Searching the High Seas (Privateer Book 2) by Robin Roseau

Author:Robin Roseau [Roseau, Robin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-10-20T22:00:00+00:00

Replacement Captain

Still gagged, I let Sorri bring me back to Fleetwind. Radha and Captain Lesten promised to see to the former hostages. I wanted to bring them to Fleetwind with us, but Sorri said, “We’ll talk to Gulldiver before making any further decisions.”

At that, I nodded.

I hadn’t gone into a full rage; my curse hadn’t completely taken over. It had been very close, but Radha had gagged me, and that was probably a good thing. Entering the rage in front of so many people wouldn’t have been good.

Sorri took me to her cabin and set me in a chair. Then she knelt down before me and caressed my cheek. “I’m going to say something, and then I’ll remove the gag.” I nodded at that. “Rani, this is the difference between Fleetwind and at least some of the other privateers. Do you understand?” I nodded. “Do you begin to understand why Radha and I were so staunchly opposed to you playing your tricks with other ships?” I nodded a third time. “Are you calm?”

I thought about it and shrugged.

“Are you going to do anything foolish or rash?” At that, I shook my head, so she spoke the word and removed the gag for me. She stowed it in a pouch and then looked up into my eyes, caressing my cheek. “You are a good woman, Rani Karden. We can only guess when those women would have been freed without you.”

“You knew it was like this.” My words came out in a ragged whisper.

“Yes. Sometimes. Fleetwind isn’t the only ship that operates the way we used to. I don’t know which is the norm. I just know some operate like we did, and some don’t.”

I said nothing but only looked into her eyes. She caressed my cheek once more.

“Now what?” I finally asked.

“Now,” she said, “we prepare for dinner. We talk to the Noridan Navy to determine the best way to return everyone home. We decide how we’re going to crew our new ship.”

“Do we want their help with that?”

“We won’t need it,” she said. “But we’ll be slow going home.”

“We’re spread thin.”

“We’re fine,” she said. “Better now?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Do you need a baiting session?”

“The next one is going to be very bad, Sorri. Very bad.”

“As bad as the one when we reached Southgate after you captured us?”

I thought about it. “I don’t know. I think I need to hold it together, but I’m going to be a bitch.”

“The crew knows about your curse,” she said, “although not everything.”

I decided not to worry about it. “Let’s see to business,” I said. I stood.

* * * *

Gulldiver hosted quite the reception. Captain Heartland and Commander Yurlarn were both there, of course, as were the officers of Fleetwind and Sergeant Titan. Maryfaire’s officers were guests as were the captains of the other four Noridan ships.

Tressa Marrow and a woman introduced as Sissa Quest represented the women we had freed. They had cleaned up but still looked worse for wear, and I thought they were in the same clothing from their stay in the brig.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.