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It was an outright challenge.

“Several people claimed they saw the ship in port a day ago, but the one they swore it was now flies the emperor’s insignia,” Zid replied.

“The crew?” Scot asked.

“Disappeared,” Vane piped up.

“If Batara took it, the crew is dead,” Zidane stated, his fingers twirling around a blade, looking half-bored as always.

“We came all this way and got dressed up for nothing?” Scot scratched at his red beard with a snort.

My mind kept wheeling around as they continued to talk about what they heard, prickles tapping at the back of my neck, crackling over my skin. Something didn’t add up to me.

“We still need to make our mark. But in the absence of this Captain PIB, we can easily gain control. Make sure the Somalia pirates know who is boss.” Vane tossed the peas aside, blood still crusting his swollen nose.

“Aye, right,” Scot declared in response to Vane.

“Fools.” Tsai’s voice popped my head up. “And people think I’m the blind one.” Her white gaze went right at me. “Pussy right in your face and you guys still can’t find the clit.”

“What the fuck, old woman? Why do you think the women keep coming back?” Vane spouted out. “I know exactly where it is!”

“Do you? Seems to be sitting right on you and still you’re all oblivious.” Tsai spoke directly to me, a twitch in her lips. “Puss and her boots…”

Oh. Holy. Shit.

The jacket, the boots… a pussycat down in my brig.

No fucking way.

“I want to be a pirate just like you.”A memory stirred into my head. She was no older than five or six.

“Just like me, huh? How about you become an even better pirate?”

I jolted for the stairs. The need to confirm what I already knew had me running out of the galley. Darting inside my chambers, I went straight to where I had put her items. My old, long leather coat, worn from time and sea salt bleaching, it appeared like a patchwork of skin.

Sucking in, I grabbed the boots hidden behind the door, my fingers fumbling as I touched the heels, seeing the blades hidden in them.

“She’ssupposed to be as beautiful as she is deadly… I hear the coat she wears is from the skin of all her dead enemies and the boots she has can slice people in half.”

“Captain, what’s going on?” Scot came into my room, Vane and Zid right behind.

“Fuck.” I dropped the boots, pushing past them, beelining for the brig. It had been in my face, but I hadn’t let myself see the connection. To me, she was still Katrina.Katze. Kitty-Kat.

Not my rival.

Not the one I came here to challenge. To eliminate.

My bare feet padded loudly on the steps to the cell, my men trailing after me, no doubt feeling my anxiety, not knowing my past had collided with my present.

As I walked down the stairs, Kat stood, her muscles locking up. She seemed to sense my mood as well. My narrowed gaze went over her, seeing her in a whole different light. It was there all along. I hadn’t let myself even consider it because of who she had been to me. The young, bold-as-brass little girl who used to play and sword fight on my deck with Killian. Who used to look at me with stars in her eyes. I had let my ego dominate, not allowing me to see the woman before menow. Who she grew up to be: a fighter. A seductress. Smart, clever, powerful, and strong. The most feared pirate in today’s age.

The same one who wanted to kill me.

“So,Katze.” I strolled up to the bars, my head tilting to the side, my gaze roaming down her body. “Or should I call you Puss in Boots?”

Chapter 9

Croygen