Page 34 of If I Go Down with This Ship

“Just guard yourself,” Molly warns before letting go.“No knowing what he’ll do these days.”

Frowning, I hurry after him.

To my surprise, there is already a small crowd gathered in the back room.Jack stands off to the side, arms crossed over his chest.Captain Night takes a seat behind a desk, long legs stretched out before him, jacket thrown over the back of his chair.My attention lingers on the blue wool for a moment before sliding away.Astra leans against the farthest wall, the bottom of their waistcoat unbuttoned and flipped back over their hip, hand resting on their pistol.Their eyes are locked on a woman behind the desk.

She’s Black, her skin lit by warm undertones, which are accented by the rich crimson fabric of her dress.Her hair is pulled up into an elaborate style on the top of her head, and her dark eyes follow me as I enter.It isn’t until Captain Night motions to me that I spot the man standing in the back corner, head tilted down, hat covering his face.

I stop awkwardly in the center of the room, looking among them all.What is going on here?I open my mouth to ask, but at the slightest shake of Captain Night’s head, I clamp my lips closed.

“You’re the new one?”the woman asks as I fidget with my sleeve.Her voice is confident, her tone a smooth alto.She leans forward, steepling her hands on the desk as she waits for me to reply.

Jack nods to me.

“Yes,” I say.

Her lips tug up and she breaks out into a smile.She, Captain Night, and Jack burst into a chorus of laughter, and I’m left to stand awkwardly, nowhere to put my hands, my expression carefully schooled.

“When Captain Night told me some stranger appeared on his ship, you were not who I was expecting,” she says with a smile.She holds out a hand.

My eyes scan the room until they land on Captain Night, and he gestures to me with a tilt of his head.I cross the room and take her offered hand.Her grip is strong, her hand warm in mine.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Laszlo.You can call me Adelphine.”

As I step back, it’s as if a switch has been flicked off, the tension in the room easing.Grunting, Captain Night stands and pulls on his jacket.The blue of it sways around him as he strides toward Jack, taking a piece of parchment.I frown, watching as Astra’s expression wars with itself.Despite the alarm bells ringing, I want to ask what’s going on, why I’ve been brought here, but I press my lips into a thin line and bite down on the inside of my cheek to keep quiet.

“How much have you told him?”Adelphine asks.

Captain Night turns and surveys me for a long beat before shaking his head.“We haven’t,” he admits.

Adelphine pushes back her chair before standing and rounding the desk.“Laszlo,” she says, coming toward me, “I’m sure you have heard many things in your week aboardShe Deceitful.Tell me honestly: What do you know?”

I swallow, searching for an answer among the familiar faces in the room.“I—I don’t understand.”And I don’t.I don’t knowwhy I’m here in this room with these people.I don’t know why Captain Night still hasn’t killed me, and I don’t understand what’s going on.

The woman stops before me and touches my arm, her expression softening.“You seem kind, Laszlo, which, in this business, is not as unusual as you may think.But kindness only goes so far.I will ask you once more: What do you know?”

My pulse pounds in my fingertips, and I can feel the weight of her question on my shoulders as they all focus on me.I think back to Astra and Captain Night, to the two of them and Jack disappearing into the captain’s cabin with a piece of parchment from the merchant ship.Flinching, I hear thebangof the pistol like it happened moments ago.

“I don’t…” I sigh, running a hand down my face.“I don’t know, honestly.Idoknow it involves the three of them, and whatever they were looking for wasn’t aboard the ship we raided.And the only way to get whatever information they needed was to kill the captain.”

Adelphine rounds on Captain Night.“You killed the captain?I needed him!”

“I had to!”Captain Night roars.I can practically taste my pulse on my tongue, thedu-dumof it in my throat as the room stills and silences.Captain Night’s chest heaves, his expression furious.“It was the only way.I can’t have people sailing around, asking questions after me.”

Adelphine pinches the bridge of her nose.“If we’re not careful, someone will find out, sooner or later.”

Captain Night’s features twist as if he’s being tormented.His hands ball into fists and he takes a step forward.“No one will find out.They won’t know anything has happened until he’s dead.I’m certain of it.”

Untilwhois dead?What have I gotten myself into?Now I’m more certain than ever that this is no ordinary pirate crew.

“If you aren’t careful and this links back to me and this place…” she warns, trailing off.

Captain Night nods curtly.“It won’t happen, I promise you.”There is surety in his tone, and even I believe him.

Sighing, Adelphine crosses past Jack and Astra, stopping before Captain Night.With short, careful fingers she accepts the piece of parchment.She spins on her heel and holds it out to me.Frowning, I take it.

Unraveling it, I squint down at the fine script.My vision blurs for a moment, the beginnings of a headache coming on as I stare down at large letters swooping across the page in black ink.I notice distinctly that, unlike my own writing in the logbook, there are no ink splotches on this piece.In fact, I think that might be a bit of blood at the corner, and I try desperately not to read into it, instead scanning over the words.

“This is a ship manifest,” I say after a moment.