There it was. TheTempest. Still tethered to the dock.
Once there, she stopped, catching her breath. The day’s heat pressed around her, sweat dripping down her forehead. She craned her neck up. Down here, the ship seemed impossibly large. A wave of nausea burned through her gut.
Turn back.
She ignored the warning thundering through her mind.
Getting onto the dock had been easy enough. But sneaking onto the ship? That was another matter. She shivered, eyeing the multitude of sailors posted along theTempest’sdeck. These weren’t rough-and-tumble pirates—they were some of the new nation’s best. Trained. Disciplined. Men who could hunt Thorne and stood a chance of capturing him.
No way she could slip past them.
Lola shifted against her chest and Josephine stilled her with one hand. A group of dockhands carried crates over to a gangplank leading up to the main deck. At the bottom, a uniformed sailor checked off a list as the men carried them onto the ship. She pulled her hat low and made her way closer. This might be her only chance. She frowned as she looked up and down the dock. There were no unclaimed crates left, which meant she had precious little time. She pulled her lip between her teeth as the dockhands walked past—she couldn’t just waltz up to the ship with no cargo.
“Stop standing around, boy!” The harsh shout made her jump as a man with two large crates stacked atop each other slowed. “Makeyourself useful and take one of these onboard.”
A slow smile curved her lips and she patted her shirt. “See, Lola, destiny is already on our side.”
She hurried over and took the top crate. Its weight threw her off balance and it slid into her chest, prompting an angry squawk. The man wrinkled his forehead and she coughed, trying to mimic Lola.
Her arms burned as they slowly made their way to the gangplank, and by the time she reached the bottom, her entire body trembled.
“Contents?” The sailor taking inventory held a quill poised over his paper.
She blinked at him. Lead bricks perhaps?
He glanced up when she didn’t answer, sharp green eyes reflecting from a nearby lantern.
“We’ve two crates of sugar.” The gruff voice of the man behind her saved her from disaster and the sailor nodded and checked off a line.
When she stepped onto the gangplank, she stumbled, nearly tossing the crate into the water.
“Perhaps someone else should carry that.” Those green eyes had followed her progress and she bit back a curse.
“I’m fine.”
To prove it, she hefted the crate higher and forced herself to take long strides. It worked and she made it onto the ship without further issue. Onboard, they were directed down to the hold, where all the food was being stored. When a sailor in a crisp uniform took the crate from her, she nearly fell over.
The man behind her gave her a push. “No tarrying, off the ship with ye.”
They climbed through a hatch and made their way back through the berth deck. Once they got up to the main deck, there would be no opportunity for her to sneak away. Even down here, multiple sailors stood guard.
She stopped short. “I…I dropped something. I’ll be right back.”
The man rolled his eyes but continued. “Better hurry, wouldn’t want to make this lot upset.” He jerked a thumb toward one of the sailors standing near a shot locker before leaving her.
She hurried back toward the galley. Once in the hallway, she slowed. Nowhere to hide. At the end, a sailor with a crate stepped down into the hatch leading to the hold.Don’t look suspicious.With her head held high, she followed, resisting the urge to look behind her.
The steps led down into a dark cargo hold, where the man had gone to one side and was tying his crate down with ropes. A lantern sat next to him, the light bathing the cargo with a warm glow. She crept to the opposite end, following the shadows, until she found a space between two stacks to slip into.
Footsteps sounded as another man descended. “Are you finished here?”
After a grunt, the sailor answered. “Last one secure.”
“Is anyone else down here?”
“Just me.”
More footsteps as one of them climbed the steps. Silence stretched through the room, light still flickering from the walls. Then, the click of boots echoed around her. They grew louder and the light drew nearer. She shrank into her hiding spot and held her breath as he came to a stop mere feet away. Lola shifted against her skin and she reached through the rough linen to stroke the parrot’s soft head.
