Page 82 of Of Magic and Rum
We’re back in the London port in the few moments it takes for a massive naval ship to get there from the island. They remove all weapons from our persons, including my beloveddagger. They’re herding us through the town center, where people aren’t reacting as I thought they would in our presence. I half expected them to throw food or rocks at us—to curse us for being pirates. But they barely notice us. And if we make eye contact with them, they look away. A wooden sign hangs above an alcove with simple black lettering: Paternoster Row, and they shove us here, forcing us into a line.
The soldiers tear me from Jack’s side, and panic suddenly shakes me to my core. I can end this with one tidal wave. London be damned. But I promised him, and we both swore there would be no more lies. Sorrow pulls at Jack’s features, but he nods at me to tell me that it’ll all be alright. Swallowing my swelling anxiety, I settle beside Mary, where they’ve separated us from the rest of our male counterparts.
An officer stands before us, chin held high and at attention. “You all are convicted and found guilty for acts of piracy. You are to be hanged until dead come sunrise.”
Mary fidgets beside me and blurts, “We’re pregnant.”
All heads snap in our direction, including a bewildered Jack. Discreetly, I shake my head at him.
I know with utmost certainty I’m not with child, and considering Mary’s taste, I’m willing to bet she isn’t either.
“That’s to say Anne and I,eachof us is pregnant.”
The marine lets out a deep sigh, mumbles something about “bloody pirates” under his breath, and feverishly taps his foot. “Very well. The women will spend the rest of their days in a jail cell until the birth of their babes and thenceforth share the same fate at the gallows.” He clicks his heels together. “Take them away.”
A soldier takes hold of me and Mary’s chains, pulling us in the opposite direction from the rest of the crew. I’m searching for Jack’s face, and when I spot him, he’s peering directly at me with a single finger pointing at the side of his nose.
Deception. It’s how we’ll get ourselves out of this mess.
We’re placed, more like thrown, into cells across from one another, and Mary grips the bars, shouting all forms of insults colorful enough to make a sailor blush. But the soldier ignores her and only slams the hilt of his rifle against her cell.
Once the marine has disappeared, I get Mary’s attention. “How long do you think it’ll be before they return to check on us?”
“I’d be surprised if they returned for the rest of the night.” Mary guffaws and kicks the pebbles covering the stone floor.
“Good thinking on buying us time with the pregnant plea,” I say, but my gaze remains glued on the exit, and I pray a guard doesn’t appear.
“What?” Mary gives a snarky grin and pats her thin stomach. “Don’t think I could be pregnant?”
My face falls silent, and I cross my arms.
“You’re right. Far too much effort.” Mary makes an expression like she’s gotten a sudden whiff of whale shit.
I’m anxious and tapping my fingernail against one of the metal bars. After several more minutes, I can’t take it any longer. Willing my nymph form, I turn enough parts of myself into softening water, the shackles falling from my wrists, and I slip through the bars with ease.
Mary’s light eyes fixate on me, and her mouth is agape. “Did I just witness you turning into a jellyfish?”
“Not quite.” I’m back to human and reach for Mary’s hand between the bars, holding it. “If someone does come back, say you fell asleep and didn’t see what happened. They’re going to have a hard enough time rationalizing how I escaped shackles and a locked cell.”
Mary stares at our joined hands and shakes her head. “Right. Yeah. But Anne—” She folds her other hand over mine, fusingour palms. “Be careful. I don’t give a fuck if you’re immortal. Just be careful, yeah?”
After giving her one last reassuring squeeze, I take to the hallway, pressing my back to the wall and listening for anyone passing. Once clear, I’m scrambling for the next opportunity to hide while figuring out how the Seas I’ll get out of this labyrinth. The light from a flickering flame bounces off an adjacent wall, and I duck into the opposite hallway.
“That one pirate we arrested today? Fucking Calico Jack,” one marine says with far too much snark in his tone.
“No bloody shit. Guess he’s not as unsinkable as they say he is, eh?”
The sound of the man slapping the other’s back reverberates off the stone walls, and the laughter that follows has me seeing red. I dig my nails into the wall, crack one, and stand my ground.
It takes tip-toeing through another four hallways, turning around twice to make a complete circle back to the same stop, and a hair-raising moment with an officer staring down the only walkway I could take to the exit before I’m safely back outside. It’s late evening, and so many passersby crowd the streets that shoulders bump into me from every direction.
I’d been worried someone might recognize me from our pirate procession to the row, but they didn’t care if they did. Stopping a woman in a gray bonnet carrying a basket of bread loaves, I comb a hand through my hair and smile. “Pardon me, but I hear there’s going to be a pirate hanging tomorrow. I love such a spectacle, but I’m new here from Ireland, and I was wondering if you could tell me where it’ll take place.”
The woman grins with all of the six teeth she has and points. “There’s a dock by the Thames. But getting there early is best if you want a good spot. Or you can always go to any of the taverns along the river and watch with a telescope.”
With atelescope?
“Thank you.” I go to shake her hand, but realizing they’re full of parcels, I awkwardly wave.
