Hence, Cadan had returned to his cabin to find Matthew howling and quivering with fear in his trunk.He’d quickly scooped him up, yet now, after what seemed like hours but was surely only minutes, the child would not be comforted.Cadan’s shoulder ached, and the sword wound on his leg throbbed with each step.
The deck slanted to larboard, and it took all Cadan’s strength to keep from tumbling over.
Lightning streaked across the steel gray sky outside his stern windows as if bidding him goodbye, for as quickly as the squall had come, the seas began to settle, the wind eased, and the ship took to rocking instead of bucking.
Indeed, the storm had ceased outside the ship, but not the storm in his heart.
He should have seen Smity’s hatred, should not have trusted the man.And now, Lady Fox and Omphile were in a dire situation.
He should go above and check on things, but poor Matthew still screamed, his little hand shivering with each wail.
Finally, a ray of sunlight broke through the clouds and drifted into the cabin, scattering the shadows as the rumble of thunder faded in the distance.
Pell entered, water dripping from his breeches and pasting his shirt to his chest.Durwin, Soot, and Barnett on his heels.
“Barnett, go tell Moses the child is hungry again,” Cadan ordered, sending the man skittering away.
“How stands the ship?Damage?”
Pell cringed as Matthew let out another wail.“No damage, Captain.I ordered Olin to lower storm sails and unfurl main.”
Nodding, Cadan continued pacing and jostling the babe in his arms.
Durwin approached and wrinkled his nose.“What be that stench?”
Cadan sniffed near the child’s rear, then jerked back.He handed him to Pell.“Fix him.”
Pell chuckled, holding the babe away from his wet shirt.Matthew howled, flailing his tiny arms and legs.“Fix him?”
“Clean him.”Cadan waved him away.
“Thought you raised a bunch of siblings, Captain.”
“Thought you had a son,” Cadan returned, regretting it instantly when Pell’s expression soured, and he heaved a sigh.
“Do you have a clean cloth somewhere?”he asked.
Cadan stormed toward his chest and pulled out one of the shirts he’d used to bundle the babe.“Use this.”
Pell’s face scrunched.
“I’ll do it.”Soot stepped forward and took the child from Pell.“Ye’d think it were a slitherin’ snake ’stead o’ a babe.”Then grabbing the shirt, he plucked a few others from the floor and laid Matthew on Cadan’s bed.
Within minutes, he had the child cleaned and Cadan’s shirt wrapped tightly around his bottom.
Cadan gaped at him.“Where did you…?”
“I ’ad a younger brother.Me mom were sick a lot.”
Moses entered, a bowl in his hand.His eyes landed on the babe in Soot’s arms, and his brows shot up in surprise.“I added some coconut milk dis time, Cap’n.”
“Good.”At least Cadan hoped it was good.From what he remembered, infants were only supposed to drink their mother’s milk for a time after birth.But what did he know?
Zada finally poked his head out from under Cadan’s bed, stared at them all, then dove back into hiding.Cowardly lizard.
Moses took the babe from Soot and sat down to feed him.At least the child was quiet for now.Cadan shook his head, trying to evict the incessant ringing.
“Where to now, Captain?”Pell asked.
