The Crown Jewel by Drew Logan

Author:Drew Logan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fiction, Adventure
Publisher: Drew Logan
Published: 2023-12-21T00:00:00+00:00

Nineteen

Karaikal

1,230 miles south of Fort William

Karaikal was finally spotted on the horizon. A town that had exchanged hands between the French and British over the years now belonged again to the French. It was certainly a welcoming sight for Henri who hadn’t been back in years. For Colt, it was like being in an entirely new country. He had never been around so many French soldiers at once. Once they arrived inside of the city, they went straight to Henri’s father’s shop.

Darte’s Trading Post. The freshly painted wooden sign hung above a window. Henri opened the door and a bell jingled above alerting Darte that someone had just entered his store. The large and gregarious man was astonished to see his son standing in the entryway. The two embraced warmly. Henri introduced Colt to his father, telling him that he wanted to buy a boat; this delighted Darte who had spent much time on the high seas as a younger man.

“Thanks for bringing him home. Come, come, you must be hungry,” Darte said in a thick French accent while leading them to a back room. He brought out a loaf of bread and poured them each a glass of red wine. “This just arrived from Bordeaux.”

Dante swirled the glass in his hand, taking a big sniff before sipping. Henri and Colt did likewise, pretending to know what they were doing. Colt listened as the two conversed in French. Henri hung on to every word his father said. Colt didn’t mind, he was just thankful he would be sleeping indoors.

“So, my son says you are in the market for a boat,” Darte finally addressed Colt.

Colt nodded.

“I’d recommend you go to Pondicherry. You’ll find a better selection there. Their harbor is much bigger. Look for a man named Deshi. I’ve known him for years. His spot is in the heart of the docks. You can’t miss him. Tell him Darte sent you. He will take care of you.”

“That sounds great! We will definitely look for him.”

“We?” Darte questioned.

“Hey, Dad, Colt and I are going to head upstairs to get some rest,” Henri interjected. Colt, unsure of Darte’s response, followed Henri upstairs into a modest apartment to catch up on some much-needed sleep.

The next morning, Darte sent Colt and Henri to the harbor to drop off a load of pelts to be sent back to France. While they were on their way, they were stopped by a mysterious woman in a red and black checkered dress wearing a black bandana around her forehead and large, ivory hoop earrings. Her hair was raven, and she had piercing green eyes. The woman was fascinating, and Colt couldn’t stop looking at her. There was something very evil about her and yet equally alluring at the same time. His soul told him to keep walking, but her mystique drew him in.

“I’ve been looking for you,” she said. Her finger brushed the side of Colt’s cheek, causing him to shake with adrenaline. “But first I must tell him something.

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