The journeyfelt long, and we only passed a handful of other wagons and peoplewalking. I smiled happily and kept my pace, all the while worriedhow some people may look at a young woman driving a wagon byherself. To the wrong person, someone with bad intentions, I couldlook like a tasty target.
My fears werevalidated when a trio of rough-looking men emerged from the woodsin the distance and stopped in the middle of the road. Even fromwhere we were, I could clearly see the shape of swords danglingfrom their sides.
“Finn,” Iwhispered back over my shoulder, “we have some company. It doesn’tlook good.”
“What are theydoing?”
“Standing in arow across the path,” I replied.
“Just keepgoing,” he instructed. “Act normal. And whatever ye do, dinnae get down from this wagon.”
I held astraight and stern face as our wagon approached the men awaitingus. Up close, I could see just how rough their appearance was.Soiled clothing, torn knees, and blackened skin, no doubt fromliving outside in the wilderness. These were wild men. And I was introuble.
I pulled backon the reins and the horse came to a halt. I smiled at them. “Goodafternoon, gentlemen.” One of them broke away and began circlingthe wagon. “Can I help you with something?”
“Maybe,” theone in the middle replied, his voice torn and raspy. His black hairwas oily and curled around his face. I could see the decrepit stateof his teeth when he spoke. “What’s a pretty little thing like youdoing out this far by yourself?”
“On my way toCupers Cove to see some family,” I told them.
The onecircling around poked the tip of his sword under the blanket and myheart began to race. These were the type of men who’d no doubtspread the word about Finn’s whereabouts, and the news would makeits way to Maria in no time.
“Yeah? Andwhat are you bringing along here?”
“Just some oldlinens and fishing nets for my father,” I lied. The wagon jostledas he hoisted himself up on the wheel. I stood in my seat and drewmy dagger from its sheath, holding the tip to his neck. “I wouldappreciate it if you removed yourself from my wagon, sir.”
The man staredat me, his dark eyes full of surprise that quickly turned toamusement. He soon held up his hands in mock defeat and steppeddown from the wagon. “Apologies, ma’am, I had no idea you wereequipped to–” he paused as he sauntered back to join his friends,“defend yourself.”
I quirked aneyebrow, dagger still held out in front of me. “Should I need toworry about that?”
The man in themiddle, who I realized must have been the leader, stepped forwardand wrapped his grubby fingers around the reins I held.
“Why don’t youhand these over and step down from your seat?” When I refused tomove, he plucked a small blade from inside his jacket and held itto my gut. The hackles on the back my neck stood on end as Ithought about the baby, so I slowly obeyed his command. “That’s agirl.” My feet hit the ground and he held out his free hand, palmup. “And give us the dagger, too, love.”
My mind racedto think of a way out before Finn couldn’t take it anymore. Thelast thing we needed was him bursting out of the back like a wildbear and causing a full-on fight. I had too much at stake, Icouldn’t risk the life of mine and Henry’s child against a battleof blades. I glanced down at the dagger in my hand and spotted theinsignia of The Burning Ghost, the skull within a flame, and knewthese men would no doubt recognize it. I grinned and turned itupright, making sure he wouldn’t miss it and handed the dagger over.
“Ah, that’s agood girl,” he cooed, the words turning my stomach. He let thelarge knife slip into his palm and I watched his eyes bulge at thesight of the hilt. His face darted back to mine, scared, seeminglyfighting to believe what he saw. “Are you–”
“Yes,“ I toldhim and stood tall, arms crossed confidently over my torso. Hestared me up and down, and I could see the pieces falling intoplace in his mind as the man began to recognize my likeness toMaria Cobham. “So, I’d suggest you return my dagger and be on yourway.” I expected him to cower, to scuttle away back into the woodwith his friends but was shockedwhen the street pirate did the opposite. He was pleased as he threwhis head back and laughed.
“Jack,” hecalled to one of the other men, “guess what we have here?”
“What?” Jackasked.
“We’ve gotourselves someone from The Burning Ghost.” He came near enough forme to smell the putrid stench of his breath when he cackledquietly, lifting his hand to caress my hair and twist a curl in hisfingers. “And I reckon someone close to Maria, by the looks of it.”His hand moved to my chin and held it tightly, forcing me to lookhim in the face. “Do you know what that bitch did to me? To mycrew?”
I swallowedhard and attempted to speak through the firm grip he held on myface. “I have some ideas.”
“She snuckaboard my ship one night, while we slept. Can you imagine? Toocowardly to take us while we were awake. Jack and I managed to jump overboard and swim away.” Hepaused to take a deep breath. “Not far enough, though. We still hadto watch our ship, our crew, go up in flames and sink to the Goddamn ocean floor.” He gave another squeeze before letting my facego. “She took everything away fromme. But now,” he laughed, “we have you.”
My lungsstruggled to keep a steady breath and my veins ran hot with fear.The leader
