Page 127 of The Secret of Drulea Cottage

But a stubborn gleam shone in the captain’s eye. One that made Santiago nervous. “I’ll never give this up! Not until I get what’s owed me!”

Santiago frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“My birthright. My title.”

“Why would you think you deserve a title? You’re nothing but common scum,” Cardoso spat.

Costa laughed bitterly and pressed the gun harder against the man. “Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong, Comodoro. That’s where you’re all wrong! If you only knew…”

“If we only knewwhat, Costa?” Santiago asked, hardly believing what he was hearing.

A wicked, mad smile broke out over Costa’s face. “You want truth? Well, here it is: my name is not AndreasCosta. My father was none other than Luis Bernardo de Távora, the 4th Marquis of Távora. And it was thanks to my help that the king was almost assassinated.”

There was a collective gasp as everyone took in the unexpected revelation.

“Not that any of that matters now, though, since you’re all going to die anyway.” And before anyone could react, Costa shoved the commodore forward and leaped from the ship to the waters below.

Loose Ends

One of the officers—Alves, if Santiago remembered correctly—asked, “What did he mean by—”

CRASH!

Santiago looked up to see the crow’s nest falling apart above his head, thanks to a cannonball that had just come from theSão Nicolau.

Santiago lifted Briony and bounded toward the ship’s starboard side just as a second cannonball collided with the hull.

“Return fire, men!” Cardoso shouted, one hand against the railing to stabilize himself. “Why are they shooting now, Mendes?! Don’t they realize you’re aboard my ship?”

Santiago shook his head in amazement. “You think I know?!”

The commodore took a deep breath to say something, but Santiago didn’t wait to hear the man’s retort; he had far more important things to do than listen to empty words. He rushed forward to get Briony below deck and away from danger. The ship shook as it took yet another hit, making Santiago slip on the last stairstep.

He stumbled downward, gasping when he almost dropped her. Somehow, though, he regained his footing and pushed the first door open—a closet. He groaned and turned to the next door—no luck either.

Muffled voices and the sounds of loading cannons nearby told him the commodore’s men were following orders. He feared what the world would look like when he went back outside—

“Finally!” The third door led to an empty room with a bed. He tenderly laid Briony down upon it, noticing the bandages on her shoulder. A painful reminder of how close he’d come to losing her.

Why is she here anyway? She should be resting at home, not out on the open sea. Why would Cardoso bring her along?

He stared down at her unconscious form, so delicate in sleep…and yet he couldn’t help but remember her most recent display of incredible power. Santiago’s heart quickened its pace, making him realize the answer to his own question.Because of me. He knew he could use her to get to me.

Santiago clenched a fist, enraged that the man’s ruthlessness had put his beloved’s life in danger.Such an innocent soul should never be put in harm’s way.

Santiago leaned close to her ear. “If we both make it out of this alive, Briony, I promise I’m going to do all I can to protect you. For the rest of my days.”

“Uuuugh…” Briony began to stir, her eyelids fluttering.

“Amorzinho, I’m here. It’s all right.” Santiago stroked her forehead, brushing the black locks away from her face.

Briony blinked a few times before her eyes homed in on his. “S-Santiago? What’s going on?”

Santiago rose from his place by her side. “I’m so sorry to do this, but I have to leave you here. Someone from my ship started firing again, and I have to try to end this before more people get hurt. Wait here.”

“But, Santiago, I can help!”

Santiago smiled at the beautiful woman before him, so eager to jump in even when she was injured.She might not be feeling it yet, but that blow to the head is going to give her a serious headache very soon. And if her gunshot wound has reopened…There was no way he wanted her back out there where she could get hurt even more.