“Loreena.” Her name brought an ache to my chest.

“We buried her, Mama.”

“I thought it was a nightmare.” My voice was a whisper. “Where’s Jack?”

“Jack’ll be back soon.”

“Back?” I tried to sit up but became so woozy that I collapsed back onto the bed. “Jacky?”

Solo’s face hovered above me, like faces do in dreams. “He’s gone ashore for you a doc.”

“Ashore? Where are we?”

“The Cape of Good Hope. South Africa.”

A smattering of tears fell from my lashes. “No, Solo. Not ashore—” I whimpered. “Pirate hunters—” I sucked in a deep breath, but more words wouldn’t come.

“He took Poison Lightning with him. They’ll be fine.” Solo patted my hand. “He gave us strict orders to look after you. You do what Jack wanted and just rest.”

My eyelids fluttered closed, but my mind refused to rest.

When I finally woke up, it seemed that I hadn’t rested at all. I sat up. “Where’s Jack?”

The room I shared with my husband was empty. I looked out the porthole.

Nothing for miles, only the open sea.

My stomach turned up in knots.

Weren’t we in port in South Africa? Did I dream that?

My aching muscles allowed me to move only so fast, but I finally made it up on deck. “Where’s Jack?”

Pitiful looks stared back at me. Rusty stood up and strode across the deck, a pout on her full lips and her thin arms outstretched.

“I’m sorry, Mama.”

I stepped back. “What happened?”

Solo drummed his fingertips on the side of the ship. “You were right about the pirate hunters, Red. Jack was spotted in town before he could get the doctor.”

I pulled my hands to my mouth. “No.”

Solo held up his palms. “Now hold on. They tried to get Poison Lightning, but Jack pretended he was a beggar. Kicked him and cussed him. Saved his life. Poison Lightning got away and came back to report to us. Jack’s on a pirate hunter ship bound for England. We’re trailing them.”

“Thank God.” I exhaled and shook my head slightly. “I knew we wouldn’t have just left him—”

Solo offered a smile. “We’ll get him back, Redella.”

“No.” Dark Water William rose up behind Solo like a demon. “We won’t.”

Before Solo could turn around, before anyone aboard could fathom what was happening or make a move to stop it, Dark Water raised a chunk of wood and brought it down hard on Solo’s head.

My princely friend, who had proven most loyal no matter the stakes, sunk to his knees, then fell over.

Dark Water’s thin lips pulled up into a wicked smile. “This is my ship now.”

Chapter Fourteen

Aboard The Black Otter, on the high seas

Thank God I came up on deck when I did. My eyes widened. If Dark Water had overtaken the ship with me still passed out in our quarters—

Something icy slid down my spine, but I didn’t bother with trying to discern what it was.

It’s now or never.

I leapt forward and grabbed Solo’s sword from his belt and landed in a crouch. I met Dark Water’s eyes, silently thanking God for however long I’d slept. At least I had some energy back, despite the deep ache in my muscles. “This is my ship. You can’t have it.”

Dark Water raised his upper lip in a snarl from the end of my blade. “Only a witch would take over a ship.”

Something hit me from behind and sent Solo’s sword clattering across the deck.

Charles Swan.

I stumbled but didn’t fall. Still, the world pitched around me. Fingers grabbed at me, fumbling, curling in my hair, yanking, but not making a clean grab.

I rolled onto my back. Dark Water’s eyes were black with hate as he stared at me, his dagger held high and ready to finish me.

“Dark Water! Help!” Charles plea twanged upward and with a whine.

“I got him Mama!” Rusty shrieked.

Dark Water glanced toward the scuffle. That was all the time I needed.

I clasped my hands together like a club and swung with everything I had.

For Jacky.

For Solo.

For Monica Joan.

For Irish Bon.

For Rusty.

For Tommy and Poison Lightning.