AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What’s going on?” Maddox asked.
“We planted seeds. Let’s just say yer fella pirates might not like the wrath of the Sky people discovering all their precious, stolen belongings leading to one ship.”
They backed further into hiding spots, then watched as a flurry of people marched toward the ship, bringing all kinds of weapons and determination. Someone cleared their throat and politely asked for the captain’s attention, but no one came to the deck. Then another person pointed.
“That’s my jewelry box! The one beside the ship.”
“That’s my imported clock,” someone else shrieked. “They are about to lift it to their ship. Thieves!”
The ropes and more boxes had accusations flying everywhere. A couple of men jumped into the ship, then more, as they lost their hesitation. Minutes later, the hiding pirates came out, and the deck became an explosion of fighting, wrestling figures.
“Shouldn’t they be scared of him or something?” Nicola asked, then caught Marko’s expression. “Let me guess. You did something about that, too.”
“Let’s just say yer second-in-command has enough friends around here to start the gossip that yer pirate lord is nothing but a fraud.”
“Sounds familiar,” Isaiah mused. “You did all of this?”
“No sleep, limited time, and captured mates make for very bloodthirsty pirates, Captain,” Arty confirmed.
“We learned from the best,” Chuck chimed in. “And Marko.”
“Fuck ye, ye bastards.”
Nicola smiled as they continued egging each other on, but her heart wasn’t fully into it. Something felt off. She knew Isaiah felt it, too, as he didn’t join the others’ relief. She kept her gaze ahead as the fight spilled into the streets, then watched as Pan tried to scurry off but was seized back.
“He’s not here,” Isaiah concluded. “Ven.”
A sinking sensation filled her. “Yes. Pan would never leave him behind.”
Which meant…
Ruby gasped. “Nic.”
Their gazes met. The sinking sensation intensified. “The other ship.”
All relief ceased as they snapped into motion with their captain taking the lead.
“Go back to the ship. Protect it and the creatures. Be ready. We have to get Ven before he gets us again.”
Isaiah called out more instructions, but Nicola didn’t hear the rest as she flew through emptier streets with Ruby and Maddox in tow. Perhaps the commotion on the first ship helped as they met with no adversary, even when they reached the other end of the Sky. When she would have kept going, a hand grabbed her arm.
“Trap,” Isaiah whispered fervently.
“We are close.”
“You can’t get taken.”
“Neither can they.”
She took his hand, willing him to understand. Emotions surfaced on his features, close to the ones she had felt in their last kiss, and her heart pumped wildly. She squeezed.
“Let me handle this,” Ruby said before Nicola could argue her case. She pursed her lips, picked up a stone, and tossed it to the side. Then her fingers moved and let the stone repeatedly tap on the ground like footsteps fast approaching.
Ven’s men jumped from behind dark corners to ambush the approaching figures—except there were no approaching figures. Then Maddox was on them before they could register the deceit, shouldering his way through. Isaiah jumped in to throw a few punches before Maddox threw a sword his way. The two men stood back to back, waiting for the pirates to surround them.
“We got this, mate,” Isaiah declared. “Don’t you think we got it?”
“We definitely got it.”
