“Me too,” Wraith chimes in.
I know what he’s talking about. I’ve seen Ari, too, the way she seems almost folded in on herself. From the way he spoke of her, she must’ve been a great beauty. But now, she’s like me, a husk of the person she was.
“I once saw that boatswain Widow when she’d been cursed for sleeping with a witch’s man.” Cobweb shudders. “It was the stuff nightmares are made of. When I saw her at Hook’s place, I was shocked she managed to get back to her normal form.”
“The witch fixed her after they handled the asshole who’d played them both.” I cheat ahead to dessert, too, scooping some of the crimson berries onto my fork. They’re not neverberries, thank heavens. They’re sweeter with a hidden tartness you get on the back end. I’d have to say they’re my favorite berry on the island.
Cobweb whistles. “I would’ve loved to see what they did to that bloke. Cheating on a witch is a bad idea, but crossing one of Blackbeard’s crew is probably even dumber. That crew was so fierce. The only one that rivals it is Hook’s. He’s the cruelest bastard on the sea now that Black—Hey!”
Wraith glares at her.
“She can talk about Hook.” I adopt a nonchalant tone, one I hope isn’t obviously fake. “I’m not mad.”
“Mmhmm.” Shiner grins. “You don’t care if we call him the nastiest son of a bitch under the moon?”
I scrape my fork across my plate. “Nope. Don’t care.”
Cobweb leans forward. “What if I said he was a whoreson’s whoreson with a cowardly streak a mile wide?”
“That … that wouldn’t matter to me.” I run my tongue along the front of my teeth.
Shiner nods. “What if I said Hook is the worst, lily-livered?—”
“Okay, look.” I slam my fork down. “I don’t know how I feel about Hook right now, but I do know that he is one of the bravest people I’ve ever met. He protected me, took care of me, and put me first at all times when we were together.” I clamp my mouth shut and feel my cheeks begin to heat. Why can’t I just play it cool? Not to mention, why am I defending the monster who hurt my mother?
They all smile, and Shiner shakes her head at me. “You’re too easy to goad, Moira. Takes all the fun out of it.”
“Like I said, I don’t knowwhatI feel for him.” I give up on my food and set my plate down. “I can’t tell what he is—a villain or a …”
“A lover. Maybe he can be both.” Shiner grabs my plate and hands it back to me. “Eat. Valinx will feel bad if he sees you only ate a little.”
“Ugh.” I take the plate back. She’s right. I don’t want to upset Valinx. Now I’m irritated with myself for being so readable—Shiner knew just what to say to get me eating again. I’m a creature of guilt, always have been, and I never want to put anyone else out. I’ve always thought of that as a good part of my personality, but maybe it’s actually holding me back.
“Stop doing introspection. It makes everything weird,” Wraith intones.
“I’m not,” I say a little too sharply.
Cobweb snickers.
“You all don’t know me.” I keep eating, taking a big bite of what reminds me of fried tofu. “Don’t act like you can read me like a book. I have tons of mystery.”
“Sure, sure.” Shiner nods, clearly trying to pacify me.
“I mean it!” I finish my berries.
“Yes, very mysterious.” Wraith smirks.
I’m surrounded by assholes.
“I’ll have you know?—”
A scream cuts through my oncoming tirade, and Bunk runs into the round house, a sword in his hand. “Lost Boys!”
My body goes cold, and I whip my head around to stare at the doorway, fully expecting Peter to stride through it.
Shiner, Cobweb, and Wraith are already moving, following Bunk out into the night. There’s barely a moon, the sky full of clouds after raining on and off for the past few hours.
“Stay put.” Tiger Lily rushes from the dark hallway, a bow in her hand and a sword strapped across her back. “We’ll handle this.”
