The cutlass quivered in Cadan’s hand.
Do it.Run him through!He deserves it!
The voice raked over Cadan, prompting him to do what he’d longed to do for so long.
But a vision of Smity’s body floating in the water appeared in his mind, along with the sense of evil and darkness that had surrounded the man.Revenge had destroyed Smity, had filled his days with misery until it finally stole his life.
How ugly it was….this revenge, this desperate need to mete out the same punishment that he had suffered.In Smity’s case, the harm had not been done on purpose.In Damien’s case, it had.But did that make revenge any better?Or was it just a path that ended in destruction?
“Kill ’im!Slice ’im thru!”the pirates began to chant.
Sweat streamed down Cadan’s back as the hot sun fired rays upon it.
Then there was Pell, who’d never sought revenge, but who now returned to a God of forgiveness.Cadan could not deny the new joy filling his quartermaster.Hadn’t he said revenge would rot his soul?
Vengeance is Mine.Come back to me, My Son.
He knew that voice.’Twas a voice that had oft spoken to him as a lad, back when his mother was alive and would read the Bible to him and tell him about a loving God who had died to set him free.He had believed it back then, had embraced the love of a Savior who would never leave him.
Now, he realized he was the one who had left the Lord.
Suddenly, his hatred for this man dissolved like the foam atop an incoming wave spreading across the sand.Gone.Dissipated.
Pity replaced it, pity and sorrow for a man whose evil heart would send him to hell if he did not change his ways and turn to God.
Cadan withdrew his blade.
The pirates grumbled and cursed, and Cadan swept the tip of his cutlass their way.“Anyone else care to do battle?”
Instantly, Damien’s men grew silent.
“Pell, lock Damien in the hold of his ship.Soot, Moses”—where was Moses?—“and the rest of you, lock the weapons below, disable the cannons, and release Damien’s men.”Cadan studied the pack of fierce slovenly pirates.“You will allow us to leave unhindered, and the ship is yours.”
Nodding, the pirates cheered.
Damien struggled to rise, his face a mask of fear and contempt as Pell grabbed his arm and hauled him away.
Soot approached, scratching his head.“Why not take ’is ship too, Cap’n?”
“I want naught to do with theNightbloodor anything belonging to Damien,” he shot back, but then glanced behind him where Gabrielle slowly descended the quarterdeck steps, Matthew in her arms.
In truth, therewassomething of Damien’s that he very much wanted to keep.
???
Cadan strode into his cabin, feeling lighter, happier, filled with more joy than he had in many, many years.Tossing his baldric and weapons onto his desk, he turned to face Pell, Soot, and Moses entering behind him.
With medical satchel in hand, Moses ordered Cadan to sit while he checked his wounds.After dressing the cuts on his arm, he gestured toward the one in Cadan’s side.“Dis one needs stitches, Cap’n.It’s gonna hurt a bit.”His dark eyes met Cadan’s.
Cadan nodded.
Above deck, footsteps thundered.Olin’s shouts ricocheted in the wind, ordering the pirates to make all sail and get as far away from Allard as they could.Not that they had anything to fear from that daft blackguard, for his crew seemed rather elated to be rid of him as captain.
“That were some fight, Cap’n,” Soot exclaimed, plopping his large body into a nearby chair.
Pell crossed arms over his chest, his eyes alight with admiration.Or was it pride?“You could have had your revenge, Captain.Whatever stopped you?”Yet by his understanding look, Cadan would bet his friend already knew.
Moses poured rum over his wound, and it took all of Cadan’s strength to keep from shouting in agony.“Lost interest, I guess,” he managed to squeak out as he reached for the nearest bottle of rum.But for some reason, he found no craving for it on his lips.Hmm.Odd, that.
