Page 15 of Bloody Black
Another sailor lays down a plank, the long board which will allow everyone to disembark. As they file by, Holly lectures each one.
“No fighting in the tavern. Mind yourself in the brothel. No sharing drinks with a fevered stranger.” Holly perches on a barrel. “If anyone comes back with a stab wound, you’re stitching it yourself.”
“Yah, yah,” one of the sailors mutters.
“Defoe. I’m serious this time. I swear I’ll quarantine you in the hold for a month.” She points at Samson. “No ballads for the bartenders.”
To another: “And you. You drink water. You know how you shrivel when you’re on land.”
It’s always bewildering to see. Holly is crew, doctor, nurse, surrogate mother…
all rolled into one. She keeps a running list of everyone’s injuries, bad habits, and next dose of tonic in that various bags she carries around with her.
She’d once treated a di slocated shoulder, a punctured lung, and Samson’s hangover in the same hour, though she complained the entire time.
She loves it. Not being a pirate, but being needed. Mothering. Obviously the cat is hers.
The sailors keep filing by, until finally, there’s just a few of us left. Teach, Holly, Domino, Xandretta and me.
“Come on, Annie. Have a hot meal.”
Annie. Sometimes my crew call me that, because they know it never fails to soften me. But tonight I’m too nervous, too worried, too filled with foreboding.
“All it would take to undo all our progress is William knowing Anne is alive–”
“How would he know? King William is not inspecting dock logs. She travels under a false name. There’s a whole sea between the two of them.”
It’s probably foolish to worry about it, and yet, sometimes my heart inexplicably twists with fear.
William stole my crown. My throne. My people.
Took my heart and my virginity. Had his men kill me.
He’d taken everything, bested me in every way.
And not only had I not seen it coming, I’d handed myself over to him on a silver platter.
I dream of that golden moment when I drive the knife into his heart. I hunger for the slow slide of my blade into his gullet. Watching his face. Letting him die. For him to be in agony… I want that more than anything.
And yet, the thought of so many men leaning close, of their looming bodies and booming laughter and jostling elbows… I can hardly stand the open space of the sea, how am I to handle a crowded room?
“Besides, Venedria is leagues away from Celestia. A huge city. What are the odds that you’d meet anyone you knew, much less someone you once knew recognizing you?”
Prudence speaks up. “Think of it this way: You’ll have a quick bite, wet your whistle, and be back on the sea in a few hours. Besides, we can’t survive without the supplies.”
Teach grins at her. “Nay, we cannot.”
“Ach. How you two gang up on me. Next time we run aground, perhaps I should toss one of you overboard to lighten the load.”
“Heh.”
I scratch the back of my neck with one hand, already sweating at the idea of being ashore, where I know there might be royal captains and royal guards. The odds that anyone would recognize me are slight and slim, but still…
“I don’t have anything to wear,” I grumble.
“Ah. I thought you’d use that excuse, so I’ve left one of my dresses in your quarters.”
“A dress?” I gape at Holly with horror. “I’m a Captain, I cannot possibly–”
“Do you think the crew forgot those lady parts between your legs? They aren’t stupid. They know it’s a female steering this ship. Putting on a gown will not be the thing that unblinds them, now will it?”
Rolling my eyes, I dismiss the idea again. I was curvaceous. Surely it wouldn’t fit .
“Teach sewed it himself. Should have seen him, a big burly man like that, peering at a needle in the dark, all while the seas are rolling.”
“Really?” Incredulous, I glance over at Teach. “You tailored a dress for me?”
“Not much different than a stab wound,” he mumbles, apologetic. “Anyhow, I think it turned out all right. Sewing’s just like fixing sails. Or skin. I mean—uh—not your skin, obviously.”
Seven hells and sirens. My jaw clenches.
“You can’t be going on land, walking round in a fine neighborhood, without a dress. You can’t just saunter up to a nice home in broad daylight, looking like you do.” Holly starts to put her hand on my arm, catches herself, and touches Teach’s shoulder instead.
“The gown will help you fit in. No one will question a lady, especially not one with an escort.”
“An escort?” I raise a brow.
“Teach is gonna go with you. Pretend to be your husband.”
He seems mortified by the suggestion, but doesn’t argue.
“You’ll run your little errand, then come back and dine with the crew. A bit of celebration is overdue, if you ask me.” Holly beams at me.
“Fine. Fine.” I relent, rolling my eyes. “I cannot withstand the two of you.”
Domino saunters down the plank onto the dock, and Prudence calls out after her. “Are we finding husbands tonight?”
“You know we are!” Domino flips her platinum hair over her shoulder, not looking back .
“Aye, me. If anyone is going to get us all hanged, it’s those two.” Holly shakes her head. “Them and their activities .”
“What color gown?” I relent, cracking my knuckles.
“Red as a beating heart,” Teach gives a wicked smile, revealing white teeth. “You’ll like it.”