A fist hit him hard in the jaw, snapping his head back. Pain exploded inside him.
“You have a nice long sleep now, and when you wake, we’ll be at sea,” Radcliff said.
Ash had nothing to fight with; he was trussed up tight.
“We are to leave now, and you will spend your days chained to my deck. Won’t that be nice, Ash? Just like old times. I will just go and cut your friend free, and he can drop into the sea and drown. He is of no use to me.”
Ash struggled against his bonds.
He didn’t see the fist, and then darkness took him.
…
Dorrie felt him. The quick surge of fear and then the pain.
“He’s hurting.” They were running past ships, trying to find theRobbin. “Radcliff is hurting him!”
“Pssst!”
“Come.” Dev grabbed her wrist and dragged her sideways. “Warwick is here.”
She found herself in the shadows with her three brothers and James.
“Where are the others?” Dev asked.
“They are watching the ship and Baron,” Warwick said. “Ash has been taken on board; his hands are bound.”
Dorrie hadn’t meant to moan, but it came out anyway. Cam pulled her into his side.
“Baron is tied to the figurehead.” Warwick looked grim. “He’s unconscious, Harry said, and looks like they’ve beaten him badly, as his color is pale now. Nicholas is with him, and they are trying to work out how to cut him free. Gus is watching the gangway.”
“Is that wise? His brother is on board and hurt; he will join him if he is not watched.”
“Harry has an eye on him and has told him if he goes on board he is endangering both him and Ash and making things difficult for us,” Warwick said.
Dorrie felt her evening meal slosh around in her belly.
“Radcliff told Ash he was going to cut Baron free and drop him into the water, and then I heard a fist. I’m sorry, Dorrie, I didn’t hear Ash speak again. But he is still alive Harry said.”
Icy-cold fear slithered through her.
“Where is Ash?” Dorrie asked.
“Still on deck.”
“We must save Baron also,” James said.
“Harry will whistle if he sees anyone cutting Baron’s ropes.”
“We have to get Ash off that ship or he will be plunged into the hell he was before,” Dorrie said.
“No, it is different this time,” James whispered. “Because he knows he has you and us. We will get him off, Dorrie. I promise. Ash will know that we are coming for him.”
“TheRobbinis leaving on the tide; they are preparing now.” Nicholas joined them.
“Let’s go. We will collect Gus then move to where Harry is,” Dev said.
She clung to Warwick’s hand as they moved silently as one down the side of the dark, shadowy ship. Ash was up there somewhere hurting, but he would survive; she would allow nothing else.
