Page 73 of Paid to the Pirate

“She doesn’t have it!” Colt shouted.

More voices joined in -- arguing, asking questions, or offering grunts of agreement or denial.

Resolved, I joined them, only to be roughly grabbed by Colt and shoved in the direction of the jolly boat.

“Time to go, Charlotte,” he ordered, coldly.

“No,” I insisted, chin raised. “I won’t leave. Not until you tell me why.”

“She ain’t leavin’ ’till she talks,” Robert yelled. His declaration stirred two of the men near him. The hair on my neck stood upright at the same time shame rose at Colt’s harsh dismissal of me. But panicked desperation overrode my pride.

“Stop this, please,” I begged, grabbing the neck of Colt’s waistcoat and speaking in a low, urgent voice. “I’m not taking one step; I won’t leave this ship until you talk to me. Not asthis.This monster without conscience. I want my Colt back, my captain. The one who held me in his arms all night. Please, talk to me.”

“Conks, take her back,” Colt ordered. “Drag her if you have to.”

Conks didn’t move, other than to stroke his gray whiskers.

“Dammit!” Colt roared. “This is my ship! You’ll obey my orders!”

Conks stared defiantly at his captain.

“We’re not releasing her anywhere,” Robert cried. “Lash her, lash her! She killed Maurice! She knows where the Crimson Eye is!”

Three or four men gathered to back Robert, and for the first time since Colt betrayed me, I felt an emotion other than despair.

Fear.

“Thief!” Robert shouted. “Murderer.”

From seemingly nowhere, a whip appeared, and I thought I might faint.

“We’ll lash her ’till she talks,” Robert decreed.

A fight erupted so suddenly it was hard to tell what was happening amidst the fast-moving chaos. I was shoved, separated from Colt’s arms, while two of the men who’d been backing Robert moved to block Colt from reaching me. They weren’t forcibly attacking the captain, but they were arguing passionately. Almost at the same time, Robert lunged, attempting to grab me, but I leapt out of his reach. There was nowhere else to go on a deck full of men, so I scrambled aboard the ship’s rail. Robert reached for me again and I shuffled left, holding onto the rigging with one hand.

The boom of a pistol rang out as Colt fired a shot, hitting Robert square in the chest.

Everyone fell quiet in shocked silence. Using his last few breaths, Robert made a final attempt to grab me, but his attack knocked me off balance.

With a scream, I fell overboard.

Into the murky sea.

Into the shadowed past.

Part II

Concealed

Chapter 33

Charlotte, the past, aged 16

One day, I’ll be a lady.

I tugged at my unruly mop of hair as I made the vow for the thousandth time.With fine silver combs.I smacked at the dirt upon my breeches.And gowns of pink.

Or gowns of any color, at least.

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