Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

P andemonium broke loose.

The spies loyal to me clashed with the king’s soldiers, who all tried to fight their way over to the stairs leading up to the princess. Garrik pinned Odette’s arms to her sides and held a cutlass across her neck while Curdy stood at the head of the stairs, keeping the high ground against any of the guards who may try to rush to the princess’s aid.

Shouts of protest came from Odette’s guards, but the rebels held them at bay.

“You’ll pay for this,” Odette hissed at me. She wasn’t struggling against Garrik’s vice-like hold, but undiluted hatred leapt from her eyes. “You traitorous scum.”

“Takes one to know one,” I snarled back, then raised my voice. “Drop your weapons!”

The king’s soldiers tensed as they saw the sword Garrik had pressed against Odette’s throat. A few started forward in a panic, but growls from the rebels stayed them.

“I’m offering you the chance to live,” I told them courteously. “We’re coming up on Marooner’s Island. You can either drop your weapons and swim, or stay and die. You’re outnumbered, and anyone who refuses will get to watch your sniveling princess be thrown overboard. Leave now, and I’ll let her live.”

A snort of dissent from Curdy’s direction stabbed the air.

“How do we know you’ll let her live?” one of the soldiers asked nervously, eyes darting from me to Odette.

“You don’t,” I answered pleasantly. “But I can promise bloodshed if you stay.”

“And you expect us to starve to death on the island?”

A cruel smile curled my lips. “Not at all. I’m far too benevolent to allow you to die in such a way. There is a ship coming to pick you up in two days’ time once you have some of the fight starved out of you. What was the captain’s name again?” I asked Garrik, as if we were discussing the matter at a garden party.

He leered. “Captain Tyrone Renshaw, one of the most feared pirates on the seven seas.”

I nodded. “Yes, that delightful man. He has agreed to come and pick up anyone who would like to live, and you will join his crew. Or you’re more than welcome to refuse. I just can’t say what will happen after that.”

“Dahlia…” Another soldier spoke up, each word measured and slow. “You aren’t a killer.”

“No,” I agreed coolly, “I’m not.”

“But I am,” Garrik interjected with a gravelly growl, forcing Odette to lean against the knife still to her throat. His eyes were riveted on mine. “Say the word, Princess , and I’ll follow your every command.”

“Then release me!” Odette squeaked, wriggling her arms against his grip.

Garrik’s low chuckle was sinister enough that no one ever would have doubted his willingness to go through with the plan. “I wasn’t addressing you ,” he snarled to Odette. “You ain’t the princess no more.”

“This woman’s crimes against those she and her father have abused and enslaved for years are worthy of any punishment,” I called, projecting my voice so it reached every corner of the ship. “And we won’t allow her to continue in a position of power any longer.”

A stunned silence met my words. To emphasize my point, Garrik grunted and pressed the blade harder across Odette’s throat. She let out a small squeak of terror. If she wasn’t such an odious person who’d never batted an eye when ordering servants to be beaten, I might have felt sorry for her. The soldiers below looked paralyzed with fright, eyes darting around to all the mutineers bearing arms. There were enough blocking the stairs that they must have known they had no chance of saving Odette.

“You’ll be found out,” one of the soldiers said slowly, holding his hands up as two of my comrades snarled and jabbed their blades in his direction.

“I don’t think we will,” I answered. “First of all, you will all be handing over your uniforms and weapons before you walk the plank. If, by some miracle, another ship comes along before Captain Renshaw, everyone will know where you’re from by your accents.” I smirked. “And let’s be honest. Even if you do manage to be rescued after being marooned, we all know that sailors from Ebora have a sullied reputation. You’ll be written off as pirates trying to cook up a wild goose story to avoid punishment for your crimes. You may as well join the actual pirate willing to have you on his crew. I hear they often get a share of his treasure.”

The dumbfounded expression on Odette’s face was worth all the distasteful words I uttered.

“Strip down!” the captain called, marching around and relieving the soldiers of their uniforms and weapons. “Keep your long johns on, Ferrus, nobody wants to see that unseemly sight! Same for all of you! There’s still a lady on board. And Odette is, too,” he added with a sneer as he dumped the bundle of uniforms in his quarters.

“I’m a lady,” Odette muttered under her breath, but a snarl from Garrik cut her off. I bit my tongue. If my nerves hadn’t been on edge from the mutiny, I’d almost have found it amusing that she was more insulted by the captain’s comment than she was upset about watching innocent men be stranded, all for the sake of who paid their salary.

“I’m not here to debate,” I said coolly. “Anyone who wants a chance at living can swim for the island and wait for your next ride.” I pointed to the line of filled water skins hanging on the side of the bulwarks. “Go now and I’ll even let you keep your water skins.”

The king’s soldiers were forced toward the plank by the members of the mutiny.

“But, but I didn’t know there was a rebellion!” one of the soldiers objected, backing away from a rapier’s sharpened tip. “I don’t agree with what they’ve done. Can I join?”

“I trust your word about as much as you trust mine,” I told him, gesturing for him to walk the plank first. “There’s no way to test your allegiance without endangering our mission, so off you go. Have a nice swim and do try to avoid sharks and sirens.”

The rapier’s tip was jabbed at him again, and the man, clad only in his underwear and clutching his water skin, took the plunge to the ocean below.

Once all Odette’s supporters were in the chilly water, the mutineers leaned against the bulwarks, watching as the soldiers’ heads bobbed in the water, striking out for the land in the distance.

“I wonder if any sea creatures will get them before they reach land,” Curdy said with a laugh. “We can still kill them, you know. Easy target practice.”

“No,” I said coldly. “They’ll make it to land. Alive. We won’t stoop to Raquel and Odette’s level.” I shot a warning look at the assembled men.

It was a pity, really. Leaving them alive did open up the possibility that they could be rescued before the pirate captain showed up, but the word of a few stranded sailors wouldn’t hold much weight, and Captain Renshaw was said to be a loyal member of the rebellion, even if he was a pirate.

It might have been a wiser option to kill them all, but at least now I’d be able to sleep at night, knowing that it hadn’t been my hand that took their lives. In the distance, the fastest swimmer of the knot of stranded men dragged himself onto the small island, and I stared. I had no idea what life aboard a pirate ship would be like. Had I condemned him to a fate far worse than a quick and merciful death? Did any of them deserve to suffer that way?

I turned away. Yes, they did. Even if those soldiers hadn’t agreed with the actions of King Raquel, they had obediently carried out horrific crimes without objection. They’d imprisoned women and enslaved children. It didn’t matter if they agreed or not. They had done it. They deserved their fate.

“What’s going to happen to me ?” Odette sniveled, still held fast by Garrik. She hadn’t so much as spared a glance at the men who’d leapt overboard.

No one answered her. The members of the rebellion on the deck below were slapping shoulders, congratulating each other on such a successful and bloodless mutiny. How many others could claim a casualty-free act of treason?

But far from feeling smug and satisfied, I felt trepidation build to form a knot under my sternum. Despite our initial success, any number of things could go wrong; there were far too many variables to be comfortable. The salty wind tugged at my hair, and the heavy scent of fish lingered in the air. The deck still rose and fell beneath my feet as men scrambled up the rigging, adjusting the sails to coax us to higher speeds, rushing toward the next stage of our plan.

I tried not to look back at the soldiers who stood on shore and watched our ship fade away into the vast horizon. More than anything, I wanted to forget their faces and their shocked expressions of betrayal. It was a necessary sacrifice, but what little remained of my conscience nudged me. Lifting my chin high, I stared at the line where the sky met the sea. Rebellions would never succeed if sacrifices weren’t made. Hard decisions were the burden of every visionary seeking change.

“Are you going to let me go?” Odette sobbed.

Anger boiled in my gut, rekindling my reasons for the mutiny and snuffing out my brief bout of remorse. This sorry excuse for a human cared more for herself than the men who’d left their families behind and had flung themselves into the ocean just for the slim chance of keeping her alive.

Slowly, I approached her. Garrik pulled on Odette’s hair so her tear-streaked face was upturned.

“Let me ask you this,” I said softly. “What do you think you deserve?”

“To be let go! I haven’t done anything wrong!” she squeaked. “My father is the one ruling the kingdom; why are you attacking me?”

I shook my head. “You are every bit as guilty as he. And I think,” I continued, “that you deserve to experience the life you’ve inflicted on others.”

Her eyes widened. “You want me to be your handmaiden?”

Garrik let out a harsh bark of laughter. “That’s too cushy of a job, that is.”

Curdy nodded his agreement. “Let’s have her experience something a little messier and smellier than fetching sugared figs.” He smirked. “No offense, Dahlia. I mean, Princess Odette.” His smirk broadened.

“None taken.” The corners of my mouth lifted into a wicked smile. “We still have a few days before we arrive in Haven Harbor. Let’s see how well-behaved she is until then. If she can learn how to take orders, I think I can find her a suitable position at the castle, provided she has someone to watch over her and report to me. Who did we decide on?”

“Garrik,” Curdy reminded me. “But he said I could help. I’m looking forward to seeing how this new Dahlia enjoys servant work. I want a first row seat to that spectacle.”

“Very well,” I said, and smiled at Odette. “You can start by scrubbing every inch of this deck. Curdy will supervise.”

Laughing their approval, a sudden rush of men brought stiff-bristled brushes and sudsy buckets, all eager to watch their ruler reduced to scullery maid.