Page 81 of Of Magic and Rum
“Listen to me.” I curl a hand behind her neck and point a stern finger in her face. “I don’t care what happens, donotuse your powers.”
Her mouth opens to protest, and I slip my palm over it.
“Promise me. Because when we’re captured, and I hate to say that wewillbe, I can’t stand the thought of anyone strapping you to a table and experimenting on you or doing other heinous things.” Letting my hand fall from her face, I keep her gaze trained on me. “Promise me, Anne.”
Her lips form a thin line. “I won’t use my powers.”
“Good.” I turn to the crew all staring in terror at the approaching ship. “Prepare to be boarded.”
“Captain?” Red asks, confused.
“This isn’t the end, ladies and gents. Look at it as a minor inconvenience because I’ll be damned to have come all this way just to be hanged like a dog.” Standing on a barrel, I look aroundat the men and women who’ve put their faith in me. “If we fight them, we will die. But once we’re on land it will be an entirely different story. Wewillget out of this. And wewillsee more treasure.”
A man appears at the railing of the Naval ship. “Ahoy there, Rackham. They promised me a pardon if I told them where you were.” His arms shoot out, and a shit-eating grin so vast that I can see it from this distance slithers over his lips. “How could I refuse?”
My blood goes beyond boiling—it explodes.
Charles Vane.
It’s astonishing when you feel like you’re drowning, even though water can never conquer you. The pleading look in Jack’s eyes as he begs me not to use my powers for fear of my life has me unable to breathe. And now, knowing Vane is to blame for what’s about to happen has me sinking to the bottom of the sea. It can’t end like this. I won’t let it. I made a promise to Jack, but I have used my powers discreetly before and can do it again. But it means waiting for the right moment. It means allowing ourselves—to be captured. Jack hid Truffles and Laust in his cabin, ordering Laust not to let the cat out of sight until he heard no more movement.
When the marines board our ship, the sight of everyone surrendering makes my limbs numb. Mary spits in the officer’s face as he slips irons over her wrists. Ragnar glares at his captor,making the man work for it with trembling fingers. Squid refuses to come down from the crow’s nest, and several men begin the arduous climb to retrieve him.
When the officers approach me and Jack next, we catch each other’s gazes, speaking without words—wewillget out of this. Jack ignores the man with dangling shackles in his hands and bends to kiss me. It’s brief because the officer pulls us apart, but enough to spring eternal hope through my chest. The metal is cool against my skin and just as daunting as the dark overcast sky above us. I fall in line with the rest of the crew, and we’re escorted across a plank from The Revenge to an awaiting naval ship.
Vane saunters on deck, chewing on a piece of straw and looking far too happy with himself. “Your good friend Carlisle bumped into me saying he miraculously ran intoyou,and it got me thinking, where oh where could his ship be? Did you forget we both have used that island?”
Jack’s cheek quivers. “Didn’t forget. Figured you wouldn’tbehere.”
“I’ll witness your hanging, Rackham. Out of respect.” A venomous grin slithers Vane’s lips, and he tilts toward Jack’s ear. “And I did tell you that I’d be the last thing you see before this world is rid of you.”
“You’ve done many idiotic things since I’ve known you, Charles. But this? Has to be the worst.” Jack widens his stance. “Because we could’ve been square, you and I, minding our businesses.” He gets in Vane’s face. “Now you’re as good as dead.”
Jack’s words don’t faze Vane, or he does an excellent job of not showing it.
“What are you planning to do, hm? Haunt me from the afterlife?” Vane flicks the straw at Jack’s chest.
“I do love it whenever you underestimate me. Makes the victories that much sweeter.” Jack turns away from him before he can get in another word, and I’m quick to follow him.
“You should’ve stuck with me, sweetheart. This is where Jack’s leadership takes you.” Vane props against a cabin wall with so much unfounded confidence I want to kick him in the balls.
I pause long enough to shrug at Vane. “Then you don’t know Jack.”
Given our numbers, there are too many of us to shove into the brig. They corral us like cattle on the main deck, instructing us to sit on our asses with our backs to each other.
I press the back of my head to Jack’s, squinting at the sun, attempting to peek through the clouds, and humRandy Dandy Oh, one of my favorite shanties I’ve heard the crew sing. Soon, more men join me, humming first and then singing it.
The marines let it go for only one verse before a red coat moves in front of us and barks, “Pipe it down.”
Jack’s head shakes against mine. “You take our dignity and now take our human right to sing, too?”
“You gave up rights the day you decided to participate in piracy.” The officer kicks Jack’s leg with his boot.
Jack’s body jostles from the impact. “That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”
“Pipe. Down,” the marine repeats and continues.
Sneaking my hands near my hip, careful not to let the chain make noise, I tug Jack’s trousers. His skin grazes my knuckles, and he uses a fingertip to caress the skin between my fingers where the webbing appears in my nymph form. Despite our trek to the gallows, his fleeting touch still elicits a smile.
