My eyes focus, and I realize there is a small boat. The man who is sitting there quickly reaches over. He grabs me under the shoulders and lifts me carefully into the skiff. The shark is gone, quick as lightning. I make a futile attempt to cover myself, suddenly quite aware again of the lack of clothes on my bare legs and the bitter cold. The chill doesn’t feel the same anymore; it hurts me.
I’ve always dreamed of leaving Aqualis. I just didn’t know how painful it would be.
The man sees my struggle, but I am too busy languishing in the sensation of breathing to care. He shrugs off his coat, cursing profusely, and wraps me up as best as possible. He paddles us away, and I watch his muscles tug at his shirt as he rows the oars toward a much larger ship. I’m so tired, so I close my eyes.
My breathing is returning to normal, and I start to speak as if to say, “Don’t look at my legs. They're very unimpressive.”
No sound comes out. Nothing. Not even a croak or a whisper or a breath of air.
No no no no no no no.
I sit up abruptly. The man, startled, turns around to look at me. His dark hair is swept to the side. He keeps it short. Dark lashes fringe his eyes, and I like how his short beard frames his lips and jaw. I want to tell him this. Something. Anything.
Again, I open my mouth, straining my voice, and… no sound comes out. I scrunch up my face. Every muscle in my neck strains as I try to scream. I thrash out with my arms and unsteady legs.
No sound. Nothing.
“Hey, it’s okay. Shh, it’s okay. Calm down,” the man repeats the platitudes, grabbing me by the shoulders and pulling me in tight to his body.
I shake as silent sobs wrack my body, gripping his arm tightly.
When the tears leak into my mouth, they taste like the sea.
I have no voice.
Get Her Some Clothes
ERIK
"Captain, you're bringing a female aboard?" Disbelief rings through the air as my first mate hangs over the metal railing ofThe Black Roseand stares down at us.
The Crown Princess has finally stopped crying. Now she’s curled up in a ball across from me. They sent her here in a T-shirt and nothing else.
Gods. Couldn’t they have at least given her some real clothes?
Her eyes are full of fire, flame, and anger, but she hasn’t said anything. I can’t tell if I’m happy about that or not.
“Captain?” Conrad’s voice is full of questions he won’t dare ask in front of the crew. For the past twenty years, we've sailed the seas together. He is the closest thing I have to family, and he knows it. He’s also kind of a bag of shit. I can see a glimmer of interest in his sharp blue eyes, but his face is schooled to perfection.
Conrad's blond hair is long and tied in a bun at the nape of his neck. His face is weathered, but women still find him attractive. I found him last night in a brothel with not one, but three women hanging off him.
When Conrad saw my expression, he sent the ladies away with kisses and empty promises to return another time. They had pouted as they walked in their skimpy nightgowns past me, heading down the stairs to their madame.
For as long as I've known him, Conrad's always been able to charm the ladies. He's had to avoid multiple ports because a female wants to cut off his favorite appendage.
I've never had that problem.
It might be sentimental of me, but I'm more careful with women. In our line of work, there aren't many opportunities to meet someone.
One of my most valued rules is that I don’t get involved with females.
They’re bad luck on the sea and have no place aboard my ship. I have no doubt women are no problem on some ships—like a cruise ship, yacht, or even on a fishing trip—but they are definitely out of place on vessels like mine.The Black Roseis a pirating vessel, not a leisure craft.
Conrad has repeatedly tried to push me towards the women who cater to men like us at the docks, but I refuse to use that option more than I need to.
His eyes are narrow as he studies me. I can practically see the wheels turning in his head. It's not a surprise. I've never brought a woman on board my ship. Women are dangerous. They make men weak. I learned early on that wenevershow weakness with a crew watching. Never give them a reason to doubt your abilities.
“Erik?” he asks again. I realize that I’ve been sitting in the rowboat like an idiot, just staring at him.