Page 10 of Crossbones
“When do you sail next?” Thaddeus asks.
“Tomorrow night.”
“The ship and crew will be ready, Captain,” Van supplies. “However, there was an issue with theSeraphine. She was attacked—”
Thaddeus runs a hand over his face. I grind my teeth in irritation, already anticipating what’s coming—
“They say it was Blackwell,” Van continues. “She was empty but he didn’t believe the Captain when he insisted he wasn’t a slaver. Said since it was a De’Vero vessel it didn’t much matter.”
“That man sure gets around,” I mutter.
Thaddeus frowns. “If he’s going after De’Vero ships we could have a problem. Did he sink her?”
“Aye,” Van says grimly. “Left the Captain tied to the mast while he burned the ship. Luckily they were right off the coast of Basroy and the survivors made it to shore.”
“The men didn’t fight back?”
Van raises his eyebrows as he looks at me incredulously. “You want them to fight the Stormbreaker?”
“Well, I want them to dosomething,” I say sourly. “Instead of just sacrificing a ship to him without at least some resistance. Jesus—he’s not a god.”
“His reputation—”
“Yeah, I know his reputation, I just had to sit through dinner where his name was dropped there too,” I interrupt. “Following orders didn’t seem to work out too well for the Captain anyway, did it?”
Van makes a sound of agreement. “Even so, having fewer merchants and more soldiers might help.”
I look to Thaddeus in exasperation.
“I can supply a few extra men on each ship,” he says. “It won’t look suspicious with Blackwell prowling around our trade lines more frequently.”
“Do it,” I demand. “The last thing I need is to be harassed by a glorified vigilante—I thought he was supposed to be a pirate, not some savior for the downtrodden.”
“You know the rumors,” Thaddeus shrugs. “De’Vero is the reason he’s a pirate, apparently. I’d be careful, your highness, no telling what he’ll do if he stumbles upon an actual prince of the House De’Vero.”
A rub my hand over my face, disappointed to discover my wine buzz is fading rapidly.
“He’d kill me, Thaddeus,” I say in annoyance. “That’s what he’d do.”
Concern creases Thaddeus’ forehead and his lips purse at my nonchalance. “Maybe you shouldn’t sail with the ships anymore.”
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t suggest that,” I sigh. “Just give me a few more soldiers, I’ll be fine.”
“Good thing we fly the Black,” Van supplies. “Maybe it will deter him?”
“He kills first and asks questions later,” I shrug. “Either way we’re fucked if we run into him so let’s hope we don’t.”
CASPIAN
Ineedn’t have worried.
ThePhantomdidn’t see a single ship the entire trip to Foxhollow and made it safely into port with our cargo of refugees. Not that I wasn’t anxious the entire voyage. I think I stressed Van and my navigator, Flynt, to no end with my pacing of the quarterdeck. I also wouldn’t be surprised if I have a permanent indent from the spyglass I had pressed to my eye on a daily basis scanning the horizon for sails.
I hadn’t even bothered to stop into theFox & Raventhis time, too exhausted to even think about faking it. Instead, I’d dragged Carter home, drank an entire bottle of wine to myself and messed around enough to get off before passing the fuck out. Unfortunately, I can’t linger in Foxhollow. With my impending wedding happening as soon as I get home, I have to hurry back to avoid suspicion.
I sit down in a chair by the bed to lace up my boots. The covers have slid down Carter’s back as he lies on his stomach hugging the pillow. The man doesn’t even snore. I stand up and put a hand on the back of his neck squeezing lightly.
“I’ll see you in a few weeks with the next shipment,” I say in a low voice.
