Chapter 15 #2
It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness.
Only a few low candles illuminated the tight room.
Shelves overflowing with bottles, jars, papers, and all manner of things boxed them in.
Herbs and drapery clung to the walls. It was less space than he remembered, far less than expected from the outside.
The shopkeep struck a match, lighting additional candles on the tall table he stood facing.
Tink stepped closer to Hook’s side, and he fought the urge to wrap his good arm around her.
This shop set his teeth on edge—how much more would it bother a pixie?
Smee guarded her other side, and Hook lifted a brow.
Every time his first mate scraped his nerves, he did something to soothe them again.
“How can I help you today?” Interest glittered from the man’s tanned face, swaths of green and gold makeup painted around his eyes.
“We’ve come to see the Green Witch.”
“Have you now? Perhaps I can assist? We have quite the variety of potions and tonics here for all your needs. You don’t look ill. A love charm, perhaps? Something to help the lady choose between you two?”
Tink stiffened at his side. “That’s not—”
“Oh, silly me,” he rambled on. “You two must be related. Same coloring and all.” He waved a dainty hand toward Smee and Tink.
Ridiculous. Anyone could see they weren’t related.
“We’re not here for any of your…” He bit back the words worthless swill and gestured to the room. “We need the witch’s insight.”
The man’s cheerful expression turned hard. Spindly fingers nearly covered by lacy sleeves drummed on the counter. “An exacting customer, I see. But the witch is very particular about whom she meets with.”
Hook’s fist tightened at his side. This painted boy had no idea who he was dealing with.
The man’s eyes coasted over each of them, nose wrinkling with distaste. “I’m not sure the everyday rabble can afford such—”
Hook tossed a pouch onto the counter. It landed with a jingling thump in front of the man, silencing him. His namesake arm slid from under his cloak as he advanced, coming to lean on the counter until the shopkeeper took a step back, swallowing.
Much better.
“Tell her Captain Hook is prepared to pay.” He slid a coin from the pouch and sent it rolling back and forth across his knuckles. Light from the candles gleamed off the gold, casting sparkles of light against the stuffed shelves. “She won’t find this everyday rabble lacking.”
“Ah, yes…” The man coughed, shaking himself as he pulled his gaze away from the coin. “Yes, one moment, please.”
With a snapping twist, he turned on his heel and disappeared through the heavy drapes behind the counter. Hook’s eyes narrowed. So they weren’t all walls after all. He’d assumed as much.
He glanced over his shoulder toward his companions. Smee had his arms crossed, a grin on his face. He nodded in acknowledgment. Yes. This was going better than he expected. So far.
Tink, on the other hand, looked like she might run back out the curtained entrance. Her arms hugged her chest under her cloak. Her gaze darted around the room as her shoulders hunched in. Suddenly, she twisted to her right, a soft gasp echoing into the quiet.
“What—” Hook pushed off the counter, crossing the room to her before he registered what he’d done.
Her blonde head shook. “I felt something. And now I smell—” She clapped a hand over her mouth, capturing a sudden sneeze.
There it was: a hint of bitterness in the air he hadn’t noticed before. She turned away and sneezed again. He adjusted his stance and reached for the blade at his hip. What devilry was this?
Something moved behind the shelves. The softest thud whispered from the curtains behind the colorful rows of bottles and jars. He advanced, trying to see beyond the clutter. If someone spied on them—
“Thank you for waiting.”
Hook snapped back toward the counter as the shopkeeper returned, his honeyed smile back in place. He adjusted his blue velvet hat as if the drapes had knocked it askew. “She’ll see you.”
Tension slipped from his shoulders. About time.
“Tomorrow,” he continued. “Come back at noon.”
He froze. Hot fury surged through his veins. “Tomorrow?” he spat. They couldn’t afford to spend a day waiting around. “We’re here today. Right now.” And so was the witch. He had no doubt of that.
The shopkeep lifted the pouch of coins as if it were a dead animal and dropped it on the edge of the counter. “Tomorrow or not at all.”
Bloody hell. He stepped to the counter and snatched up the coins before slamming the tip of his hook into the polished wood. “Tomorrow.”
A forced smile greeted him, accompanied by another dramatic bob of the man’s throat.
The witch’s information better be worth it. So help him, if they’d wasted all this time for nothing...
Hook turned on his heel and headed for the door, gesturing for Smee and the still sneezing Tink to do the same.
“Ta-ta,” the man called after them.
Blinding sun and thick humidity had never been so welcoming as when they stepped back out onto the too-quiet street.
Tink sneezed again and rubbed at her mouth. “Merrin’s teeth, that was awful!”
The hint of a grin twitched on his lips at the odd curse.
“One jar had these things floating in it. Looked like eyeballs…” Smee paled and turned away.
“That bad?” Sage shoved off the wall where she’d reclined against the storefront.
A shiver wracked Tink’s slight form. Hook fought against the sudden urge to comfort her. She’d made it abundantly clear on the mermaid’s isle, and every day since, how little of him she wanted. But what happened in there, and why’d it only affect her?
Sage stared between them, brows raised in question.
“Cap—”
He cut Smee off with a raised hand. “We have a meeting tomorrow at noon.”
She shrugged. “It’s a meeting.”
Did none of them understand the urgency to be away? The bloody curse could set a storm upon them any day now. And if Captain Blackbeard caught wind of where they’d made port, a storm would be the least of their worries.
“Well, if we’re done here, I’m going to Market Street,” Smee said.
“Fine,” Hook sighed. Not like they could do anything more today. Plus, he needed to look into that rumored royal outpost, see what he could discover. Perhaps he’d even see about pocketing a few interesting papers, if there were any to be had.
“Actually, I’d like to go to the market. Maybe buy some new clothes…that fit.” Tink gestured to herself and Hook’s too-big shirt that she still wore. His shirt. A knot tightened in his stomach. With that cloak wrapped around her, he could almost forget.
“And since you kidnapped me, half-naked no less, I think you owe me coin to pay for some.” She held out her hand like a child asking for a treat.
Damn if that doe-eyed look didn’t make him want to give it to her. “You stole from—”
“From you first, yeah, yeah, but you still kidnapped me.”
A passerby gave them a look but kept going. Wise on their part. “You’re not a kid.”
She groaned. “Adult-napped? Whatever.”
“Fine.” He fished out a small bag of coins and passed it to her.
The blinding grin she gave him in return—had he ever seen such a genuine one?—was worth it.
“Shall we?” She turned to Smee.
He grinned, offering his arm like some kind of gentleman, and led her away down the cobblestones.
The back of Hook’s neck burned. Of course she’d prefer his first mate’s company. Didn’t every woman? Gods, how he loved and hated that man.
“Careful, you’ll turn green with envy.” Sage smirked at him, one hand on her hip.
“It’s not…we’re not.”
She rolled her eyes and slapped him across the back—hard. “You’ve always been a poor liar. She’s nice, though. Maybe be kind to her?”
“I am—”
Bright laughter cut off his words. “Sure, sure.” She shook her head. “Half-naked, huh? You left out that little detail. Must have been a nice sight.”
“Don’t start.” Bloody hell. If another one of his crew tried to take her from him…
Sage smirked again and raised her brows. “See? I joke, and you get that look like you’re going to cast me off into the depths.”
“She stole from us, got us cursed and into this mess. I can’t want her. I should hate such a thieving little—” He snapped off his words before he could spill her identity to the streets. Last thing he needed was for her to cause more trouble.
“Well, for the record, I think she feels the same way about you.” She winked and knocked her hip against his before sauntering off down the street. Hook was left to gape after her, unable to muster an argument or even a quip in response.