His tail twitched. “Because I’m too smart for a normal cell. I used my tail to unlock the door of the cage, and I’ve been on the run ever since.”
I leaned back and lifted an eyebrow. “That doesn’t really seem like such a bad thing.”
“Well, I may have stolen his wife’s fancy necklace,” he mused as he hopped down and sauntered toward the window. He hopped onto the sill and half-turned to me. “But only because the color of the jewel matched my scales. See you later.” He scurried up the window frame and out of sight.
I jumped to my feet and over to the window, where I leaned out and looked up. The agama raced up the wooden hull and disappeared onto the deck. I drew back and shut the window. The latch made a heavy clicking noise that echoed around the quiet room as I turned to face my predicament. The distraction of the lizard was gone, and in its place was the horrible reminder that I was stuck in this strange place.
Stuck, and alone.
I moved over to the bed and wrapped my arms around a pillow, which I hugged against my chest. Tears welled up in my eyes, so I shut them tight and willed myself to sleep. The exhaustion helped, and soon I was in dreamland where my brother and my world waited for me.
Chapter 7
Shadows lurked in the corners of a small cabin aboard the Huracan. Captain Inigo Encina sat at a small round table, one elbow on the top and his head clutched in his hand. His eyes were closed, and the corners of his mouth were pressed tightly together to create long wrinkles.
A rap came from the door. “Enter.”
One of his sailors stepped inside. He grasped a paper in his hand. “The repair report, Captain.”
Encina didn’t open his eyes, but he did hold out his hand. The man scurried forward and placed the paper between two fingers. The captain set the paper on the table in front of him and resumed his statue-like appearance.
The sailor’s eyes flickered between the paper and his captain. “Is something wrong with the report, Captain?”
Encina’s mouth curled into a bittersweet smile. “If only that were the case, Amador, but you and I both know the repairs are far from the worst consequence of this matter.”
A little color drained from Amador’s face. “Have you received a summons from them?”
Encina opened his eyes and fell back against his chair, his focus on the slim piece of paper with a handwritten list. “Not yet, but it’s only a matter of time. I’m sure the message was sent out before the Tempest was out of sight.”
Amador’s eyes flashed with emotion. “You’re sure you don’t want me to interrogate the crew again? It churns my stomach knowing there’s a snitch on board.”
Encina shook his head. “They’d only find another way to keep an eye on us.”
Amador took a step closer to him and raised a fisted hand. “Could it be more burdensome than feeding the mouth of a traitor?”
“I don’t dare risk it for the sake of the other mouths,” Encina countered as he picked up the paper and studied the list. “Besides, we’ll need another of their jobs to pay for these and satisfy the thirst of the men.”
Some of his first mate’s ire was changed to curiosity. “Do you think they’ll give us another one?”
Encina tossed the paper back onto the table. “We fetched three of their people, and only lost this one because of that damned pirate. I doubt they’ll find anyone else willing to take such risks and have such success, even if they offered twice the gold.” He shook himself and looked up at his sailor. “When will we reach port?”
“The day after tomorrow.”
“And the provisions?”
“Will last us that long, and a few more days beyond that.”
“Have any of the birds come back with replies?”
“Nothing, but we don’t expect them to reach some of the ports for a few days, captain. The only one close enough to have reached it is perhaps Azur Bay. That reply should come in a day or two.”
“Very well. Leave me.”
Amador bowed his head and slipped out of the cabin. A heavy silence fell over the room as Encina stared at the damage report. The corners of his lips were tense, and he tapped a few fingers against the table.
“That damned pirate doesn’t know what he’s done. . .” he murmured to himself. He balled his tapping hand into a fist. “But I guarantee he will learn the consequences.”
It was at that moment tat a cold chill slipped into the room. Encina tried his best, but a shiver ran through him. The candle on the table beside him was snuffed out, sending the room into near-total darkness. He stayed still, waiting for the inevitable arrival of the messenger.
