Page 85 of Of Magic and Rum
“Then accept my rescuing,” I tease, touching my fingers to his shackles and turning them into water that falls to our feet, blending in with the rest.
Jack glares at me. “Annie?—”
I leap and wrap my arms around him, kissing him and shutting him up. “We need to grab the rest of the crew and haul ass back to The Revenge. This distraction will only last so long before the Navy sends reinforcements.”
“Where did you find a pirate crew willing to crash a pirate execution in enemy territory?” Jack’s nose wrinkles, and he hoists me onto the dock.
“A brothel keeper,” I answer.
Jack pauses with his hands on the dock and blinks at me. “My dear, you are beautifully intelligent, but that makes no sense whatsoever.”
“I’ll tell you all about it in your cabin later.” Crouching, I encourage him onto the dock, trying not to laugh at his confused expression.
We race through the streets where most of the crew have taken advantage of the chaos and used it to escape. Jack lets out a shrill whistle. The crew members snap to attention with jovial smiles upon seeing not only Jack but me, too. And everyone’s here except—Mary.
“Jack, we need to get Mary. She’s still in that cell. I left her there.” I slip a hand over my mouth. “By the Seas.”
“This Mary?” Her voice is an epic hymn sung through the clouds.
Grinning, I turn, and there’s Mary, twirling her shackles around one finger, a set of keys hanging from her other hand.
“How did you—” I stop myself and flick my hand. “—you can tell me when we’re out of this shithole.”
An eerie quiver seizes my spine, and it’s then I spot him pushing through the crowd, shouting and pointing at us—Charles Vane. We lock gazes, and I set my jaw. There are too many people rushing past Vane, and his voice is drowned out by the cacophony of gunfire, screams, and pirate laughter.
Ignoring Jack’s nemesis, despite the seething anger raging in my blood, I turn Mary and Jack away, hoping they’ve yet to spot him. It’s hard enough for me to fight the urge to attack Vane, let alone those who’ve dealt with him for far longer than I.
We undo everyone’s shackles once we’re a safe distance away and at the shoreline, staring blissfully at the island in the distance, The Revenge floating there. But the dinghies are all on the ship now.
I’m already whisking primary pieces of clothing off, and Jack is beside me, repeating the same actions. “Jack, what are you doing?”
“I’m going for a swim. What are you doing?”
“It’s way too far. You’ll never?—”
Jack cups my face, and, just as I had with him moments ago, he quiets me with a kiss. “A giant sea monster is after you. I’m not letting you go alone, and we need two people to row and tow the other boats behind if we’re going to get the crew back on board in time.” He swirls circles on my cheeks with his thumbs. “And you know I’m the strongest swimmer next to you.”
It kills me that he’s right and positively guts me, but I relent and nod. “If you get tired, you tell me, and I’ll pull you along.”
He agrees but never says a word, the stubborn bastard. We make it to the ship without any interference, and he flops on deck, gasping for air and swallowing mouthfuls of it with his palms pressed to his knees.
“Tired, Jack?” I hide a smile while undoing one of the rope ties.
Jack shakes his head but still hasn’t regained enough breath to answer me.
We row the dinghies back to our awaiting crew and safely return to The Revenge while the other pirates have been practically turning the River Thames into a pirate tavern. The reinforcements arrive, but they give them the runaround andbuy us enough time to shove off. I’m exhausted, grateful, and didn’t once fear for my life or secret showing my scales. It’s unbridling.
Jack smiles at me from across the deck, where he’s discussing something with Ragnar. I wave at him but frown when the seas beneath us rumble and turn foamy. I search the water, unable to make anything out until I notice it—a glittering gold three-pronged spear—a trident. My heart plummets to my feet because I’m terrifiedandelated to see this. A giant water horse raises its front hooves from the water, and there’s no mistaking who found us—my father.
Poseidon.
I’ve been in harrowing situations numerous times throughout my life. Since becoming a pirate, that number has tripled. But the gallows? This was a new one for me. And I was hanging from the noose for several seconds before Anne cut the rope free. I, Captain Jack Rackham, almost pissed my trousers. I had complete confidence Anne would figure something out, but considering it went so far as the blocks were being kicked out from under my feet, that split second when you think, this is it, can put many things in perspective. Was it enough to convince me to hang up my cutlass and dry off my boots? No way in hell.
The crew is all safely back on board, every head accounted for, and we’re on track heading for Greece with England forever in our wake. I’m unsure how Anne convinced the other pirate crew to risk their necks, giving us a distraction long enough toescape, and I can hardly wait to hear her story. All is right again. It’s unsettling without Duke at the helmwithme, but matters could be far worse. The ship lurches, the seas violently crashing against the hull.
And this is what happens when you don’t follow your own bloody rules.
As I sprint to the railing to survey what in God’s name can make that prominent of a wave without the aid of a thunderstorm, I tense. A gold trident slips through the surface, the sun glinting from its threeverysharp andverypointy prongs. I’m so tense my grip cracks the wood as a giant water horse leaps from the waves, eyes glowing a fiercely vibrant blue. It’s galloping toward the ship, and I widen my stance.
