Chapter 39
Tink
Beryl’s wings. In her elation at reuniting with James, she’d totally forgotten about the kid on the floor. Annoying, two-faced thief or not, no one deserved to be stuck on a sinking ship, especially not a kid.
“We’ll take him on deck, put him in a rowboat,” she said.
James already had the boy off the ground and cradled in his arms. “Got to get the others too, love.” He gritted his teeth. An angry bruise still marred part of his face. Bloody scabs ringed his wrists.
Tink swallowed the tightness in her throat and focused on the task at hand.
They’d completely forgotten the kids when they made this plan.
Surely the crew would save them when the fighting started…
but no, this was Blackbeard. He would probably use them as pawns rather than ensure their safety.
Tink nodded. They had to get the kids. “I don’t know where they are. ”
Great idea, knocking him out, Tink. So great. The one person who would aid them would be asleep for hours with the amount of pixie dust she shoved in his face. “Somewhere below deck,” she continued. “But we’ll have to be quick and quiet.”
“Lead on, love.”
Lucky door number three opened to a small cabin lit by a dim lantern. Child-sized forms slept in narrow bunks. One of the boys rolled over, rubbing his eyes. “Peter?”
Oh, Holy Flora. Now what to do?
Other boys yawned and shifted.
James stepped around her. “Come with us, quickly.”
“Peter? What happened to him?” another boy asked, his voice entirely too loud.
“He’s asleep,” Tink replied in an urgent whisper. “He wants you to come with us, now.”
“Why would we trust you?” the biggest one asked.
James shifted Peter with a soft groan. “Because he’s my brother.”
Tink’s mouth dropped open. No way. Why didn’t he tell me before?
He flashed her a look that promised he’d tell her later.
Fine. Okay. But holy Nessa’s flute, James has a brother!
The boys looked between one another, silent conversations happening in shrugs and shakes of their heads. The biggest one stepped forward. “Peter’s brother is ours too.”
James and the boy shared a nod.
Too trusting, kids, Tink wanted to say, but their fault worked in their favor—this time.
The boys grabbed their packs and followed them up the creaking stairs and onto the deck. Two pirates snoozed nearby, likely victims of her dust. Thank Flora.
“Grab those lanterns,” Tink whispered as she pointed to the glowing objects on deck. “Douse the flames, spread the oil. Be quick about it.”
The boys rushed to obey, obviously more used to following orders than questioning them.
“Over there.” Tink pointed to a small rowboat ready to be lowered into the tide where they were anchored near Skull Rock. Heavy fog, as bad as that near the Shrouded Isles, hovered around them, cloaking the ships hopefully still waiting nearby.
They crept in across the deck. James deposited Peter in the bottom of the boat and helped the boys and Tink with the lanterns.
She didn’t miss the way he winced, the tight set of his jaw, or the slight sheen of sweat just visible on his skin.
Each mark on him cut at her heart. Soon, so soon, they’d be away from here.
He was alive. Wounds would heal, she reminded herself.
The plan took little time, but every second was one closer to danger. Each one ticked by like a gonging bell in the back of her head.
In minutes, they were helping the other boys into the boat.
“You’re next, love.” James held his hand out to her.
Tink shook her head. “You first. I have a job to finish.”
James grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. “I can’t lose you,” his voice cracked. “Not again. I can’t.”
Something broke in her chest before healing even stronger than before. “You won’t.” She covered his hand with hers and stared in the face of the man—the bloody pirate—she loved. “Lower them down. I’m coming.”
Tink pulled away and sprinted across the deck on light feet.
She snatched a flickering torch from its stand.
Damn, they couldn’t have picked a lighter wood, could they?
Probably should have saved a lantern. She hefted it above her head, letting the flame lick at the mainsail that had been pulled in while at anchor.
“Freaking misty fog,” she mumbled. Her wings fluttered, pulling her off her toes and helping the fire climb higher. Finally, the area she’d tried to douse in oil caught. Joy crept through her as the fire crawled across the sail and sparked onto the rigging. She grinned.
Someone barreled into her, knocking the wind from her lungs and sending the torch tumbling away. Tink screeched, her wings screaming in pain far louder than her voice. Her body crashed against the deck, face slapping the hard wood enough to rattle her teeth.
“Tink!” James leaped from the lowering boat back onto the deck.
Other voices reached her. Hair nearly ripped from her scalp as someone jerked her off the deck by it. “You just can’t go away, can you?”
“Lily?” Tink wheezed. Lily… It wasn’t enough Blackbeard tried to kill her. She twisted around, bringing her boot into Lily’s side.
The other pixie screeched and released her. Once, she would have pulled her punches. No more. Her cousin tried to kill her, her friends, and left her James to rot or worse.
Yells taunted her as the crew became aware of the scuffle on deck, or the fire. Probably the fire. Slurred exclamations rang in the air.
Tink pulled the dagger sheathed at her leg and pointed the tip at Lily.
Lily’s eyes flew wide as she followed the angle of Tink’s weapon toward her. “You’d—”
“Yes.”
Lily jolted as if slapped.
“Your captain tried to kill me and those I love, so back off, bitch.”
“Kill you…” Lily stumbled back a step.
“Oh, missed that, did you?” Tink swatted at the strands of hair the breeze blew in her face.
“Get to the boat!” James called.
Tink twisted toward him. He’d grabbed a sword from somewhere…or someone. A pirate stumbled toward him, and he knocked the man back.
She’d get to the boat, but not without him. Tink raced across the deck, flecks of burning fibers floating down around her. Others emerged from below, hardly noticing the fight as the fire drew their focus.
“James!” She barely held herself back from leaping into his arms as he backed to the railing. He waved the sword in front of him, warding back the advancing pirates.
“You’ll have to jump. Fly.”
Tink twisted around, sparing a quick glance into the darkness where she could just make out the little rowboat on the water. The boys grabbed at paddles, shoving away from the side. She turned back to the pirates, adjusting the dagger in her grip. “Not without you.”
An imposing figure rushed onto the deck, blade already drawn. Tink sucked in a breath as Blackbeard turned their way.
“See ta tha ship, boys.” He pointed his sword at James. “This one’s mine.”