Chapter Twenty-Five
Chaos exploded around Christian as Red and Thorne tumbled over the bank and into the sinkhole.
The giants rushed his men with wild shouts, and gunshots drowned out all other noise.
He sprinted to the edge. Before he could start down the steep limestone, a flash of crimson stood out against the frothing water below.
Son of a . . .
He jumped.
With a splash, he landed hard and struggled to stay upright on the steep slope.
He took a step toward the struggle and slipped.
Damnation. He couldn’t get closer, and even if he could, so much mud had been stirred up, it was impossible to see below the surface.
A glint of steel emerged from the havoc, there and gone in an instant, and the water stilled.
After an agonizing second, Thorne lifted his head from the water and stood waist-deep, chest heaving. “Bloody wench.” His father grasped his arm, where blood seeped through his fingers.
Heart racing, Christian leveled his blade at the pirate’s neck and scanned the sinkhole. If the blood hadn’t been hers, where was she?
Come on, Red.
His sword wavered and Thorne grinned.
Bubbles surfaced in the middle of the sinkhole, and a moment later, copper hair glistened in the sun.
Thank God.
The sounds of battle above them wound down and Christian pressed the point of his blade above his father’s heart. “Captain Thorne, you’re under arrest for high piracy.”
Isaac poked his head over the edge. “Need any help down there?”
“Yes, help me tie up this criminal.”
His friend climbed down and stepped behind Thorne, pushing him from the water.
He pulled out a strap of leather, wrapping it around one of the pirate’s wrists, then the other.
Christian stood still, each beat of his heart reverberating down his arm and blade.
His father’s face had gone stony, the sporadic twitching of his lip the only hint of emotion.
Once Thorne’s hands were securely bound, Christian lowered his sword, the weight suddenly unbearable.
Isaac met his gaze for a brief moment before giving a subtle nod, then led the captain up the rocky bank.
Once they disappeared from view, Red swam back.
She stepped from the water and Christian tilted his face skyward to avoid staring at the wet fabric clinging to her body.
“How’d you find us?” Accusation dripped from each word.
He lowered his gaze enough to meet her flashing eyes. “I believe you meant to say thank you. You’re welcome.”
She wrung out her hair. “Of course I’m thankful. I just don’t understand how.”
He climbed the bank and turned to offer her a hand. “I had every ship in port being watched. Turns out I didn’t need to. Only one woman I know would be foolish enough to barge through town in breeches. If you were trying to fool anyone into thinking you were a boy, you failed.”
A faint blush crept across her cheeks. “We had watches set.”
“And I have state-of-the-art looking glasses. Sent straight from Washington.”
She frowned and glanced around them. The remaining giants were being tied up by his men and hers. “And what of us, Lieutenant? Are we under arrest as well?”
Her chest heaved and his gaze slid over wet cleavage. Damn her for making him want her.
He took a steadying breath. “For what? Treasure hunting? Hardly a crime, if you ask me.”
At his words, she spun toward the sinkhole with wide eyes. “The treasure.”
She took a step toward the bank and he reached out to catch her arm. “Don’t you think you’ve wasted enough time searching for this treasure?”
Her eyes narrowed and she yanked her arm free. “We didn’t come this far to turn back. Not when it’s within grasp.”
“And where might this fabled treasure lie?”
With a grin, she pointed out over the water. To a cave. If one could call the dark cavity a cave. Barely room enough for a head to fit through. He shuddered.
“You can’t seriously think to go in there?”
One copper brow arched. “Afraid of the dark, Lieutenant?”
She had no idea.
Red didn’t wait for his answer and climbed down the bank. “Griff, bring the supplies.”
The old man picked up a rag-wrapped torch and handed it to her along with a little box. She pulled a bit of twine from her pocket and attached the box to the top of the torch.
When she stepped in the water, Christian shifted on his feet. Too many variables could go wrong.
“Red.”
She twisted to face him. “Feel free to join me, Lieutenant. I’m feeling generous enough to share.”
His gut twisted. “No thank you.”
With a shrug, she began to wade out. “Your loss.”
The cabin boy clambered down the bank and splashed into the water. “Can I go?”
She nodded. “We have to move fast. There’s only a small window before the tide rises and the passage is underwater again.
Griff pursed his lips together. “Be careful.”
The water reached Red’s shoulders and she held the top of the torch out of the water. She swam to the steep wall of limestone and peered into the cave.
“Wish us luck.”
He didn’t miss the way she nibbled on her bottom lip.
Thorne glared at her from his spot at Isaac’s side. His first officer nodded toward the cave as she ducked her head into the shadows. “They shouldn’t go alone.”
Clearly.
When Christian didn’t move, Isaac met his gaze. “Should I go, Lieutenant?”
Damn it. He should let the officer go. Isaac would keep her safe. Still . . .
“No. Stay here with the prisoners.”
Red and Tommy disappeared from view, and his stomach gave a little lurch. Now or never.
Christian unbuttoned his jacket and threw it to the ground. Before he could talk himself out of it, he scrambled down the bank and splashed into the water, sheathing his sword into his scabbard. When the water lapped against his chest, he turned back.
“If we’re not back in a quarter hour, send someone after us.”
Isaac nodded and Christian pushed off the bottom and kicked out to the crevice. “Red?”
Her name echoed back.
Tilting his head to the side, he slipped under the rocky overhang.
The soft lap of water against the walls reverberated in his ears and his pulse began to pound.
Shadows gave way to pitch black as he edged deeper into the cave.
Treading water, he lifted a hand and brushed against the stone overhead. So little space.
Something sticky slid over his cheek and he jerked his face, smashing his nose into the low ceiling. “Damn it.”
He clawed at the spiderweb in jerky movements, bobbing beneath the surface. When water filled his nose, he coughed and sputtered.
A hand closed on his arm and he jumped again, this time taking a blow to the forehead.
“Calm down, Lieutenant.”
Red’s smooth voice slid over him.
In the darkness, he fumbled for her hand. Her fingers closed around his and he took several deep breaths. With a tug, she kept moving.
Soon, even with his face pointing up, the rocks began to push him deeper into the water.
Tommy let out a groan. “You sure the treasure’s this way?
“Red.” Christian’s voice came out strangled. “There’s no more room. We need to turn back.”
“I’m not turning back.”
“You’re going to get us drowned.”
Silence fell around them, save for the drip of water. Something hard pressed into his chest and he clenched his jaw, trying to backpedal. His muscles refused to move.
“Hold this.”
The torch.
She tried to pull her hand away but he couldn’t bring himself to release it. The only thing tethering him to sanity right now was her touch. She lifted their hands and pushed the torch against his clenched fingers.
“Lieutenant.”
“What are you going to do?” Don’t leave me.
“Trust me.”
“Pirates. Trust. Don’t go hand in hand.” His breaths came too fast.
“Are you—?”
“No.” The word came out in a strangled gasp.
Water rippled against his face.
“You’re scared.”
Her voice echoed off his cheek and his insides tightened.
“It’s alright to be scared, you know?” She squeezed his hand. “The first step to moving past it is admitting it.”
If only it were that easy.
“Ever since I was a boy . . .” He paused when his voice cracked. “Small places have made me nervous.”
“Then why on Earth did you come with me?”
Why on Earth, indeed.
“I couldn’t very well let you go alone, with only a cabin boy for protection.”
She sniffed. “How gallant.”
With a yank, she pulled her hand free. His hand flailed underwater, but she slipped away.
“Damn it Red—”
“Wait here.”
Before he could respond, water splashed and silence fell around him.
Shit. Clenching his eyes shut against the darkness, he began to count. It didn’t help.
His heart slammed into his ribs while his stomach roiled. He swallowed forcibly. No need to feed his lunch to the fish—or whatever else lived in here.
A minute passed. Two.
What if she didn’t come back?
Visions of treacherous seaweed and venomous snakes swirled through his mind. Alligators. God, if only he’d held her hand tighter. They could be on their way out of this hellhole.
“She’ll come back.” Tommy’s voice wavered. “She’s the best swimmer I know.”
Christian couldn’t answer. In situations like this, skill didn’t matter.
Water bubbled and he went rigid, his fingers biting into the wood of the torch. She surfaced, sucking in a breath. A wave of pain radiated from where his teeth clenched together.
“You still there?”
He thrust his hand out. “Enough of this foolishness; we are leaving. Now.”
She evaded his attempt to catch her.
“Nonsense. The tunnel opens up just a few feet ahead.”
“Red, I mean it. This is a fool’s errand. It’s time to give it up.”
Her heavy breaths filled the air. A few feet indeed.
“It’s not as dark in there. Do you really want to turn around and try to find your way back in the dark?”
Yes. He could probably swim it in record time too. Back meant safety and sunshine and wide open spaces. His muscles fairly vibrated with the urge to get on the way.
“Now, Red.”
She sighed. “Fine. Can I at least have the torch?”