Page 55 of Maggie and the Pirate’s Son

“Theoretically. But if it doesn’t work, he could lose more than the ear. Do you know how to read those star charts of his well enough to find your way back to Jamaica for MacLeod?”

“How long before the ear must be removed?” Dutch asked.

“Twenty-four hours. Maybe less. It’s already beginning to lose color.”

“Then we have time. Give the leeches one night.”

Tears sprang to Maggie’s eyes as she reached for the jug Langley offered.

The Butcher raised his hands in surrender, stepping back as if to say he’d have no part in this witchcraft. And let it be witchcraft, then. Maggie could use all the luck and magic in the world to see this right.

Tenderly, she brushed the soft brown curls away from Bash’s right ear, careful not to let any of the dry, sticky blood pull against his wound.

There was just so much of it, and more purple ooze filling the area all the time, seeping down his neck to soak his collar. The Butcher was surely right about the need to staunch the bleeding.

She took a steadying breath. “Is there any clean linen?” she asked, suddenly nervous about simply dropping a leech down his ear canal.

“Bandages,” Dutch said, fetching a roll. “How much do you need?”

“No more than an inch,” she guessed, and Dutch sliced off a bit with his knife.

Hoping the knife was cleaner than the Butcher’s blade, Maggie wadded it up and tamped it gently into the canal, careful not to disturb the ragged cartilage. Then she selected a leech from Langley’s jar, trying not to grimace, and placed the little worm in the curve of Bash’s ear.

Instantly the creature began to feed, but Maggie realized she’d have to keep the ear in place somehow while it healed.

“Will you stitch it up?” Langley asked, as though reading her mind.

“Suppose I should?” she asked, but both men simply stared at her, waiting for her to decide. “Suppose I should,” she repeated emphatically, and Langley rummaged in the cabinet until he found a needle and thread.

As she’d observed Jory do on more than one occasion, Maggie held the needle tip in the flame of a candle lantern for a moment. Then she leaned forward and ever so gently pinched the skin behind the ear and stuck the needle through. Bash didn’t so much as twitch, so she carefully pierced the soft, fleshy part of the upper helix and then brought the needle back down to where she started, making one quick knot. Just one tiny loop to hold the ear where it ought to be.

She released a shaky breath, and Dutch clapped her on the shoulder, nodding in approval when she dared look his way.

“Is it me eyes, or does it look less purple and puffed up already?” Langley asked.

Maggie couldn’t be certain it wasn’t wishful thinking, but Bash’s ear did look a little more normal than before.

“How long will it drink?” young Langley asked, leaning over to inspect the leech, his nose wrinkled in disgusted delight.

“Until it’s full,” she replied, desperately wishing Jory were there to guide her, but Langley nodded, apparently happy with the answer.

And though she’d probably go to hell, she prayed to Jory to be right. After all, if the Virgin Mary or even Jesus Himself had any experience with leeches, the men who wrote the Bible forgot to mention it.

“Now what?” Langley asked.

“I’ll stay with him,” Maggie said, as if anyone could have made her leave without carrying her bodily from the sickbay. “Before long that one’ll drop off and he’ll need another.” Then she pulled up a stool to sit a vigil at Bash’s side.

She didn’t notice when Dutch left. Only when Langley sneezed did she realize time had passed, because the candle had burned down so low. She glanced around, confused.

“Butcher says if he wakes up, he can smoke some hashish for the pain.”

“The Butcher?” she asked, scanning Bash in alarm. “Did he come back?”

“Couple hours ago,” Langley replied. “I didn’t like to wake you, and he seemed to prefer it that way.”

Maggie bit her lip. She’d fallen asleep when Bash needed her most. He never would’ve done such a thing if their positions were reversed.

“He didn’t try to cut him or anything. Honest. He looked sort of impressed with your stitching and the color of Nav’s ear.”