Page 71 of Scourge of the Shores
Adams nodded. “I’m with Captain Jaymes on this issue. Kill their sea dragon, credit our names, and leave the old kings in peace. It’s what should be afforded a pirate king.”
Cooper and Vance nodded along with an “Aye, aye.”
Five pirate kings were under Robert’s leadership, making the majority, just as he expected. However, Damien and Garrick had the third-largest fleets, and Rosa and Blackwood had the second-largest fleet, behind Robert’s largest. If it came to war over the issue of looting the island or leaving it, Robert’s victory was not guaranteed.
Did the dissenters see it too? His confidence would have to be their truth, even if it was a lie. His glare fell upon the four who offered no agreement. “Care to speak?”
The four of them shared glances until Damien stood and looked around. “Me fleets’ll not attack the islanders if ain’t nobody else does.”
Garrick crossed his arms and leaned back. “The treasure on this island’s probably of untold wealth and riches.” His fat tongue swam over his lip as he thought. “Hard to pass up, matey.” His beady eyes scanned the circle of men. He ran his thumb and forefinger down and around his goatee. “But we owe our status to the father of the youngest of us, though we all have longer tenures at sea than the Jaymes family,” Garrick acknowledged in a passive disrespect to Jaymes’ age. “I’ll say, Captain Jaymes did, after all, shorten our time here. He ain’t led us astray . . . yet.” He leaned forward and pointed with a knotted finger. “The day ye do, though, matey, I’ll take me fleets and return here before comin’ for ye.”
Blackwood nodded his agreement. “Aye, I agree with Captain Garrick.”
Rosa took a deep breath and ran a thumb over each ring—one for every finger. “Weak,” he muttered. “I thought we was Pirate Kings.”
He spat at the fire and stood up to face Robert. “Shoot me, Jaymes, fer I stand in yer way.”
Robert snorted at the calling of his bluff. “Daniel, don’t make me kill ye. Ye’re me matelot. For with no other have I shared my deepest secrets and most treasured spoils of battle.” He straightened his back, never losing hold of Rosa’s eyes. “I’ll give ye once more to agree not to loot the island.”
Rosa crossed his arms and chuckled.
“Shoot me.”
His voice was low, testing, and bathed in an air of victory.
If Robert didn’t follow through on his threat, he would look weak in front of the others who had given him their word. If he killed Rosa, he could start a civil war within themselves. He’d have to use one bullet to spare war—for now. If Rosa sought revenge, it could fracture the fragile unity his father worked so hard to build.
The fire crackled louder. The wind shifted. A challenge glinted in Rosa’s eyes.
Robert sighed. “Fine.”
The gunshot rang out before anyone could react.
Rosa’s smug smirk fell, and his eyes grew wide. As Rosa stumbled back, Robert kept his flintlock steady. The weight of leadership pressed heavier than the pistol in his hand. He had drawn first blood among the new generation of kings—matelot or not.
“Ye shot me!” Rosa growled, holding his wounded arm. Red simmered on his cheeks, and his lips peeled back, revealing gnashing yellow teeth.
Robert saw his friend in a new light: beneath Rosa’s handsome exterior lurked foul breath and nasty teeth, a match with the reality of his character—a kingly facade that concealed filth within.
But Robert would be the better man. He lifted his chin. “For me longest friend, I gifted ye a warning,” he said as the gunsmoke drifted away in the breeze. “Next time, the bullet’ll be in yer heart. Don’t test me again.”
Hagen, Adams, and Holcomb puffed their bottom lips and nodded at the act of Robert’s leadership—ruthless but honorable.
Vance and Cooper dismissed Rosa with an annoyed pop of their eyebrows. Damien chewed his lip as he watched Rosa succumb to the pain of being shot. It was not a good look for the Pirate King.
Garrick chuckled, “Shoulda agreed with what I said, Captain Rosa.”
Rosa sat back down on the log with a palm full of clotting blood before pressing his hand on his wound once again.
“That is settled, then.” Robert returned his flintlock to his belt. “After Cain’s gutted, we leave the island to the descendants of our pirate royalty in peace.”
With those words, he doomed the truth about his feelings for Danna from being revealed anytime soon. They’d kill him, especially after that display. His whispered promise to Danna of returning looked bleak. Another passing pirate or sailor or merchant could come from the seas and stay, winning her heart, leaving him to return to nothing. And if his true motive for leaving the island intact was made known, his father’s legacy would die with him.
His thoughts hid behind an expressionless face.
“Let’s get some shut-eye,” Robert said, surveying the kings. “For tomorrow, we’ve got a sea dragon to gut.”
A unified “Aye, Captain!” rose in the air. The men stood up, and each left for their respective camps, except Robert and Rosa.
