I steeped a pot of soup broth with leftover root vegetables and herbs I’d collected from the island and made some dumplings to go with it. It was nearing lunchtime and the crew would soon be sniffing around for food. I just hoped the captain remained in his quarters.
“There you are,” Pleeman spoke as he entered through the swinging doors.
Pretending to smile, I replied, “Here I am.” I set a bowl of soup on a wooden tray and looked at him. “Did you need something?”
He came close and lowered his voice. “I was just concerned, is all,” he glanced back at the door suspiciously, “what, with you jumpin’ overboard in the wee hours of the morning.”
My eyes just about popped from their sockets and I set down the tray. The old man had seen me. “Pleeman, please, don’t–”
“Hush, now. I won’t breathe a word.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
“But, I have to ask, what possessed you to do such a thing? I saw Benjamin chase after you. He was in a fit of rage when he left the ship. But you came back with him and now you both have an uneasy amount of calmness about you.”
Nothing got past him, that was for sure. I contemplated telling him our secret and letting him in on the plan. He had a right to know, didn’t he? Pleeman had been trapped there on The Black Soul for most of his mortal life. “Can you keep a secret?” I asked him in a whisper.
“Of course,” he replied, and leaned closer, intrigued.
“My crew are on the island.”
The old man let out a gasp. “My word…”
“I’m going to steal the gem from the captain, escape this ship again, and meet my crew so we can sail to the Siren Isles and break the curse.” His eyes glossed over and a hand lifted to cover his mouth. I placed a gentle touch on his frail shoulder. “Pleeman, you can come with me. You’re not bound here by the curse. There’s no telling what will happen to this ship once it’s broken.”
“You mean… I-I can go home?” he asked shakily.
I nodded and smiled happily. “Yes, you can finally go home to your daughters.”
He stumbled back. “No…”
“Yes,” I assured him. The old man began to weep. Whether tears of joy or something else, I wasn’t sure. “Tell me about them. What were their names?”
He pulled a handkerchief from a pocket and wiped at his eyes. “They’re beautiful little things.” He paused thoughtfully. “I s’pose they’ll be grown women now.”
“But still just as beautiful,” I said.
Pleeman smiled lovingly. “Yes, of course. Gertie, Sara, Tessie, and Janny. My girls.”
“Well, I’m going to make sure you get home to them.”
He gasped. “But the captain will never allow you close enough to get that gem from around his neck,” he told me worriedly. “It’s impossible. You’d have to kill the poor bugger.”
“I have a plan.” I picked up the tray of food and grinned charmingly. “Didn’t you say there’s only one thing the captain loves more than a beautiful woman? Well, I’m going to give him both.”
“Dianna, don’t. Let me help you,” he pleaded.
I shook my head. “No, I can do this. You make sure the crew stays down here. Feed them. Keep them busy. I’ll do the rest.”
***
Balancing the tray in one hand, I knocked on Captain Cook’s door with the other. I waited and listened carefully for him to speak.
“Come in,” he bellowed from the other side.
I sucked in a deep breath and gathered up all the nerves I could muster before opening the door and entering his quarters. I walked over to his desk where he sat and set down the tray of soup and dumplings.
“Lunch is ready. You didn’t come down with the crew, so I thought I’d bring it up to you.”
He stood and peered into the bowl. “Well, then. This is a pleasant surprise.” His sleazy eyes lifted and cascaded down my body. “A pleasant surprise, indeed.”
He moved and sauntered around to the front of the desk where I stood, his grimy gaze still sizing me up. With what I knew, it was hard to tell if he wanted to have his way with me or eat me. Probably both. I squashed down the bile that threatened to rise and spread on a weak smile.
“Well, I hope you enjoy it,” I told him and pretended to turn and leave.
“Where is my dear brother?” the captain asked. “He’s not hovering over you.”
I turned back around. “He’s downstairs, waiting for me on the mess deck.”
“Why don’t you stay a while,” he offered.
“I really should get–”
Like a dart, his hand whipped out and grabbed mine. “Please, I insist.”
I noted his shelf overflowing with books. “Well, perhaps just for a moment. I had been hoping to ask you about your collection of books. I’d love something good to read.”
Surprised, the man moved aside and let me pass. “By all means, take what you wish.”
Oh, I will, I thought to myself.
I pretended to scan the titles with interest while attempting to ignore the warmth of his heavy breath on my shoulder. I felt a hand caress the back of my neck as my hair pushed to one side and a shiver crept up my spine. I tilted my head and gave him a shy smile to mask my disgust with desire.
“Such a beautiful woman, you are,” he told me.
“Thank you,” I replied and plucked a book from the shelf before backing away toward the desk again. I set the book down and flipped it open, pretending to examine its contents.
Captain Cook came and sat down in his chair at my side. He leaned forward and placed a hand on my thigh before slowly moving it up my body, caressing my curves with a slow hunger. Suddenly, he grew too eager and grabbed both my hands, pulling me toward him.
Keep it together, Dianna.
“I’m lucky the heavens saw fit to spit you out on my island.”
“Well, I’m just lucky they saw fit to let me live.”
I allowed the man to take me close and then eyed the giant green gem that hung from his neck. Reluctantly, I took a seat on the captain’s lap and wrapped my hands around his greasy neck. It took everything in me to maintain the act, to project a sense of want rather than the pile of disgust I felt for the man.
“That’s a good girl,” he cooed and tipped his head up to kiss me.
I swiftly dodged the advance and nestled my face into his shoulder. The pirate stunk like decades-old body odor, but it was better than letting his rotting mouth touch mine. I feigned a nuzzle to his neck while my able fingers gently fiddled with the ties of the necklace. If I could just get it undone, I could slip the gem into my pocket without him even noticing.
But the pirate grabbed hold of my hands, tearing them away from their task, and then stood up from his chair. The captain walked to the bed, pushing me back toward it. I began to panic. My heart beat fiercely and my mind raced to think of a way to prolong what was happening. Suddenly, the siren’s heart fell from his neck and hit the floor with a loud plunk. The captain glanced down and then glared up at me with a new kind of hunger in his eyes.
“What’s this?” he bellowed. “Trying to steal my treasure, are you?”
Part of me was relieved that I could drop the act. I yanked the dagger from my side and pointed the tip at his face. “Back up, mister.” Slowly, he did as I said, and I bent down to fetch the heart. “I’m leaving your cursed ship today and returning this gem to where it belongs.”
His eyebrows raised, but he was still furious. The unhinged fire in his eyes said as much. “You shall not be going anywhere. That’s my treasure. I stole it fair‘n square. I gave up my life to have it!”
I advanced, tightening the grip on my weapon. “And what good did that do? You’ve been trapped here for a hundred years, Abraham! And you doomed your crew to carry the burden of your curse. Let me set them free.”
A deep, guttural roar erupted from his body and he charged for me. I swung my blade at his neck, but the man swatted my hand with his
baseball bat arm and it fell to the floor. His thick, solid body crushed me against the tall bedpost and I cried out in pain as my spine took the brunt of the force. I gathered up the strength to thrust a heavy kick to his groin and sent him reeling back in breathless pain. Taking advantage of the brief opportunity, I bent down to fetch my dagger. But the captain was relentless. Before I could blink, a fist came flying upward and smashed into my face, sending me flat on my back. My ears pounded with the thwomp of blood rushing to my head.
I tried to shake out the dizziness that filled my brain and watched as my attacker triumphantly bent to scoop up both my dagger and the gem. I winced in pain as I inched away from his advancing boots. He stopped at my face and pointed the dagger right at me.
“No one is takin’ my treasure,” he muttered and drew circles in the air with the tip of my blade. “I was goin’ to save you for a while. Keep you alive. I’ve been wanting something to play with.” He squat down and touched the tip to my cheek. Droplets of spit touched my skin as he spoke, “But I think I’ll just have Pleeman chop you up for dinner instead. Been a while since me men had a good meaty treat.”
Suddenly, the door flew open. It was Pleeman. A pistol in his frail hand. “Get away from her, Captain.”
“Get outta here, old man,” the captain warned menacingly.
Pleeman raised the pistol. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Sir.”
Angrily, Cook jumped to his feet and cocked his arm back. I realized, a little too late, that he flung my dagger at the old man and a scream poured out of my mouth as I watched the blade lodge into his chest. He crumbled to the floor like a deflated balloon. Gasping for air.
“Pleeman!” I called out and reached for him. But the captain turned and stomped on my hand with his hefty boot. I heard the crunch of my fingers before I felt the pain shoot up through my arm.
Suddenly, a gunshot pierced through the dense air of the room, causing my ears to ring. Everything around me became nothing but a muffled mess, like being submerged in water. It reminded me of sinking below the silent ocean waters while the storm raged on its surface. I couldn’t move. The feeling was beyond disorienting. Even my vision vibrated. I could barely focus enough to see the shape of the pistol in the old man’s hand as he let it fall to the floor next to his body.
As if in slow motion, I peeled my aching self from the floor and stared at the scene before me in despair. Captain Cook’s lifeless corpse sprawled on the grimy floor of his quarters, his dead eyes locked in a frozen state of shock and pain. I crawled to him and snatched the gem from his hand, placing it in my jacket pocket before turning toward Pleeman.
The vibration of heavy footsteps came running in. It was Benjamin. He fell to his knees by my side, his brown eyes full of panic. I could see his mouth moving and hear the muffled sounds that came from it, but my ears still rang with the reverberation of the gunshot. His hands shook my arms and I could see then, he was calling my name. Slowly, my eardrums squeezed, and the sound of the world trickled back to me.
“Dianna!” he called again. “Christ, are you alright?”
I nodded and struggled to lift myself into an upright position before falling into his arms. “Yes, I’ll be fine. Just a little bruised. Pleeman…” I shifted and finished crawling to the old man. My savior. He was still holding on to a sliver of life but choked on it as he reached out to me. I took his frail hand and held it tight to my heart. “You foolish old man. What did you do?”
He smiled, letting blood seep from his mouth and dribble down his face. “I’ve lived my life,” he spoke, the blood gurgling in his throat. “This is the price I pay for the things I’ve done.” A painful cough spewed blood onto the floor. But he wiped his mouth on the back of his free hand, determined to finish. His fingers squeezed mine. “M-my daughters–”
I squeezed back. “I’ll find them. I’ll tell them what happened and how brave you were. I promise.” He began to drift then, eyes fluttering and his grip loosening. I still held on. Tears flowing heavily. “I promise!”
And, just like that, he was gone.
“Pleeman!” I cried as my head fell to his empty chest.
Benjamin held me from behind and pulled back. “Dianna,” he whispered. “We should go. I have to get you back to Henry.”
Henry. Yes. I had to revert my brain to get back on track of the plan. But my heart ached for the old man who’d given his life to save mine. I sniffled and wiped the tears from my face and peered up at my friend.
“Can you make sure he gets a proper burial?”
Benjamin glanced down to where the old timer’s body lay. “Of course.” Then he looked to the other side of the room where his brother’s corpse was. “Him, on the other hand.”
“What are you going to do with his body?” I asked.
His lips pursed under the scruff of his dark facial hair. “I’ll spare you the details.”
“Probably for the best,” I replied. “I have the siren’s heart. We should get going.”
“Wait,” Benjamin said and took two long strides to the bookshelf. I watched as his fingers skimmed the spines, searching for something.
“What are you doing?”
“If you’re goin’ to sail to the Siren Isles then you shall need a map.” He plucked an old book from the collection, bound in a thin emerald green leather. Placing it on the desk, he flipped through the pages until a folded piece of parchment stuck out. He took it between two fingers and held it out for me to take. “My brother kept it in his journal.”
I accepted the map and tucked it securely in an inside pocket of my jacket. Finn would know what to do with it. “Alright, let’s go.”
I covered Pleeman’s body with a blanket and said one last goodbye before following Benjamin out to the deck. He waited by the rope ladder.
“Follow the map, it’ll lead you right to the islands. It’s hard to say, but from here it should be about a week’s journey. And be careful. The islands are hidden in the Realm of Monsters,” he warned me.
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“It means you’ll most likely be tested. You’ll encounter some creatures who don’t pay kindly to visitors.”
He helped hoist me over the railing and I found my footing on the first step of the rope ladder. Before descending, I stopped and hauled myself up to meet his face.
“Thank you,” I told Benjamin before giving him a tight hug.
I pulled away and he smiled. But there was a hint of sadness in the pirate’s brooding eyes.
“I should be thanking you.”
I gripped the wooden railing, not yet wanting to say goodbye. “Come and find me, okay? After the curse is broken and you’re free? Sail to England and track me down.”
He snorted a laugh. “I’m not sure your Henry would want the likes of me around.”
“Don’t worry about Henry,” I told him sincerely. “He’ll get to know you like I did and you guys will be friends before you know it.”
Benjamin inched closer, his rich brown eyes boring deep into mine. “Is that what we are? Friends?”
I frowned and tipped my head. I wished there were more I could offer the man. His ancient heart ached to be loved but mine already belonged to another.
“In a different life, another time, maybe we could have been more. I’m sure of it. But here, now…” I held his warm cheek in my palm. “We’re friends. We’ll always be friends.”
His face leaned into my palm, relishing in its touch, and he sighed. “I’ll take it.” Suddenly, his eyes filled with tears. “Even if this is the last time I may see you.”
Confused, I shook my head. “What? No, you’ll come find me. Right?”
“Dianna,” he struggled for words. “I… the curse. My time was up many years ago. Once the curse is broken, I fear I’ll cease to exist.”
“No… no, I’ll find a way!” I replied desperately.
“Shhh,” his finger brushed my lips, “it’s alright. I’ve accepted it. Just… set me free.”
I had no words. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the man, for now, or forever. It wasn’t fair that his life was taken from him. He hardly had a chance to live at all. But there was nothing else I could do, and Henry waited for me. I had to go. I strained to reach a little further and placed a kiss on Benjamin’s lips. A last parting gift.
“I promise. I’ll set you free.”
“I know,” he replied and smiled, a mixture of sadness and longing in his glistening eyes. He backed away then, wiping at them. “Go, now. Before it’s too late. They’re waiting for you.”
I watched as he continued to back away, unable to will myself to move until he finally turned his back to me and disappeared into his quarters. I descended the rope ladder and jumped into the waiting rowboat. Rowing the short distance to shore was tough with my sprained fingers, but I managed. I made it the whole way and never looked back. I couldn’t if I wanted to.
I scrambled out of the boat and onto the cold sand where I took off toward the forest, carrying with me the heavy weight of emotions that had built up inside. Henry found me just a few feet in, he’d been pacing the treeline for hours. When my hands touched his body, could feel his existence between my fingertips, I collapsed from the profoundness of it all.
“You did it?” he asked me, cradling my tired body in his arms as if I were a child.
“I did it,” I replied with a grateful smile and let the weight of my head rest against him.
He carried me back to the other side, through the thick forest. Never faltering, and his lips never far from my face. Everything was so bittersweet. No matter how hard I tried, nothing ever balanced out. I was happy. But my happiness always came at a price.
Chapter Twelve
My hand throbbed and my feet ached inside my boots. But not as much as my jaw protested with each movement. I was slightly dehydrated. But when Henry set me down on my own two feet, I came alive with purpose. I had the map, the gem, and my crew back. I’d sail to the Siren Isles with Henry by my side and break this curse. When I spotted Finn and Gus waiting by the water’s edge, I ran to them.
The Blackened Soul Page 12
