TheNightbloodwas nearly in position to loose a broadside!What was Cadan thinking?Still, when she glanced at him, he stood firmly on the quarterdeck, surveying the scene as if he were out fishing and not about to be fired upon and lose everything.
“Helm, hard a-starboard!”Cadan commanded, and with creaking cordage and rattling blocks, theResoluteswung a weather, her starboard side dipping into the sea.Gabrielle barely had time to cling to the railing as her feet slipped beneath her.She flattened against the bulwarks.Foamy claws reached up the hull, desperate to drag her into the sea.
The poundingboom!boom!boom!of theNightblood’s broadside sent a ripple through sky and sea.Gabrielle’s heart stopped.Were they to be ripped apart right here on the deck?Was she never to see Matthew again?Panic gripped her, stealing her breath.
Completing the tack, theResoluteleveled just as three of theNightblood’s shots splashed into the sea off their larboard side.A fourth shot, however, struck the hull above the water line.Black smoke rose from the charred hole, and Cadan quickly dispatched Moses down the hatch to inspect the damage.
Yet no sooner did theResolutecomplete the turn to starboard, than Cadan issued command after command to brace about for a hard turn to port.
Soot and his crew hovered around the cannonades lining the larboard railing while Cadan ordered archers to the tops, slow matches in their hands.
Before Gabrielle could realize the brilliance of his plan and begin to scream in terror that Matthew could be injured, theResolutewove around and ran astern of theNightblood.
“Fire!”Cadan shouted, and Soot and his gunners unleashed a barrage of hell and confusion, raking theNightbloodacross the stern.Twangs and zips brought Gabrielle’s gaze up to see archers firing flaming arrows at her sails.
Gray smoke swept over the deck.Coughing, Gabrielle batted it aside and tried to peer through the haze at Damien’s ship, heart in her throat.Men darted across her decks in a frenzy.More yellow flashes shot from her stern chasers as a loud, continuous thunder of swivel guns erupted.Shots zipped over theResolute’s quarterdeck, some crashing into the railing and deck.The rest, however, splashed into the water as they sped out of range.
Dashing over the deck to the port side, Gabrielle peered at theNightblood.The stern railing was shattered, her mainmast damaged, and fire erupted on her mainsail.Within minutes, a loud crack split the air, and the mast toppled in a tangle of flaming sailcloth, cordage, and shattered spars.Screams and shouts pierced her ears as pirates rushed to lower buckets into the sea and put out the fire.
None of theResolute’s shots had hit below deck where no doubt Matthew would be.She dared breathe a sigh of relief, though there was still danger from the fire.
Cadan appeared beside her.She knew ’twas him before she looked his way.His presence never failed to stir her blood in ways no one ever had.
“They will put out the fire quickly, my lady.Never fear.”
How did he know what she was thinking?She turned to thank him, but he had already left, marching fearlessly across the deck, shouting commands as he went.
TheResolutemade yet another sharp turn to port, bringing her broadside to bear.
“Ready the larboard guns!”Cadan shouted.
Gabrielle stormed toward him.“You wouldn’t!”She gripped his arm.
“He’ll raise the white flag.”Cadan assured her, placing his hand over hers.
She tugged on him, terror prickling down her spine.“But he knows you’re bluffing.He knows you won’t fire below decks and risk hurting Matthew.”
“He knows no such thing.”His tone lacked the comfort and confidence she sought, transforming her fears into nightmares.Turning from her, he glanced at theNightblood, black smoke billowing from her burning sails.“Signal them to heave to and surrender!”
Gabrielle could only wait and pray as, shielding her eyes from the sun, she stared at the enemy ship.Damien was no fool, but neither did his pride allow for such a demoralizing defeat.
However, moments later, Allard’s white flag rose and the remainder of her sails lowered.
Soon theResoluteswept alongside theNightblood, keel to keel, not five yards between them.Captain Damien Allard stood amidships, hands fisted at his waist, red plume fluttering from his hat and a defiant scowl on his lips.
His gaze pierced Gabrielle with a spear of hatred before he shifted his eyes to Cadan, offering an unspoken challenge that could not be dismissed.
The charred remains of sailcloth, now soaked with water, hugged the deck beneath broken pieces of a mast and a web of lines and cordage.
“Go below.”Cadan slipped beside her, shoving pistols and knifes into his baldric.“He’s not going down without a fight.”
Gabrielle glanced back at theNightblood.Where moments before only a few pirates had been on deck, now there were dozens, all armed, all growling in their direction.
“Grapnels!”Cadan shouted and four of his men whirled the iron hooks above their heads and tossed them across the gap betwixt the two ships.They struck the deck of theNightbloodwith a clank and a scrape of splintering wood.Then heaving the ropes, the pirates groaned under the strain as they wrenched the ships together with a thudding crunch that sent both vessels aquiver.
Gabrielle swallowed.She was about to be in the midst of a fierce battle.Some would die this day.Some would be dearly wounded.
But all she could think about was getting to her son.
