Strong arms circled her. Pulled her against a chest that smelled of roses and old books. A voice, close to her ear, urged her quietly back to reality.“Breathe,Sasha. With me. In.” She felt the chest beside her expand.
Pulling in a shuddering breath, she felt things start to snap back into place. Groaning, she lowered her head.
“There you are. Almost lost you for a moment.” Hook loosened his arms around her, before turning her chin up to look at him with the crook of a finger. “This is precisely why we’re starting small, do you see?”
Nodding, she didn’t trust herself to form words. She understood. Shooting pixels on a screen was one thing. Watching people die in an experience that was, for all intents and purposes, entirely real? Very different. Even if they didn’t have a soul behind them—if souls were real. The jury was apparently still out on that.
“Good. Now.” He took a step back away from her. “Pick the next one to die.”
“Oh, come on.”She shot him a glare again. She figured she’d be doing that a lot. “Are you serious?”
“Very. And do it eyes open this time, hm?” He gestured at the array of children. “And go on. Double time. We don’t have all day.”
Taking in a deep breath, she held it for a second, before letting it out in a rush. Great. Fantastic. Awesome. Cringing, she picked one of the older children that time, having learned from her mistake. When he was walked to his death, she didn’t rush to the railing to watch the crocodile eat his next meal.
“Again.” Hook was watching her with a smile on his face that wasn’t cruel, or sick. Or even sadistic. It wasn’t even amused. She couldn’t put a name to the expression at first—and when it hit her, it didn’t make any sense at all.
Fondness.
He was smiling at herfondly.
When she picked a third child, who went to his death the same asthe first two, Sasha had stopped bothering to try to wipe her tears away.
Sidney was sitting on a small barrel by one of the masts, her head in her hands, weeping uncontrollably. She hadn’t looked up since the executions had started. Sasha didn’t blame her—and in fact, kind of wished she could join her.
But she wasn’t so lucky.
Hook pulled out his pocket watch. “Again.”
And a fourth.
Sasha felt as though she was going to have a mental breakdown. The air was feeling too close again. She focused on keeping her breathing slow and regular and deep. She didn’t know how many more of these she could put up with before she started screaming and pulling her hair out.
But it seemed she was at least spared more of that pain. It was time to switch to some new kind of torment.
Captain Hook snapped his pocket watch shut and tucked it into his pocket before casting her the fakest beatific smile she’d ever seen in her life. “Now, Mr. Smee. I have had a change of heart. I think it is quite bad luck to have a woman on board, and this Miss Wendy will just have to go. Time for her to walk the plank. Bring her here.”
Sidney shot up to her feet. “Fuck you!”
Sasha moved to stand between Hook and her twin. “No.”
“Mr. Smee, mutiny is not tolerated aboard this ship.” Hook walked toward them slowly, lowering his tone. The other pirates had fallen deathly silent as they stood to watch. “Eithershewalks the plank…or you do.”
Hook’s left eye began to glow purple, and Vile’s voice overtook Hook’s. “Do you think I care which one of you dies? Entertaining for me, either way.”
Sasha felt as though ice water ran down her spine. Suddenly, it all clicked into place. She wasn’t safe from him. Not at all. He’d only let her be the one who lived for as long as she was obediently on his side.
The purple in his eye faded. He was Hook once more. “Do you want to die, Mr. Smee? Shall I throw you both overboard?”
“N—no.” She was shaking. She couldn’t die to that crocodile. She couldn’t. She justcouldn’t.
“Sash—” Sidney grabbed her arm from behind her. “Please?—”
“Then move aside.” Hook stood inches in front of her, staring down at her and through her, calling her bluff.
Swallowing the rock in her throat, she did as she was told. She stood aside.
She was a coward. A complete coward.
