Page 30 of Scourge of the Shores

The Warrior's Duty

Danna stood with her hands on her hips, examining the barrels of tar and pitch. Cain hadn’t returned for the past two months. They had worked shifts through the night and day just as the pirates had. Cain was off somewhere healing, and every day meant he grew stronger. Time was of the essence.

Robert appeared on the shoreline, reporting to her the day’s count of logs cut and the status of repairs, as he always did. The guards stopped escorting him soon after the agreement was made to help the pirates in return for their aid with Cain.

The corners of her mouth upturned at his presence.

They’d only been able to sneak away a few times since their kiss on the Northern Boulder, usually inland.

Her smile faded, knowing she’d never return there if he left.

The boulder had been her favorite place on the island, but at this point in her life, it only held sorrow from a late father and the fleeting memory of loving a man who would leave.

She had returned to the village with a glow about her that day of their kiss. She denied everything, but Lucas knew. He always knew. And worse—he was always right. It was because of him that she was a respected leader. It was because of him that she had no choice but to be.

The thought crept in—could she leave the island in Lucas’s care after they killed Cain? But Ma would die without her. Ma had no will to live, and leaving would be an unacceptable regret.

Lucas stood beside her, echoing her silent worry.

“I see yer smile when ye see him, Danna,” he said. “Don’t let him take yer heart. He’ll leave with it.”

Danna nodded with a pinched mouth. She let the words sit with her, as unwelcome as they were true. But knowing it and stopping it were two different fights. And part of her knew her heart was already in Robert’s hands.

“I know, Lucas.”

Before she could think better of it, she walked to Robert under Lucas’s stern glare.

Danna stopped short of Robert, whose joyous beam danced on his face when he met her.

“Captain Chadwick,” he said with a dip of his chin. “We’ve cut all the wood we need. We’ll need help repairing the ships with the tar and pitch ye’ve made. We should be able to sail to Cain’s lair in the next month.”

Danna dropped her chin to her chest. “That’s good,” she said, realizing they only had a month left to see each other. She peered back at Lucas, who silently watched her and Robert. Curse that man for always being right.

“Is all well?” Robert asked with a gentle grasp of her arm. He glanced at Lucas. “Did something happen?”

Danna shook her head. She shifted her weight and put both hands on her waist. “No,” she said, answering both questions at once. “I’ll see we’ve got enough tar and pitch for our own needs. After that, we’ll lend ye a hand—if ye send over them eighty-four logs we be needin’.”

“Aye,” Robert said with a soft squeeze of her arm.

He glanced up at Lucas once more. “Meet me by your centuries-old tree tonight? Rosa and Blackwood haven’t slept, and I’m sure they will be out cold this evening.

I’ll sneak away.” The circles under his eyes meant he hadn’t slept either.

He wore the same confident grin, but there was a tightness to it, a weariness just beneath the surface.

Danna nodded. “I’ll be waitin’.”

The word clung to her tongue, heavier than she meant it to be. Waiting for him tonight. Waiting for Cain’s return. Waiting for the day she’d have to say goodbye—and hoping, foolishly, that maybe she wouldn’t have to.

* * *

The day’s toil drained Danna. Twice, hot tar bubbled up and burned her arm, but both camps succeeded in transferring materials. To celebrate the accomplishment, pirates and islanders decided to sleep and start fresh in the morning.

The night was still, but the air tasted of brine and ash as if Cain watched from somewhere beneath the waves. Danna hoped the sea beast wouldn’t attack at night or in the morning; let them go to him.

She lay in the centuries-old tree branches with an arm behind her head, waiting for Robert. The other arm lay across her belly with bandages from the tar.

The centuries-old tree had weathered storms beyond counting—its roots deep, its branches outstretched, yet hollowed in places. Danna wondered if her heart could withstand as much.

She didn’t hear Robert approach or climb the tree until she felt his gaze on her cheek.

“May I join ye?” he asked.

She nodded, and he climbed in beside her. He reclined on the tree trunk and pulled her into his chest with a refreshing sigh. It made her smile as she nestled into his embrace.

The moonflowers popped open, blossoming in the clearing under the starlit sky. Robert ran a finger on her bandage. “I’m sorry you got hurt today. I don’t have any more healing enchantments.”

Danna scoffed. “I’d tell ye to save it.” She gestured to her arm. “Ain’t nothing serious.” The burns seared a continual torment into her flesh, but it was nothing life-threatening.

Robert lifted her face to his. His eyes beamed adoration. He traced her high cheekbone and slipped his hand behind her neck. “Why the sad face this morning?” he asked, straight to the point.

Because Robert was leaving.

It was as simple and cruel as that.

She had given him her heart, knowing he’d take it when he left. Foolish.

“Danna?” he asked, breaking through the barrage of thoughts.

“Stay here.” The words tumbled out before she could stop them. She grabbed his hand, voice barely a whisper. “When we’re done with Cain, stay.”

Robert placed his forehead on hers but shook his head. A grimace etched into his features. “I can’t do that, Danna.” He rubbed her arms. “I told you, I made a vow to my father. And I’m a man of vows, pirate or not.”

She closed her eyes. His vow. It should have made her proud—but all she felt was the ache blooming deep in her chest. Lucas had been right.

Robert would leave, and he wouldn’t look back.

Why had she been so stupid? Her fist landed hard on his chest. “Then why didn’t ye stay away?

Why’d ye do that to me, to us? I told ye before Laurence Isle, I can’t leave Ma.

Ye shoulda left me alone. Never shoulda gone to trade; put yer hands on me.

” Her voice was thick, clogged with unshed tears of regret.

“I couldn’t do that.” His jaw grew taut.

“I can’t do that,” he said. His hands balled into fists before grabbing her wrists and pulling them to his chest. His gaze locked with hers.

“I’m sorry I ain’t strong enough to walk away.

I want ye in my life, Danna. I thought about breakin’ my vow to my father, but I can’t do it—it’s a vow.

I know ye wanna be on the sea. Please. Come with me. ”

Stay or go. If only it were that easy.

“Ye know what I told ye,” she whispered, dropping her head.

Robert slid his hands to her shoulders and squeezed to remove the tension before pulling her back into his lap. “If Ma was healed,” he whispered, “would ye come with me?”

Danna hesitated. Her gaze drifted to the moonflowers blooming below.

“I’d want to.” The truth came quietly. “But as I told ye, I’m nothin’ but a memory of a pirate. I know how to sail . . . but with a bunch of men for months on end . . . ” She shook her head at the fear that had kept her tethered to the world she knew. “I’m afraid.”

“Afraid of what?” He guided her face back to his.

“To get the life I dream of.” She placed her hand over his and forced a small smile. “Don’t ye dare tell I’m afraid of somethin’.”

Robert kissed her temple. “I thought only dead men could keep secrets.”

Danna chuckled at the ode to their first meeting. “I’ll make an exception.”

He cupped her cheek and drew her face to his. He wasn’t making their predicament any easier by wrapping her in his arms.

“Is yer heart mine?” she asked.

“I leave it with you,” he said, with eyes shining as bright as the sun. “Wherever ye are, with me or with Ervin and Ma.”

Heavy footsteps sent the birds flying out of the trees.

“Lucas,” Danna whispered and touched Robert’s chest. “Stay here; he’ll kill ye,” she whispered to Robert before hopping out of the tree’s hiding spot.

“Where’s he at, Danna?” Lucas asked, sparing no respect for the night.

Danna refused to lie to him, but her gaze fell. “Why are ye here?”

“‘Cause I told that boy to leave ye alone or I’d shoot him. If he’s here, I know it’s gone too far, and I’ll make good on me word.” He drew his flintlock from his belt. “Jaymes,” he yelled and searched the branches.

Robert jumped down from the hiding spot to stand beside Danna. “I’m not a boy, Ervin.”

Robert came alone and weaponless, standing before Lucas in nothing but a loose linen shirt and leather pants.

Lucas’s eyes narrowed as he lifted his flintlock. “Are ye stayin’?”

Danna stepped in front of Robert. “Lucas, stop. Put yer pistol away. I’ll hate ye forever if ye kill him.”

Lucas’s gaze slid to her. “Ye’ll only hate me for a while ’til ye realize I did ye a favor.”

“No, Lucas. I chose this. I chose him. For what time I got. I know he ain’t stayin’. I know I can’t leave Ma.” Her breath hitched as the realization of her words sank deep into the pit of her belly. “The island.” She swallowed the rest of her words.

“Ye’ll ache, Danna,” Lucas said with a hard gaze and a clogged voice.

“And it won’t be the kind that ye can fight away.

It’ll sit in yer chest and rot slow, remindin’ ye of a future that’ll never be.

” He glanced at Robert with a shake of his head.

“It will be the worst pain ye’ve ever felt.

It’ll gut ye slow ’til ye ain’t nothing left but a shell.

” Lucas flicked his gun. “I tried to warn ye. I tried to scare him off. He’s got the world.

Ye got us and the prophecy, and there ain’t no one here for ye, Danna. ”

Danna shifted her weight. “A prophecy ain’t never guaranteed, Lucas.” She held back tears the best she could.