Pell’s face lit with a rare excitement.“Our lookout spotted him coming around the bend of the island, no doubt seeking your ship.So we set sail and circled around the other side, at the ready should he follow.”
“But he didn’t.”Moses crossed beefy arms over his chest.“So’s we dropped anchor an’ came t’ find you.”
The lantern hooked above them swayed with the ship, oscillating globes of light over the deck.
Overcome, Cadan spun to face the stern, not wanting his men to see him weak.Still, he couldn’t help the surge of joy and pride filling him at his friends’ loyalty and willingness to risk their lives for him.’Twas not the pirate way.Any of them could have easily taken over the ship and sailed away.
Steeling his expression, he faced them again.“Good.Very good.”His stern gaze landed on Durwin, who had not once looked his way.
“And you, Durwin.What have you to say for yourself?”
The skinny man stepped forward but still did not look up.“’Twas me greed, Cap’n.It got the best of me.I wanted the treasure, an’ Smity promised me a large share.It were wrong of me.I knows it now.”
A lust for wealth was something Cadan could understand, but not disloyalty, not after he had nursed the man back to health and given him a powerful position on the ship.“And what should I do with you now?”
All eyes swerved to Durwin.He shifted his feet over the deck.“I deserve t’ be keelhauled, Cap’n.I deserve whatever punishment ye think best.But I want ye to know”—he finally looked up at Cadan, both fear and pleading in his gaze—“I changed me mind.Because of me, ye ’ave yer ship back, an’ I realized treasure ain’t the most important thing in life.”
Cadan studied the man.“And what is?”
The swish of skirts sounded, and Gabrielle swept into the room, her eyes on Cadan.“Love.”
His heart leapt at the sight of her.Spirals of damp golden hair tumbled over her shoulders to her waist, waving over her light blue skirt and an embroidered stomacher that restrained her alluring curves.Cadan swallowed.
Omphile entered behind her and shared a glance with Moses.
Attempting to hide his joy at seeing her, Cadan stiffened his jaw.“Indeed, my lady.But I should like to hear Durwin’s answer.”For even Cadan himself was not entirely convinced that anything but wealth could make him happy, save perhaps this lady who now moved to stand beside him.
Zada finally made an appearance, making such a fuss skittering about the lady’s skirts that she finally picked him up.
Shaking his head, he faced Durwin again.
The wrinkles between the man’s eyes folded even tighter as his glance took in the men standing beside him.“Friendship,” he finally said.“An’ loyalty t’ those who ’elp me in this life.”
Cadan almost believed him.Almost.Could a man change his ways?Could apirate?Could friendship ever provide the power he needed to live life the way he wanted, on his own terms?
“Regardless,” he said in his fiercest captain voice.“You will be confined to your cabin until I can determine your loyalty.”
Durwin nodded and almost seemed relieved he’d not be punished more severely.
Pell started to say something, then stopped and smiled.
Moses and Omphile had inched closer to each other, stealing glances, and Soot continued to pet his infernal rabbit.
“Dismissed.The lot of you,” Cadan ordered, reaching for his rum.
“Where to?”Pell asked.
Setting Zada down on his desk, Gabrielle bit her lip, and he knew what she was thinking.The same thing he’d been thinking since they’d been rescued.
They had to get Matthew back.
“We find Allard.”Cadan poured another drink.
Pell quirked a brow.“And where might he be?”
Alas, there was the critical question.Cadan glanced at Gabrielle, her expression now twisting in fear.In truth, he had no idea where to search for that demon.
“I think I’s know where he might be.”The voice was Moses’s, the words spun confusion in Cadan’s mind.
