CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
TAVISH
“Tavish!”
“Daddy?”
Is it really him? It can’t be. We’re in the middle of the ocean.
Samuel shoves us down the stairs, bouncing us off the walls as we go. Our steps wobbly and unsteady, and we nearly fall so many times. I keep pulling at his hold, looking over my shoulder to see if I can spot Draven.
Please let him be here.
Please let him save me.
“Come on, before that big ass Viking finds us!” he yells.
Viking? That’s gotta be Daddy!
I want to taunt him for fearing Draven, but I’m having so much trouble staying upright that I can’t.
“Samuel, let me go. Please. I’ll disappear.”
“You stupid cunt.”
“Please, Samuel. No one needs to know. I’ll go into hiding.”
“If you don’t shut the fuck up, I’ll make the call you don’t want me to make. Now shut the fuck up. I’ve got to think.”
She continues to beg, her eyes filled with tears, but he ignores her. Her sobs make the race below deck more and more difficult.
Then I hear Draven calling for me. “Tavish! Where are you, pojke?”
“Daddy!” I scream.
It is him! No one else calls me pojke!
Self-doubt evaporates with the knowledge, and gathering all the strength I have, I pull and push at Samuel andher,trying to get away from them both. I want my daddy, dammit.
Samuel keeps pulling us along, pushing us forward, and dragging us when we try running in the opposite direction to get away from him. I can hear Daddy behind us on the stairs.
I call out, “Daddy! Help me!”
“I’m going to kill your precious daddy. I’m going to gut him like a fucking fish and then toss him overboard,” Samuel pulls me toward him and growls, threatening me.
I laugh at him. “Draven Helvig will pull those axes off his back, and when he’s done with you, all you’ll be good for is the chum bucket.”
Her eyes flash to mine. I can see recognition dawn in her eyes. “Draven. That’s who you’re calling Daddy?”
Samuel lets go of her, his hand flying until the back of it explodes across her cheek. Blood spurts from her mouth and nose. It trickles from the cut the ring he wears makes on her cheekbone.
She stands up, pulls her shoulders back and says, “The boy is right. My father and grandfather trained my brother from the time he could hold those axes to wield them with a vengeance, and now that vengeance is coming for you.”
“Maeve?”
She looks at me and smiles as she dips her head in agreement. “Yes.”
“You fucking stupid goddamn cunt! You were told to keep your trap shut.”
