She bent down and made quick work of the door lock.
Carefully opening the door, they noted the empty space beyond. Kieran led the way as they crept up the stairs from the steerage to the berth deck. There they had the misfortune to encounter a pair of midshipmen, set to guard that portion of the ship. Kieran overpowered the men but not before they raised the alarm.
From there, it was a fight. Jamie snatched up one of the men’s daggers. Kieran grabbed a heavy staff. He and his brave lass hit and hacked their way up to the top deck. It helped that the men didn’t really want to harm Kieran. After all, he was the source of their safe navigation home.
Once they reached the top deck, Cuthie and Massey were all that stood between them and the safety of the ship’s rail and the ocean beyond.
Flames lit up the night sky.
Cuthie had ordered the crew to set the village afire, it appeared. A knot of horror rolled through Kieran’s chest, fueling his anger and launching him into the men.
Kieran engaged Cuthie, countering the man’s blows with his wooden staff, while Jamie led Massey on a chase around the deck. She was quick on her feet, weaving in and out of coiled rope and barrels, evading Massey’s reach.
“Jump,” Kieran yelled to her, parrying Cuthie’s advance. “Save yourself! They willnae harm me.”
“I’m not leaving without ye,” she called back.
Stubborn lass!
Kieran inched his way toward the railing, both he and Cuthie panting. Jamie was only a few feet away now, darting in and out of Massey’s reach.
Pushing Cuthie back, Kieran sent the older man sprawling. He turned for the railing, looking for Jamie, when Massey grabbed him from behind, pinning Kieran’s arms.
“Ye’ll no’ be leaving,” the man hissed.
“No!” Jamie screeched.
“Jump, Jamie!” Kieran roared, struggling against Massey’s hold.
But Jamie wasn’t listening. Instead, she lunged forward, stabbing Massey in the shoulder.
The man howled and released Kieran.
Jamie continued forward, pushing Kieran hard in the chest, sending him tumbling over the ship’s railing.
He reached for her hand as he fell, only to have it slip through his grasp.
“No!” he screamed as he plunged downward, hitting the water hard, sinking deep.
He swam for the surface.
Had Jamie managed to jump, too? Had she escaped?
His lungs burned.
His head broke above the water, and he heaved in a breath of air.
He treaded water in a circle, looking frantically.
A cackling laugh had him looking up.
Cuthie peered down at him, Jamie struggling against his iron grip.
“Come back aboard, MacTavish,” Cuthie shouted down to him. “Ye wouldnae want me tae hurt your wee pet carpenter, would ye?”
“Dinnae do it, Kieran,” Jamie called. “He’s bluffing. Bargain for my release.”
“Oy!” A voice called across the water. “Ye want us tae grab MacTavish, Captain? Bring him to ye?”
