Page 10 of Daughter of the Dark Sea
“Captain!” Finlay cried in warning.
Kora stumbled as a figure sprang from the exquisite gold covers. Finlay leapt between them, broadsword drawn in his shaky hands as the pirate lunged. She staggered back in surprise, knocking into the desk, papers and trinkets that littered it flying onto the floor.
“Stop where ye are!” the pirate bellowed. A mottled, grey unruly beard, tied with blue string, framed a darkly tanned, chapped face. His eyes were the deepest brown, matching his slicked hair covered with a dark blue bandana.
Finlay swiped wildly with his marred heavy blade as the pirate attempted to shove him away. The pirate yelled, dodging the attack, drawing his cutlass sword and aiming for Finlay’s frantically heaving chest.
“Get out of me way, lad.” His long coat and breeches matched the royal-blue sails ofDemon Sea Siren, with a thick, black leather belt and a silver buckle, to sheath his even larger cutlass sword. Kora eyed it cautiously. It was wide, curving to a sharp point, capable of slicing through an arm,or leg . . . or two. Three more males emerged from underneath the bed, covered in dust, debris, and blood. So,thatwas the stench. Their venomous glares fixated on Finlay and his trembling sword.
Filthy pirates.
Kora’s blood boiled anew with hatred, and she spared a glance at the desk. A thick, silver envelope knife glinted at her. Its handle, with an intricate vine pattern woven around it, captured her gaze.
“I suppose you’re the captain.” Kora shuffled forward, obscuring the desk behind her.
“Captain James Cannon.” His deep, rough voice bounced through the quarters as he lifted his curved blade level with Finlay’s throat, a threat poised on his weather-beaten face.
“Quite the spectacle. You must’ve fired enough cannons to kill a kraken,” she smirked, lips tugged into a lazy smile. “Captain Kora Cadell, at your service.” She bowed low and mockingly, and as she straightened, her hand swiftly stroked the surface of the deskina casual caress.
Krakens were common legend amongst pirates. A mythical creature capable of capsizing the largest of vessels inminutes.Consuming sailors and chomping through boats with rows of pointed teeth, their tentacles dragging them to the crushing depths of the ocean. Shame they were only myths. She could do with a kraken in her artillery.
Cannon’s face flashed at the mention of her name and he shook his head. “Aye, we know of ye,” he snapped, glowering at her insult. His pirate comrades crept out at the edges of the quarters, closing the space between Kora, Finlay, and Cannon.
“Attacking us is pointless,” she addressed his crew, glaring at them individually. “Four of you against my ship of sailors.”
“We don’t see no crew,” one to the right sneered.
She refused to look towards the open-door entrance. Had the boats already departed back toHell’s Serpent? They wouldn’t leave her. Blake wouldn’t leave her. She inhaled deeply, repeating the thought over.
A blood-soaked pirate advanced. His white shirt clung to his bony frame, revealing a wound in his side. Blood trickled from his busted lips, and he spat on the floor, his saliva traced with speckles of red.
“You may come on board with us,” Kora said slowly, edging closer to Finlay, his sword still raised at their captain. “We won’t harm you.”
“Lies!” White Shirt snarled as he limped closer. “Ye murder our kind for sport!”
“Aye,” Cannon repeated. “It’ll be ye that’ll be coming with us. Enough of this bloodshed.”
“You’re the liars. We’re not going anywhere with you!” Finlay’s voice rose, grimacing as he violently trembled. Kora stilled. He wouldn’t make the kill. It was plain as day on his face.
Cannon barked a husky laugh. “Lad, ye’ll be at the bottom of the ocean in Davy Jones’ Locker. We want the lass.” He motioned the wicked blade to Kora, its end nicking her throat.
They wanted her alive, and they didn’t intend to send her to the Locker with Finlay. How . . .confusing. Pirates were murderous thieves, and nothing more. Finlay blanched at the mention of the Locker, and something protective surged within her.
“No,” Kora placed her hand on Finlay’s shoulder in comfort. “He won’t be.”
With a hard warning squeeze, she dragged Finlay away from Cannon and flung the envelope knife with precision. It shot through the air, embedding into Cannon’s right shoulder, forcing him back onto the golden bed with a painful yell. His cutlass sword scattered across the floor and Kora leapt, her hands scrambling before the limping, white-shirt pirate could snatch it first.
Drawing herself onto her knees, she clutched the sword, its hilt too big to grapple.Damn it!The white-shirt pirate clasped her shoulders, shoving her onto her back before she could draw the weapon up in defence. Her head smacked against the polished floor, pain exploding behind her eyes, and stars danced in her vision. Her ears rang, drowning out Finlay’s cries for help.
Finlay.
She’d be gods-damned if she’d let the pirates win.Move, move now!
“It’s to the Locker with ye now, lad.” White Shirt hauled Finlay up by the lapel of his dark jerkin. The bandage around his head unravelled, his blood matting his hair.
“N-no, please!” his voice wavered.
Kora pushed to her feet, the room swaying, and violently drove the cutlass blade through White Shirt’s lower back, gutting him. He released Finlay with a shocked splutter, blood dripping from his mouth as Finlay tumbled to the floor with a sickeningthud.
