Page 35 of Scourge of the Shores
Robert’s eyes dropped to his plate. “Danna, do you remember my proposition from the night I stitched you up?” He avoided the question entirely.
Danna took another bite, stalling. She did remember.
First, she was thanking him. Then, Lucas was suggesting he stay. Now, he was talking of alliances.
She didn’t like how tangled it was getting.
“Aye,” she said. “We help each other, and slayin’ Cain ends both our troubles. But I don’t trust Rosa, or the lot of ‘em. What if, once Cain’s dead, they turn ‘round and take our ships? They got the guns, the men—more than we do. Nothin’ stoppin’ ‘em from robbin’ us blind, takin’ what’s left of our fathers’ legacies.”
Lucas sat back, piecing together the proposal.
“As I told you, if I kill Cain, at least half of the Pirate Kings would submit their fleets to my leadership. And as for Rosa, he promised me as me matelot and on his father’s name, he would do no such thing.”
Robert took a swig of his tin and wiped his mouth with his shirt. “Blackwood is the other who holds significant sway. Damien and Garrick are the other two who may not submit to me. But even if Blackwood, Damien, and Garrick wanted to return and loot the island, I would hold enough power and Rosa’s promise to stop them.”
Danna licked her lip before she shoved some eggs in her mouth. Her head tilted in thought. It was a gamble either way. She wondered if Robert’s motivation to save her was to earn her trust so she’d agree to his plan. It might take all of them to kill the sea demon. There had to be glory in it for him. But once he had his glory, what would become of her? The island?
Ma nodded and placed her hand atop Danna’s. “Whatever’s decided, we must act fast before Cain returns.”
Lucas nodded as well. Danna sighed and figured that if Robert had somehow earned Lucas’s trust, then maybe he could earn hers too. She scanned both men before she accepted the proposal. “Alright, Jaymes. But if ye run a rig, I’ll fight me way out of Tophet to haunt yer fancy ship.”
“Ain’t takin’ it any other way,” Robert said. He lifted a finger. “Could you also agree to assembly lines and making pitch and tar while our camp cuts wood?” Both palms opened in defense. “I’ve already told them that’s what you agreed to when I had to return to camp to retrieve the enchantment.“
She leaned back with eyes narrowed.
“I had to, lass,” he said with a grin.
There was a glint of trust in his eyes, and against her better judgment, she again accepted.
“Fine.” Her gaze slipped to Lucas. “Make it so after ye eat.”
Lucas swallowed his mouthful of eggs. “Aye, Captain.”
Danna watched Robert savor the taste of his hot scrambled eggs.
“After the ships be repaired and our island traps be set, we set sail for Cain’s lair,” she said, and eyed Robert. “Would be a fine time for that enchantment of yers—the one that makes dark waters clear.”
“If I have it.” Robert smiled with a shake of his head.
“Somethin’ tells me ye might,” she said, tapping her fork on the table.
“Then you’ll be sorely disappointed,” he said. “That one is very rare. I’ve never seen it.” He took another sip from his tin.
Danna eyed him. She couldn’t quite tell when the man lied or spoke the truth, and she usually was the best at reading men. Curse that pirate.
They ate the rest of their breakfast with light laughter and easy banter. The laughter, the warmth, the quiet talk of ships and trade. It shouldn’t have felt good.
Not after what happened.
Where was the weight of it? The grief? The rage?
Maybe she was just tired. Maybe she wanted to believe in the peace—just for this moment. For a brief respite, Danna let it all fade—the weight of the island, the fear of Cain, the memory of the nights before.
Lucas grinned ear-to-ear. Robert’s eyes flickered with joy when he made her laugh. And Ma—Ma was smiling. A real, full smile. Danna hadn’t seen it in such a long time.
A warmth, almost like peace, settled over her.
But peace had never lasted long in her world. Her gaze drifted to the open door. The sea beyond was too calm, too clean, like it hadn’t swallowed bodies just days before. The sun glinted off the water’s surface, hiding what lay beneath: remnants of the DeepMother’s magic, sorrow, and wrath. A chill skated down her spine. She wanted to let herself feel peace, to sink into the safety of this morning, but deep down, she knew better.
