“That’s him,”I choked out and touched my hand to the glass pane. “He’s rightthere.”
Finn peered innext to my head. “I’ll be damned, so he is.”
“There’s noone around,” I whispered. “Maybe they’re gone off to get suppliesor something?”
“Or it couldbe a trap,” Gus muttered.
I shrugged.“How would they even know to set one? No one knew we werecoming.”
“The Cobhamshave their ways,” the grumpy pirate replied, and Finn nodded inagreement. “They have eyes and ears everywhere.”
I blew out animpatient huff of air and peeked in the window again, worried thathe would just disappear. I was desperate. I needed to get to him.My eyes scanned the edges of the old-fashioned window and realizedit could be raised from the outside. I applied a little pressureand pushed upwards, stopping when the ancient frame made a loudcreaking sound.
“What are yedoin’?” Finn whispered frantically.
“This is aclosed room. No one’s inside. I can slip in, untie him, and we’dslip back out before anyone even noticed he was missing.”
The two lookedhesitant but didn’t argue. I took that as a yes and continued toshimmy the window open enough for my body to fit. Finally, I pokedone leg in and carefully slipped my body through the opening.
When both myfeet quietly hit the floor of the dark room, I turned and gave thema thumb’s up. I slowly tip-toed over to the figure in the chairand, in the dim light of a single candle, realized there was afabric bag over his hanging head. Hesitantly, fingers trembling, Igrabbed hold and yanked it off.
My heartpounded from the inside of my chest, nearly knocking the breathfrom my body at the startling sight of him. My beautiful Henry,beaten and bloody, his face swollen, mouth cracked and dried. Hewas slumped over, a lifeless body straining against the ropes thatbound his torso to the chair. I didn’t want to think it, but helooked… dead. My lips juddered as I fought back tears and reached ahand out to caress his bloodied face. He suddenly came to life andbegan to resist my touch, the chair bouncing and making a racket ashe struggled against my presence.
“Don’t touchme–”
I slipped myhand over his mouth and shushedhim, praying that no one heard us. “Henry, it’s me,” I spokesoftly, and his convulsing body came to a halt. His eyes were bothswollen shut, but his face twistedinto a mixture of pain and disbelief.
“D-Dianna?”
The sound ofmy broken name across his trembling lips was enough to shatter me.I threw my arms around his limp body and held him so tight hewinced from the pain. But I felt his frame strain against theropes, reaching out to me in desperation.
“Yes, it’s me,baby, it’s me,” I assured him and held his face in my hands before placing a warm kiss on hiscoarse lips. Our hot tears mixed together, and Henry’s mouth heldon to mine like a starved vampire tasting blood once again.
“Untie me,” hedemanded, “before I lose my damn mind.”
I stood andwalked behind the chair to loosen the ties but found a massive heapof knots that I could never undo in time. So, I unsheathed mytrusty dagger from my side and sliced through the ropes, lettingthem fall and pool around the legs of the chair. I then did thesame for the bloodstained twine that bound my beloved’s wrists. Hishands immediately reached out forme and I kneeled down to ease myself into his embrace, weary of thefact he couldn’t see through the giant, swollen lumps around hiseyes. It didn’t stop his tears from pouring down, though.
“My God,” hewhispered shakily, mauling my curls as he did. A delusional laugherupting from his throat. “This must be a dream. I never thoughtI’d taste your lips again.” His unsteady hand caressed my cheek,trailing down my neck and he sobbed. “Or touch your precious skin.”The man held me close and kissed my mouth before pulling back. “Ionly wish I could see your face.”
I carefullytouched my fingers to his puffy eyes. “Jesus… what did she do toyou?”
His hands ranthrough my thick hair and pulled me in again, his mouth movingagainst mine as he spoke. Dry and trembling. “Nothing as painful asmy crying heart. God, Dianna, I thought I’d never see youagain.”
My chesterupted with heaving sobs at the broken man I held within my arms.“I’m so sorry.”
“Shhh, don’tbe,” he whispered in my ear. “It’s not your fault, none of itis.”
“Uh, I hate tobreak up the heartfelt reunion,” Finn whispered loudly through thewindow, “But we best be on our way.”
“Finnigan?”Henry perked up and turned toward the sound of his friend’svoice.
“Aye, captain,and Gus, too.”
“Can youwalk?” I asked him.
“Of course,”he replied with a raspy growl and then stubbornly attempted tostand on two feet.
When I felthim waver, I slipped my shoulder under his arm and led him to thewindow where Gus and Finn helped him out.
Immediately,Finn grabbed Henry. “Aye, Christ, it’s good to see ye,captain.”
Henry returneda gruff pat on the back with a weak attempt. “You, as well, oldfriend. You as well.” He turned then, searching. “Augustus?”
“Right here,captain,” Gus chimed in and stepped toward Henry. He appearedsolemn. “Henry, I–”
“Don’t,” Henrywaved a hand, “not now. Let’s get out of here. I haven’t heard asound in the house for hours. They’re bound to be back anymoment.”
“How many ofthem are there?” Finn asked.
“Just Eric andMaria,” he replied and fought through a sudden fit of coughing,spitting blood on the ground at his feet. “She’s gone… mad. Refusesto trust anyone. They haven’t a crew, even.”
“That’s good,”Gus said. “Come on, I’ll lead the way across the beach. We have tohurry.”
I let Henry’sarm fall heavy over my shoulders while Finn grabbed the other andwe slipped out from the shadows of the house. With a quick lookaround, we took off in a line across the front yard and around thefire pit. Suddenly, the blaze burst into
