Panic forcedevery bit of joy from my limbs and I spun around, searching. No onewas coming. No sounds could be heard. Did I imagine Benjaminchasing me through the forest? Or was he lurking in the shadows?Deep down, some part of me knew he was there. Somewhere. I heldtight to my pirate king.
“Aye,Lassie, ye gave us quite the scare,” Finn spoke as he approached usfrom behind Henry.
I broke free ofhis embrace to wrap my arms around Finn’s torso, nearly knockinghim down. I’d missed my friend more than I thought. “God, it’s goodto see you.”
Hepat my back.“’Tis a bloodymiracle we even found ye,” he replied. “We were heading in theother direction when Gus here spotted the smoke in the distance.Even with the spyglass, it was hard to see. I said, Christ, therewas no way. No island exists out here. But good ol’ Gus wouldn’thave it.”
Gus finallycaught up then, stopping at our little circle and gave me a smileas he bent over to catch his breath. My eyes glossed over.
“Thankyou,” I told him, and he swatted his hand in the air as if to shrug it off.“No, you don’t understand. I thought I was going to be trapped hereforever. Finn’s right. It is a miracle you even saw my fire. Icould have lit it at any other time, any other day. But you saw itat just the right time.” My voice lowered just above a whisper as Ichoked back the heavy tears that threatened to pour out. “You savedme.”
Gus had calmedhis ragged breathing and stood tall. “Yeah, well, it was eitherthat or put up with a miserable captain for the rest of mylife.”
Ilooked at Henry thenand he took my hand, pulling me back into his embrace. I inhaledthe scent of him as his face nestled into my hair. “I’m neverletting you out of my sight again, Time Traveller.”
I stretched myneck to look up into his tired face. He looked like he hadn’t sleptin days. “I won’t argue against that.”
He kissed methen, a long and deep kiss full of desperation and love. He foundme. Just like I said he would. Benjamin had sworn there was no waymy ship would have survived the storm. But I knew it couldn’t betrue. Fate had other plans for me and my beloved Henry.
“We bestbe headin’ back to The Queen, captain,” Finn spoke up. “This weeadventure has set us back. It’ll be near impossible to find Mariaat this point.”
Henry’s browsraised. “Are you ready to go home?”
Yes, every partof me wanted to crawl back into my bed. To see Lottie. Hug Charlie.But there was something holding me back. Something that I couldn’tjust leave behind, knowing I could have helped. I turned to thetrees, scanning the empty space between the thick trunks for anysign of movement. Benjamin had been hot on my heels. He didn’t justdisappear. My guess was that he hid nearby. Watching.
“Benjamin, you can come out,” I called to the forest. When hedidn’t appear, I tried again. “Look, I’m sorry for running away.But you have to understand that I don’t belong here.” I took a fewsteps away from Henry, but he refused to let go of my hand. “Andneither do you.”
“Dianna,who are you speaking to?” Henry whispered to me withconcern.
“A mannamed Benjamin Cook. He found me when I first washed ashore andtook me aboard his ship.” I decided to leave out the part aboutbeing a prisoner and the fact that his captain is a cannibalisticpsycho.
“A ship?”Gus clarified. “Where? We didn’t see any ship.”
“Um,it’s–” I cleared my throat nervously, “It’s hiddenby an invisible cloak whichI think is from the same old magic that binds them to thisisland.”
“You’recorrect, sweetness,” Benjamin confirmed as he stepped out frombehind a massive evergreen.
Immediately, Henry, Gus, and Finn drew their swords. Benjaminfollowed suit and they stood across from one another, in asilent standoff.Testosterone heavy in the air.
“Guys!” Iyelled and stepped between them. “There’s no need for this! Loweryour damn swords.”
Reluctantly, mymen did as they were told.
“Aye,Captain,” Finn said.
Benjaminquirked an eyebrow at me and grinned. “So, you were telling thetruth, then.”
I shrugged. “Ofcourse. These are three men from my crew. Gus, Finn, and Henry.” Itook a couple of steps toward my pirate king and took his hand inmine. Benjamin eyeballed the gesture and finally sheathed hissword.
“Ah, sothis is Henry,” he spoke seemingly to himself as his eyes scannedthe man up and down before falling on me with sadness glistening inthem. “So, you’re just goin’ to leave me, sweetness?”
Henry’s fingersgripped mine tightly and I heard a low growl erupt from his chest.“You’ll watch your tongue, Sir. Address her as Captain Cobham orDianna. Nothing more.”
Benjamin glaredat him challengingly as his massive frame leaned against the tree.“With all due respect, I’ll call her whatever I please. She and Ihave become quite close, you see. Sharing stories, secrets. I evenshared my bed with her.”
Finn and Gusmoaned in the background, and Henry stiffened at my side.
“What?” Henry roared.
I rolledmy eyes. “Calm down. He’s just prodding you.” I turned to Benjamin,slapping him with my stare. “You shared your quarters with me, not your bed. Stop being anidiot. I’m trying to help you.”
Hescoffed. “Help me? How couldyou possibly help me?”
“Bybreaking your brother’s curse and setting you all free,” I toldhim.
His face paled.“You wouldn’t do that.”
“Whynot?” I replied, offended. “What? You think I’d be one of thosewho’d run off with the gem?”
“Ofcourse! Who wouldn’t?” he barked back at me.
“Me. Mycrew. We’re honorable people. And I want to break your curse. It’sthe least I can do.”
He stood there,lost in his own mind. I wondered, had Benjamin even preparedhimself for the possibility that one day the curse could be broken?That someone like me would come along and save him? The torturedlook on his face told me no. He’d accepted his fate many yearsago.
“Aye, wedinnae have time for this, Captain,” Finn spewedimpatiently.
“Yes, wedo,” I told him. “They’ve been trapped here for nearly a hundredyears. I’m not about to let them spend another century tethered tothis damn island.”
“But,what about
