“Captain works just fine,” he called over his shoulder as he walked out the door. “I want ye in the galley in five minutes.”
“Yes, Captain,” the faint voice answered as he headed to greet his crew for the morn.
“Mornin’ Cap’n,” Sweeney called out. “Where’s the lad? Did ye throw him overboard for his uselessness?” He chortled, slapping his knee.
Colin was on him in an instant, grasping his linen shirt. He pinned him against the wall, lifting him off his feet. “Ye’re wearing on my verra last nerve, Sweeney. Ye’d best no’ forget who it was that tookyein as an abandoned, scrawny lad and gave ye a chance.” He ground out between clenched teeth.
The man’s eyes widened in fear and he nodded, his head banging the wood panels with each move. “I meant no harm, Cap’n.”
Colin dropped him to the floor and looked at his crew that began to gather round. “We all have our own stories of how we came to be where we are now. Naught one of us has had an easy path. Remember that. The only thing we can do is lend a hand when someone needs it. The lad has no one. We’re his family now. If any one of ye have a problem with it, I’ll put out the plank now.”
“Aye, Cap’n,” Sweeney muttered before slinking away.
Colin didn’t have the patience to deal with petty complaints or insubordination. If a member of his crew didn’t want to follow his rules, they were no longer needed.
He ran a tight ship. His men worked well together. If one person thought they were going to insert themselves and start trouble, they’d find themselves treading water and hoping they came across another ship before the sea creatures found them.
“Back to work,” Colin barked at the men lingering about. They scattered. No one wanted to be in the path of his wrath when it came to surface. His nickname may be spot on with the fairer sex, but when it came to his men, “honey” was the last word he’d use to describe himself.
Peggy was at the helm when Colin climbed to the quarterdeck. “Trouble this morn, Cap’n?” he asked.
Colin looked out over the sea. The water was calm, the sky a dull blue, but clear. “No’ anymore,” he answered with a smirk.
Peggy shook his head and smiled. “Sweeney, I’m guessin’?”
“Aye, it seems to always be Sweeney.”
“Ye need to give him a break, Honey. His mouth is bigger than his brain.”
“True, but he needs to know when to reel it in. Some things are best thought and not spoken.”
“He’ll learn soon enough.”
“He’s had long enough. He was part of Chaos’ crew before mine. He’s no’ new to this life. He knows the rules. If he canna follow them, he can get off my ship. And I won’t think twice about it.”
Peggy nodded in agreement. “He’d be stupid to cross ye.”
“Any news onHades Revenge?”
“No. The last sighting we had put them in Aberdeen and still heading north, so that’s where we’re going. We’ll catch up to them.”
Colin grunted. “I’m going to kill that bastard once I get my hands on him.”
“And I’ll be right there with ye.”
He looked out at the water. Sean Ruane, the former captain ofHades Revengedidn’t deserve to die at the hands of his most trusted crew member. He was a good man with a family that loved him. He couldn’t imagine what they were going through without Sean to take care of them. He had wondered about them many times even though he’d never met them. Sean spoke about them often whenever he and Colin met up.
A pod of dolphins broke the sea’s surface and swam alongsideThe Hella. They bobbed in and out of the water, as if leading them to their final destination.
The story Storm had spread about Sean andHades Revengebeing attacked by the French was utter rubbish. Anyone with any sense could see right through it. If the French were going to attack for the gold, they’d have taken the gold, killed the crew and burned the ship. Not kill the captain, then leave the crew and ship to go on their merry way with coin intact.
And from what Colin had heard, the gold was still somewhere on the ship. If he could prove that, then he could prove that Storm was a killer and he would avenge his long-time friend. Whether he threw him out to sea or ran him through first he still had to decide. It was something he pondered many a night as he lay in bed.
What he knew for certain was that in the end, Storm would be dead. Colin looked forward to being the one to bring him down to his knees. There was nothing worse than being betrayed by one of the people you trusted the most.If you can’t trust your crew, you can’t trust anyone.
Storm was lower than the scum that grew on the surface of stagnant water. It remained to be seen if the rest of Sean’s crew was in on the coup or if they were serving under Storm for fear of repercussions. He would find out and if any one of them played a hand in Sean’s death, they would meet the same demise as Storm.
Chapter Eight
