Page 117 of Crossbones
I don’t say anything as we make our way through town, keeping to the shadows but Thaddeus’ pace, while urgent, isn’t rushed. Reaching the beach, I see a rowboat pulled up in the shallows, guarded by men in black devoid of De’Vero colors. Climbing in, Thaddeus gives the order and we row out beyond the beakers.
“Won’t Aldric come after us once he finds out I’m gone?”
“He won’t find out. He’ll see you hang—well, notyou, but someone pretending to be you.”
Clever. But I also realize that means Caspian will think I’m dead. My conflicting emotions roar through me, battling for traction. Part of me can’t stop picturing how devastated he’ll be when he has to watch me hang. The other part is still furious with him for throwing everything about us into question and undermining the truth. The truth that I frustratingly can’t stop myself from feeling—the truth of exactly where my heart still lies.
We hug the rocky shoreline, the light of the moon the only thing guiding us. The boat rounds the corner of the bay and a ship slides into view, white sails pale against the inky-black sky. Once aboard, Thaddeus barks a few orders to get us underway. He turns to me, giving me a look like he’s sizing me up.
“I saw the way Caspian looked at you.” I scowl vehemently, not wanting to talk about this. “Do you feel the same?” Thaddeus asks.
“I don’t know what to believe,” I say coldly. “I thought I knew—” I can’t bring myself to go on.
“I thought you judged a man by his actions,” Thaddeus states.
“What if those actions are all a manipulation hiding the truth?”
“Which is?”
“That he was going to double cross me all along.”
Thaddeus smiles at me humorlessly and shakes his head. “Do you really believe that? Or are you just upset he didn't choose you?”
“I didn’t expect him to choose me.”It’s a lie I desperately want to be true.
“Still hurts though,” Thaddeus muses. “Look, you can do what you want, but whatever happened between the two of you—you can’t fake that kind of intimacy. I’ve known Caspian a long time; I know what kind of man he is, and I can say with confidence, the way he looks at you—” The General shakes his head ruefully. “I’ve never seen him look at someone like that before.” Thaddeus puts a hand on my shoulder. “Caspian deserves someone who will fight for him like he fights for everyone else.”
I have nothing to say to that. Thaddeus gives my shoulder a squeeze before nodding towards the quarterdeck.
“Let’s go get your ship back, Captain.”
I make my way to the helm. The man there nods his head to me and steps away without another word. I wrap my hands around the worn wood and gaze out over the glassy open ocean. If we are going to make it to theTempestbefore Aldric’s ship, we don’t have any time to waste.
I bark out a few orders and the ship lurches forward, picking up speed and cutting through the water. As much as I’m trying not to focus on Caspian, I can’t help the ache I feel. It’s like a part of me is missing, and the farther I sail away from it, the more painful it becomes.
Because a part of you is missing, idiot.
Thaddeus is right—Caspian deserves someone who will go to the ends of the earth and fight for him, because no matter what, I know he’d do the same for me. Just like he’s done for countless others. So while part of me wants to get to theTempest,sail away, and forget all about Caspian, the other part of me is ready to burn the fucking world down.
The De’Vero family continues to take from me, and it ends now. Whether or not Caspian and I have a future, I’m going to remove Aldric from this earth so Caspian doesn’t have to worry about Foxhollow, and so that I can finally bring the De’Vero reign crashing down into ruin for good.
The sun is just beginning its ascent when the call comes that sails have been sighted on the horizon.
“Is she Aldric’s?” Thaddeus shouts.
“Aye, General!” The barrelman calls down. “She’s flying De’Vero colors—looks like theCommandant. TheTempestis ahead of ‘er—three leagues and closing.”
Thaddeus climbs the steps to the quarterdeck and hands me the spyglass. I turn the wheel over to his navigator and put the glass to my eye.
“Once we start firing on her, theTempestwill know what to do,” I say.
“I have an even better idea, Captain,” Thaddeus says, a sly glint in his eyes. “Run up the Black!” He barks.
I watch the men hoist the massive black canvas only to stiffen as it unfurls to reveal my colors. I can’t help the small smirk that tugs at my lips as Thaddeus and I exchange a knowing look. Putting the glass back to my eye, I train it on theTempest. She’s still too far away to see anything on deck, but I watch as she makes a turn starboard letting me know Harrison has seen us, and is coming around.
Orders are given to run out the guns and prepare for battle, but I see something being run up theCommandant’smast.
“She ran up the white,” I say.
