“Move the ship in closer,” Rook told Rowen. “I think Reed’s right. It looks like the Sea Mirage.”
“It is,” said Rowen, watching the spot on the horizon. Mya flapped her wings from the lookout basket and landed on the wheel. “I can’t let you alert Muck that we’re here.” Rowen reached out and grabbed his bird. Mya fought in protest. “Rook, Reed, get your birds and lock them into the cabin for now. We don’t need them to give away our presence.”
The others did as he told them, while Rowen’s first mate, Langford, took the wheel. After the door was closed with the birds inside, Maggie thought they’d hurry toward the other ship, but that didn’t seem to be Rowen’s plan.
“We’ll fall back, just keeping them in sight,” Rowen announced. “If we can get close enough in the cover of darkness, we’ll overtake the ship first thing in the morning.”
“The mornin’?” asked Maggie, ready to cry. “Duff could be dead by then. We need to get there as fast as possible.”
“Rowen kens what he’s doin’, Love. Now get some sleep,” Reed told her. “I’ll wake ye when we’re closer.”
“I dinna want to sleep,” she said. “I want to save my brathair.”
“Dinna make me lock ye in the cabin to keep ye there,” warned Reed. “We both ken what trouble that got us into last time.” Reed winked at her, remembering what happened before the fire in the cabin. That got a smile from her and, finally, she agreed to go to the cabin.
“I’ll get some sleep, but how about ye, Reed? Ye need to sleep as well.”
“I’ll no’ sleep until Duff is back safely on this ship. Now go on, lassie. I’ll no’ tell ye again.”
She reached up and kissed him. When his brothers weren’t watching, he pinched her on the bottom. She squealed and jumped, hitting him on the arm.
“Thanks for bringin’ my family back together,” Reed told her. “I can see now how my anger was cloudin’ my judgment and keeping me apart from the ones I love.”
“I only returned the favor since ye brought me back to my clan. I canna thank ye enough.”
“Well, hold yer thanks until I keep my last promise. Because I will stop at nothin’ to bring ye and Duff back together.”
After Maggie had gone to the cabin, Reed joined the others for a drink. They’d decided they’d take shifts watching the Sea Mirage in the distance and that Ross and Reed would be on the first watch. Thankfully, there was the light from a partial moon and Muck was silly enough to leave lanterns burning aboard the ship as well. Rowen had ordered all flames doused, except in places where it wouldn’t be visible from the Sea Mirage.
“I’m going to close my eyes for a few minutes,” said Rowen. “I don’t think Muck is experienced enough to sail fast in the dark, so the ship shouldn’t move much. As long as I’ve known him, he’s never liked sailing in the dark. He prefers to sleep.”
“I’m going to sleep a little, also,” said Rook.
“My first mate is at the wheel,” said Rowen. “Wake me if you see anything suspicious.”
“We will,” Reed told him. “Rowen, did the king give ye this ship?” asked Reed. “After all, I ken how hard it must be to have had to give up the Sea Mirage to yer first mate, Brody, once ye decided to stay in England with Cordelia.”
“Nay, Cordelia’s father gave me this ship,” said Rowen. “And I heard from Storm that Muck got rid of Brody. I didn’t say anything about you breaking Muck and Lucky out of the dungeon of Hermitage Castle, but we’re going to have to deal with that later.”
“I ken it was a mistake now,” admitted Reed. “But why didna ye kill them both for betrayin’ ye instead of sending them to rot in the dungeon?”
“I don’t know,” said Rowen, shaking his head. “I guess it was too hard to do because the crew of the Sea Mirage ended up being like family to me over time.”
“Family?” asked Reed. “They’re pirates.”
“And so was Rowen a pirate,” said Rook. “Don’t forget, Reed, Rowen was raised as a pirate and I lived in solitude in the crypts.”
“I didna forget. I suppose I understand why ye didna kill them.”
“I’ll kill them if you want,” said Rook nonchalantly. “After all, I don’t have any ties to them and I have no qualms about killing someone who deserves it.” Rook walked away, leaving Rowen and Reed.
“What did he do with Brody?” asked Rowen. If Reed wasn’t mistaken, Rowen’s jaw twitched. “Brody and I grew up together. He’s like another brother to me. If anything happened to him –”
“Calm down, Rowen. I made Muck promise he wouldna kill Brody. It was part of our deal. I ken how much Brody means to ye. He said he dropped him off at some deserted island. I intend to wring the exact location out of him as soon as I see him again.”
“For your sake, I hope we find Brody. Because I’m not going to forgive you so easily if he’s dead.”
Reed headed up to the forecastle to join Ross in their shift of the lookout. He planned on going up to the basket in a bit. He’d be able to see better from higher up, plus it would give him time to be alone. He’d been asked if he was going to accept Edward and pay allegiance to him like his brothers. Honestly, he didn’t know what he was going to do. The thought tore him up inside and he tried not to think about it because he wanted to stay focused on saving Duff.
“I’m goin’ up to the basket,” he told Ross, needing some time alone.
“Wait,” said Ross, motioning to a chessboard he’d set up atop a barrel on the forecastle. He had a wooden crate on each side to use as stools. “I thought we could have a game of chess while we’re on lookout together. I’d like to have a talk with ye.”
Reed was reluctant to agree because he thought Ross was going to bring up the question again of him making amends with Edward.
“I need to talk to someone about Annalyse and the girls,” he said.
“Oh. All right.” Reed settled himself atop the crate and took the first move. There was some moonlight and they had no other light to see the board. “What’s on yer mind?”
“I want my wife and daughters back, but I’m no’ so sure they’ll want me.” Ross leaned close to the board to see the pieces and finally moved one. Waves hit against the side of the ship and the lines above them creaked in the breeze.
“I hear Annalyse never married, so ye dinna need to worry about that.” Reed moved another piece. “I’m the one who needs to think up a plan, so the baron doesna declare war on Rowen for breakin’ the alliance.”
“We’ll come up with somethin’,” Ross assured him. “I was thinkin’ of askin’ Maggie to talk to Summer and try to find out if Annalyse would consider gettin’ back together with me.” He studied the pieces and slowly reached out for one and took his turn.
“Ye’re startin’ to sound like the broken Ross who pities himself again.” Reed moved his knight and scooped up Ross’ bishop. “Just talk to her yerself.”
“It’s been so long. I’m just no’ sure.”
They played the game in silence for a while and then Ross made a stupid move. Reed took advantage of it, taking his queen. He paid the price when Ross captured his bishop in return, but he didn’t care. He wanted to get up to the basket and just think about his own problems without having to worry about someone else’s.
“That was a reckless move, Reed. Ye didna need to sacrifice yer bishop.”
“And ye didna need to sacrifice yer wife and three daughters either. Especially since ye’d failed to bring back yer first born.” He captured Ross’ knight. “Check.”
“That was a low blow, Reed. I asked for yer help and ye made me feel like a failure instead.” He moved out of check.
“I’m sorry, Ross, but I have a lot on my mind. Check again.”
“What?” Ross looked down at the board. “I think I taught ye how to play the game too well.” He moved out of check.
“Mayhap. Checkmate.” Reed stood up and stretched. “Then again, mayhap ye didna teach me to play it well enough. If so, I’d ken what my next move is when it comes to Edward. Instead, I feel as if I’m backed into a corner with no way out.”
“There’s always a way out,” said Ross. Reed bolted down the steps and grabbed on to the rigging and started to climb. Ross stood up and called out to him. “The question is – do ye really want an out this time?”
Reed thought about Ross’ question as he climbed like a monkey to the top of the mast and flipped his body into the lookout basket. He could see several lanterns burning on the Sea Mirage. He felt horrible for Maggie because Duff was everything to her. Reed had grown fond of the boy in just the short time he knew him and had to think of something to do to save Duff’s life. Duff was his family now, too, and Reed was not about to break a promise to his new wife.