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All in all, I’d say he’s a cocky bastard.
My crew and I wait in silence for whatever the pirates have in store for us. Smoke billows around us from the cannon blasts. Debris is scattered around the ship. The smell of gunpowder leaches into the air, scratching at the back of my throat.
Footsteps sound as a man walks across the gangplank that connects the two ships. His head points down, revealing nothing more than a black hat with a white plume rising from the side.
“Captain,” the same pirate shouting orders from before says, “all the men on the ship are before you.”
“Good, Riden. But let’s hope they’re notallmen.”
A few pirates snicker. Some of my men glance nervously in my direction.
Fools! They’re giving me away too easily.
“I’ve spotted three lasses so far, but none of them have red hair.”
The captain nods. “Listen up!” he shouts, raising his head so we can see him for the first time.
He’s not much older than his cocky first mate. I slowly take in the faces of the pirate crew. Many can’t even grow hair on their chins. It’s an incredibly young pirate crew. I’d heard that theNight Farerwas no longer under the command of the pirate lord Jeskor—that he was succeeded by a young captain, but I hadn’t expected the entire crew to be so young.
“You have all heard the stories of Jeskor the Headbreaker,” the young pirate captain continues. “I am his son, Draxen. And you will find that my reputation will grow to be far worse.”
I can’t help myself. I laugh. Does he think he can make a reputation for himself bytellingeveryone how fearsome he is?
“Kearan,” the captain says, nodding to the man behind me. Kearan rams the bottom of his sword onto the top of my head. It’s not hard enough to knock me out, but it is enough to hurt like hell.
That’s enough of that,I think. Mandsy’s words of caution are so far from my mind now. I’m done kneeling on the floor like some servant. Bracing my hands against the wooden deck, I extend my legs backward, hooking my feet behind the heels of the ugly pirate standing there. With one yank forward, Kearan topples backward. I stand quickly, turn around, and take my sword and pistol from him before he can regain his feet.
I point the pistol at Draxen’s face. “Get off the ship and take your men with you.”
Behind me, I hear scuffling as Kearan finds his feet. I jerk my elbow backward, connecting with his enormous gut. There’s a large splat as he collapses to the ground once again.
It’s quiet. Everyone can hear the click of my pistol cocking back. “Leave now.”
The captain tries to peer under my hat. I could duck under his gaze, but that would mean taking my eyes off him.
All at once a shot fires, wrenching the pistol from my hand. It lands on the deck before skittering out of sight.
I look to the right to see the first mate—Riden—placing his pistol back into his holster. A resulting arrogant smile stretches across his face. Though I would like to slash the look from him with my sword, I can admit it was an impressive shot.
But that doesn’t stop me from getting angry. I draw my sword and step toward the first mate. “You could have taken my hand.”
“Only if I’d wanted to.”
All too quickly two men grab me from behind, one holding each arm.
“I think you talk far too much for a mere cabin boy whose voice hasn’t yet dropped,” the captain says. “Remove the hat.”
One of my captors yanks the hat from my head, and my hair falls into place, reaching halfway down my back.
“Princess Alosa,” Draxen says. “There you are. You’re a bit younger than I expected.”
He’s one to talk. I may be three years shy of twenty, but I’d bet my sword arm I could best him in any challenge of wits or skill.
“I was worried we’d have to tear apart the ship before we found you,” he continues. “You will be coming with us now.”
“I think you’ll learn quickly, Captain, that I don’t like being told what to do.”
Draxen snorts, rests his hands on his belt, and turns back toward theNight Farer. His first mate, however, never takes his eyes off me, as though he anticipates a violent reaction.
