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The Islands

CHAPTER13

Ramsay

“How is the princess?”Cruz asks.

The sun is beginning to set in the west, a brilliant display of corals and purples that dance with the burgeoning stars. I feel a hit of guilt at the mention of her, the fact that she’s kept down in the cage when she could be up here taking in nature’s wonder, the sunset and the fresh sea air that has a slight floral scent to it, hinting at our proximity to the islands.

“She is surviving,” I tell him, the wind in the sails a steady drum above us.

“And how long are you planning to keep her in her cage?” he asks, levity in his voice. “After I heard you had dinner together last night, I assumed she’d be a part of the crew by now.”

“I don’t trust her not to hurt herself,” I admit. “She’s reckless and rash. She’d jump into the open ocean if given half the chance. When it comes to the islands, she’ll swim for them.”

“I see. And you don’t want to keep her with her husband because you want her all to yourself.”

“Her husbandbeatsher,” I say, giving him a sharp look.

“And you don’t want to keep her with her husband because you want her all to yourself,” Cruz repeats with a grin.

“I’m keeping our asset safe,” I grumble, leaning against the rail.

Cruz just chuckles and takes a swig of his rum before passing the goatskin canteen to me. “You mean,yourasset, since you claimed her as yours.”

I consider the rum for a moment then wave it off, needing a clear head for tonight’s attack. “Aye. My asset.”

“You are still planning to trade her off for ransom, aren’t you?” he says, scrutinizing my expression.

I give him nothing. “I am.”

“It’s just that when you first brought dear Sedge aboard this boat you never had any intentions of letting him go, not after you branded him.”

“You knew why we couldn’t let him go.”

“He can’t talk, Bones,” Cruz says. “No one would have known what goes on here, and no one would have believed him anyway.”

“You can’t be too careful. At any rate, Sedge has proved himself valuable. The princess will do the same. But the real money-maker is the prince. Unfortunately. I really would like to kill him.”

“I’m sure you will at some point,” Cruz says with a laugh, slapping me hard on the back. “I know your temper.”

“Aye, it’s almost as bad as yours.”

He just grins at me and tips back the canteen, more rum pouring into his mouth. Most of the crew drinks rum before we get into any battles and skirmishes because it helps with courage and, in their words, makes things more fun. But even though we have battled the skeleton crew before, it’s not always easy. Our crew may be inhumanely blessed, but we aren’t the undead. Youcankill us, but you can’t kill them. Our only luck in this situation is the fact that even if we’re taken prisoner, we won’t become doomed to their fate. The curse can’t touch us.

Well, most of us.

Cruz turns and surveys the crew. It’s the calm before the storm. Normally Cruz would start up the violin—he’s a talented musician in his own right and music always gets the crew ready and excited for a fight. But tonight we need stealth and quiet if we are to have an actual ambush.

“Quartermaster!” I call out once I spot Thane on the deck below talking to Sam and Lucas, probably reminding Lucas to stay below and out of trouble and for his wife to do the same, even though he knows she won’t listen a whit.

He comes up the stairs to join us on the aft deck. “What’s the word?” he asks, sounding grumpier than usual.

“Just figuring out our plan of attack. What’s gotten into you, brother?”

He lets out a deep grumbling noise. “I don’t like this.”

I frown. “What do you mean? Did you see something in the ball?”