Chapter 21 #3
If Rosetta was telling them to run from a fight, then they understood she knew they wouldn’t win, or she had a good reason.
But it was too late.
“Captain, I’m sorry,” Keat yelled down to her from the crow’s nest.
He understood as much as she did now what ship it was and to whom it belonged. They both hadn’t been able to see its minor details because it had been too far away.
“Prepare the cannons!” She stepped to the railing to shout over it. “You will attack that ship! You will fight when they try to board.”
She turned to look over the stern of her ship as the other gave chase.
Why? She didn’t need her telescope to know that the skeletal forefinger of the grim reaper pointed at her while its other hand grasped a lantern. Below its hood, it had a harrowing face that looked like it was screaming.
Why is he here?
Alister lowered his spyglass with a dark and menacing grin, his hair flapping around his neck and shoulders as the breeze cut through him and his clothes.
It was windy today, whipping and snapping at his sails even as it filled them. The salty air swirling around him made him feel energised for his hunt.
“Looks like we’ve got her on the run, lads!”
His gaze turned up to the green flag sitting at the top of his mast, bearing the queen’s coat of arms.
He’d known Rosetta would fall for it. He knew she would turn her ship towards his when she saw it in the distance, helping him close that space between them so he could get hold of her faster.
I knew she would try to attack me if she thought I was a fleet ship.
His frigate would always be quicker than her galleon since it was smaller and lighter, but he hadn’t wanted to spend half a day chasing her down. She’d turned to him, closing the distance, yet once she’d realised this was no fleet ship at all, she’d wasted no time turning her ship.
Because she was momentarily in place while she turned, Alister was able to close the gap.
Derek had taken over from Pierre to man the helm when they’d seen the Laughing Siren in the distance. That large and glorious ship... the moment Alister had seen it, the octopus strangling him had started to ease off.
Aye, lass. You can run, but I won’t let you get away this time.
He wouldn’t have to live with the unanswered questions. If there was a chance Rosetta still wanted him, he was going to make sure he got her. If she didn’t, maybe he could move on, but he had an inkling that, if she held even a shred of what he did in her heart, then she would be his again.
Let’s find out why you ran away like a coward.
“What are your commands?” Pierre shouted from the main deck, ready to pass on the information.
“Nothing,” he answered, turning his head. “Just follow until we’re next to her.”
“What about the cannons?” He pointed to the hatch leading to below deck. “Shouldn’t we start preparing them?”
“Nay.” He eyed the stern of the Laughing Siren now that it was in range of his bow cannons. “Just prepare the men.”
He winced. He knew he was going to have to let her attack him, and he wouldn’t return fire. She won’t like it if I hurt her ship.
Walking over to Derek, he put his hand on the man’s shoulder. “When we’re next to it, we’ll start heading over. Once everyone’s across, I need you to get the Howling Death away from it as fast as possible.”
“Ye think she’s gonna try and sink us?”
“Aye,” he sighed out. “Could be a possibility.”
What he had done to warrant that, he didn’t know. If he was the one she was running from, had been hiding from, then he knew she may not react well to seeing him.
He’d already told his men the plan days ago, working out the best course of action. They were all ready, but Alister felt like he wasn’t.
He knew what he wanted, but not what he should expect.
He could be walking into a situation that would hurt him. Not physically, but in a way he had never experienced. He barely understood what he felt, why he felt it.
All he knew was he did, and he’d be damned if he let this woman go without trying. At least by the end of this day, he could end this uncomfortable journey.
He narrowed his eyes as Derek started moving the ship to come up beside theirs. You better want me. I came all this way for you.
Shouts from both ships called to each other like a war cry.
His men started swinging across. Her ship started firing. Usually, there would be some men below deck to operate the cannons, but since he wasn’t going to utilise them, he was able to send the brunt of his crew across.
As a swarm, they overtook those on the surface of the Laughing Siren. Half of her men were below deck, and he knew his crew would close the hatch so they couldn’t assist.
Should have spared the cannons, Rosetta. It may have been a fairer fight if she’d kept hers above the surface as well. He wondered if it was because she thought he’d return fire.
Alister was the last to swing across because he was unable to find her. He expected her to be at the helm.
His ship vaulted to the side, vibrating beneath his feet as the side of his hull was hit by cannonball after cannonball. It was designed for battle and was strong enough to withstand the first round, which would only crunch the timber.
If his ship stayed behind and continued to take damage, those tiny holes of broken timber would actually become the size of cannonballs.
He stood on the poop deck since it was the highest level and gave him the easiest access to see into her taller ship without having to climb the shrouds.
Shit, where is she? Any longer and Alister would lose his chance to cross when Derek swung the Howling Death out of firing range.
While he was looking at the back of her ship and scanning over it, he saw her. It appeared as though she’d just come from the navigation room, running down the stairs to cross the deck and heading for the hatch.
Alister could see his men had already locked it. He wouldn’t let her open it. He needed to beat her.
Pulling taut on the rope in his hand connected to the centre mast, he started running.
He ran down both staircases so he could cross the main deck of his ship to pick up speed.
Then he ran diagonally towards hers to create an arc in his swing, needing to gain height, as his ship was lower than hers.
Stepping onto the railing, he jumped and kicked both legs forward. Flying through the air, he aimed straight for where he wanted to land with all the skill and precision he’d developed over the years.
Still in the air, he let go of the rope and started to fall, landing on top of the hatch right before she could get to it.
As he was bringing himself out of the crouch he’d taken to soften the worst of the impact, he began to tower over her. She had to halt abruptly or she’d crash into him.
Her face whitened in dread as she looked up at him.
“Hello, lass.” He took a single step forward to move off the grated hatch. He would’ve grinned in triumph, if looking at her face didn’t make him so damned angry. “Long time, no see.”