DOGS. Legacy Saga II

74

Marina couldn't make up her mind, split between her urge to climb to the gunwale and her urge to run and hide in the last corner of the hold. So she stood where she was, her eyes moving all over the New Lion, looking for Castillano's distinctive figure.

Soon she saw him climb down the ladder to the shallop and hoist the sail. A man followed him, bringing a small luggage chest. It only had room for two changes of clothes tops, maybe a telescope and some charts too.

Castillano put it under a bench and signaled the man to loosen the hawser and go back aboard. As soon as the shallop floated away from the New Lion, the brigantine trimmed sails and maneuvered to circle the Phantom and resume her course.

Marina realized she was grasping the mizzenmast shroud so tight her knuckles had gone white, and her other hand pressed her chest, as to soothe her drumming heart.

Castillano trimmed his only sail and tied up the boom and the tiller, so he could stand by the mast, his eyes fixed ahead on the Phantom. And he smiled when he spotted the girl looking out the bridge starboard gunwale.

The pirates turned to the bridge when they heard the sound of rushed footsteps. It was Marina's sandals dropping empty on the boards. She'd climbed to the gunwale, and jumped head on to the water.

Castillano rushed to the bow, scared, but Marina's head showed out of the water only fifty yards away from the shallop. She swam with quick, firm strokes and took the hand he stretched out to hoist her on board.

"A doubloon that they kiss and all these Jamaican fools smile like idiots," said Maxó.

"You are already smiling like an idiot, mate."

Aboard the shallop, Castillano took Marina's hand and helped her out of the water. He pulled her closer, her smile pursing his own lips.

She threw her arms around his neck and stuck to him, shivering when he held her tight.

Castillano couldn't believe such a warm welcome, since he'd expected to be hailed by a broadside.

"How are you, my child?" he whispered in her ear. "How's your behemoth?"

She nodded against his neck, still unable to speak. She had no idea how he'd found her, or how he'd found out about Morris. She didn't care. He was there. When she needed him most. When nobody else had dared to challenge her will to be left alone. When she expected it the least. He'd been the only one to found her in the middle of the sea. And once more he was leaving it all behind for her. She thought her heart was still hammering her chest like that because it was whole for the first time since that hideous night at Helena Point, when he wouldn't come and Segovia had taken her friend.

"Oi, you blockheads!"

Maxó's rough shout made them giggle and forced them to pay a little attention, in order to keep the shallop from hitting the Phantom's side. A moment later they boarded the ship and Castillano nodded hi at Maxó, who knuckled his forehead with a mocking smirk.

"Let's sail on, De Neill," said Marina, grateful the water pouring from her head hid her joyful tears.

The pirate winked at her. "Aye, aye, pearl!"

"Maxó, the Captain will sleep in Morris' hammock."

"That's two steps away from the ladder to your cabin," Maxó said.

Castillano patted his shoulder, shocking him. "Get used to it, whoever you are."

The pirate signaled him to follow, grunting. "Maxó, that's my name! But blockheads like you call me sir!"

Marina shook her head, smiling, as she watched Castillano head below after Maxó, who was still growling under his breath.

The veering and the racket on deck had waken Morris up, and he was able to frown when he saw Marina walk in soaking wet. She smiled, opening the bulkhead between them to change her clothes.

"Castillano," she said, failing to sound casual and calm. "I don't know how, but he found us. You'll have to forgive me, but I gave him your corner below."

A moment later she kneeled down on the cushion by her friend, unable to manage her grin. Morris studied her with his good eye, pale blue like the sky outside the windows, and nodded, pressing her hand.

"I want to see him," he murmured.

She giggled. "Aye, aye, cap'n! And if you feel like granting royal audiences, you're in shape for a papaya."

"Marina..." That only word was enough to state his complaint.

"I can't hug you, or I'll break you few spare bones. So I'll settle for making you eat."

She kissed his hand and left the cabin down the trapdoor ladder.

Castillano had changed the clothes she's wetted and was tying his chest to one of the aft chasers, under Maxó's scowl.

"Off, old wolf," Marina whispered in his ear, and fought back her laughter at Maxó's outrage.

As soon as he turned his back on them, Castillano took Marina's hand to pull her close again. She shivered once more when he kissed her, in that way that mixed desire and gentleness in the exact measure to make her wish she could throw the whole crew overboard. Well, all but Morris, who couldn't be a nuisance as he was, lying in bed in the cabin. Well, and they should keep De Neill as well, or they'd end up running aground at some shoal or reef.

"Pearl! You sure I should cut him a papaya? He likes mango be—My! I'm sorry!"

Pierre's question interrupted their kiss and made them chuckle, especially when they say the cook hurrying back into the galley and out of sight.

"Welcome to my life," she said. "Sometimes they're a hundred fathers. Sometimes they're a hundred children."

"I'll take your word with the welcome part, child. Because I'm not letting you go ever again, no matter what you try to send me away."

She giggled yet again. And it was such a wonderful feeling after those hard, painful months.

"Morris wants to see you. Please, try not to look too shocked. There's little left of Tortuga's most handsome behemoth."

"Don't worry."

Marina stepped back, struggling to unlock her eyes from Castillano's. He held hers until she mustered all of her will and turned around to go to the kitchen.

"I know he likes mango better, Pierre" she said. "But Bones says papaya is more nutritious."

Castillano sighed. Marina was pale and slim, with dark shadows under dull eyes. Those two months fighting for her friend's life had drained her. And he'd left her all alone! How could he be such a moron! But at least he'd found her. And from then on, he'd be there for her, to give her all the support she needed.