Page 77 of Of Magic and Rum
Not Calico Jack. I had to go and decide to be arighteouspirate.
Hooves slide across the dirt-covered floor, one at a time, with methodical slowness. The imp steps from the shadows, its fingers threaded behind his back. “Something happen? Heard lots of booms.”
My chest aches, knowing Duke had wanted this creature in our crew. Considering he hasn’t lit the ship on fire or drank half the rum while we slept, I gather he won’t be an issue. “Have they named you yet, imp?”
His chin lifts, his ears flicking tight, and his gaze brightens. “Yes. Laust.”
The name manages to pull a laugh from me despite my grief, and I motion for him to come closer. “Come here, Laust, and hold up your hand like this.”
Laust does as instructed, his black claws scraping together, hooves turned inward.
“Do you swear your undying loyalty to The Revenge and its crew? To never steal from your crewmates, never desert me as your captain or any of the crew?” I lift my brows, waiting for him to answer.
Laust’s orbed eyes blink, silent.
Bending forward, I lower my voice. “This is where you sayyes, Laust.”
“Yes,” Laust shouts, immediately crouching in fear. When I make no move to chastise him for being loud, he regains his confidence and stands tall. “Yes. I swear.”
“Welcome officially to the crew of The Revenge, Laust.” I stick out two of my fingers for his tiny hand to shake. He does this so brazenly that it makes my entire arm wiggle.
A light knock sounds against the door, followed by a silky sweet voice saying, “Jack? I understand if you want to be alone, but I?—”
Anne. I slammed the door in her face, like an idiot.
Reaching above me for the doorknob, I twist it and let my back fall to the deck at her feet. Truffles, still sleeping on my lap, grumbles in protest. Anne’s head snaps downward once she realizes I’m not standing in front of her.
“I’m angry, Anne. Furious.” My jaw hardens.
A sympathetic wrinkle forms between her eyes, and I avert my gaze from it because the last thing I want is for Anne to feel sorry for me. There’s been enough bullshit happening to her without me adding to it.
“And I don’t blame you. But can we talk?” Anne presses a hand to the doorframe.
“No.”
She kicks me with her boot. “Get up, Jack.”
Groaning, I sit up and remove Truffles from my lap, plucking two clinging claws from my shirt. The cat flicks his tail when I re-enter my cabin without him, and Laust scampers past us, slipping through the door before Anne closes it.
“The crew needs their captain now more than ever,” Anne states, not missing a beat.
I sit on the edge of my desk, propping one leg up. “And they have me. I told you I’m angry, not incompetent.”
“They have you?” Anne folds her arms and crosses the room, taking calculated steps. Heel, toe. Heel, toe. “You’re telling me that you’re not consumed by thoughts of murdering the entirety of a certain Royal Navy crew?”
My top lip quivers, and raking a hand through my hair, I push from the desk to pace. “Of course I am. They killed five members of my crew. Five. And one of them happened to be a dear friend.” I whirl to face her, curling one hand over her hip. “So, you tell me, Anne, how do you expect me to be? I’ve already told you I’m a jaded man and a pirate scoundrel.”
“I expect you to be exactly the way you are.” Anne’s fingers press to the back of my neck. “But what I expect, my Captain, is for you toprioritize.”
I know what she means, but I don’t want to think about it. Putting Duke’s revenge as an afterthought feels like a betrayal.
“Bury him. Say goodbye.” Despite my fighting her, she pulls my forehead to hers. “And then you need to figure out how we repair our ship in the middle of English waters. After The Revenge is whole again, after we have the jewel to boost morale,thenwe seek vengeance.”
Anne sounds like a captain herself, and I struggle between admiration and irritation.
“As long as you look me in the eye and tell me you understand that Iwillkill every last one of them.” I lock gazes with her gleaming emerald eyes, steadfast and strong.
“I’ll be there with cutlass keen beside you, Jack.”
