Page 42 of Enchanted By a Pirate
"I'll distract them." Anton winked at her and Anna laughed. With her heart pounding, she took the captain's outstretched hand. Now she was going on an adventure with him. Where would the journey take them? What would develop — or be rekindled — between the two of them?
She waved at Anton before hurrying down the country road with the pirate. They rushed along the dusty road until the captain stopped to look around. Nobody was following them. He pulled her into the bushes, through the tall grass, and led her in an arc back to the city.
"Where is your ship?"
"Shh." He put his finger to his lips and pointed through the tall grasses. He ducked and she instinctively took cover too. They weren't far from Linnenberg and saw over ten armed men burst through the gate and scurry down the country road. Were they following Anna and the captain?
Anton had walked a few yards across the meadow, but with just two more steps, he was standing in the middle of the road with his oversized feet. "Is this the right way to the giants' kingdom?" His voice was so loud that it echoed all the way to their hiding place. Unfortunately, they couldn't understand the men's reply, but Anton engaged them in a conversation that they obviously didn't like. They tried to push past him with their knives and swords aggressively raised.
"I hope they don't hurt him," Anna whispered.
"Oh, a few scars never hurt a man. Come on!" He motioned her forward and they skirted Linnenberg by following a wide arc. The grass was so tall that they easily remained hidden while remaining stooped over. Even the farmers who were trying to cultivate the barren fields outside the city walls never once raised their heads.
Without attracting attention, they left the city behind. Ahead of them lay a rocky landscape. Wait. Rocks and barren ground — were they heading east? "Are we going to the giants' kingdom?"
"No, Ani, we're approaching the coast. It has some hidden coves. I know a few secret paths leading down."
After a while, she heard the surf. The stormy sea was pounding the rocky coast, which they reached shortly afterward. The seemingly endless sea stretched out before them. The sun was glittering on the surface and two ships were sailing in the distance.
Anna peered down and saw nothing but cliffs and the roaring sea. Her hair whipped wildly around her shoulders, so she had to use both hands to put it behind her ears and hold it so she could see.
"I thought the giants only blew such strong winds in the east."
"In the east, it's the giants, in the west, it's the spring storms."
A shudder ran through her, and she paused. As far as she knew, she had never been on a ship except for when she had been abducted from her home. Still, she was certain a rough sea wouldn't sit well with her. She glanced over the edge of the rocks and peered into a never-ending abyss. No one would survive a jump from there, even if there hadn't been any rocks below.
"Are you okay?" He was standing right behind her, his breath blowing through her hair onto her neck. A shudder ran throughher again. What had Anton been thinking, leaving her alone with such a man?
She took a step to the side, away from the abyss and the captain. She couldn't let him muddle her senses. Even though he had sworn to her that she would be safe on his ship, she had to keep her eyes and ears open and not allow herself to be swept away. "Where is the bay?"
"You can't see it from up here, but look over there…" He stepped behind her again and pointed to a spot down by the water. He put his arm over her shoulder. The touch sent shivers through her body. "…next to the leaning rock that sticks out of the water, that's where the Fortuna is anchored."
"So, how do we get to it?"
"I'll show you." He took a few steps along the precipice, jumped down onto a rocky outcrop that was really way too small, turned to her, and held out his hand. "Are you coming, Ani?" The gesture gave her the impression that he was one of those long-extinct gentlemen who was asking her to dance. Unfortunately, it wasn't like that. He wanted to lead her down a high cliff along a path that was far too narrow. No wonder his ship was safe down there. Who would be so stupid as to follow this perilous path?
It was only with difficulty that Anna managed to suppress a shudder. "Is there no other way?"
"Aye, there is. If you transform, you can fly down." His eyes lit up as if he was just waiting for her to do so.
Damn. "All right, but I swear, if I fall into the depths, I'll never forgive you."
A storm raged in his dark eyes. "I would never let go of your hand, Ani."
She cautiously placed her hand in his and he held it so tightly that a little confidence flowed through her. Maybe with his help, it could actually be done. Carefully, she stepped down onto the small, barely discernible path that appeared to be moreof a natural illusion tricking them before they plunged into the never-ending depths. But she had to trust him. He would know where to step. He wanted to get to the bottom alive too, after all.
The path was narrow and steep. Chris walked slowly, minding every step so that Anna could keep up with him. Not even for a moment did he let go of her hand. He wouldn't have been able to do it anyway because her fingers were wrapped so tightly around his. Her heart was beating wildly and she stopped herself from peering down into the depths. With her eyes fixed on her feet and the tiny rocky outcrop, she nervously followed him. At least the thousands of thoughts that had been filling her mind lately were giving her a break for the time being. They worked their way down, highly focused, one step after the next.
"We're more than halfway there. You're doing fabulously, Ani."
She just nodded, unable to answer. Beads of sweat were running down her back and her hands were ice cold. Was it because of the strong wind or her excitement? She was overcome with dizziness and she had to stop for a moment. Being up so high was giving her so much trouble — it was no wonder, given her slight fear of heights. Anyone could stumble here. Her breathing grew shallower and panic gripped her. The captain sensed it and rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.
"Five minutes at the most and we'll be on the beach. You're almost there, Ani. Trust me, you can do it."
Anna nodded and followed close behind. How could she be a fairy who flew up so dizzyingly high if she was so afraid of heights?
Finally, they were standing on white sand. Her heart was pounding as if she'd been running. Her head hurt and the icy air made her eyes water. She felt his hand on her back and his arm around her body, but it wasn't until he pulled her into a hug that she realized it was over.
