Where Loyalties Lie

Chapter 54 - Fortune

“What’s he doing?” Stillwater said, pulling hard on the oar, his head craned around to stare across at Mary's Virtue.

“Saving us all,” Drake growled. He could still taste cold iron on his tongue, and his pride burned with anger at the treatment Tanner had given him, but he swallowed down his rage for the sake of his plans. He could feign a little humility if the end result was a crown. “Stop looking and pay attention to your oar.”

Beck was quiet, but her rage was a fire that Drake could feel even through the wind and the spray from the sea. He pulled on his oar hard, wishing there were some way to make the little boat move faster.

“The Phoenix is closer,” Drake wheezed between breaths. “Soon as we’re aboard, we sail. I’ll signal the Fortune to follow.”

“What’s the plan?” Stillwater said.

Drake’s arms ached. His back ached. His tongue was stinging and his nose hurt like a serrated knife had recently cut a gash across it that hadn’t been patched up. And the salt water that kept splashing him in the face only made it hurt more.

“We run.” Drake ground his jaw at the decision, glad that Stillwater couldn’t see his face.

“We’re just gonna leave Poole?” Stillwater said.

Spray whipped across Drake’s face and he shut his eyes. When he opened them he saw Beck staring at him across the small boat; her face was a mixture of pity and understanding, and her cold blue eyes sparkled in the light.

“Can’t save him or his ship,” Drake wheezed.

With that there seemed little else left to say. Drake hated leaving Poole behind, but he wasn’t about to sacrifice the rest of them as well. He sent a prayer to Rin, knowing it was pointless. The goddess didn’t take requests.