Page 18 of Scourge of the Shores

Danna leaned back. “A man from the seas never gets eggs.” She studied Robert and listened for anything unusual on the island, but all was well.

“Ye trade an enchantment . . . for eggs.” A chuckle rumbled from her chest at the absurdity.

“I don’t believe for a second, this is all ye want.

But I’m willin’ to lay quarrels aside—for this mornin’, at least.”

* * *

A little later, the aroma of fresh eggs filled the tiny hut. Lucas and Robert helped Ma to the table. They rolled in some tree stumps to sit as well. Their knees bumped against Danna’s, but she looked up at Robert across from her, Lucas to her left, and Ma to her right.

The sea breeze drifted in through the open door. The sound of the waves, the clatter of plates, the soft chatter of conversation, the warmth of food in her belly—everything felt too easy. There were no voices calling orders. No scent of blood in the air. Almost too good to be true.

She traced the knots in the table with her thumb, resisting the pull of the moment.

She should have felt relief. Instead, it unsettled her.

“What be troublin’ ye, Danna?” Lucas asked.

Danna sighed, then shook her head. “Strange, ain’t it? A week ago, I’d have shot ye on sight.” She met Robert’s gaze. “Now, I’m thankin’ ye.” She pointed her fork at him. “And sharin’ a meal, no less.”

The words settled in her chest. She found herself enjoying Robert’s company, and he had saved her life. However, the motivation behind such an act worried her.

Lucas’s gaze flicked between her and Robert. Then he cleared his throat.

“If ye enjoy eggs and goat meat, Captain Jaymes, perhaps ye’d like to stay. Leave the pirate’s life behind.”

The words struck her harder than she expected. Stay? Robert?

Danna didn’t like how her heart reacted to that idea, as if it had a say in the matter.

She stiffened. Her fork stilled halfway to her mouth. Her grip on it tightened.

Robert? Stay? The questions rang through in her mind on repeat.

She forced her face to remain still, locking down the reaction before it could surface. Why did that hit her like a pistol to the ribs?

Her sharp glance darted to Lucas as she forced the fork to her mouth.

What had they spoken about while she was unconscious? Had Robert said he wanted to stay?

The thought made her stomach clench.

Robert’s eyes dropped to his plate. “Danna, do you remember my proposition from the night I stitched you up?” He avoided the question entirely.

Danna took another bite, stalling. She did remember.

First, she was thanking him. Then, Lucas was suggesting he stay. Now, he was talking of alliances.

She didn’t like how tangled it was getting.

“Aye,” she said. “We help each other, and slayin’ Cain ends both our troubles.

But I don’t trust Rosa, or the lot of ‘em. What if, once Cain’s dead, they turn ‘round and take our ships? They got the guns, the men—more than we do. Nothin’ stoppin’ ‘em from robbin’ us blind, takin’ what’s left of our fathers’ legacies. ”

Lucas sat back, piecing together the proposal.

“As I told you, if I kill Cain, at least half of the Pirate Kings would submit their fleets to my leadership. And as for Rosa, he promised me as me matelot and on his father’s name, he would do no such thing.”

Robert took a swig of his tin and wiped his mouth with his shirt.

“Blackwood is the other who holds significant sway. Damien and Garrick are the other two who may not submit to me. But even if Blackwood, Damien, and Garrick wanted to return and loot the island, I would hold enough power and Rosa’s promise to stop them. ”

Danna licked her lip before she shoved some eggs in her mouth.

Her head tilted in thought. It was a gamble either way.

She wondered if Robert’s motivation to save her was to earn her trust so she’d agree to his plan.

It might take all of them to kill the sea demon.

There had to be glory in it for him. But once he had his glory, what would become of her? The island?

Ma nodded and placed her hand atop Danna’s. “Whatever’s decided, we must act fast before Cain returns.”

Lucas nodded as well. Danna sighed and figured that if Robert had somehow earned Lucas’s trust, then maybe he could earn hers too. She scanned both men before she accepted the proposal. “Alright, Jaymes. But if ye run a rig, I’ll fight me way out of Tophet to haunt yer fancy ship.”

“Ain’t takin’ it any other way,” Robert said. He lifted a finger. “Could you also agree to assembly lines and making pitch and tar while our camp cuts wood?” Both palms opened in defense. “I’ve already told them that’s what you agreed to when I had to return to camp to retrieve the enchantment.“

She leaned back with eyes narrowed.

“I had to, lass,” he said with a grin.

There was a glint of trust in his eyes, and against her better judgment, she again accepted.

“Fine.” Her gaze slipped to Lucas. “Make it so after ye eat.”

Lucas swallowed his mouthful of eggs. “Aye, Captain.”

Danna watched Robert savor the taste of his hot scrambled eggs.

“After the ships be repaired and our island traps be set, we set sail for Cain’s lair,” she said, and eyed Robert. “Would be a fine time for that enchantment of yers—the one that makes dark waters clear.”

“If I have it.” Robert smiled with a shake of his head.

“Somethin’ tells me ye might,” she said, tapping her fork on the table.

“Then you’ll be sorely disappointed,” he said. “That one is very rare. I’ve never seen it.” He took another sip from his tin.

Danna eyed him. She couldn’t quite tell when the man lied or spoke the truth, and she usually was the best at reading men. Curse that pirate.

They ate the rest of their breakfast with light laughter and easy banter. The laughter, the warmth, the quiet talk of ships and trade. It shouldn’t have felt good.

Not after what happened.

Where was the weight of it? The grief? The rage?

Maybe she was just tired. Maybe she wanted to believe in the peace—just for this moment. For a brief respite, Danna let it all fade—the weight of the island, the fear of Cain, the memory of the nights before.

Lucas grinned ear-to-ear. Robert’s eyes flickered with joy when he made her laugh. And Ma—Ma was smiling. A real, full smile. Danna hadn’t seen it in such a long time.

A warmth, almost like peace, settled over her.

But peace had never lasted long in her world.

Her gaze drifted to the open door. The sea beyond was too calm, too clean, like it hadn’t swallowed bodies just days before.

The sun glinted off the water’s surface, hiding what lay beneath: remnants of the DeepMother’s magic, sorrow, and wrath.

A chill skated down her spine. She wanted to let herself feel peace, to sink into the safety of this morning, but deep down, she knew better.

Cain would return.

Peace was a lie. A distraction.

She shoved the feeling down.

Lucas finished and excused himself to relay Danna’s orders to the islanders. She watched him go, forcing herself to stay in the moment before it slipped away. She turned to her mother.

“Ye wanna go outside, Ma?”

The smile vanished from Ma’s face, like it had never been there at all. “No, no, dear. I—I will go back to bed.”

Danna’s gut twisted. There it was. The peace, gone completely.

She glanced outside again, but this time, all she saw was her people’s burden and the weight of what still had to be done.

Her jaw clenched. She palmed her mouth and stared at her empty plate.

“The sunshine’d do ye good, Ma.”

“Put me back in bed, please, Danna.” Ma rubbed her arm’s nub.

Danna started to stand, but Robert beat her up. “I’ve got her, Danna, stay seated. Sometimes, the enchantments make your knees betray your legs.”

Robert scooped up Ma with ease and gently laid her in the bed like she weighed nothing.

Danna sat silent, trying and failing not to feel anything at the sight. She suppressed a soft smile at Robert’s tenderness with her mother.

There was something wrong with Robert. He didn’t act like a pirate. Too gentle. Too respectful. Too . . . human. Caring, even.

How in the DeepMother’s sea was he a pirate king?

Ma clutched Robert’s hand before he pulled away and gave it a firm squeeze. “Thank you for saving my girl. I can’t do much anymore these days, but if you need me, you holler my name.”

Robert kissed the back of her hand. “There is nothing to repay. I’ve had my eggs.”

Ma chuckled. “A strong back, a good stitchin’ hand, and makes a fine breakfast too? Maybe we should keep him around.”

Danna shrugged with a soft eye roll. “Aye, until we run outta eggs and ye start demandin’ gold.”

Robert threw a playful grin at Danna before he gently laid Ma’s hand down. “Get some rest, Ma.”

When he turned to Danna, his expression softened. He extended his hand to her. Against her better judgment, she took it, and he pulled her to stand. Just as he said, her knees wobbled, and she stumbled into his chest.

“I told you,” he said, gazing down at her. His hands slid down to the small of her back, steadying her—too warm, too firm.

She shoved off his chest. Her voice came out steady. More than she felt.

“Alright, I get it. Legs wobble but work.”

But they didn’t. Her knees buckled again, and again, she fell into his chest.

Danna stiffened, but she didn’t pull away. She should have. Instead, she was hyper-aware of his warmth, his steady grip. No, she was still weak, that was all. Her body was failing her.

She wasn’t some love-starved maiden; she wanted to step back, to put space between them, but her body hesitated. Her knees didn’t quite work.

Ma’s chuckle broke the moment. Danna struggled to stand alone, pulling up on Robert’s shoulders.

But Robert kept hold of her waist to steady her. “Would you like to try out your new legs and take a short walk with me?”

“I should be helpin’ the villagers with the tar and pitch and buryin’ our dead.” Her voice sounded too defensive.

“You should be regainin’ your strength,” Robert countered. “You nearly lost that leg, Danna. Testing it might be wise.”

Danna clenched her jaw. She hated when he made sense.

“And besides, Ervin already saw to the dead,” Robert continued. “It won’t matter if you’re gone for a little while. The tar and pitch’ll be boilin’ for months before the ships are seaworthy.”

Ma interjected. “The island won’t crumble if you take a few hours for yourself.” Her voice turned cold. “But Robert Jaymes, if this was all a ruse, you’ll answer to me if you hurt my girl. I still know how to shoot a pistol.”

Robert peered over his shoulder at Ma and tipped his hat to her. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

His gaze slid back to Danna with his dark cobalt blues penetrating her defenses. “It’s up to you, Captain.” His voice dipped lower, quieter. “I ain’t rushin’.”

Danna forced her knees to work. She needed to be in control of her own body, her own choices. A short walk was nothing.

And yet—the idea of being alone with him, of what that meant—made her hesitate.

The moment stretched between them before Lucas entered the hut—and froze.

He said nothing. Didn’t move.

His gaze locked on Danna in Robert’s arms, then flicked to Robert’s hand at her waist.

The room grew smaller. Tighter.

But Robert’s gaze didn’t leave Danna. “The enchantment left her legs weak, Ervin,” he said. “If she wants to, she could test ‘em out and take a short walk with me. I’m waitin’ for her answer.”

Her gaze shifted to Lucas. “Won’t take long. Always been good at adjustin’.”

Lucas pulled his flintlock and laid it across the crook of his arm. “I can’t join ye, but Captain Jaymes, if ye hurt her in any way?—”

Robert laughed. “Captain Ervin, you’ve earned my respect for being the best protector on this island. I assure you and give you my word on my father’s name, I’ll not harm Captain Chadwick or let her be harmed by any of the island’s pirate guests.”

Lucas grunted approval as Danna stumbled again to get around the table, but Robert’s firm hand kept her up. Lucas followed them out and handed Danna his flintlock and her grandfather’s horn. “Blow this if ye need me.”

The unspoken words weighed heavy in the air: If he steps outta line, ye’ll have me bullet to back ye up.

She turned her face to Robert, flintlock in one hand, horn in the other.

“Fair trade,” she said, more of a question than a statement.

Robert chuckled. “Aye, Captain. Fair trade.”

But Lucas only glared at him.