“It be Cap’n Allard’s colors, red and blue with a sword arm and flames of fire.”
She knew those colors well.’Twas indeed Damien Allard’s ship,Nightblood.
Tension stretched tight over the beach, a palpable unease that caused Gabrielle’s heart to tighten into a knot.
She’d been in many ship battles, had watched her father and brother—and her mother—fight with both cannon and blade.But she’d never been the prize, nor the cause of such violence.Closing her eyes, she embraced her rounded belly and dared to ask the God who had repeatedly ignored her if He wouldn’t mind helping her out of this predicament.
No answer came.No ship appeared at the entrance to the cove.
Instead a shout filtered down from above.“She sails t’ the west, round the island!”
Chapter 8
Round the island?Cadan fisted hands at his waist and groaned.That could only mean one thing.Allard was privy to Cadan’s trap.Scads!Yet he’d not even sailed past the cove to see if Cadan and his crew were here nor slowed at the entrance to determine if a trap existed.
Raking back his hair, he glanced at Lady Fox.Though her lips pursed in alarm, she held her chin up and shoulders back as any stalwart warrior.
Wind tore through the leaves of a grove of Island Oaks behind her.The jungle.Of course!If Allard suspected a trap, his best option would be to attack from behind.Whether they were truly careening or ’twas a trick, he would have the advantage.
Why had Cadan not thought of that?
“Kipp,” Cadan shouted to one of the men playing cards.“Make haste to the headland and tell every pirate, save those manning the guns, to join me here on the beach!”
“Aye, Cap’n.”Kipp took off, flinging sand in the air behind him.
“Barnett, have Rawlins and Hamo cut the careening lines.”
Nodding, the short, bullish pirate darted for the other side of the ship.
Dashing into the surf, Cadan cupped his hands and shouted.“Ho there!On the ship!”
Finally, hands appeared, gripping tightly to the bulwarks and Pell’s face popped over the side.
“Hang on!I’m cutting the lines!”
Before Pell could reply, the snap of twine chimed, sodden timbers groaned in rebellion, and the ship lurched and fell back into the cove, slapping the water so hard, a wave struck Cadan.The water soaked him to the waist, cooling his heated skin as the ship righted itself.
A band of thirty of his best fighters—the ones he’d stationed at the headland—marched around the curve of the shore toward Cadan, Smity and Soot among them.
He should send his master gunner and bosun onto the ship.They’d be needed if a battle ensued.Still, if Cadan was right, he’d need their skill ashore even more.
“Draw your blades, gentlemen,” he ordered.“Enter the jungle.Our enemy comes from behind.”
With grunts and foul curses, the men obeyed, bloodlust in their eyes, and soon a swarm of the most violent of pirates disappeared into the foliage.Cadan smiled.’Twould be Allard who would be surprised this day.
He glanced at the woman.He couldn’t very well leave her ashore in the midst of a battle and especially not where Allard could get his hands on her.She’d be safer on board the ship.
But did he have time?
Marching toward the woman, he helped her rise, then escorted her into the frothy surf as close to the ship as he could get.The cockboat had been dragged ashore and it would take too long to retrieve it, but she might be able to climb the rope ladder.
“Can you swim?”he asked her.
She glanced down at her belly.“Aye, but—”
He growled.Of course.“Start out, then.”
Frowning, Lady Fox grabbed her skirts and waded out into the calm water.
