“Trixie pixie,” he mused aloud. “I’ll have to remember that one.”
A groan slipped out into the night. “I’m glad you find thissofunny.”
He laughed. “Not in the least. What I wouldn’t give for a clear head and skies.”
Clear head?Tink’s brows wrinkled. The mermaids vowed to turn the sea against whoever stole from them, but had they done more? She sighed. Probably.
Abruptly, Hook came to a stop. He adjusted her bound form, sliding her to her feet. It was impossible to miss the hardness of his chest, of all of him, as he lowered her to the ground. “I’d love to carry milady all the way to her ship but…” He shrugged.
“Such a gentleman.”
He gave a dramatic bow and swept his hand over the rough path toward the shore. “Ladies first.”
Tink could move her legs below the knee, but not much. Did he really expect her to waddle all the way to the ship? “You know, if you untied me—”
“You’d spread those gossamer wings and fly away.”
Snarky bastard.She scowled at him before turning with a huff.Fine.Let him laugh, but as soon as I get these ropes loosened up, I’m outta here.
Hook whistled one lively tune after another, a mocking accompaniment through the dark woods. He didn’t even stop when Tink fell and scraped her knees, just lifted her up and urged her along. Nessa’s flute, what she wouldn’t give to slap that horrible grin off his face. She couldn’t even see it where he lurked on the path behind her, but it was there.Lousy pirate.
She did need to see the merfolk…eventually, once she had the scale to trade to them. Showing up empty-handed though? Not great. Though delivering the Heart of Fire had “proved her a friend to the merfolk,” Titania had said. They wouldn’t even consider trading with her prior to that. Perhaps they’d help her out of this mess, for their benefit if not hers.
Tink took advantage of the darkness to wiggle and stretch against her bindings as they walked. A roll of the shoulders here, stretch of wings there. Slowly, oh so slowly, they began to loosen. A little more and she’d be free.
At length, the trees thinned. The soft crash of waves and distant sounds of evening fun tickled her ears, peaceful, pleasing sounds, so unlike Hook’s whistling.
“Captain!”
She groaned inwardly. And unlikethat. Escaping Hook wouldn’t be easy. Him and another pirate? So much harder.
“Smee!” Hook called. “About bloody time!”
A large man bounded their way through the underbrush. With all the racket he made, he might as well have been a charging bull. He was tall, muscular, and just big in every sense of the word. All brawn and no brains—that had been her impression of him in their brief encounter before she’d stolen the necklace from Hook. He did that impression even more justice now.
“You found her!” Smee yelled as he trampled a bush.
“No thanks to you,” Hook grumbled, though his tone lacked bite. “Where’ve you been?”
Smee ground to a halt in front of them, breathing hard.
This was it, her chance to flee. Tink stepped to the side of the path and pushed her arms against the bindings.
Smee rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, Captain. I…well, I—”
“Tell me later.” Hook clapped him on the shoulder with his good hand.
Her wings screamed in pain as she used them to push against the blanket, stretching the rope. Just a little more… One shoulder inched free, an elbow almost pulled loose.
“Mind carrying our precious cargo?” The captain gestured in her direction.
No. No. Not again.Tink lunged for the brush, but Smee caught her around the waist. She screamed in frustration as he slung her over his shoulder like a sack. Sweat, ale, and cheap perfume—a woman’s no doubt—flooded her nostrils. Did this man never bathe?
“Feisty one.” Smee adjusted her over his shoulder, cupping her backside in the process.
“Watch your hands, you beast!” She swatted at him ineffectually.
“A real tiger shark,” Hook agreed with a smirk. “Now then. Let’s find our ship.”
