Page 94 of Stilettos & Secrets on the 7 Seas

“In time.” Max frowned at the blood stain spreading across the back of the brigand’s coat. “I’ll send the healer to ye, after I speak with her.”

“Goody,” Mortas retorted in a snappy, sarcastic tone. If Max asked me to sew him up, I’d do it slowly and with an extra-large needle.

Shrug, who didn’t look at all pleased at seeing me again, shoved his rifle in my direction. “What shall I do wit’ the likes of ’er?”

“Take her to her cabin,” Max ordered.

“Wait. I can explain all of this.” I braced my feet against Shrug’s shoving.

“Hold,” Max commanded and moved closer to me. He staggered but regained his feet quickly. “Ye know of the curse placed upon me?”

“Curse?” I scanned his face for the truth. When I decided he was being completely transparent, I wanted to explain. “You really don’t know.”

“Know that yer a deceiving witch?” His eyebrows drew together with his snarky jab.

“For cripes sake, I’m not a witch.” I wanted to reach out, grab him by the shoulders, and shake sense into him. I inhaled a calming breath. “I need to speak to you in the privacy of your cabin.”

Rowan climbed up from the lower deck. Hearing me ask the captain for a private conversation, he motioned for Shrug to back off.

“Ye weel stay on deck,” Rowan grouched. “The crew willnae trust ye if they see yer speakin’ in closed quarters.”

Max moved us to a corner of the ship. Not precisely the privacy I had intended but it would have to do. “Tell me what ye know.” Max braced a hand against the wall for support while tightening his other hand on the gun trained at me.

“What Mort…I mean Captain Crunch, told you is true. We are time travelers. And I assume you are, too.”

“I have a curse placed upon me. My da told me so.”

“You’re not cursed. You’ve got the gift.” I reached up and pulled the key from around his neck. A move only I had the ability to make. His eyes widened and his hands went quickly to his empty neck.

“Gift?” He looked down at my hands still holding his key.

“This stone you wear is a key. The key to travel through time.” Rowan tensed beside me. He knew something he wasn’t sharing.

“My ma told me ’twas a talisman and never to remove it, or bad luck would find me.”

I secured it back around his neck. “Your mom was right, at least about the never removing it part.”

Max looked hopeful. “Ye came here to find me?”

I shook my head. “We came to find another who has stolen something from us. In the process, Vane took my friend captive.”

“Silver?”

“Yes.”

“He is also a time traveler?”

“And Captains Kirk and Crunch.” I felt silly saying their names out loud. “And the cook.”

“The cook?” Rowan seemed astonished.

“Yes. He came with me to rescue Silver.”

Max’s face grew serious. “Does Captain Crunch speak the truth about my da?”

“I know his father had a love affair with your mother.” OK, I might be stretching the love thing a bit, but Max’s emotional well-being was at stake. “Your mother learned of his family’s treacherous plans, and she fled.”

“My da was no good?”

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