Renegade by Antony John

sense, but . . . I didn’t want him to spend his last days reading that journal. You have to believe me—it would’ve raised more questions than it answered. Griffin could spend the rest of his life reading this stuff and never get to the bottom of it all. But you’re right: It wasn’t my place to keep the journal from him. I’m sorry. I was just so angry with all the lies, you know? They never end.”
    An apology—another surprise. Alice had always been impetuous and mercurial, but I’d never had such a hard time reading her before. She was always the girl with a plan. So what was the endgame this time?
    â€œI understand that you hate me right now,” she said.
    â€œI don’t hate you.” It was the right thing to say—almost true, as well.
    â€œDetest me, then. Loathe me. Whatever. You have more reasons to hate me than you even know.”
    Another cryptic remark, almost like she was inviting me to delve deeper. But it was also an olive branch, and I had to take it. “You saved Griffin from Sumter,” I said. “After losing your sister and your father . . . you still risked everything for my brother, and I’m grateful for that.”
    We were reverting to our usual roles: Alice, keeper of secrets; Thomas, peacemaker. Only, Alice didn’t seem reassured at all.
    She pointed to the Roanoke–Hatteras bridge in the distance. “Remember a couple weeks ago when we went to spy on the pirates? How we kept to the shadow of the bridge?”
    â€œHow could I forget? I was petrified.”
    â€œYou did well.”
    â€œOnly because you told me what to do,” I said honestly. “When Dare walked right by us on the beach, I almost screamed. Then he chopped that guy’s finger off, and stuck his own hands in the fire—”
    â€œDare scared me too. Back then, anyway.”
    â€œNot so scary now he’s gone, is he?”
    â€œNo.” She chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “He doesn’t scare me anymore.”
    She rolled her neck. Hands resting against the railing, she stared into the distance, eyes narrowed, element engaged. A few moments later, she shook her head slowly as if the element wasn’t working properly, or she didn’t believe what she thought she’d seen.
    â€œWhat is it, Alice?”
    She studied the surface of the water. “There’s something out there.”
    I squinted in a vain attempt to see what she was seeing. “What is it?”
    â€œA raft, I think. Yes, it’s definitely a raft.”
    She pointed. Sure enough, there was something out there, though it was hardly more than a speck.
    â€œTell Ananias to steer due north,” she said, voice quiet and urgent.
    Something about her tone made it clear that this was no ordinary raft. I ran back across the deck and showed Ananias where to point the prow.
    â€œWhat’s out there?” he asked.
    â€œA raft.”
    Ananias spun the wheel to the right, and we lost speed as the ship turned. “Did she see anything on it?”
    â€œMust’ve done. She wouldn’t have told us to shift course otherwise.”
    Ananias pursed his lips. “I think it’s time you got Father. Tarn too. We’re on enemy water now.”
    I shouted down the stairs for Father and Tarn to rejoin us. When I returned to Alice at the prow, I saw something on top of the raft. “Are those—”
    â€œBodies,” said Alice. “Three of them. . . . No, four.” She bit the knuckle of her thumb. “They’re not moving. Something’s not right.”
    â€œWhat is it, Alice?”
    She blinked twice and stared at the water again. Whatever she saw, she didn’t like it. She backed away from the rail and turned to leave.
    â€œWhere are you going?”
    She looked at me, then at the steps leading below deck. I couldn’t tell what was playing out in her mind. “I