Pirates of the Caribbean:The Spanish Prisoner (Book 2 King's Messenger Series)

Winner Takes All

"Good evening, my dear," said Jeremy, smiling as he levelled his pistol at me.

"Monster!"  I screamed as I knelt over Hector's body. "What have you done?"  The storm had passed, but the soggy ground soaked the knees of my breeches, and there was a rainstorm of a different sort brewing in my eyes.

I bowed my head and let the tears run as I buried my face against Hector's chest. A conflagration was incinerating my heart, and no amount of weeping could quench that fire. I vowed to make Jeremy pay for his deed in the most excruciating way I could devise.

"Yes, I was afraid it might distress you," Jeremy remarked lightly. "But really, it was the best alternative. We only shot the Spaniard. Mr Digger struck your friend over the head with an oar."

I pressed my ear against Hector's ribs until I could hear the soft thudding of his heartbeat and feel the movement of his breastbone as he breathed. "Oh, Hector, Hector..." I gulped under my breath, sick with worry over him.

Digger hoisted me roughly to my feet and kept me back as the other two blackguards put manacles on Hector. A makeshift litter was brought forth, and they rolled him onto it.

"Well," said Jeremy, glancing about him. "I think that's all, here." He gave a quick, decisive nod and signalled the ruffians to start for the shore. He was followed by the two men carrying Hector, while Digger and I brought up the rear.

I turned to look back at Maroto's body. "You can't just leave him here," I pleaded.

Digger gave me a shove. "One more word, an' you can stay an' keep 'im company," he spat.

We were nearly out of the clearing when a fluttering noise made me look back once more. My blood turned to ice as I watched the mysterious white birds begin to gather around Maroto's body. "No...please," I murmured weakly to whatever saints were listening, "not that..."

Digger gave me another shove, and I stumbled as I walked into the jungle ahead of him.

When we reached the boats, there was heavy fog building in behind the rain. The Medusa's lights could barely be seen, and the Pearl was invisible, if she was even still there. If Jack had made good on his threat to weigh at once, then Hector and I were now completely alone.

Jeremy seated himself in the boat, and turned to look back at me. "I did try to keep you out of it," he said, "so you've really no one to blame but yourself. You should have gone to sleep like a good girl after all that card playing." Then he turned his back.

I slid off my seat, and was able to cradle Hector's head in my lap as we were rowed back to our ship. Though my hands were bound, I caressed his face as well as I could, and tried to wipe away the blood. I cupped my palms around his jaws and closed my eyes. Wake up, wake up, sweetheart, I repeated silently. I didn't bring you back from Isla de Muerte for this.

But he remained unresponsive.

-o-

When I stepped on deck, one thing was painfully clear---we had lost the Medusa. Jeremy and Digger had evidently opened the rum stores, and the drunken carousing of our erstwhile crew would have done credit to Tortuga. Fighting, drinking and gaming were everywhere, with the occasional pair of dice bouncing off my boots after a particularly energetic throw. All of them swaggered about, feeling invulnerable, boasting, threatening.

Jeremy leaned near my ear. "Nothing like rum and extra shares of plunder to keep pirates happy."

"They're a mob," I hissed. "There's no discipline. You'll endanger the ship and every one on her."