Royal Trouble: The Mysterious Sea by Hope Erica Schultz

Author:Hope Erica Schultz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: CBAY Books

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Amalia had the man blindfolded and tied up before Donal had even seen his face. A rag—torn from his shirt, by the look of it—was bound around the man’s right foot, confirming that he was the source of the footprint they’d found.

Chris and Jes showed up just as Amalia finished. They were arguing about plans for further exploring but fell silent at a gesture from Amalia.

“Who is that?” Chris asked.

“I’m just an unfortunate traveler,” the man began.

Mrs. Clemens kicked him. “He’s a pirate.”

“Are you sure?” Donal asked.

Mrs. Clemens looked at Donal, then at the others. “I’m sure.”

Donal sighed. “Then what do we do with him? Has he done things so terrible we need to kill him? Or bad enough that we have to take him in to justice?”

The man squirmed in his bonds but didn’t answer. Mrs. Clemens hesitated. “For the first, I don’t think so. Yet. For the second, I don’t know. I know that you can’t believe a word that comes out of his mouth.”

When a quiet grandmother becomes an avenging angel of death, it’s probably good to pay attention. Donal bit his lip. “Either he has a way out of here, or he’ll die if we leave him here. If he has a way out, he’s dangerous. If he doesn’t have a way out, he’s more dangerous.”

Amalia nodded. “Killing him is the easiest way, but you know our parents would be upset. I’d probably get grounded. Leaving him here to escape or die is a little better, but Jes would probably get upset. Taking him to justice is dangerous, but our parents won’t be mad. Letting him go … Well, that might work, but if he’s an idiot like Mathis, he might decide we wronged him and come wreck something.”

“I’m not an idiot,” the man interjected. “Definitely not that much of an idiot.” He paused. “I am really, really thirsty, though. Do you have any fresh water? Or ale?”

Donal hesitated a moment. A prisoner was as much of a responsibility as a pet, and he liked Blot much better than the pirate. Still … human beings shared water. He took a cup and water flagon from the stores, then held the brimming cup to the man’s lips. The man drank eagerly, then settled back with a sigh.

Curious despite himself, Donal pulled off the blindfold. The man looked older than Donal’s mother, maybe a bit younger than Mrs. Clemens. He had straggly brown hair with a few streaks of gray, a ragged brown beard, and blue eyes.

The man’s eyes widened now. He straightened. “You look just like your mother.”

Donal frowned. “How do you know my mother?”

The man gave a mirthless laugh. “We were married for about six months. You’re my son, Donal.”

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