Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
TALLY
Dreams of starlit escapades by the pool filter out as the afternoon sun illuminates the room.
I’m warm and cosy. Wrapped up tightly in whatever bedding I used. I never sleep this late– or sleep much at all at the moment– but I can’t deny I feel much more refreshed now that I’ve actually slept.
Until I realise the pillow I’m laying on is moving, that it’s not in fact a pillow, but a person.
Fuck.
Everything comes rushing back to my memory. Everything is doused with a bit of blood. Until I get to the end of the events. How Cyrus wrapped me up so tightly in her arms and got me to sleep within minutes. How she made me feel safe and secure, just by being near.
I have no idea if she’s sleeping or awake, so I do the natural thing– hold still and pretend to still be asleep, whilst my brain works a hundred miles a minute. I needed her help earlier, but right now it’s in my best interest to protect my heart and get out of here.
So why is running from her the last thing on my mind?
Stupid heart trying to get what it so desperately wants.
I think I’m getting away with pretending, until Cyrus’s hand palms the back of my head, fingers threading through my hair.
Whines try to pour out of me, but I lock those bitches down.
There’s no way I can let her know she still affects me so much.
Unless she’s suddenly had a change of heart– which I highly doubt– nothing will be different from the last time.
“I can hear you thinking.”
Busted.
I sigh, doing my best to sit up and move away from Cyrus’s hold. She holds firm at first before giving in and letting go of me. Almost like she wanted me to stay, before she remembered how much she damaged me the last time she was here.
Her eyes are still trained on me, still soft and warm. None of her stone-likeness is there. Even when we were fucking, she’s never been this expressive. It’s giving me whiplash.
Seeing her emotion is beautiful.
However, it’s tearing my heart to pieces with each new look I learn. Because I know she won’t be around long enough for me to learn them all.
I stay quiet letting my thoughts run wild, while she continues to watch me. I must be being too quiet as she speaks again. “How are you feeling?”
My lips blow a raspberry as I exhale. Everything is too much but now I’ve actually slept, it feels easier to process it all. Well, process everything else except for her.
“Better. I just want to know who's doing this. If it is Hago, then we need to find out how deep this goes. I don’t think he’s smart enough to be doing all this alone.
It’s kind of terrifying knowing what their end goal is.
” I take a deep breath, closing my eyes before I continue.
“And it’s terrifying not knowing how much it’s worked so far.
How many people are starting to believe I can no longer do the job I was raised to do? ”
Cyrus’s hand finds mine.
The warmth penetrates deep within my bones.
I never want her to let go.
Instead, I enjoy one more squeeze before pulling my hand away. She controls a flinch, but I see the movement either way. Then she nods, as if accepting whatever this is.
She clears her throat before continuing. “We’ll find whoever this is, then we’ll show everyone why you’re the leader here. I won’t let anyone hurt you. That’s a promise.”
The thing is, deep down I know she means it. Her promise hits deep, wrapping around my bruised heart. But how is she going to not let anyone hurt me, when she’s the reason my heart no longer belongs to me?
Shaking my head, I throw any thoughts relating to Cyrus from my skull. Not the time. No, right now I need to get my head on straight and start attacking this problem head on.
Pushing up from the bed, I head to the window. Throwing open the panes of glass and sniffing the fresh air.
Watching the ocean hit the shore, breaking between jagged rocks and sending salt spray into the open air.
Even from here I can smell the salt floating on the wind.
Hear the gentle rustle of trees and leaves as the wind blows them about.
The clomping of the horses in the stable close by.
The sails on the Burnt Bones, the black flag with a skull on fire, lapping on the breeze.
It’s the best reset I could ask for.
I need a plan. “I need to open the tavern soon. You can work the bar with me, keep an eye on everyone. Liquor is the best way to get people to talk.”
“Okay. I’ll get some of the crew to space themselves around, see if they can eavesdrop enough to catch anything.” When I turn, I can see Cyrus formulating different scenarios to how this will play out.
“Then we need to get to work,” I say.
Pulling the windows closed, I head to the door.
Chancing a glance at Cyrus, I can tell she wants to say something else but is holding herself back. If it’s not about the plan going forwards, I don’t want to hear it. One problem at a time.
The problem plaguing my home is more important right now.
I’m no longer cowering away. If someone has an issue, they can come to me, where I’ll be waiting with a crew of the fiercest pirates on the open seas.
The night is moving perfectly. Nothing out of place, no attacks. Not even any suspicious activity.
Hago is helping on the bar tonight, non-stop grousing about having to work, when Cyrus is also working.
Cyrus has threatened to hit him with a barrel at least twice so far to get him to stop whining like a child.
When he does stop, his scowl is so deep, I’m afraid the wind will change direction and keep it that way.
Maybe not so worried– because you know, fuck him.
I notice a steady handful of pirates sitting around the tavern. Many in small groups, slowly sipping on their drinks instead of downing them and screeching for more. I know they’re Cyrus’s crew, watching and waiting.
I’m serving drinks, laughing and chatting with patrons, as pirates from the Burnt Bones and others come in. Cyrus washes tankards as Hago waits on tables. Every time he brings back a round of empty mugs, he scowls and grumps at Cyrus.
My protective streak makes me want to go over to him and smack him upside the head. Yet I can’t. She’s not mine, no matter what my heart believes. And we need him to believe that we aren’t suspicious of him whatsoever.
My skin still crawls with every disdainful look though.
God, what I’d give to punch him in the face; regardless if he's the bad guy or not.
The evening spools out around me, nothing worth noting. People drink and eat and laugh. No one even questions Cyrus working behind the bar.
Cyrus’s eyes flit between me and the washing up. I can almost see the gears ticking away in her head each time I catch her gaze. She wants to say something, she's just working her way up to it.
I don’t know whether I’m ready to hear it.
Will there be more rejections? Or another heartbreaking apology? Or has she changed her mind?
I don’t know how I’ll feel if it’s the latter. Do I want to rekindle whatever we are and try for more? Or will it all fall apart again? She’ll be leaving with the ship once this is over and we’ll be back to square one.
Fuck, why does just her existence have to be confusing?
Hago interrupts my spiralling thoughts. He grumbles off a list of drinks for table service, before moving towards Cyrus and glowering through the dirty cup handover.
Cyrus pays him no mind, using the opportunity to drag her gaze over me. The heat behind her irises burns into me. My blood burns as it filters through my veins, my underwear gathering a layer of slick.
No.
Naughty Tally, no.
Not right now, remember?
One problem at a time.
Just as I get that thought through my thick skull, everything goes to shit.
A crash comes through the front door of the tavern, a booming heat engulfs the air as a cart crash lands in the middle of the room, flames and smoke coming from on top.
A black cloaked figure looms behind the flames as people scramble to get out of the way of the heat and choking smoke.
Frozen solid, I watch as the figure moves something and the cart collapses, leaving a scorching pile of flames in the middle of my tavern that's filled with at least fifty people.
With a flash, the cloaked figure races out the door, as patrons stumble to find the exits.
Cyrus immediately jumps onto the bar in front of me, sword drawn as if that will protect her or me from the flames.
“August, Mary, follow that prick. Keep him alive, for now!” A giggling dark woman and scowling pale ghost race out the door at the order. Hopefully hot on the culprit's tail. “Henri, Janny– everyone fucking else– fetch pails of water. Now!”
More pirates vacate the building, their eyes focused on the task ahead as they weave their way through the drunk patrons, who can’t gather enough coordination to find the exit behind the engulfing flames.
The room is quickly filling with smoke, yet I can’t move as I watch the building I call my own start to melt in front of me.
Amara and Mabel appear from the stairs and start ushering people outside, gathering people too drunk to remember how to even walk and getting them to safety.
Smoke and ash starts to fill my lungs as the fire spreads out across the floor, lighting up a table and chairs set.
Hago lets out a pathetic screech from where he stands in front of the bar, the flames getting closer. I growl, wishing I could leave him there to burn, but I know better. Breaking from my stupor, I grab the back of his shirt and use all my strength to force him backwards over the bar.
Cyrus jumps down and pulls me away from him, keeping herself between us.
She points her sword towards him, using it to point to the direction of the back exit. “Out, now.” She growls. And wrong timing again, but my undergarments are officially ruined with how hot that growl was.
He stumbles ahead, finally heading to the exit. Cyrus grabs a hold of my waist and forcibly drags me from the flames too.
All I can think as I watch the receding back of Hago is: if he was there inside the building, how can he be the one that's doing this?
He was right in front of me when that cloaked bastard came in. It wasn’t Hago. So who the fuck is behind all this?