This time, when the celebrations ended and the Council began their work tallying and weighing our accounts, I wouldn’t be there to accept my share of the dividends. And that knowledge made my smile a little sharper, and my eyes a little merrier, when I stepped onto the checkered floor of the palazzo’s grand entryway and instantly locked eyes with the man known as Blackbeard across the room.
A hush fell over the already packed space as pirates of various ranks hurried to make room, some scuttling up the twin curving staircases that framed the foyer like parentheses, as if to get a better view. But as I was striding confidently towards my nemesis, there came a tug on my sleeve so sharp, I heard stitches rip. It made me falter.
“What?” I snapped at Sofie, a fierce gaze full of loathing still clapped on the smarmy Blackbeard as he strutted across the foyer.
He looked as though he’d aged far more than I had in the last three years—so much so that he now looked older than me. Good.
“Who’s that?” Sofie asked. “And why does he look as though he wants tochum the baywith you?”
“That,” I said, avoiding returning my rival’s gaze, “is Blackbeard. I’ll not discuss him further. It just encourages him.”
“As if he could hear you across this room? I can barely hear you and I’m next to you.”
I gestured at the bottleneck of prettified pirates. “You’re surrounded by listening ears and watchful eyes, pet. You might not hear me, but someone will.”
A wary sidelong glance told me what she would say next.Don’t call me pet. Don’t give me nicknames.So I held up a finger as if to ask her to wait, then pressed it to her lips.
Sofie recoiled in surprise—or would have, if i hadn’t scooped my hand behind the small of her back and drew her closer, closer, until my lips were at the shell of her ear and the hand that had silenced her was reaching to unclasp her cloak.
“Be careful what you say, wife, and stay close. Looking vulnerable is not to either of our advantages here.”
“Why have you brought me to this den of thieves?” she practically snarled back. “We’re supposed to be breaking the curse.”
“Even a mighty pirate lord such as myself has his obligations.”
Just then, the clasp flicked open at her throat. The cape glided back from her shoulders as I removed it.
I was not prepared for how she looked tonight.
If this dress was an illusion, Sofie was an even better sorceress than I thought. Silver blue silk so pale, it was like seafoam, cascaded from elegant loops of fabric at her shoulders, darkening until it transformed from blue to violet to a rich purple near the hem. The fabric flowed as if she were dancing as I slid the cloak away.
In an instant, every eye was on her.
A half grin outfitted my face as I sensed my crew disbursing through the crowd. Safira took the cloak from me…and a few valuables from her fellow pirates as she passed them on her way to one of the servants. The others likewise did their duty, making use of Sofie’s perfect distraction.
“Well?” she asked me, stepping away as if to give me a better view of her enchanting enchantment—and suddenly there was space for her as the crowd pressed back, eager to catch sight of the magical gown that faded from starlight to night to a stormy purple dawn. “Am I as pretty as your other wives?”
She batted her lashes, mocking me. But the whispers that arose said the other pirates thought her in earnest. Good.
I would use this ruse of the happy bridegroom and bride to my advantage.
“You’re utterly captivating,” I said, swallowing down the lump in my throat. “Clearly, I saved the best of my wives for last.”
That incited louder responses around us. It suited my plans for the evening perfectly.
For while everyone in the room stared at Sofie, Blackbeard and his crew still watched me, hemmed in by the crowd and no longer able to approach. Pushing fifty, with more silver in his hair than black, the wily, wiry pirate nudged up the round spectacles that sat on his nose, appraising me as though he could determine my next move.
The exception was the too young woman on his arm, dressed in a gown like liquid gold. By rights, everyone should’ve been staring ather. Instead, she was as transfixed by Sofie’s spectacular gown—the sort of spectacle only magic could make—as the rest.
The crowd’s eyes remained locked on Sofie as she twirled prettily and curtseyed, rising only as I stepped forward to offer her my arm. As we made our way to the ballroom, the crowdparted for us again, as if we were Goldenbeard and his chosen. As if tonight’s celebrations were for us.
Brine and bracken, my crew was going to make an absolute killing tonight.
Chapter thirteen
Jax
AsIsteppedontothe herringbone planks of the dance floor, I felt a breeze at my side.
