“You?” Blackbeard cocked his head.
Hook’s lips thinned. He looked past him to Tink, begging her, pleading in silence for her not to speak. She couldn’t give him the real scale. No matter what. A fake, he could give him that. He’d have to hope it worked, and it bought them time.
He toyed with the ribbons in his beard. “For ’er? Why?”
Hook looked at Tink. “Because I love her.”Bloody hell, I do. Fuck all, I love that thieving pixie.
Her lips parted. She sniffled.
“Well, now,” Blackbeard said as he wandered over to the plank. “Isn’ that something?”
His heavy black boot slammed onto the plank. The board wobbled. Tink swayed. Time seemed to slow as her balance faltered. A deep, roaring bellow filled the air. Hook’s own. Her eyes widened, locking with his.
And then she fell.
Her scream reached through the air, ripping out his heart, shredding his soul.
Water splashed.
Blackbeard looked over the railing before he turned and grinned. “Who’s next?”
Chapter 34
Tink
The sea dragged her into a cold and dark oblivion.
Water invaded her mouth, consumed her scream. Salt seared her wounds. Tink bucked and thrashed, but everything was the same. Up was down, and down was up.
This was it. The end.
He loved her, and she hadn’t been able to say it back. Oh, how she wanted to. It’d been on the tip of her tongue the night before, lingering right there. Why hadn’t she told him?I love that stupid, filthy pirate.
Tears didn’t come, or maybe they did. The water burned her eyes and choked her lungs. Pain stabbed her everywhere.
A light? The sun?
Something brushed against her.Maybe. Something hard pressed against her chest and her back.
Water rushed around her.
And then she saw James staring down at her. He smiled and touched her face. She wasn’t in pain anymore. Everything was warm, happy. He pressed his lips to hers.
Darkness crept in around her, but she wasn’t scared anymore.
I love you.
Chapter 35
Tink
Memories, dreams, thoughts… Everything and nothing rushed through her mind. Each image escaped before she could grab ahold. Her body jerked. Water spewed from her mouth. She gasped, sucking air into her raw and aching throat.
Everything hurt.Ev-er-y-thing.
If this was the afterlife, it sucked.
Sight returned slowly, everything around her blurry and spinning.
