Page 1 of Bred By the Barge

Chapter 1

Pearl

I tuck my sister’s hair under her collar and squeeze her hand before pulling my cap down tighter on my head and weaving deeper into the crowd.

We keep our heads lowered as we duck under arms and dart around the bigger groups. My father’s wiry frame guides us through the busy market while my mother follows half a dozen steps behind us. As betas, they blend in better than my sister or I ever could, but there’s no guarantee they’ll make it to our destination without being targeted by pickpockets or an alpha on a power trip.

A light drizzle patters our heads and shoulders and small puddles form on the deck. The scent of wet copper and unwashed bodies drowns out the pheromones leaking from my disguise. My heart pounds against my sternum as people throughout the crowd shout and argue.

I glimpse a sliver of horizon between the stalls and note the waves churning under the stormy sky. Dread sits like a rock in my stomach, but difficult waters mean we’ll have a better chance at escaping unnoticed.

We can make it.

My sister flinches when a man to our right yells, but I tighten my grip on her hand and tug her along after me.

Less than three years younger than me, Gem’s cheeks still hold the roundness of youth, but her haunted eyes hold more trauma than any child should have to face. I pull her closer, wishing I could take her pain away, but knowing nothing can heal her wounded heart.

My father stops at a stall and exchanges a few words with the shopkeeper. I slow my steps and dodge a drunk woman as I wait for the signal. When the shopkeeper nods, I dart forward, push past my dad, and tug Gem around the back of the stall.

We jump into the half-empty barrel of fish guts. I pull my sister into my arms and meet my mother’s eyes. The turmoil in her gaze matches the stormy sky.

“I love you, my girls,” she whispers before closing the barrel.

The wood vibrates as she hammers the lid into place. Gem tucks her face into my neck and clutches at my jacket. I open my collar, hoping my scent reaches her through the stench, and tighten my arms around her.

“It’s okay, Gem. I’m here,” I whisper.

She trembles. I pull her hat up and kiss her forehead before settling in for the long wait. My legs and back cramp, but I curl myself around my sister, protecting her from the hard wood of the barrel as best I can.

Two male voices bicker back and forth as the workers arrive. My sister stiffens. Neither of us dare move.

We listen as the crane gives an ugly mechanical screech before chains thump against the outside of the barrel. Fish guts squish around us as we’re lifted off the deck. My heart leaps in my throat and nausea swirls in my stomach as I imagine the barrel hanging over the open ocean as they transport us from the main deck to the small fishing boat.

I exhale in relief when the bottom of the barrel thumps down onto a solid surface. My father’s voice a few feet away as he speaks to someone assures me we’re on the right vessel.

Despite the stench and cramped quarters, I take a deep breath, relax my shoulders, and give a small, fleeting smile as Gem follows my lead. Her muscles relax. After a few moments, her deep, even breaths wash over my neck.

Tears slip down my face, but I don’t wipe them away.

She hasn’t slept for longer than a few minutes since the attack. We’re not safe—far from it, actually—but with the world blocked out and my arms wrapped around her, she falls asleep.

Her trust in me fills me with bittersweet emotions. I wish she didn’t have such a heavy burden to bear, but I’m glad she feels safe enough to sleep in my arms.

As time passes, my legs go numb and my arms cramp, but I don’t move. Guts slosh around us as the deck rocks back and forth. The swaying worsens as the waves grow from the storm.

A man’s voice jolts me into the present.

“We ain’t no raiders! We’s pirates, an’ since we kilt them fuckin’ idiots, you owe us fer safe passage through these waters.”

My sister jerks awake and clutches at me. I whisper in her ear, begging her to stay quiet.

The sounds of fighting twist my stomach. More voices join and the violence grows. A woman screams.

The deck pitches. An explosion rips through the boat. We freefall. I slap a hand over Gem’s mouth, muffling her scream and preventing her from eating fish guts.

The barrel lands on its side. Pain streaks through my hip, shoulder, and head, but I wrap myself tighter around my sister.

My mother’s scream echoes in my ears.

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