The Pirate Raiders by C. G. Mosley

Author:C. G. Mosley [Mosley, C. G.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781925597950
Google: BiZctAEACAAJ
Amazon: 1925597954
Goodreads: 18812658
Publisher: Severed Press
Published: 2013-06-06T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9 :

As the large ship glided closer; the first thing I noticed about her was the beautiful wooden figure on the bowsprit. The carved face was that of an older man with a full head of hair and a beard to match. His eyes were squinted and his thick eyebrows suggested an expression of anger. A mighty trident was clutched tightly in the figure’s right hand and his body was that of a young, strong man. The Greeks called the man Poseidon, God of the Sea. The Romans, on the other hand, referred to him as Neptune.

I’d seen Neptune’s Castle briefly before I’d left Port Royal, but it was from a great distance. This was the first really good look I’d gotten of her and she was even more magnificent than I had originally thought. Much of her hull boasted a wide stripe of light blue paint, trimmed with gold on top and bottom. The stripe ran across the gun ports, which I quickly noticed were already opened. The black tips of twelve-pounder cannons protruded from the openings. It was obvious that Captain Sutton had already pieced together the dire situation that Ricardo and I were trying to depict. To him, Henrietta was a sloop under duress from a much larger pirate ship. To make the matter more personal, Henrietta proudly displayed the Union colors upon her main mast. Ricardo’s ship flew a black flag, and once Sutton discovered the Jane was crewed by Spanish pirates…well, that would just add fuel to the proverbial fire.

“Pirates, under the authority of King George I command you to drop your weapons at once,” a voice, that I could only assume belonged to Captain Sutton, boomed from the speaking trumpet held at his lips.

“I don’t think so señor,” Ricardo yelled in response. “Be on your way, or I’ll paint these decks with English blood.”

Ricardo then slapped a hand across Langley’s forehead and pulled his head backward so that his stubbly throat arched outward. He then placed the blade he wielded against Langley’s throat. I noticed Langley’s Adam’s apple nervously bobbing up and down. I couldn’t tell if the reaction was for show, or if he was genuinely scared. The blade was clearly against Langley’s throat—Ricardo was putting on a very convincing performance and I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of uncertainty.

There was a long pause before Sutton spoke again.

“Pull that blade away from that man’s throat,” he said finally. His tone was neither weak, nor commanding. “I do not want to see any blood spilled today. Let us make an effort to negotiate.”

Ricardo relaxed a little and released the tension on Langley’s head. He continued to hold the blade close to his throat, but the steel no longer made contact with skin.

“Very smart, señor,” Ricardo said. “I am willing to negotiate as long as it does not include surrendering…I would rather die.”

“You seem to be a very desperate man, and I take you for your word.” Captain Sutton responded. “However, you must understand my predicament.

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