“Just answer the question, Mother,” Sam snapped. “You owe me that!”
Claus leapt to his feet. “We don’t owe you a damned thing, Samael Delacost. We have loved you like our own all these years and won’t be judged for it.”
Sam staggered back at his father’s admission. A part of him had believed that it was all a hideous mistake. “So it’s true? You adopted me?”
Harah reached for Claus’s hand. All of a sudden she appeared frail. “I love you Sammy. No birth mother could ever love you more.”
Sam hardened his heart against her grief. He had to if he wished to ask the questions he needed to. “How old was I when I came to you?”
Harah had started weeping again so Claus told the tale. “You were only a few weeks old when your mother came to us. She had born you out of wedlock and her parents had shunned her. She knew she couldn’t support a child and so she did the only thing she could. Somehow she heard that we were barren and came knocking.”
Harah stood before him. “We couldn’t believe our good fortune. Someone had offered us a perfect son to brighten our days. We didn’t hesitate once it was clear how desperate her situation was. Your father investigated the girl’s circumstances and she told the truth.”
“What was her name?” Sam asked.
“Vitavia,” Harah said. “I never knew her last name or that of the father.”
“A beautiful name,” Sam murmured.
“She had already named you and so we kept that part of your heritage,” Claus said.
“Little enough of her, I had,” Sam snapped, unbearably bitter at the thought that his mother had handed him to strangers and walked out of his life. “What am I supposed to make of this?”
“You accept it and move on, son,” Claus said. “No point in bitterness.”
“Easy for you to say,” Sam said. “I assume you know where you came from.”
“What difference does it make?” Claus asked. “The only thing that matters is what you make of your life.”
Sam shook his head. “All my life I’ve felt like I was on the outside looking in. I’ve always blamed being poor and having to struggle to make ends meet but now I wonder if it was because I was abandoned.”
Harah sat and put her head in her hands. “I worried this day would come,” she said. “I agonized over whether we should tell you but each time it seemed too difficult. Would it have helped, Sam?”
“I’d love to say no, Mother, but knowing earlier might have made the next step easier.”
“Sam,” Claus said, his tone closer to anger than Sam had ever heard it, “I won’t see you hurt your mother by trying to find that girl!”
“Don’t you see, Father? That girl is my mother. I may have brothers and sisters out there. I need to do this before I can go forward.” Sam knelt before the only woman who had ever really loved him. “I don’t wish to hurt you, Mother, but you do understand how much it would mean to me to find my family, don’t you?”
Harah nodded, her grey eyes watery and incredibly sad. “I should have planned for this day and I’m sorry it was such a shock. Go and find her and may the Goddess be with you.”
Sam hugged her close, feeling the invisible string that bound their hearts grow tighter. She would always be his mother no matter what came to pass. He stood, shook his father’s hand and left without another word.
Chapter 3
Esta drew the chest toward her as the rain beat down on the window pane. It was a disgusting, dreary day. The perfect opportunity to examine some of the more obscure objects from her last two forays up the coast. The chest was the last item. She loved delving into boxes and unwrapping the cloth from pieces, wondering what she would find. More often than not it was junk: a child’s favorite bauble or a worthless statue.
The flimsy lock on the wooden chest wasn’t difficult to remove and she lifted the lid. It was dry inside. Papers lay on top and beneath them was a cow skin map. Centuries of wear had thinned the leather and a piece snapped off the edge as she lifted it out.
Under the map, was a personal history book, complete with family trees and dates of births, deaths and marriages— the family name was not familiar. And deeper in the chest, was an object wrapped in linen. It was hard and heavy and Esta’s heart raced as she uncovered the prize. It was an intricately engraved metal rod but none of the runes made any sense to her. She touched it with her finger and a zap of something reached out, burning her.
“Ouch!” she said, placing the injured digit in her mouth. She dropped the rod on the desk in its linen wrap and called for Katrine.
“What is it now?” her sister snapped as she entered the room a few minutes later. “Mother is being unbearable and as soon as I take leave from her unending demands, you call for me.”
Esta pulled her finger from her mouth and studied her sister. Sometimes it was easy to forget Katrine was only two years younger. “You won’t be sorry, dear,” Esta said. “Look at the rod on the desk and tell me what you think.”
Katrine frowned and moved closer. She reached out her right palm and swept it through the air above the object. She looked at it from one side and then the other before muttering the words of a spell.
“Interesting.” She picked up the rod with her bare hands. “It was warded with a protection spell, though it would be ineffective if you knew what you were doing.” She turned to Esta. “I suppose you touched it?”
Esta bit her bottom lip and nodded. “Should I not have done so?”
“Obviously not if you hurt yourself but I was more concerned about booby trap spells, or perhaps curses.”
Esta laughed. “Oh, is that all? Rubbish!”
Katrine snorted. “You wouldn’t laugh if you had seen the things I have. Promise me you’ll be more careful. Call me first before you go touching anything even remotely suspicious.”
“Goddess, how am I supposed to know what is suspicious? That thing looks like an ornamental metal rod.” She studied the object in Katrine’s hand. “What is it?”
Katrine again studied the runes. “Hard to be sure but from the symbols I understand, this appears to be a key to something.”
Esta pulled out the map from the pile of papers. She unfolded it and laid it on the desk. Katrine placed the rod beside the lettering on the map.
“It’s the same language on chart and rod,” Katrine said. “What do you make of the map? An island?”
Esta’s heart had resumed its hurried beat. “Yes, unless I am much mistaken, this is a treasure map and that rod may indeed be the key to the treasure.”
Sam hunkered down under a canvas in his skiff in Costa harbor. It was uncomfortable but at least he was on his own and could think through the events of the last two hours. Somewhere out there, he had a mother, perhaps a whole family, just waiting to be discovered. His heart ached at the hurt in Harah’s eyes as he’d explained his need to find the woman who had abandoned him.
But it had to be done if he was ever to find contentment. Lately he had felt restless, as though there might be more to life than pirating. Perhaps if he found his real family, they might provide a different existence for him. Or they might tell you to take a long run off a short plank. It didn’t matter; he had to try at least.
Sam reached for the dagger in his boot as voices drifted over from the nearby dock. Two men conversed near his skiff. He strained his ears to pick up a clue as to their intention.
“I tell you, Lady M. plans to find this treasure. You and I could make a handsome profit, maybe retire somewhere safe with a warm woman.”
“How do you know of it?” the second man asked, a thick edge of suspicion lacing his words.
“I keep my ears open, man. Do you want in or not? You supply the ship and I’ll sort the crew—just small, mind, that’s all we need.”
Sam froze. Was it Lady Moonlight they were discussing? He pricked his ears at the idea of treasure but the thought of a certain woman made it difficult to lie still. He wanted to know more.
“Sure, I
’m in,” the suspicious man said. “Where do we sail for?”
“That’s the beauty of it,” the first man said. “Do you know the Pinnacle islands? Well, it’s one of those. Not sure which yet but shouldn’t be too hard to find. Just look out for the Sea Sprite and the rest will take care of itself.”
Sam growled low in his throat. It was Lady Moonlight’s ship alright but she wouldn’t be taking home the treasure this time. They had unfinished business. The men moved away but Sam lay planning his next adventure long into the night.
Esta stood on the captain’s bridge behind, Lonso, who had been promoted to first mate after Stino’s death.
“It’s a perfect night for a treasure hunt, Lonso,” she said, feeling more optimistic than she had in a long while.
“Sure is, Captain.” Lonso’s grin showed more gaps than teeth. “You going to share the loot with us when we find it?”
“Of course I will,” Esta said, patting his shoulder. As she turned away, she caught the eye of her new man, Ice, and thought again he must have been named after the pale blue of his irises. She shuddered involuntarily, but he had been vouched for by Lonso and that was good enough for her. None of her men were fine upstanding citizens but they were brave and loyal—that was all that mattered.
Esta moved to the bow and stood with the wind in her face, the black strands of her wig streaming behind her. It was chill but not wet and she reveled in the dance of her ship over the waves. Sea Sprite was one of the joys of her life and sailing one of her great loves. When she was on the ocean, she was free of earthly ties and a little of its wildness seeped into her, giving her strength for the trials of estate life. Lately, she had found it almost impossible to return to the estate without a nagging sense of dread.
“You seem almost happy tonight, sister,” Katrine said, joining her in the bow. Katrine was wildness personified, with a lithe body and long black hair that she rarely tied back. Not for her the wig as she had less need for a full disguise, shunning public life as she did. She wore leather breeches, flowing black shirts and a broad black satin mask decorated with stars. Her piercing blue eyes were now fixed on Esta.
“I am happy, Katrine,” Esta said. “What makes you think I am ever unhappy?”
“I see the way you are,” Katrine said, “and the way Mother treats you, like her own personal servant.”
Esta frowned. “I love Mother.”
“Of course you do, but that doesn’t mean you have no need for a life of your own. I have been out and seen things you would never believe. You should spread your wings, before it’s too late.”
“And who would look after Mother and the estate?”
“We are not all as stupid and incompetent as you think,” Katrine said. “Let go a little and you might be surprised.” She turned and stalked away, boots clacking on the deck, long purple fingernails combing her hair in a familiar gesture from their childhood. Esta frowned. That was strange and out of the blue. She couldn’t imagine what had happened to bring on that conversation but she would think on it. Perhaps her little sister was right and it was time to think of herself for a change?
The Singing Pirate rode the bow of his ship, his looking glass trained on a speck in the distance. Sea Sprite. She was a tidy little ship, perfect for smuggling with her small draught that could slip into shallow waters and out again with none the wiser. It had taken him almost a day to track down the illusive Lady Moonlight. Even knowing where she was headed, he’d had no definite idea on when she would be casting off. Her ship’s regular berth was still a mystery, not that a smuggler would broadcast the headquarters of her business. An itch started at the base of his skull as he mused on the improbable career of this woman. He had to know more about her.
Another ship shadowed her, around the same size as Sea Sprite and far enough back that those on the leading vessel might not notice. But Samael Delacost had seen them and intended to keep a keen eye on the ship. His Silver Lady was a long way behind Sea Sprite but Sam was confident they could catch up during the night hours when his Lenweri crew had the advantage of superior vision.
He startled as Nande, his second-in-command, appeared at his side.
Sam turned to him. “Damn it, man. How many times have I told you not to sneak up on me?”
Nande frowned. “I am sorry, Captain. I forgot.”
Sam huffed out a breath. He must be cranky to let the elf worry him. “What do you want?”
“I wished to advise that all was well with the ship and its course. We are holding a steady distance from Sea Sprite and the dawn should see us draw level with her. Will you board the vessel?” Nande’s unblinking eyes gave no hint of his feelings on the matter.
“I haven’t decided yet,” Sam said. He wasn’t big on planning, preferring to stay flexible and let events dictate his plans. Some said that was foolhardy but his elven crew accepted what was his way and were never perturbed. He admired that about them. “What do you think?”
Nande blinked “You are asking me, Captain?”
“Yes, what would you do? Board the ship before they find the treasure or wait out of sight and claim it after the lady has done all the hard work of retrieving it?” Sam favored the second option.
“I believe there is too much uncertainty if we wait,” Nande said. “I would advise seizing the ship at the earliest possible opportunity, restrain the crew and fetch the treasure yourself.”
Sam nodded. He could see the wisdom in this plan but what if the lady harbored a secret about the treasure that she wouldn’t share with them? No reason for her to help him steal her bounty. No, he still favored waiting.
“Thank you, Nande. I’d like you to catch up with Sea Sprite overnight but don’t let them know we are there. No noise and no lights. I want the advantage of surprise.”
“As you wish, Captain,” Nande said. “I will see to it.”
The dark elf nodded and moved away silently in his soft leather shoes.
Sam turned back to the sea. The sun was setting, muting the colors of the ocean from glorious green to indigo blue. Sam loved this time of day when the wind had dropped and peace settled over the sea. It was a balm for an otherwise turbulent life.
As they had often over the last few days, his thoughts turned to the recent revelations regarding his birth mother. What would happen if he found her? Would it help him to find a place in this world? Or would his mother reject him once again? Should he even bother with a woman who had turned her back on him over thirty years ago? The clock could not be wound back and Sam had no desire to complicate matters. Still, there was that nagging sense of loneliness and if he could relieve that, then perhaps finding his mother would be worth the risk.
Chapter 4
Esta yawned and stretched her arms toward the dawn sky as she came on deck. A smile tugged at her lips and excitement zinged through her veins. It would be a brilliant day today and she would find the treasure. Perhaps it might even be enough for her to stop smuggling and create a legitimate shipping business. Maybe she would be able to afford another vessel and crew and make her mark on the world. Her father would be so proud, just as he had been when she proved to him she was capable of sailing this ship herself.
But dreaming of such things when she had not even found the treasure was foolhardy. She nodded to Lonso who gave her his customary gap-toothed grin. A couple of other sailors were on deck, checking the sails and lines with one in the main top castle searching for their target island. They had narrowed down their search to two of the islands in this group and then ruled out one of these when they landed late yesterday afternoon. It had none of the landmarks the map had described.
“Land ahoy!” The lookout pointed to the southwest. Esta could just make out a small island through the mist that hung over the water. It would soon burn off and it looked as though they would have their bounty by the end of the day. If only that was the case!
“Raise more sail,” Esta shouted, and extra hands leaped to do her bidding. The boat surged forward throug
h the tranquil waters, cutting a path in the mist. The island loomed before them.
Esta’s heart lurched and then galloped away, as a dark ship, similar in size to Sea Sprite materialized out of the mist on her starboard bow. It was angling toward them and if it continued on its course, it would cut them off. It couldn’t be coincidence that the ship should appear when they were so close to their target!
“Lady Star!” Esta shouted and a call went up all over the ship for her sister.
Katrine appeared from below. “Yes, sister?” Her smirk disappeared as she spied the other ship. “Who the hell is that?”
“Does it matter? Look at them! They’re trying to cut us off from that island. Prepare to defend the ship.”
Katrine turned and bolted up to the gun deck, and then climbed the mizzen mast to the castle at its top. From there she could work her magic in relative safety and have a good view of what was going on below.
Esta turned to the crew who were waiting for orders. “Man the guns! Lonso, swing to port so our guns hit full on and keep her that way!”
She bounded up the stairs to the quarterdeck, the better to survey her crew. She stood and watched the ship approach. It was coming fast and still turning to port.
“Keep correcting, Lonso!” But the dark vessel had already succeeded in driving them away from their destination. “Lady Star! Do your worst!”
A fireball sliced through the air above the ship and fell into the water short of the attacking vessel. Another one soon followed and this one hit its target, burning its way through the main sail. More followed, hitting sails and rigging, setting all afire. The sailors on the dark ship were soon busy putting out fires but the vessel came on, forcing them around and getting closer all the time.
“Fire!” Esta shouted, and her four guns on the starboard side boomed out. Only one hit, taking out the enemy ship’s foremast; the rest flew too high. “Guns down!”
A low grinding echoed through Sea Sprite’s deck as the guns were moved lower. The seconds ticked by and Esta’s nerves wound tighter with each one. She opened her mouth to order the next shot but a huge blast from the enemy ship heralded the firing of their three port cannons.
The Lady and the Pirate Page 2
