Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
ANA THE DEATHLESS
There was nothing like the sounds of Gallowsbay at night.
It was a lullaby I drifted off to each night.
Only the sea was as calming to me. Outside, voices raised above the sound of the surf, but the crashing waves were a constant in the background that set my mind at ease even amidst the sound of pistol fire and bottles being broken.
I settled into the bed and pulled the covers up over my chest. The air grew warm and damp, so I kicked my let out and flopped over onto my side.
Visions of Thanatos flooded my mind. Was he indeed Death?
Or was he a ghost sent to haunt me? Perhaps I was now cursed.
The seas brought with them tales of the unlikely.
Even I’d seen unlikely things while trapped on a ship: a half-woman, half-fish who would kill my sailors with her voice, a whale three times the size of our ship, and a creature who could pull a ship to the depths with little more than a thought.
So why would Death come to see me now? There’d been plenty of opportunity for Death to claim me before now.
I’d never pondered death before, particularly my own death.
I took each day that the sea gave because it could take it away just as quickly.
Pirate life had always been this way, and I would always live this way, so why did his sudden appearance twist me from the inside out.
My thoughts could not be turned from him, with his long white hair down to his waist and eyes that reminded me of the bluest sea.
Though his clothing was odd, I still found the way the fabric draped around his body and exposed his muscular torso to be attractive.
I flipped over onto my other side and kicked the covers off my body to let the ocean breeze flow over my sweat-slicked skin.
Three quick knocks came from the door, and I shot up in the bed, pulling the covers to my chest. I grabbed the pistol off the bedside table and pointed it toward the door. “What?”
The door creaked open and my second mate slid in and quickly shut it behind him. He smirked down at me. “I do enjoy a bit of a show.”
I threw the covers off and rose to my feet. “What are you doing here, Jack?”
He moved over to the bottle that’d been left on the table by the room’s previous occupants.
He grabbed it up and swirled it around, then raised his eyebrows as he offered it to me.
I shook my head and walked over to where I’d left my britches.
I’d never been shy, but when he leered at my bare legs and licked his lips, I turned to face him fully.
“Better start using that tongue to talk before I have it out of your head.”
“Aye then, Captain.” Jack was one of my favorite sailors.
I trusted him on the worst of days, and on the best of days he tried his hand at bedding me.
He never succeeded . . . with me. But he was favored among the wenches, and that would have to be enough for him.
Though Jack was attractive enough, with sandy-blond hair, green eyes, and forever sun-kissed skin, he was almost too pretty for me.
I jabbed my legs into my britches, pulled them up, and shoved my shirt into the waistband. Jack never took his eyes from me, so I glared at him. He took a swig from the bottle, and his lips rolled back from his teeth. “That is not rum. Not sure what it is really.”
“Your gut will curse you for it later.” I shoved my arms through my vest and began lacing up the front.
“Likely so.” He took another drink. “More than likely.”
“Why are you here?” I pulled the laces tighter.
“Rumor has it Captain Barr is meeting with Canary.”
I snapped around to meet his gaze. “Is he now?”
Jack wagged his eyebrows at me. “He is indeed.”
“Then we must pay Canary a visit, don’t you think?” I pulled my sword belt around my hips and fastened it, then slid my pistol in the leather strap. I shoved my feet into my boots and started for the door.
Jack reached for my arm and stopped me. “He’s meeting with Captain Barr now. If we barge in, it’ll surely be a fight.”
“I’ve never known you to be afraid of a fight.” I chuckled.
“Aye, then, a fight it’ll be.” He took another swig from the bottle, then placed it back on the table. “Still not sure what that is.”
“Maybe stop drinking it.” I shoved my hat onto my head.
“Where’s your sense of adventure, Captain?” He gave me a lopsided smile.
“There’s always an adventure to be had.” I headed toward the door. “Now we’ll make a Canary sing for us.”
Jack beat me to it and wrapped his hand around the knob. “By your leave.” He pulled the door open.
I hurried through it and down the hall toward the stairs. “Where is he?”
“By the coves.” He lowered his voice. “There’s one particular cave at the back of the rest, and darker than most.”
“They’re always dark.” This time of night, the coves would be pitch-black and riddled with the dredges of Gallowsbay.
“No place for a lady.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t see a lady around here, do you?”
“Nay, must be a trick of the light.”
We were down the stairs and out of the tavern in moments.
The darkness of the streets enveloped us, and Jack moved in closer to my side.
The pirates who were smart moved out of our way.
The ones who weren’t were shoved out of the way by Jack.
As we got closer to the coast, the wind blew more steadily.
Waves crashed along the creamy sand and dark rocks lining the shoreline.
It sprayed up, sending mist over our clothing.
Fog crept over the water and clung to the rocks.
The sky lightened to a soft purple. Soon the sun would fully rise. “You know . . . once it’s light, he’ll be gone.”
“Best get to it then.” Jack stepped onto the rough rocks and started to make his way toward the coves.
Clouds drifted across the sky, only giving us glimpses of the moon.
Blue light glimmered between the clouds and shone down sporadically onto the beach.
I followed Jack’s steps over the rocks, trying to avoid dipping my boot into one of the smaller pools.
There was all manner of life that could kill a man in moments in those pools.
One prick of a stinger and I’d meet death for good.
When a flash of Thanatos ran through my mind, I decided it wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
Water sprayed up around us, but we didn’t stop as we climbed into the opening of the cove.
The dredges of pirate society lingered here.
They camped in the crevices of the rocks and lingered around the outside of the cave.
Bonfires flickered in the darkness as they gathered around them, drinking their fill and carousing.
Somewhere unseen moans of pleasure sounded, and I knew the ladies of the night were hard at work.
Jack walked by one of the bonfires and grabbed a torch that’d been planted in the sand. “Heyyy.” A man staggered to his feet and reached for his sword.
Jack stepped in closer to him and shoved his hand over the man’s, then squeezed it over the hilt of the sword. “What are you reaching for there, Matey?”
The man’s eyes widened. “Jack the Jinx?”
“Aye. Care to try your luck?” Jack shoved him back and he stumbled and fell back onto the sand.
He shook his head and scrambled back, dropping his bottle as he moved. He fell back onto his elbows and sand flew all around him. His hat fell to the sand, but he didn’t stop to pick it up. “No, no. You take it. It’s just a torch. Consider it a gift with my regards.”
Jack chuckled and turned away from him. “I don’t need sticks with little flames as gifts, mate.”
I fell into step beside him and chuckled under my breath. “Haven’t heard that name in a while.”
“You collect the misfits of the sea. Did you expect anything less?” He held up the torch and we walked toward the cove.
What he said was partly true. My crew was made of misfits, madmen, and those who were feared among the other pirates, like Jack.
They had no home until they found me. One of the benefits of that was loyal sailors, but the most beneficial of all .
. . my crew was a mess of misfits who all struck fear into everyone.
“I expected nothing less from one of my crew.”
Jack chuckled and led us into the opening of the cove.
It extended back and branched off into even darker caves.
At the entrance, we’d had the moonlight to guide us.
Waves rushed into the cave and pulled back out just as quickly.
There was barely a shelf to walk upon, so we kept to the rocky wall.
The walls were jagged and full of broken sea shells that scraped against the palm of my hand as I steadied myself.
If I slipped into the water, I’d be swept out to sea to lie with the shipwrecks.
There would be no finding my body. Many a man had fallen in here and none had been found.
We came to where the cave divided, and Jack pointed toward the one on the right. “That’s the one.”
“How do you know?”
He pulled a coin from his pocket and held it between us. “Shall we flip on it and see which brings us luck?”
I shook my head. “Not a chance.”
Did I believe in curses? Not really. Did that mean I would challenge one head on?
Also no. Jack chuckled and turned to the right.
Muffled voices came from the back of the cave.
Jack threw the torch into the water and darkness swallowed us.
I pressed my hand to the rocky wall and we crept along, silently getting closer to the voices.
“Ye better not be lyin’ about this shipment.” Captain Barr’s deep, threatening voice grew clearer the closer we got.