Chapter 22
One of the shadows, the one in the middle, stepped forward and revealed himself to be a rough customer.
He was short with a pot belly and appeared to be about fifty.
The man wore a soiled shirt that revealed his distended stomach, and his pants were in the same ill-fitting condition.
His greasy hair was slicked back, but a few loose strands were attached to his dirty cheeks.
His beady eyes lingered too long on me before they fell on Torvus.
“What a surprise to see you around here, Torvus,” the man mused as he sneered at my companion. “I thought Baba threw you out for good.”
Torvus stretched out his arms on either side of him. “You can’t keep a pirate from stealing his share.”
The man scoffed. “You’re not a pirate, Torvus. You’re just a rat that got lucky with a piece of cheese.”
Torvus’ smile remained as he folded his arms over his chest. “A wharf rat like you shouldn’t throw around personal insults.”
The man’s lip curled into a snarl. “I’m no rat.”
The captain shrugged. “I guess that’s true, Barreto. A wharf rat would actually be at the wharf doing his job with the loads. You’re just standing here stinking of drink and like you haven’t bathed in years.”
Barreto balled his shaking hands into fists at his sides. “Shut up, you worthless sail boy. You think because you left this hole and sailed to a few other docks, you can look down at us.”
Torvus tilted his head to one side and studied the man. “Not everyone. Just you, Barreto. You’re the one who’s still trying to pick street fights with me, even after all these years.”
Barreto sized him up. “Just because you still look good for your age doesn’t mean you can flout that boyish look. It won’t last forever, and you’ll look like the rest of us.”
The captain’s eyes lowered to the man’s gut. “I don’t think I’ll ever have that impressive physique of yours, Barreto.”
The man narrowed his eyes, but those eyes invariably fell back to me. A lecherous glint slipped into their depths. “Why don’t you introduce your new friend to your old one, captain? Or are you going to keep her all to yourself?”
Torvus turned his face to me and used a hand to gesture to the fat man. “Miss Larkin, this is Bruno Barreto. He’s an old ‘friend’ of mine.”
“The oldest,” Barreto added as he took a step toward me and held out his slimy hand. The undersides of the fingernails were covered in dirt, and a stench of alcohol rose from his palm. “Torvus was always a sharing man, lady. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind sharing you with the rest of us.”
Torvus stepped between us, blocking most of me from the man’s view. “That’s enough, Barreto. Get out of the way.”
Barreto snapped his fingers. The two men stepped forward, flanking him.
They were about twenty with impressive muscles and stood a head taller than their fat protege.
“You may look young, Torvus, but you’re still as old as me.
These two will be more than a match for you.
” He set his gaze on the eyepatch. “Maybe then I’ll find out what’s underneath that little cover of yours. ”
Barreto wagged his finger at Torvus, and the pair of gorillas marched toward us, evil glints in their eyes. Torvus turned his face far enough so his right eye caught my attention. “Get back.”
I reluctantly withdrew as the two men advanced.
One of them stepped ahead of his compatriot and swung his huge fist at Torvus’ head.
The captain deftly ducked and slammed his fist into the man’s stomach.
The man’s eyes bulged out of his head, and he slid down in a wheezing mess.
The other man let out a guttural growl and lunged at Torvus.
He dropped the same way and joined his companion in a heap on the ground, making noises that made my skin crawl.
The captain shook his hand loose of his fist and turned his attention to Barreto. The pudgy man stumbled back, sweat sliding down his brow. Torvus grinned. “I hope you didn’t pay too much for them. They wouldn’t last ten minutes against a child.”
Barreto’s whole body shook as he narrowed his eyes at the captain. “Someday I’ll get even, and then you’ll be talking out of your ass.”
“Why not today?” Torvus suggested as he strode toward him.
Barreto’s eyes bulged out of his head. He turned tail and raced out of the graveyard, and soon vanished down the street.
A smirk slipped onto Torvus’ lips as he turned back to me. “Don’t think all the folks around here are like him. He’s the nasty exception to the rule.”
I nodded at the wounded men. “Are they going to be alright?”
He nudged one with the toes of his boot. “In a few hours. That gives Barreto time to hide before they look for him. I’m sure they won’t appreciate him running out on them.”
“Shouldn’t we get out of here before they wake up?” I pointed out.
His eye twinkled as he strode over. “You don’t think I could whip them again?”
“I’d rather not risk it.”
He offered me his arm. “Then let’s go back. I think I can convince Baba to feed you something with less of a bite.”
My stomach flopped as I reluctantly accepted his arm. He led me back down the street, but the view didn’t attract my attention. My mind was too filled with what had transpired. I let my eyes flicker over him.
“Are you judging my attire or my face?”
“Barreto said you were as old as him.”
“Give or take a few years.”
“So how old are you?”
“That’s not a question to ask in polite society.”
I snorted. “I don’t think I’m in that kind of society right now.”
He grinned. “I suppose not.”
“You’re avoiding my question.”
“A man can keep his secrets, can’t he? Or do only women have the privilege?”
“Don’t men like to appear older so they appear more worldly?”
“My tailor can prove my worldliness. He certainly complains enough about the tears on my trousers.”
“That still doesn’t answer my question.”
The captain stared ahead and sighed. His gaze fell on a few shops and houses that we passed. “I walked these streets twenty years ago as a lad.”
“I can’t do the math without a starting number.”
“We’ll say I was a lad of ten. Even I’m not sure the year I was born.”
My brain calculated the numbers, but was missing one. “And how long have you been at sea?”
“Twenty.”
I jerked to a stop, and my mouth dropped open. “Are you telling me you’re fifty years old?”
“Give or take a few.” He grinned. “Does that surprise you?”
I snapped my jaw shut. “Surprise is an understatement. You don’t look any older than me.”
“And how old are you?”
I frowned at him, but there was a twinkle in my eye. “You’re not supposed to ask a woman her age, and you’re not supposed to look this good at your age.” I leaned forward and squinted at him. My movement forced him to lean back. “Are you using magic to keep yourself young?”
He barked out a laugh. “Why would I need to do that when I have such a handsome face?”
“A face that you’re using magic to keep handsome?”
He feigned shock. “Are you saying I wouldn’t be this handsome if I were older?”
I drew back and rolled my eyes. “I’m saying there seems to be a lot of magic in this world, at least compared to mine, and you shouldn’t look as young as you do.”
“How much magic was in your world?”
My good humor faltered, and my words came out in a hushed whisper. “None, but it still had its charm.”
He cocked his head to one side and studied me. “You left someone behind.”
I dropped my gaze to the ground and bit my lower lip. “Yeah. . .”
“A lover?”
I choked on a bitter laugh and smiled up at him. “No, no one like that. I have a brother.”
There was a touch of relief at the corners of his lips. “I see. Baba may be wrong, and someone in the four seas knows a way to get you back. That would be another benefit to sailing on my ship.”
“I’m still thinking about that,” I reminded him. I couldn’t help but look at the eyepatch.
He reached up and brushed a finger over the cloth. “You’re curious about this.”
I flinched. “It’s kind of hard not to notice. Barreto said he didn’t know what was under that. Does that mean you got it after you left the island?”
A tension appeared on his lips, and he led me down the road. “Your guess is right. I acquired this patch after I set sail.”
“You lost it in a fight?”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you’re not bragging about it.”
He chuckled. “I’ll have to be careful what I say around you.”
“You’re not saying how you lost it.” I paused and stared ahead of us with pursed lips. “But I suppose I don’t have any right to ask. We only just met, and it must have been painful.”
“It was.”
There was a strange mix of emotions in his words, like he was telling the truth but holding something back. I took that as a hint and sighed. “Well, however you lost it and however old you are, I feel I need to thank you.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “For what?”
“For offering me a place to stay,” I pointed out as we passed through the unfamiliar territory. “Without that, I wouldn’t have anywhere to go.”
“You could stay with Baba and her famous cooking.”
I looked up to find his eye twinkling down at me. “I like Cook’s food better.”
“I’m very glad to hear that.”