“Dianna!” Iheard Henry shout from above.
I stood andwiped at my mouth as I shot a cold stare up at the both of them. Heseemed confused at first and turned to a smug looking Wallacebefore glancing back down to me, realization smeared across hisface. In a split second, he came sprinting around the open hallwayabove, heading for the stairs. He was coming to explain. I wouldn’tgive him the satisfaction.
I began toback away, unsure of what to do or where to go. I just knew Icouldn’t be anywhere near Henry right now. My heart squeezed in mychest and warm tears stained my face at the betrayal I’d justwitnessed.
“Dianna,wait!” he called out desperately. But The Siren’s Call was a largehouse and the space between us was vast.
“No! Don’t youdare,” I yelled at the man, my voice echoing through thehuge foyer. With trembling fingers, I stuffed a hand in between mybreasts and pulled out his mother’s ring. “I knew it. I knewit! And, to think, the only thing I wanted this entire God damn daywas to give you this!”
I threw itacross the wide-open foyer where it pinged off the marble floor androlled to Henry’s feet. He stopped, shocked, and bent down toretrieve the ring. I continued to back away, quickly now, andwatched as his eyes widened upon examining the piece of jewelry. Hestood, frozen in shock or fear or… something else, I wasn’t sure.Turning, I heard the sound of a voice calling to me, desperately,as I ran out the door and hopped in an empty carriage beforeordering the driver to go with haste to The Kraken’s Den. Away fromThe Siren’s Call. Away from Henry and the pieces of my broken heartleft sprawled on that cold, marble floor.
ChapterSeven
I remember flinging myself from the carriage once Isaw the swinging wooden sign of The Kraken’s Den in the distance.The whole way there, I rocked back and forth, willing myself tokeep it together just until I got there. Until I could fall apartin the comforts and privacy of my own room. Alone.
Despite theway the modified corset protested against my ribs, I wrapped botharms tightly around my torso and begged my brain to shut off. Theimages flashed through my mind, hot and vivid. But in a whole newlight. Not just the still-shots from the day, but thelong-forgotten memories of the recent past. My life before all ofthis. How simple it was. I’d taken it for granted, the safety andassurances of the future, the conveniences and ease of life.
Then, my mindneared the moment I came back home for Dad’s funeral and thefateful chain of events that had led me to the past. My present. Iwondered then, if it were all a matter of coincidence… or was mylife nothing more than a result of some divine providence? Destiny?If that were the case, then I shouldn’t wish my time back. Therewas no point. I would have ended up in the very same position inlife, lost in the past with a band of pirates, knocked-up, andfeeling utterly alone.
I stormed upthe wide and winding stairs of The Kraken’s Den and burst throughmy room door. With great frustration and impatience, I ripped thestupid dress from my body in pieces. Screaming. Crying. Tearing atthe fabric and cursing how hard it was to rid my body of itsuffocating hold.
Finally,everything I wore laid in a heap on the floor and I slipped on aclean shift before diving into bed. Sitting up, I plucked out thepins in my hair and tossed them to the floor near the dress and myshoes. It felt good to let my long black hair fall around my body.It calmed me. Brought me back to The Queen; my hair blowing in thesea breeze as I placed a hand atop of my red tricorn hat to keep itfrom catching in the wind. I missed the food Lottie would make. Imissed playing in the kitchen with her and the feel of utensils inmy able hands, chopping and peeling earthy veggies.
My eyesclosed, I leaned my head back against the dark headboard andinhaled deeply, remembering the smell of my bed. The one I sharedwith Henry. Our quarters that filled with sunshine all day and cameto life with candlelight at night. When Henry and I would lay inbed and profess our love for one another in so many ways.
A single tearfell from my eye, but I wiped it away before others could follow.God, I’d give anything to forget this all happened. Then an ideaformed in my mind, refusing to be swept away with irrationality. Istill had one pearl. Stretching, I leaned over to my bedside tableand pulled out a drawer that contained a small, locked box. Iopened it and fingered around the contents until I found the pearland pinched it between my fingers.
Yes, I toldmyself I’d save it and wish us all home in the end. But… what if Iwished myself back to the future? Away from all this mess and thedangers of the past. Just leave it all behind and wipe my hands ofeveryone and everything I touched since washing up in 1707. My babywould be safer, that was for certain.
But would I behappy?
I knew theanswer almost as fast as I asked the question. No. I’d beabsolutely miserable living in an era in which I never did fit in.I’d be forced to
