes on for the next hour. Two more traitors are found, and I kill them without remorse. Kellihan comes in last, and I shake my head as he begins to pull off his shirt.
“No one needs to see your wrinkly old ass, Kelli,” I grouse at him.
Jack barks out a laugh when the old man shoves his pants down. “Jesus, Kellihan.” He shakes his head as the man bends over, flashing said wrinkly ass at us both as he jerks his pants up.
“How many?” I hate the tiredness I hear in his voice.
“Three in total, here. I haven’t heard from the others yet.” I run my fingers through my hair.
“I’m gonna go make you something to eat,” he mumbles.
I don’t argue, for I learned years ago not to, as it does no good. He glances at me, assessing me, and I fight to school my face.
“Jack, go bother the crew,” he growls. “And find someone to clean up this blood.”
Jack winks at me as he leaves. We all do as Kellihan says.
The door closes quietly, and while I have no doubt that he will do as asked, I also know that he will give us some time.
“Kelli,” I say, waiting for him to say whatever is on his mind.
He rubs over the hair on his chin, and I know he won’t be rushed. He steps around the blood and then crosses to the chair, sitting gingerly. I am reminded of his age, although I’d never say that to him.
“I love you boys as if you're my own,” he starts, and there is a waver in his voice that makes me swallow hard. “I should have saved you all and now…”
“Kellihan, this is not your fault,” I argue, and he holds up his hand, the knuckles swollen and arthritic.
“I should have killed him the first day I stepped on his ship. I knew he was evil down in the core of him. But I looked away and I continued to look away.” He looks up at me, and for the first time, I see tears in his eyes.
I swallow again and clench my teeth.
“I let you down and I let myself down. Don’t let this war turn you into something you’re not.” His eyes flick to the blood then focus on me again. “Let her keep you whole, and I hope you can forgive an old man his weakness.”
“Nothing to forgive.” I barely manage to get the words out, and faster than I imagined he could, he is up and out the door.
‘Let her keep you whole.’
His words break something loose inside me. Both infinite sadness and bottomless rage roll within me. I haven’t been whole for years. We were broken apart the moment the King came into our lives. It’s not fair to expect Reyna to fix us, but I can’t help but wish for that very thing.
I wish.
Shaking my head, I push up from my chair and try to shove my feelings back down, because wishing is stupid. Turning the doorknob, I jerk the door open and almost run into the kid standing there with a mop and bucket.
I bite back a harsh comment as he falls back a step, trying to get out of my way, fear stamped upon his face.
Swallowing, I tighten my hold on my emotions. “Sorry. Go ahead and go in.” I nod and try to soften the look on my face, but he still looks down and steps around me.
Another damaged boy we picked up along the way. He’s better but like us, he will always be fighting the demons and darkness. I didn’t help any just now but I will deal with it later. Now I have to focus on the pit of vipers in our midst. Walking to the rail, I grab the swing rope and cross to Wilder’s ship. He is slumped on the long chair in his quarters.
“How many?” I ask as I lean against the doorjamb, arms crossed over my chest.
“Four. Have you checked the other ships?” He doesn’t look up.
“No. I had three.” I push off the wall and walk across to him, sitting at his side. “Travis is checking his crew now.” He nods, still looking down. “Wilder, it will get better.” I’m t
rying to convince myself as much as I am him.
“When?” He mumbles, looking up.
“I don’t know, but it will.”
“I hope you’re right.”
So do I. So do I. “Are you going to be okay?”
Wilder locks eyes with me, and I watch as he tries to shake the morose feelings off. “Yes. Let’s go check on Lash’s crew.” He nods then stands.
I follow his lead then follow him out the door.
Night has fallen, but I can see the stain of blood on his deck in the pale light of the moon. The Howling Lust is anchored to the left and near the bow of the ship. It is quiet, no sounds of laughter or the crew talking amongst themselves.
Holden, Lash’s first mate, is waiting for us. He looks solemn as we approach him.
“How many?” I ask as soon as we draw near.
“None, sir.” Pride radiates from him.
“None?” Wilder asks, as surprised as I am.
“I checked them all myself, Captain, from top to bottom, and no one had the eye on them.”
“Good, Holden. That’s very good.” I glance around and see men standing in the shadows watching. “You’re all worried about Lash.”
He nods, his eyes moving over the crew. “We don’t like leaving him behind. He…” He trails off when a man clears his throat from the left somewhere.
“He what?” I straighten and glance in the mystery man’s direction.
I’m not surprised when the man steps from where he has been leaning. He is a beast of a man that I’ve seen many times but I don’t know his name.
“Dylan,” Wilder supplies by way of greeting.
“He needs us,” Dylan says and his deep voice is hard.
“Needs you?” I question again. “For?” Weakness can be taken advantage of and I won’t let that happen to Lash ever again.
“We keep our Captain safe. We keep his demons at bay and allow him the space he needs.” His eyes are hard, and I can hear the accusation in his voice.
“Wilder?” I turn to look at my brother at my side.
“It is Lash’s story to tell, not mine and not yours.” He looks at Dylan and the others hard. “I’m very glad there were no traitors here.” Spinning away, he leaves me standing here confused.