“No… no, I’ll find away!” I replied desperately.
“Shhh,”his finger brushed my lips, “it’s alright. I’ve accepted it. Just…set me free.”
I had nowords. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the man, fornow, or forever. It wasn’tfair that his life was taken from him. He hardly had a chance tolive at all. But there was nothing else I could do, and Henrywaited for me. I had to go. I strained to reach a little furtherand placed a kiss on Benjamin’s lips. A last partinggift.
“Ipromise. I’ll set you free.”
“I know,”he replied and smiled, a mixture of sadness and longing in hisglistening eyes. He backed away then, wiping at them. “Go, now.Before it’s too late. They’re waiting for you.”
I watched as hecontinued to back away, unable to will myself to move until hefinally turned his back to me and disappeared into his quarters. Idescended the rope ladder and jumped into the waiting rowboat.Rowing the short distance to shore was tough with my sprainedfingers, but I managed. I made it the whole way and never lookedback. I couldn’t if I wanted to.
Iscrambled out of the boat and onto the cold sand where I took offtoward the forest, carrying with me the heavy weight of emotions that had built upinside. Henry found me just a few feet in, he’d been pacing thetreeline for hours. When my hands touched his body, could feel hisexistence between my fingertips, I collapsed from the profoundnessof it all.
“You didit?” he asked me, cradling my tired body in his arms as if I were achild.
“I didit,” I replied with a grateful smile and let the weight of my headrest against him.
He carried meback to the other side, through the thick forest. Never faltering,and his lips never far from my face. Everything was so bittersweet.No matter how hard I tried, nothing ever balanced out. I was happy.But my happiness always came at a price.
ChapterTwelve
My hand throbbed and my feet ached inside myboots. But not as much as my jaw protested with each movement. Iwas slightly dehydrated. But when Henry set me down on my own twofeet, I came alive with purpose. I had the map, the gem, and mycrew back. I’d sail to the Siren Isles with Henry by my side andbreak this curse. When I spotted Finn and Gus waiting by thewater’s edge, I ran to them.
“It’sgood to see ye, Captain,” Finn greeted, joy bursting from his seamsat the sight of me.
“Andyou,” I told the giant Scot and patted his arm lovingly. Ilooked to Gus. “Istill can’t believe you found me.”
“We’dnever stop searching,” he replied sternly, but then the corner ofhis mouth turned up as he glanced at Henry. “This one would neverallow it.”
I laughed andsqueezed Henry’s hand as he stood by my side. His very presenceanchored me to the world. I felt whole when I was with the man. Ifelt alive. My other hand dug into a deep inside pocket of myjacket and pulled out the map. I handed it to Finn.
“Thiswill lead us to the Siren Isles,” I told him. “Can you readit?”
My friendunfolded the weathered parchment and examined it closely. Soon, hishead bobbed slowly. “Aye, I ken where this is. I can get us there.”He paused and cast his face to the skies. “Probably a week. Eightdays.”
That’s whatBenjamin had told me. I nodded. “Then let’s get back to The Queenand get out of here. Let’s go home.”
We shoved offthe rowboat and made our way out to my ship. Finn and Gus rowedwhile Henry sat next to me in the middle, holding onto my hand. Irealized then, he hadn’t let go since I got back. I leaned intohim, basking in his warmth, succumbing to the way my happinessslowly pushed out the stress and despair I felt about leavingBenjamin.
And how Pleemangave his life for me.
Henry had toldme I was brave. But that was a lie. I’d only survived because I hadhelp. Pleeman at first and then Benjamin soon afterward. Those twomen sold their souls for decades but then did the right thing inthe end. They’d helped me. I would spend the rest of my lifethanking them.
I usedwhat little energy I had left to climb the side of my ship. When Ifinally got to the top, I flung myself over the railing andsprawled out on the deck. Happy to be home. Relieved to be done. Iultimately gave out. A shadow loomed overhead and I opened my eyes to see who itwas.
She stood withhands on her hips and peered down at me. “You must be the world’sgreatest swimmer. Or the luckiest fool.”
A genuine smilespread wide and far across my face. “Hey, Lottie.”
She threw herarm down for me to grab, and I used it to haul myself up to my feetjust as the others were hurdling themselves over the railing.
“I toldyou to come downbelow, didn’t I?” she mock-scolded me.
“Ipromise to never disobey you again,” I told herjokingly.
My friend’sshoulders lowered, and she pulled me in for a quick squeeze. “Youscared us half to death. When they came back and said they’dactually found you, I didn’t believe it.”
“I know,”I replied. “I still can’t believe it myself.”
“It’s abloody miracle!” Finn declared.
Henry, not aninch from my side, took my hand again. The desperate hold he hadtold me how he felt. The man was barely hanging on.
“Finn,can you set a course? Follow the map?”
He nodded once.“Aye, Captain.”
“Lottie,can you fetch me some boiled water? Enough to bathe with?” Iasked.
“Sure, ofcourse,” she replied and headed off. Gus followed closebehind.
I turned intoHenry then, nestling my face in his chest. I wanted nothing more togo back to my quarters, remove my dirty clothes, and spend a weekin bed with him. I was tired. And I owed my body some rest.
“Take meto our room.”
“Whateveryou say, Captain,” he mused and led the way, pulling my tired bodyalong.
Once inside,Henry shut the door and I collapsed on the bed. My soft, clean,comfy bed. I almost felt bad for rubbing
