“Yep.” I still feel Hook, the sweet ache he left behind. “Did you?”
“I had some fun.” She hands me a cup of coffee. “It was good to see the Guardians again. It’s been quite a long time.”
“You know them?”
“I know everyone on this island.” She sips her own coffee. “Where are you off to?” She glances at the cutlass I’ve strapped to my side. “Everyone’s loading up the ship for the voyage. Hook is practically chipper with all his yelled orders.”
“I’m going to do a little sparring before I head down to the beach.”
“On your own?” she asks, her eyes piercing.
I shrug. “I’m sure Hook can’t spare any pirates to practice with me. I’ll just pick a tree and get to work.”
“All right.” She looks at me over the rim of her cup as she takes a drink. “Just make sure the tree won’t fight back first.”
“I’ll go after a pacifist sort of tree. Make it easy on myself. See you in a bit.” I polish off my coffee and put the cup in the sink, then head out the door.
When I look back, Nessie is watching me.
Ugh. She knows. I don’t knowhowshe knows, but she knows. It only makes me move faster, skirting the cottages where a few pirates are grumbling about being hungover.
I’m almost to the edge of the woods when I stop dead. “Kevin?”
“Shit.” He turns as if he’s going to dart into the trees.
“Don’t you dare!” I stomp over to him. “Turn around!”
He does as he’s told, his familiar face like a slap in mine. “What the hell are you doing here?” I hold up a hand. “No, don’t tell me. Hook sent you to spy on me?”
He nods.
“But you showed up …” I think back. “You showed up as the pool boy next door when I was still a kid. Like fourteen?”
“Something like that.” He at least has the decency to have an American accent.
“Who are you really?” I ask with an almost bored tone.
“Ed Teynte. Boatswain. Happy to finally get to meet you. It was odd just watching from a distance and not being allowed to speak to you.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!” I want to shake him, to smack him, to demand answers.
“Whoa. I just did what the captain ordered. Watched out for you. Made sure you were all right.”
“How many more were there?” I put my hand on the hilt of my cutlass. “Tell me!”
He holds his hands out, palms toward me. “Me, Mullins, and Alf Mason as far as I know.”
“Just you three?”
“As far as I know, miss.” He backs up a step.
I spin back toward the house, fully intending to cuss Hook out to the best of my non-sailor ability, but I remember he’s down at the beach supervising the crew. I should’ve jumped on him last night about this, but then again, I was somewhat preoccupied.
“Can I go? I’m supposed to be carrying the new sail with—”
“Go.” I swipe my hand through the air.
“Thank you, miss.” He hurries away, then breaks into a run once he’s past the cottages.
