Page 9 of Daughter of the Dark Sea
“I thought you stayed on the ship.” Her tone dripped with irritation.
“No ma’am.” Blood seeped through his head bandage as he wiped his hair from his lean face.
Kora grimaced. She was by no means old enough to be addressed asma’am. Erick had guessed her age as fifteen when he’d recovered her from the wreckage, and now she was approaching her presumed twenty-fifth birthday. They’d decided the day of her rescue would be her birthday. It was at the end of summer, before cool air swept in for autumn, soothing the raging heat.
“You may address me as Captain,” she reminded him.
He gaped with worry, shaking his head, but his eyes sparkled. “Please accept my apologies, Captain, I—”
Kora held up a hand, his sparkling eyes irking her. Did he think this was a joke? “It’s fine. I need you to help me reach the captain’s quarters,” she paused, remembering Blake’s suggestion, “please.”
The sailor stilled, glancing to the heavy-set mahogany door lined with dark iron bolts. He surveyed their demolished surroundings, dark eyes turning quizzical. Open space loomed between them and the captain’s door, decking strewn around in obliterated shards. Kora rubbed her chin, casting her stare over piles of rubble.
“We need to find a ladder, or barrels to stack.” She began searching, dust collecting on her clammy hands. Nodding at her command, the sailor silently picked through the debris, face paling at the fingers and limbs peeking through the wreckage. She curiously studied him as the sense of purpose eased the tremble persisting in his body.
“What’s your name?” Kora enquired reluctantly.Damn it, Blake.
“Finlay,” he replied without looking, “Finlay Blackstone, Captain.” His shoulders hunched, squishing the broadsword strapped to his back between his bony blades.
“As in the House of Blackstone?” Surprise tinted Kora’s voice. What was a son of a noble house doing on her ship? And how didshenot know? Had Blake authorised his draft into the crew? She would certainly remember seeingBlackstoneon the recruitment list.
Finlay tensed, his hair falling over the side of his damp neck. This close, Kora could see it was dark blonde, the dirt and sweat from over a week at sea hiding its true colour. He met Kora’s inquisitive gaze, face pinching.
“Yes, I hail from Aldara, like you.” His voice cooled, and his dark eyes seemingly stared off into the distance, as if remembering his home haunted him. Black eyes,like the black-stoned shores of the north-west of Aldara.
“Why are you here? A son of a noble house shouldn’t be out herehunting pirates.”Not that he’d done much hunting.Sons of noble houses were destined to rule in politics, or become consults to the royal family, ensuring their families married into wealth, and carrying the legacy on entitled shoulders.
Kora’s stomach knotted. It couldn’t be a coincidence that a son of a prestigious noble house, known for its huge contributions to the navy, was here. Drafted for the first time tojoin the same voyage that was ambushed by pirates sailing stolen empire ships.
Had the Blackstone family organised this? Had they sent their son to spy on the empire? Her spine tingled, skin prickling from the humidity. What if they’d reviewed her plunders and discovered a chunk of wealth missing? Was Finlay here to investigate?
Finlay straightened and sighed at Kora’s intensity, clasping his shaky hands together. “Joining the armada gave my family certain . . . advantages.” His bitterness leaked through, coating his voice. It was thick, and he cleared his throat. “What better ship to be placed on thanHell’s Serpent?”
She narrowed her eyes and a blush crept up his neck. It was a double-edged truth, hidden behind deceit, and her gut gnawed. He was hiding something.
Kora probed, “Why would your family forceyou to enlist?”
“They didn’t approve of my . . . lifestyle.” Something sparkled in Finlay’s dark gaze.
Before she could push further, he suddenly pointed behind her and Kora whirled, expecting an attack, her hands raised to fight. Her breath whooshed out of her system as she faced a partially broken ladder, tucked away in a dark, damp corner.
“The ladder won’t hurt you,” Finlay chuckled as he brushed the cobwebs off it. Her hands dropped to her side, shaking the tension out of her.Gods,she was so tired, her nerves fried from the pirate ambush. Adrenaline had abandoned her, and Kora’s body screamed at her to rest. They positioned the ladder against the broken deck panelling, precariously placed at the foot of the captain’s bolted door.
“Just about fits,” she mused as Finlay held it steady, his tremble now non-existent.
“It’s your lucky day. Time to claim what’s yours.” He smiled, andgods-damnhe was a pretty male. Kora returned the smile,and a light danced in his fathomless dark eyes as she ascended the ladder.
5
Heavy, royal-blue drapes shrouded the room in darkness, blanketing the rear cracked windows. Sweat, damp, and somethingelselingered, permeating the air. Kora wrinkled her nose, peering around the thick edge of the door. Darkness moulded itself around large chunky furniture, bolted to the floor.
Finlay hauled himself onto the thin panel of decking and stepped forward, motioning to let him pass, and he nudged the door ajar. Was he being protective? Brown-nosing the captain on his first voyage? Smart lad. Light sliced through the room, revealing a four-poster bed to the right and a desk to the left. A large chest, covered in rubies in the centre, sparkled, casting a red starry sky on the low-beamed ceiling.
“Bingo!” Kora strode towards it, shouldering past Finlay.
“Wait!” he whispered harshly.
Silence smothered them and the sounds of her crew grew distant. She reached for the beckoning ruby chest, treasure dancing in her vision, buta dark bumpy shape in the cornersnagged her attention. She halted, turning to inspect the lump at the base of the bed.
