“I don’t see her, Cap’n,” called out Rock, Nereus’ first mate. “Oh wait, I see somethin’ floatin’ over there.”
“Well, is it her?” asked Birk, hanging his head over the side as well.
“I think so,” Rock called back. “Oh, we got her.”
“Is she alive?” cried Gavina still tied to the center mast. “Please tell me she isna dead.”
“Hush up,” spat another of the crew. Gavina didn’t know the man’s name and neither did she care. The crew on this ship looked twice as dirty, rugged, and frightening as those on the Falcon.
“I’ll no’ be quiet when my friend might be dead,” she answered boldly, pulling against the ropes that bound her hands to the mast. She would do anything to save Nairnie, and wasn’t going to let a pirate intimidate her. Nairnie had been a good friend to Gavina ever since she’d stepped foot aboard the Falcon. She’d been there to comfort her, help her, and give her advice. She’d also scared off an entire crew of pirates with her iron skillet and oversized ladle. If Nairnie died now, Gavina would never forgive herself for putting the woman in this dangerous position in the first place.
Gavina felt horrible about all this. Why hadn’t she just stayed on Tristan’s ship and waited for him? Why couldn’t she just have acted like the wife of a pirate . . . or had she? Mayhap a pirate’s wife would have a mind of her own. She was so confused right now that she didn’t know what to think or how to act anymore. All she wanted was to go back to the Falcon with Nairnie to be with Tristan. God willing, if that happened, she swore she would never cause trouble for Tristan again.
“If ye refuse to shut yer mouth, I’ll just have to make sure ye can’t talk, then.” The smelly man took her chin in his rough, callused, grimy hand and pressed his mouth against hers so hard that she could barely breathe. His lips were hard and cracked, feeling like old leather. Gavina closed her eyes, wanting to be anywhere but here when he shoved his tongue into her mouth next. She was trying to bite his tongue the way she did to Tristan the first time he kissed her in this manner, when the man pulled away from her and screamed out in horror. A warm liquid splashed against her, hitting her neck. Her eyes shot open to see the man’s hand lying on the ground, severed from his body. His blood soaked the front of Gavina’s gown.
“Aaaaah!” she screamed in horror as the man stumbled away from her, holding his bloody stump.
“Get him off the ship. No one touches the lass. That was my deal,” growled Nereus, holding his bloodied sword in his hand. “I’m not going to ruin the chance of gettin’ that treasure because of one stupid, bilge-suckin’, lustful cur.”
“Nay! Don’t do it, Nereus,” shouted the man, bleeding everywhere. “I didn’t mean anythin’ by it.”
“Dump him overboard,” commanded Nereus.
“Aye, Cap’n,” answered several of his crew. They dragged the man kicking and screaming to the side of the ship and threw him into the sea.
“Don’t forget this,” said Nereus, using the tip of his sword to stab the man’s hand, flinging it over the side of the ship after him. “Now, someone swab this deck. I don’t like the sight of blood.”
Gavina’s body shook. She’d never been so frightened in her life. Even while on Tristan’s ship, she’d never feared him or the crew the way she did these men. What she’d just witnessed horrified her and would scar her mind for the rest of her life. The worst part was, being tied to the mast, there wasn’t a thing she could do about it, not even turn away. She would give anything right now to be back in Tristan’s arms. There, she always felt protected, with the man she married. Oh, why had she left the ship at all? She should have stayed locked in the cabin for her own protection, just like he’d said. Fear coursed through her. But this time, it wasn’t fear of what would happen to her at the hands of Nereus. Nay, this time what frightened her the most was the thought that she might never see Tristan again.
“Some mistakes can never be fixed,” she whispered, repeating Tristan’s words, knowing this was one mistake that might just cost her and Nairnie their lives. Right now, she wasn’t even sure if Nairnie wasn’t already dead. Her eyes closed once more and only opened again when she heard the bellowing voice of the old woman.
“What the hell is the matter with ye fools? Ye almost hit me with that handless man. Look where ye’re throwin’ people next time, before ye toss them overboard!”
“Nairnie!” Gavina let out a sigh of relief to see that the old woman was still alive and kicking.
“I guess that bit about ye not bein’ able to survive a fall from the ship wasn’t accurate after all,” said Nereus.
Nairnie put both feet on the deck and started to wring the water out of the bottom of her skirt. “This isna my first fall from a ship,” she told him. “However, I swear it will be the last! I’m too auld for this crap.”
Gavina smiled at that, since she knew that Nairnie didn’t like anyone calling her old, and now she was doing it herself.
“Take her and the girl to my cabin,” said Nereus. “We’ll dine together.” He walked over and unsheathed his dagger, making Gavina flinch when his sharp blade came near her face. She closed her eyes, somehow thinking he was going to cut off her hand or possibly cut out her tongue and throw it to the sharks next, just for fun. When she heard the snap of the ropes that held her captive, her eyes popped open to discover that he had set her free. “I don’t like blood,” he grumbled, looking down at his man’s blood on her bodice. It seemed like an odd thing for him to say since he was the one who severed his crewmember’s hand in the first place. “I also don’t want the old woman drippin’ water all over my deck,” he told Nairnie.
“Well, excuse us, but we left in somewhat of a hurry and havena brought along a change of clothes,” snapped Nairnie.
“Ye won’t need them.”
“W-we willna?” stuttered Gavina, half-expecting him to make them walk around naked.
“Nay. I have a trunk with women’s clothes in it. Find somethin’ fresh and dry to wear. Both of ye, lassies,” he commanded.
“Come on, I’ll take ye to the captain’s cabin,” said Birk, grabbing on to Gavina’s elbow.
“Dinna touch me, ye filthy cur! Ye killed my faither and I’ll never forgive ye.” She swept his hand away.
“I’ll take her,” offered Noll. “Just point me in the right direction.”
“Nay, ye and yer sidekick are goin’ to the brig.” Nereus flagged over a few of his men.
“The brig? We’re part of yer crew now,” complained Wybert.
“Nay, I never said that.” Nereus smiled.
“B-but we brought ye the girl and also the old woman with knowledge of where to find the treasure,” protested Noll.
“Aye, ye did that,” said Nereus, grabbing one of his crewmembers and wiping the blood off his sword against the man’s tunic. “Ye fools also brought me trouble, because now I’m goin’ to have to battle with Tristan and his brothers and the entire crew of the Falcon.”
“Nay, they don’t even know where we are,” protested Noll.
“Oh, they most certainly do,” said Nereus. He nodded to the water. “By my calculations, they’ll catch up to us in a few hours, if not sooner.”
“Tristan’s comin’ for us!” exclaimed Gavina, relieved to hear this. It was the best news she could have asked for.
“Don’t look too happy, Wench,” snarled Nereus. “Whether ye realize it or not, as soon as yer precious Tristan and his brothers step foot on this ship, they’re dead.”
“Nay! They’re guid at fightin’. They’ll kill ye,” she shouted.
“Gavina, haud yer wheesht,” Nairnie warned her with a scowl. “The less ye say, the better for Tristan and the others.”
“Well, off ye two go,” said Nereus. “Oh, wait! Tell me, old woman, where can I find this treasure?”
Nairnie hesitated. Gavina prayed she was going to tell him a lie.
“Head to Urchin Island, off the coast of Hartlepool,” Nairnie told him.
; Since Nairnie hadn’t told Gavina where the treasure was hidden, she wasn’t sure if it was the truth or not.
“All right. Then what?” he asked.
“Then, when we get there, I’ll tell ye more,” said Nairnie. “No’ before.”
“Nay! I want to know the exact place the treasure is buried and I want to know now,” demanded Nereus.
“Dinna think I’m addlepated, because I’m wise to the ways of someone like ye,” Nairnie answered. “If I tell ye that now, ye’ll have no need for us, will ye? Nay, I’ll no’ have ye killin’ us before we even get to the treasure. Gavina and I will be goin’ along to the island and be standin’ right there when the king’s treasure is uncovered.”
“I don’t take orders from wenches!” Nereus’ jaw twitched. “Besides, what makes ye think I’d ever take ye two with us once we get to the island?”
“Oh, that’s right.” Nairnie snapped her fingers as if she’d just remembered something. “When I said that we were goin’ to be there to see the treasure unburied, I didna mean with ye. I meant after my grandsons seize yer bluidy ship and kill all ye bastards. Then, we’re goin’ to find the treasure with them because that is the way it should be.”
“Haud yer wheesht, Nairnie,” whispered Gavina, getting very frightened by the woman’s bold talk. She didn’t want Nairnie to anger the man and get them killed before Tristan could rescue them. She could only hope now that Tristan got there quickly, because she wasn’t sure how long she and Nairnie would survive aboard the Poseidon.
Chapter 18
“Have some wine,” said Nereus, handing Gavina his golden chalice. She and Nairnie had changed out of their clothes and now wore gowns that looked like they were once the clothes of harlots. As much as that bothered her, it was far less upsetting than wearing a gown with a man’s blood splattered on it.
Gavina didn’t like the way Nereus stared down her cleavage. She only liked it when Tristan did that. Her heart ached for Tristan. Being his wife hadn’t been easy, but she realized now she should have been more accepting of him. Tristan wasn’t a horrible man. Not really. He’d just made bad choices and taken the wrong path. So had her father, and now so had she. She remembered her mother always telling her that there was good in everyone. But in some people, you just had to look harder to find it. She’d found the goodness in Tristan, and that is a part of him that she would never forget.
“Nay, thank ye,” she answered, pushing the cup away. “It’s probably poisoned.”
She, Nereus, and Nairnie sat cramped at a small table in the pirate’s cabin. The room screamed of riches and wealth. Gold cups and plates and fine clothes were everywhere. Chests with coins spilling out scattered the area, and there was lots of food, wine and, of course, whisky. He even had a woven tapestry like what was found at a castle, but it covered the floor instead of the walls, and they used it to walk on.
“Now, why would I want to poison such a pretty young thing like ye?” Nereus reached out to touch her cheek and, this time, Nairnie’s hand shot out and slapped his hand away.
“It seems ye’re forgettin’ our deal, Pirate,” the old woman said, giving him the evil eye. “I willna tell ye the location if ye try to touch her again.”
“My, ye’re a feisty one,” replied Nereus with a deep chuckle. “I can see that ye’re the grandmother of Cato’s sons. Actually, Cato was a lot like ye.”
“Ye kent my son, Cato?” Nairnie sounded very interested.
“Aye, I’ve had a few run-ins with him, and we were once even friends.”
“Really?” gasped Gavina.
“Aye, lass. After all, we’re about the same age. We were friends until he foolishly gave up piracy to be a pitiful fisherman. Did he return to piracy again? Is he with his sons on the Falcon?” Nereus looked down and ran his finger along the rim of the cup as he spoke.
“My son is dead, and I never even had a chance to say guidbye to him,” Nairnie told him.
“What a shame.” Nereus raised the cup and drank, looking at them over the rim. “Ye know, Cato and I were supposed to find the king’s treasure together, years ago. We used to be friends at one time. That map once belonged to another pirate, but we killed him. Then Cato stole the map before I ever got a good look at it. I’m genuinely surprised that he never went after the treasure. Or did he, and are ye just tryin’ to fool me? Because if so, I warn ye, I am not fond of games.” He picked up his eating dagger next and ran his finger along the flat end of the blade.
“Nairnie, the less ye say the better,” Gavina reminded her. “He’s just tryin’ to get information.”
“Give me yer hand, Wench,” he said to Gavina, staring her in the eye.
Gavina’s body shook. He still played with his dagger. She kept thinking about his crewmember that was now naught but shark bait. She didn’t want to lose her hand.
“Don’t worry,” he said with a chuckle. “If I was goin’ to cut off yer hand, lass, I’d use my sword, not my dagger. Now give me yer hand.”
Gavina figured she had no choice. She started to hold out her right hand, but he stopped her.
“Nay. The other one.”
She did what he asked, giving him her left hand.
“What is this?” he asked, running a finger over her amethyst ring.
“It’s my weddin’ ring and was once my mathair’s weddin’ ring as well,” she told him. “Please, dinna take it from me.”
“Don’t be silly,” he said. For a moment, she didn’t think he would, but of course she was wrong. “I’m a pirate, and pirates never leave any treasure behind.” He slid off the ring and held it up to inspect it. “Nice,” he said in satisfaction.
“Give her the ring back,” spat Nairnie. “It isna yers.”
“How about if I just hold on to this for now, and ye, old woman, tell me more about Cato and that map.”
Nairnie pursed her mouth and narrowed her eyes, but talked anyway. “I dinna ken what happened with my son and the treasure, because I didna see my son since he was stolen from me by his faither when he was just a lad. It was only recently that I found the map hidden on Cato’s ship. That’s all I ken, and that’s the truth.”
“I see,” said Nereus, not sounding like he believed her. He held up the ring in two fingers, angling it in different positions to watch the stone glitter in the light.
“Ye dinna believe me, do ye?” she asked.
“It’s not that,” he said, still playing with the ring.
“Then what is it?” she spat. “Why are ye lookin’ at me like that?”
“What was yer husband’s name?” he asked Nairnie.
“I wasna ever married to the man.” Nairnie seemed ashamed and looked down at the table, pushing around food on her plate.
“So Cato was a bastard then,” said the man, the thought seeming to amuse him.
“Dinna call my son a bastard!”
“Well, if ye never married the boy’s father, that makes him a bastard. Now tell me, what was Cato’s father’s name?”
“Why should I tell ye? What do ye care?”
“I’m very curious,” he told her. “Do tell.”
“Nay!” she spat and looked the other way.
Nereus slammed his hand down on the table, with the ring in it. “I said, tell me his name.”
“Nairnie, just tell him,” begged Gavina, not wanting to rile the man. Nereus moved his hand and Gavina’s eyes fell on the ring. She had to find a way to steal it back from him, but not now. She needed to wait until the time was right, but she would take back what was rightfully hers. However, it wouldn’t be easy.
“All right, I’ll tell ye, no’ that it matters. His name was Robert Fisher. He was a Sassenach and a fisherman,” Nairnie told him.
“Robert Fisher?” Nereus started laughing.
“What’s so funny?” asked Gavina.
“I should have known,” said the pirate. “Ye see, Cato stole that map from his father and we were goin’ to find the treasure together.”
“
What do ye mean?” asked Nairnie. “Why would Robert have a treasure map in the first place?”
“Because, my dear one, Captain Bobby Bones, yer lover, was more than just a fisherman. He was a pirate!”
“What?” gasped Gavina. “Nairnie, is this true? Ye were in love with a pirate?”
“Nay!” she shouted. “He was no’ a pirate. Robert was a fisherman. He told me so.”
Nereus continued laughing. “That’s what he wanted ye to think. The fact that he stole yer son should be proof enough that he wasn’t who he said he was. Who do ye think trained Cato to be a pirate in the first place? Good ol’ Bobby was wily, and very thin. Bony, ye might say. That’s how he got the nickname Captain Bobby Bones.” He laughed some more. “Too bad he trained his son so well, because Cato, along with me, were the ones who killed him and stole that map.”
“That’s enough!” spat Nairnie. “My Cato wouldna kill his own faither.”
“Why no’?” asked the pirate. “He killed his own wife as well.”
“He didna! And if ye continue to laugh, I swear, I’ll cut out yer tongue to shut ye up. And I will never lead ye to the treasure. That treasure belongs to my grandsons, anyway, and ye have no right to it.”
“Oh, my, listen to that! I see that piracy runs strong in yer family, old woman.”
“Dinna call me auld!” Nairnie looked as if she would really cut out the man’s tongue if he kept this up.
“Interestin’ how Cato went to extremes to hide the treasure map from not only me but also his sons, yet ye are so anxious to have yer grandsons find it. Perhaps ye’re more of a pirate than old Bobby Bones and Cato put together.”
Nairnie slammed her hand down on the table and stood up, scaring Gavina and making her jerk backward. “Dinna continue to talk to me that way or I’ll never tell ye another thing about the treasure,” warned Nairnie in a threatening voice.
“Oh, on the contrary, I think ye’re goin’ to tell me everythin’ there is to know.”
He reached out and yanked Nairnie to him, placing the sharp edge of his blade against her throat. “The Falcon is right on our tail, but I plan on gettin’ to that treasure before them. So spill yer secrets, old woman or I’m goin’ to slit yer throat.”
Tristan (Pirate Lords Series Book 1) Page 26
