Flintlock (Cutlass Series)

by Ashley Nixon

  When she landed, she began her fight. Barren watched her for a moment, mesmerized by the way she moved. She’d been trained since her childhood to fight with a blade, something Barren had not known when he’d met her. He’d been too distracted by her beauty to notice the signs, the confidence. He knew many a man had fallen prey to her blade as a result of the same distraction. If he’d been in the thick of a fight when he first set eyes upon her, he’d have died instantly.

  He shook his head, clearing the haze and followed her example, immersing himself in the fray. The clank of metal sounded, and it was two against many. They fought together, each building on the other’s strengths and covering for weaknesses. Larkin was smaller but she moved faster. Barren was stronger but he hit harder.

  Cannons rocked the ship, and Barren and Larkin swayed. His ship had turned back; his crew had begun to attack. There were shouts from the privateers who scrambled below deck to defend their ship. Barren twisted as he fought to get a look at his ship. It wasn’t far enough out to sea to avoid damage. His crew couldn’t afford to become immobile so close to a nest of privateers.

  He noticed the barrels of gunpowder that sat near the captain’s quarters, an exposed weapon, a weakness. Barren whistled a command. He took off, hurrying for the barrels. His blade swept along, cutting down privateers as he went until he came face to face with a flintlock pistol. He stared straight into the barrel and watched as a slow, gritty smile spread over the face behind the gun.

  As the privateer cocked the pistol to ignite the spark, Barren ducked, charging at the man with his blade and a small knife. He ran the man through, and as he fell, the blast from the pistol sounded, and smoke from the gun clouded Barren’s vision. He stumbled over the fallen privateer toward the barrels, ramming his blood-covered blade through the wood over and over until a solid stream of gun powder poured from the barrel and spilled on the ground. Satisfied, he turned and hurried toward Larkin. He fought to reach her, and once he did he wrapped his hand tightly around her waist as they retreated, tumbling over the edge of the ship. Just as they fell overboard, a blazing arrow rushed past and landed in the gunpowder. The blast was loud, and debris rained down around them as they swam for the safety of their own ship.

  “You're both thoughtless,” Leaf said as they boarded. Behind them, the burning remains of the privateer ships groaned as the water consumed them. "And you’re both arrogant!"

  “Tell us how you really feel,” Barren said, standing. He helped Larkin to her feet. Their clothes were soaked and water dripped off of them.

  “Change before you develop a fever!” Leaf commanded. It was a well-known fact that Leaf did not like to treat colds.

  Larkin moved to obey, but Barren reached for her. “Don’t think you’ve escaped scrutiny,” he said, eyeing the wound on her arm.

  She rolled her eyes. “It wouldn't be a normal day without a lecture.”

  “He's just mad because you out fought ‘im!” Slay called from the crow's nest.

  Barren made his way to his cabin and slammed his door. This wasn't a competition, it was about staying safe. There were people who wanted to hurt Larkin, people who would hurt her simply to get back at him. She needed to be more careful. Instead, she ran headfirst into danger, and his crew seemed to have a good time encouraging it, even going so far as to follow her lead. He was going to have to talk to all of them.

  He changed into dry clothes and left his cabin. He found Leaf finishing up a stitch on Larkin's arm. He cringed when he saw the blood, old and new, running down her arm.

  Leaf cut the thread and sopped up the blood with a clean cloth. After smearing a salve on the wound, he wrapped and bandaged it.

  “You'll be sore, but as long as you don't roughhouse, you'll be fine.”

  He glared at Barren, as if warning him. Barren moved to follow Larkin as she stood and walked away from him, probably trying to avoid the lecture she believed was coming. Before Barren could take a step in her direction, Leaf reached for Barren’s neck, he winced. He’d been able to ignore the pain until now. A red wound circled his neck from where the rope had been.

  “The noose was never a good look for you,” Leaf said. “You’re lucky Larkin was so incessant in her need to follow you.” Barren guessed he couldn’t really argue with that. Leaf continued, “She is very skilled. It should ease your mind.” It didn’t ease his mind. He’d seen the most skilled pirates go down in a fight. His father was the best example.

  Barren shook his head, preparing to argue with his friend.

  “You don’t have to protect her, Barren,” Leaf added quietly.

  But he wanted to. Ironic considering he’d been so eager to show her the realities of this world, to prove to her that there were two sides to every story. Now he wanted to protect her from those truths.

  “Didn’t you feel the need to protect Fira?” Barren asked. He noticed Leaf’s jaw tighten. Perhaps it was unfair of Barren to bring up Leaf’s dead love, especially after all the Elf had suffered after her murder. Barren knew very little about Fira, but he knew no matter what, Leaf would have protected her.

  “I did,” the Elf replied, nodding and walking away.

  Barren’s chest felt tight with regret. He should not have dredged up painful memories for Leaf. The Elf had been through enough. He let out a breath and turned to find Larkin.

  She was leaning against the rail, looking down at the water toward the back of the ship. As he approached, she turned.

  “You should be more careful, it's too dangerous, you could have died,” she said. “See? I already know what you're going to say. Spare me the lecture.”

  “That's not what I was going to say,” he said.

  “You should have stayed on the ship,” she said. “You never listen to me. Am I hitting the mark yet?”

  “It’s true that you never listen to me,” he said.

  “Leaf wanted me to listen to you this time.” Larkin took a deep breath before going on. Barren lifted a brow, waiting. “He said maybe it'd teach you a lesson. To not go at things alone.”

  He chuckled, but as she spoke, he noticed her eyes focused on his chest. He didn’t have to look to know what she was staring at—the myriad of scars that covered his skin. She’d traced those scars and asked questions he’d answered, no matter how difficult. Those questions hadn’t come in a while, and he was glad for it. They weren’t a part of the future he wanted with her.

  After a moment, he reached forward, his fingers brushing her chin and forcing her eyes to his. “The fears you have for me are the same fears I have for you,” he said quietly. He dropped his hand to her upper arm, squeezing gently

  “The cut’s minor,” she said. “I'll be more careful next time.”

  “Next time? You plan to do this again?”

  “Yes.” She smirked at him.

  He pulled her closer. “I don't know what to do with you,” he admitted, and ran his lips along her jaw. She shivered beneath his touch but laughed.

  “It doesn't seem that way,” she replied.

  He smiled against her skin and moved his lips closer to hers.

  “I said no roughhousing!” Leaf called from behind them.

  Barren groaned. He pulled away from Larkin but only fractionally. She laughed, but a blush touched her cheeks. Leaf took delight in embarrassing them, even knowing that Barren and Larkin had not made love. Barren had promised Larkin that things would progress slowly between them.

  “Come,” he said, taking her hands. “We’ll go where there’s privacy.”

  He pulled her with him and she followed, but Slay’s voice reached them from the crow’s nest.

  “Before you go, you might wanna take a look north.”

  Barren sighed, rolling his eyes. “Slay, I’m not in the mood…”

  But as he turned, he saw ghost-like sails on the horizon. He moved closer to the edge of the ship and Leaf joined him. The vessel moved with a familiar gait, cutting the waves with a precision Barren only found true of the pirates of Sil
ver Crest.

  “He’s one of our own,” said Leaf.

  “Who?” Barren asked.

  “Edward Merrik.”

  Barren did not like Edward Merrik.

  He watched Merrik’s ship approach, apprehension making his body stiff. Edward was known by many pirates as the Elders’ footman. It wasn’t meant to be an insult to the Elders, as they were the most respected members of the Pirates of Silver Crest who lived; however, it was meant as a jab to Edward who performed any task as long as it resulted in certain perks for him. He and Barren had never gotten along, and Barren dreaded discovering the reason behind Edward’s sudden appearance.

  They dropped anchor and waited.

  It wasn’t long before Edward’s ship was before them and his voice rang out. “It seems you’ve had your fair share of excitement, brother.” Edward was small in stature but well muscled. He had blond hair and a plain face. His eyes focused on the fire and smoke in the distance. “May we board?”

  Barren placed his hand over his heart, an important gesture of respect, especially when a courtesy was about to be denied. “May I ask for what purpose this honor would be given?”

  Edward smiled, but he was not amused. “Brother, let us speak in private.”

  “There are no secrets among brothers,” Barren replied evenly.

  A tight smirk crossed Edward’s lips. “Very well,” he said. “You have been summoned by the Elders. I have come to escort you.”

  Barren and Leaf exchanged a look. Part of him was not surprised. He’d suspected the Elders were disappointed in some of his choices, but the fact that it came on the heels of Tetherion’s betrayal angered him.

  “What does that mean?” Larkin asked. Barren looked at her, but not before he noticed Edward’s gaze trained upon Larkin. Barren moved to block his view of her. He didn’t like the look of disapproval on Merrik’s face. Larkin seemed to understand what he was doing and stared back at Edward just as fiercely. “What does it mean?”

  “It means he will go to trial,” Edward replied.

  “What are the charges against him?” Larkin demanded, stepping out of Barren’s shadow.

  Edward’s gaze was not kind. “Do not demand information from me as if you are one of us.”

  “Thank you, Edward,” Barren interrupted harshly. “I will do you a courtesy and follow you to Sanctuary.”

  “By the code, one of my men must board your ship,” said Edward.

  “You will take my vow that I will attend my summoning and not offend my honor,” Barren replied evenly. Edward hesitated in the silence but nodded in agreement.

  They set sail. Barren’s ship traversed easily beside Edward’s. He refused to be watched from behind like a prisoner. There was tension on the sea, and Barren paced back and forth on the deck of his ship, a sign of his frustration.

  “The insult of having Edward Merrik fetch me for trial,” he sneered.

  “I’d think you’d be angry about having been fetched for trial at all,” said Leaf.

  Barren was more worried than insulted. He’d been to trials before. His brethren would be there. The Elders would present the charges, allow Barren to defend himself against them, and make their decision. There were any number of punishments possible, but what Barren feared the most was the divide he’d witnessed among the pirates of Silver Crest. He’d seen pirates lose their closest friends and families at trial.

  “Did you expect to be summoned?” Larkin asked. She stood nearby, her arms folded over her chest, and every now and then her eyes slid to the ship beside them.

  “While a trial is not underserved, I’m not sure I expected it,” said Barren. “And the fact that they waited until after Tetherion’s treason is unnerving.”

  “But would you have answered before now? Without having your revenge?”

  Larkin never really understood the weight of her questions. “I would have had no choice.” Barren admitted.

  “So do you believe you deserve their punishment?”

  “I’ve never denied that I deserve their punishment,” he replied. And he hadn’t, but he couldn’t imagine his brethren, people he’d known his whole life, deciding that his future did not lie with them.

  Leaf cleared his throat. “Well, there’s nothing you can do about it now except attend the trial,” he said. “But I’ll warn you that they’ll try to make you angry. They want to demonstrate the behavior they seek to punish: they want to give your brethren a reason to mistrust you.”

  ***

  Larkin lay against Barren, her head on his chest. She couldn’t sleep, though her eyes were heavy. It was so quiet in his cabin. She was used to sleeping in the hatch in a hammock in the back, where the groan of the ship was loudest. Then there was the heat of Barren’s skin. She’d come to know his warmth, yet she’d also come to know the absence of that warmth. Right now, there was energy between them that had gone unacknowledged since they’d closed the door. Strangely, it made her restless.

  She also had questions about this trial. What did it mean that one of Barren’s brethren had come to escort him to Sanctuary? What did it even mean to have a trial among pirates? By the way Edward looked at her, she suspected she might have something to do with this.

  “Will they take you from me?” she asked quietly, sleepily.

  Barren was very still. She watched his chest rise and fall with the breaths he took. After a moment, she felt his fingers tangle in her hair. “Is that what you fear?” he asked.

  “It is one thing I fear,” she said. She feared being taken from him. She feared being sent back to Maris.

  “In truth, I do not know what the Elders have planned for me,” he said.

  “Do they want to hurt you?”

  “They will not kill me,” said Barren. “I am not a traitor.”

  “But what you’ve done, it is punishable by the Elders?”

  She knew by the silence that Barren did not know how to answer that question.

  “By the code, I’ve done nothing wrong.”

  The code was a set of rules created by the Elders of Silver Crest. Larkin had once mocked the idea of pirates abiding by any type of law, but she’d come to learn that all Pirates of Silver Crest, even those touted as the most ruthless, were loyal to the code. It ensured that the pirates protect Saoirse, freedom.

  “Why call you to trial then?”

  “Because I’ve done something they do not approve of.”

  Larkin pushed herself up and stared at Barren in the darkness. His features were passive. It seemed so uncharacteristic. This should make him angry, because to her, it sounded unfair.

  “So in truth this is against the code,” said Larkin.

  Barren chuckled and sat up. “The Elders advise and protect the code, Larkin. To say they do anything against it is blasphemy.”

  She regarded him for a moment. Barren’s loyalty to the code of Silver Crest was strong, which meant his loyalty to the Elders would be matched.

  “I was under the impression the pirates of Silver Crest lived a life dedicated to Saoirse,” she said. It was one of the first things she’d learned about Barren, how important Saoirse—freedom—was to him. “If that is so, why do these men seem to have power over you?”

  “The Elders are men and women,” Barren said. “They are the eldest among us, those with the most experience, and they have no power over us, only wisdom.”

  “So they call you to trial to impart wisdom?” This wasn’t making sense. A trial meant that Barren had been charged. It meant there were consequences for actions. He knew this just as well as she did.

  “Larkin,” he said and he ran his fingers over her cheek, tangling them into her hair, and secured his hand at the base of her neck. “I don’t want to talk about this right now. It’s in the future, but we’re in the present.”

  He pulled her to him, and their lips crashed together, sending heat through her body, diffusing the tension that had built between them in the silence. His mouth moved from hers and trailed her jaw and throa
t. When he wrapped his hands around her thighs and pulled her to him, she forgot her frustrations—all she wanted to know was how she could be closer to him. The heat from his skin was addictive. It filled her senses, made her desperate.

  He twisted, and she yelped as she found herself on her back with her legs still around his waist. He loomed over her and paused to stare, seeming completely focused, yet lost at the same time. She liked him like this. She often had power, but here she was in control. He would do anything she asked, bend to her will. So she reached for him, willing this distance between them to close, and he obliged, meeting her lips with a carnal growl.

  ***

  Sanctuary was within sight. There was nothing special about the island from an outside view. It was barren, and a mountain covered most of the terrain. There were no trees and no life. Many avoided the area, believing that the island was merely a sleeping volcano, but the mountain itself was not a mountain at all. It was a fortified shelter, a fortress of sorts. Inside, there were rooms, an arsenal, and even a port. It had been built shortly after the Barbary Wars—a war that had split the pirates of Silver Crest—as a refuge in case Silver Crest was ever compromised.

  The coordinates of Sanctuary were only given to pirates who had served the code for three or more years. Even then, it was said that those only most faithful to Saoirse could locate the island. Barren wasn’t sure if he completely believed the second part, mostly because Edward Merrik never had any trouble, but he was glad for the first as it had kept the twins and Tetherion from discovering the whereabouts of the location.