Kieran spun to see crew members approaching in two row boats.
A thousand thoughts winged through his head—plans to rescue Jamie, ways to punish Cuthie—but he recognized that the odds of either were against him at the moment.
Surely, Cuthie wouldn’t leave without him. Kieran and his navigational knowledge were the ship’s safe ticket home. Jamie was right. The information in his brain was the best bargaining tool the Brotherhood had to get back aboard the ship.
Without Kieran, Cuthie would be sailing blind. The captain was too self-serving to risk his own life like that.
He wouldn’t leave Vanuatu without Kieran aboard.
And so, Kieran made a decision.
He kicked off, swimming away from the rowboats andThe Minerva. He would reach the safety of shore and wait for Cuthie to begin negotiations.
He swam, the light from the burning village guiding his way. The waves washed him ashore. Exhausted, Kieran lay on the sand for a long moment before pushing himself upright.
He turned to look back at the harbor and then howled in horror.
The Minervabillowed before him, her sails unfurling in the reflected firelight. He could hear the ‘heave-ho’ call of the anchor being raised.
Cuthie was leaving.
Taking Jamie with him.
27
Eilidh woke to sunlight thrumming against her closed eyelids.
She was cocooned in warmth. Flooded with a profound sense of security.
How long had it been since she had felt so safe? So comforted?
She closed her eyes, sinking deeper into that sense of safety, the heat that seeped through her skin and warmed the chill deep in her soul.
A heat that was so palpable, it nearly had a heartbeat of its own.
Eilidh stilled.
Wait.
Heartbeat?
The warmthliterallyhad a heartbeat.
Nother own.
Her eyes flared open.
She stared at the foot of a large tester bed.
A heart continued to thump a steady rhythm under her ear.
She blinked.
Memories of the night before rushed in.
Baby. Hand. Fuse. Terror. Kieran. Comfort.
In precisely that order.
